Agentsmith

C & W NORTHERN SOUL STYLE....YEE HAW!! BUT I DO LIKE IT! oh, and kelly garrett

incidentally, a nice little aside to this.....mr. pugh is a great admirer of this tune and according to the tale, butch told him if he ever sold it, john would get first preference....i think ive got more chance of collecting my bus pass

correct on the latter, mick had kenny's copy. fortunate myself that i have a crystal clear recording on cd courtesy of the seller!

here, here russ, and what a fantastic double header THAT record is eh?. remember seeing a 25 count in max's shop in the mid seventies....now a £400 tune

roddie joy - is there anything else you want - red bird margorie black - one more hurt - sue ......the list quite honestly, is endless, oh, and i think "sleepless nights" was scheduled originally for the four tops

6 extra verses and a middle chorus with an extra verse

please answer me this question.....WHY OH WHY, has their brief fling with atlantic records NOT been addressed and quite simply, air brushed from history?. did they not cut at least FOUR singles on the label?. anyway, "the last girl" is a truly amazing beat ballad and deserves recognition in that catagory. the budget priced albums were a cheap & quick way of aqquiring the group's motown output and to be honest, there isnt a bad track on them. fast forward to 3 years ago and the long awaited anthology, just when you thought the vaults had been swept clean, you get the ultimate jewell in their crown..."SURE IS A LOTTA WOMAN"....can you imagine the response to this at station road?....i would stake my money on this blowing everything previously, clean out of the water and that includes "why" & "rumour",...storming tracks in their own right. would everyone here agree, that in terms of output, the isley brothers ARE the most prolific when it comes to the northern soul scene? one final note: the original interpretation of "who's that lady", i find quirky.....but is it relevant to the dancefloor?, i dont think it stands up to their motown output but then, they hadn't encountered H-D-H, prior to 65.

the cameo-parkway release was recorded in mono. if you know anything of the history of this ill-fated label, it was that they realised the emergent r&b market too late, having got embroiled in an expensive lawsuit over the beatles, from which they never recovered. its amazing to think they had so many talented black artists on the books at the time they shipped in the doris troy release for what they believed was a last ditch lifesaving launch/ venture in the u.k. as a result of this people like don covay, bobby marchant thom bell etc, weren't given the time, money or credibility to produce the goods that could have stopped the ship from sinking. perhaps doris had a say in what got released as a b-side or perhaps two different companies had conflicting ideas on what sounded better...obviously " but i love him" is a dancer, perhaps it was thought to be a bit dated to some but the outcome is, that whatever she recorded actually made an appearance on vinyl...ive yet to hear of something by her that is magical & unreleased and a northern soul monster in the making. overall, the label's appeal through its self-inflicted demise, has proved an enduring magnetism for collectors of obscure/rare soul releases as many of the catalogues dieing embers are real gems both in quality & value...issues proving to be rarer than demo's in some cases.

and, you will probably see mr & mrs burrell out on the dancefloor!

ian, the tributes here are humbling to read, leaving a lump in the throat...it imbues all of our lives with a sobering perspective...that we cannot escape from...the inevitability of death. it hurts nevertheless...grief is a remorseless attribute that we suffer frequently and as we roll on into this millenium it is becoming an all too familiar concept, but in death there should be and, indeed is, a joyous recollection and celebration of life shared so devotedly by yourself and the friends you & helen made. i recall, as an attendee of the catacombs at the behest of my badgering cousin, sharon, casting a gaze on the couple who quite intimately hid theirselves in one of the club's many alcoves, sharing each others company, yet the shining light that is helen, would also embrace the dancefloor publicly, casting her spell...she always stood out from the crowd...but in truth she WAS the crowd and people just gathered to her like a magnet. from the point of view of actually getting to make your aqquaintance, that happened at your first shop in stafford street, in walsall, where i worked. i would walk the short trip every lunchtime to hang around and check out the sounds. i remember one particular occasion where her promotional nous involved me balancing ( ney, juggling ) half a dozen copies of stanley mitchell in various positions, even wedged in the collar of my tee-shirt, and then posing outside the shop for a photograph!!.....fun and mischief would always abound. the shops became the hub of relationships...many lifelong friendships were forged there, and helen was the centrefugal driving force, be it or be it not her intention. as i stated recently, helen was THE FIRST LADY OF NORTHERN SOUL and, it is a testimony to her sincereity, her warmth, her devotion and most importantly...her humanity, that WE as followers of the scene, pay homage to her...every step we took, every breath we made, she oversaw in her motherly way. god, in his infinite wisdom, has shone his light to guide the way to everlasting life...helen is amongst the stars...looking down on you, ian and all of us, letting us know how much we are all loved. with deep affection & sincere regards, rob.h

is that right, you would still have been in your pram when she appeared young un'

