Ernie Andrews

Im going senile Kegsy - Your absolutely right and I was calling them because of the lack of Chronalogical arrangement of the timescale of the venues and Phook me I forgot Cleethorpes! WE really are getting too old to even remember let alone what the phook went on in the last decade!

Yes he did get records from other sources I know I was the courier who had to drop records off at the Mecca for him from time to time but you are absolutely wrong about that haul! It was the single biggest haul to have the greatest impact on the Northern soul scene at that time. Ian Dewhirst agrees with me on this - look at his reply!

Slightly off topic but related to Marc Almond - Late 78/79 I was in a heavy metal band called HADES (listed in the Manchester music archive) At our practise Studio I suggested that we play a heavy metal version of Tainted love as part of our set! WE practised it maybe half a dozen times and it sounded bloody brilliant to me but I was outvoted with regards to using it. I even gave Lemmy a copy of our practise tape(He wanted to hear what we played) with it on as we were supposed to be supporting Motorheard at the Free trade hall(That's another story) 6-9 months later Soft cell have number 1 hit with it and the rest of the band were bloody sick!

Ian as the scene is now big in Europe you will hear a lot of the Jazz funk and discofied sounds that Ian Lev played because the Europeans are not blinded by the apartheid views of the uk scene in late 70s.. They don't have the historical prejudices so you will hear those you quoted! Not on a regular basis but definitely in a European Djs set. Ps as people have Wigan nites the Mecca annual night is littered with them! Just have alook on The Mecca Page on facebook!

Tavares - Too late Brainstrorm - Lovin is really my game Bo & Ruth - Your gonna get next to me - The mother of my child heard it at a northern soul night and asked me what it was as she thought it was brilliant and shes a die hard! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FjZkESIL5Hg&feature=player_detailpage They are playing these as just a sample and I was in Ireland a few years ago and they played Vickie Sue Robinson. Nobody plays Joe 90 now Ian

Northern soul IMO was trying to get away from the 444 motown sound so it couldn't be labelled as just another motown copy How the Phook can even these classics have a 444 beat Mel Britt/ The Jades / Frankie Crocker/ Sam Ambrose / Roscoe & friends/ danny Monday/Jerry Fuller/ The Crow/Carstairs larry Williams & Johnny Watson / Sandi Sheldon. matt Lucas etcv etc etc . infact take the top 500 and find out how many have a 444 beat? less than 10 % I would think!

who the hell said that in the Levine thread! we all knew he got trips to the US with his family when he was in his late teens! They were rather affluent! Well they didn't live in Mereside! ( An estate in Blackpool for those that don tknow)

PS Kev Roberts you knew me very well & I worked in an office in the Middle of Piccadilly then walked down the street to go and work part time at Global! I didn't work in a factory or mine or Mill! Allrite lad!

I remember him coming into the Lemon Tree on the south shore ( His family had an interest in the business I think) and him showing all these records in a bag but wouldn't let us pull any out to see. I cant remember if Colin was there but he pulled out 2 and gave them to someone. He then played them the next night and we were just in awe! Those were the golden days.

My personal view was he didn't go to far just that the Dinosaurs wouldnt move forward and now the same dinosaurs are dancing to Velvet hammer , Four below zero, Vessie Simmons, Esther Philips ETc ETC

They got it Chronologically incorrect with Mecca coming after Wigan and then a massive gap from 1980 approx. till today no mention of Stafford 100 club and other major venues that kept the scene going but overall was enjoyable. Oh Ian D well done ! and the plug for the new film ( Surprise Surprise)!

They do Louise!

I didn't make any recommendations Ian, I made some comments and observations and I have the suspicion your reply was to belittle and Im not impressed! If your not prepared to debate constructively you leave yourself wide open to ridicule. I was being entirely genuine about what I hope the film covers but if I have hit a nerve then at least be honest and say it doesn't cover any of the points Ive made or it covers 1 or 2 or which ever I have quoted. Maybe some of us hope it will be a mirror image of what we experienced when we were young and if we (The royal we) are wrong then please enlighten us! Regards Steve

OMG Ian - The whole reason we got into this was because we couldn't bloody get the records otherwise we would have all just attended local discos! Yes some of us like me was very privileged to have access to the sounds working a Global etc but if everyone had access to these records at the time we wouldn't have gone to allnighters- I cant believe you have said that! Boots and Reissues were a bi product of attending a venue they weren't made to promote people to come and listen!

Ive not seen the film yet so I am a bit sceptical and in some respects quite pre critical as I am expecting the film to cover besides whats in the trailers as at least some of the following: The travelling from Home to venues and back and the conversations had! The drug scene and its impact on peoples lives - Including the deaths and horror stories The outside the scene issues involving teenage V parents views/ work colleague lack of understanding an The social anthropogic views of individuals who are part of the closed community - The isolation of an individual within local communities The DJ speak The key players in providing the sounds If it covers these areas + Then I for one will look forward to seeing it.

This is my point around Historical accuracy that could be confusing to new minds! Having current plays on the cd that have no reference to that timeframe. Its like watching a video of Blackpool FC winning the 1953 fa cup then adding bits from last season!

sorry you were too quick for my typing Cheers!

You havnt answered my question- What do you mean by wider perspective? I genuinely don't know what you mean by this! and my previous reply could be way off the mark! ATB Steve

Hi ! What do you mean by wider perspective - If your talking about musical differences on the scene then why not put something like Pop a groove Dance your ass off or Andre Maurice or Kim Tolliver IDKWFTDO they are around the same time!

Im assuming it is - Why put it in the soundtrack if its not! - Theres loads from the era it purports to portray that they could use and get the rights too quite easily!

So like Trainspotting who did the film and included in the boxset sunglasses and Cigarette paper roller ! Your gonna put in a few fake Bombers A wigan membership photocopy and a free Patch?

Cant disagree with you Jock - I feel really bloody miserable at the moment! LOL! I hate films with poor historical references! Just like Phooking Gladiator!

I cant disagree with that Ian if you are someone starting on a journey but the majority of us are well along that path and I hope Im wrong but I feel your numbers of sales maybe low but as long as you don't lose money then all well & good. I look forward to the first person on here who says "Is it ok to play these out at a rare soul night?"

What is the point - Most of these have either been reissued or booted! Its like buying this years football shirt! CDs for nostalgia but I don't see the point in these at all unless you have no scruples and are going to DJ with them!

When was the Royal Esquires first played?