thats a well spotted chalkx, and of course, a relevant nod to the sadly departed jimmy ellis....tributes galore over this last weekend i expect....cant get over how good "WHERE DO WE GO FROM HERE" is

sure dave will be on the case, bro

just read the herald edict and thats a truly unrehearsed, astonishing piece....couldn't have put it better. i dont profess to being knowledgeable on group line-ups, so realising that its not only his voice that fronts the trammps, but a whole variety of numbers associated, ironically, with the northern scene, is an eye-opener....you certainly live & learn! sheer tenacity handling the lyrics in the manner he did, on disco inferno, bears out to great effect what people are expressing about his vocal range...has to be in the top ten disco records of all-time. all of a sudden it comes to mind that jimmy ellis, for his magnanimous contributions to r & b over 5+ decades sits alongside the greats who have passed by our way. i connect with the volcanoes through to the trammps and am waking up to everything else in between, and all the time jimmy's was the guiding voice...now he's ( to coin a well spun phrase ) "burnin' that mother down" up in heaven city!!. r.i.p. jimmy ellis

back that up bro, top spot again and cheers for request...fook off and put yer gripes on the "world's no.1" thread and anyway......HOW CAN ANYONE POSSIBLY EXPECT ALL DJS TO TURN UP ATSAME TIME?, TAKING INTO ACCOUNT TRAVELLING DISTANCE AND WETHER THEY'RE WORKING SOMEWHERE ELSE BEFOREHAND, WHICH AT THIS JUNCTURE, IS A SIGN OF THEIR POPULARITY.they may even be at work, they may have families to attend to as well as a social life outside of the scene.....any number of LEGITIMATE REASONS REALLY!. i'll be brutally frank right here, right now....the djs at the kings hall HAVE gone to the trouble of avoiding repeats where possible, infact if im on stage, on many an occasion, ginger, kingy and others have asked me about whats been played because im pretty observant in that department...if it just so happens that THE SUPERLATIVES was subject to a repeat during the course of the niter, is that tantemount to overkill then?...perhaps some people are failing to notice ONCE AGAIN, that a good many tunes have been locked away in the drawers gathering dust, waiting for the right moment to be reactivated and WITH the influx of so many youngsters who want to experience the adrenalin of "THE STOMPER", the right moment happens to be NOW!! and if its asked for again during the night then STOP POLITICISING AND PLAY THE FOOKIN RECORD !!

just been looking round the regular dealers and the cameo recordings have just disappeared from sight...another typically cheap record that probably no longer is...

top venue bro, groundbreakin' tunes, big happy families, dancers & crate diggers,...wether you were on the floor or hoggin the bar, the earholes were firmly pinned to the music and the dj's were thoroughly appreciated,...great hosts as well,lynn, tate & martyn. thank fook it wont become a retirement home either...its holy ground and should be treated as such!....and there ought to be a plaque erected on the spot.

CUM ON YOU MANORITES.....GET SOME MORE SOUNDCLIPS UP HERE SO EVERYONE CAN GET THE GIST OF WHAT THIS PLACE WAS ABOUT!!

just seen it in paper, looks worse than the last one but whats really heartbreaking is the fact someone's got a twisted cruel mind...whoever the scum is, obviously realises the significance of this building to many and are appropriately taking a course of action that sentences the building to a lingering death....well perhaps now, the local authorities will do the decent thing and bulldoze it so least we can still preserve the good memories we had of it.

dave, yer a top man and sincere appologies for last week, was not feeling well so went early, in the meantime GET YOURSELF on in the windsor suite mate and get me on the dancefloor!!

its obvious that the move to a more more dynamic, free enterprise music policy, is paying dividends with respect to the windsor suite at stoke and it hasnt gone unnoticed by people who, quite simply wouldnt attend stoke on the basis of it being a predominantly oldies orientated niter, the change of stance indicates a nod towards what the hard bitten, hard to please connoiseurs regard as progression and whilst the concept here is playing catch-up with whats been going on elsewhere for the last twenty years or so, nobody's complaining that it isnt welcome...infact as kev said, the punters ARE voting with their feet, not that they are foregoing all the other enterprising niters...on the contrary i believe they are acknowledging conformity. it also DOSNT have to ring true that the niter itself IS strictly oldies of the well engrained type..with andy dyson & mick.h on in the wee hours the emphasis shifts to records that perhaps havent been given their due or they've gone right over our heads and got lost in the mists of time. and of course...the younger generation that is growing, it seems, relentlessly at stoke are quite naturally appreciative of whatever they hear...its not a question of forgiving them...its a fact they want to hear the classics but they are also endearing theirselves to the abundant material that we class as being ordained for SECOND rooms and on this premise, stoke is making its stature felt once again, instead of just being a monolith drifting along with average attendances.( the fact is, its NEVER heard the word "average" ) ive complete respect for everything else thats going on, in this day and age its about competition...ive had the experience of the 100 club.....i understand burnley & rugby's popularity and wouldnt understate them for one minute, but stoke IS also a magnet, it draws a huge crowd and tonight WILL be a packer and the range & diversity of people who attend is every bit as welcoming & fascinating as anywhere else in the u.k. on any given day. "you could play deputy dog and they'd dance" sounds like a cruel jibe but that would be to take it out of context,...the soulies here, quite simply enjoy the music and their demand for more borders on averice!!,....one thing is for sure....IF ALL ELEVEN DJS IN THE MAIN ROOM DECIDED...LETS ALL PLAY ENTIRELY DIFFERENT SETS,.....it wouldnt make a blind bit of difference to the congregation....every tune would be treated with equal enthusiasm. to the unconvinced, its understanably hard to swallow that the kings hall all-niter should embrace the tag " the world's biggest" but its undeniably true,...and not for one minute, am i going to stand here and think somebody isnt going to rant and rave at me, like who the hell are you and what do you know?...sure im expressing my opinion, safe in the knowledge that 1500 people will back me up....yes there are ONLY five a year......BUT WHAT A SPECTACULAR FIVE!!

here, here that man, carms is a top lady and yer rock mate...always look forward to meeting you both and tomorrow night is no exception...oh, and appologies for getting on me soap when this is supposed to be your thread...its always funny how things get sidetracked but, it had to be said and i for one dont want to spend any dotage in a zimmer frame regretting chuckin in the scene because it wasnt of any interest anymore.... FACE FACTS...ONCE YOU'RE BITTEN, ITS IN YOUR BLOOD FOREVER, THE BEST ANTIDOTE TO EVERYDAY MONOTONY YOU COULD EVER TAKE! ...p.s. whats on the playlist for main room nige? fidels for me if you've got it

aye up brother peter, are thee alreet?, bye eck lad we're fine down here but cant wait to get to tha neck o' the woods fer lowton & the dunk....shall we be having recieving of your attendance appen?

the scene is dead is it?.....mmm...well NOT according to the REST OF THE PLANET...isnt it now described as a GLOBAL PHENOMENON?,...HASNT IT ALWAYS BEEN THE GREATEST, MOST OBSESSIVE MUSICAL CULT THE WORLD HAS EVER WITNESSED?.....THAT WE INVENTED?....SOMETHING THAT, BY DEFINITION, WE BRITS ARE GOOD AT?...AND ISNT IT ALSO THE ONLY MUSIC THAT CANT REINVENT ITSELF IN SO MANY DIFFERENT FORMATS AND STILL BE GOOD TO LISTEN & DANCE TO?....AND CAN EVEN THE 70'S BE SAID, EVEN IN ITS HEYDAY/INFANCY, TO MATCH THE VAST THRONGS THAT FILL VENUES ALL OVER NOW?....to small minded people it may be viewed as a cashcow to be milked indefinitely but what matters is that the music is still LOVED.....ITS PURELY AND SIMPLY INCOMPAREABLE...ITS GREAT LYRICS LIKE NO-ONE IS CAPABLE OF WRITING NOW, ITS IRRISISTABLE MELODIES AND UNRESTRAINED PERCUSHION & BRASS, SWIRLING STRING ARRANGEMENTS, DYNAMIC VOCALS, SUBLIME HARMONIES....ITS ICONIC MILESTONE RECORDS THAT YOU WILL LOVE UNTIL YOU DIE, THAT YOU WILL DANCE TO TIL YOU DROP....BECAUSE, BELIEVE IT OR NOT, THE OUTSIDE WORLD AS WE KNOW IT NOW IS UNRECOGNISABLE FROM A MUSICAL POINT OF VIEW...IVE SAID IT BEFORE ITS MIND NUMBING, BORING, CONTRITE, UTTERLY MUNDANE TRASH......the real world is where we are, a world with a semblence of sanity and respect, where what we listen to sounds RIGHT. " a hundred years from now, there'll never be anything as good as this".... thats quoting keb darge...AND HE'S RIGHT...long after our generation have all passed over, the mantle will still be carried by our siblings, because the one's we educate will see exactly what we saw, all those years before. like everything in life, you always know a good thing....THATS WHY THE SCENE WONT DIE AND THATS WHY IT ISNT DEAD NOW

nige lad, i remember well when that unfortunate incident happened in 2004...about 3 weeks later, i think, you came to prestwich...everyone was stunned when it happened, but when you returned to the longfield suite, you were welcomed with open arms mate. ive always considered you a top bloke, a great laugh and a very knowledgeable anorak...long may you continue to be...you give 110% in every set you do and you actually LOVE every record you play. ...im an old fooker as well and do i stay til the old brandy ball pops its head up?.....yeah right!...even ruppy says im off to cuddle up to the teddy & hot water bottle...he even accused me of coming to the kings in me jim-jams YOU dont have to justify nowt...so we'll see you and the good lady carms in the windsor suite...no time to be yawning in there!!