Ben Summers

Red. At least, I have a Soul one with red vinyl. (And a black vinyl one too - happy to part with either.)

Both sides M- £125.00 https://www.seriouslysoulful.com

Har-low 705 ex Two x group midtempo £150.00

At last, I have a website sorted. There are more than 3000 45s on there and about 1000 LPs, and I'm adding more all the time. Some featured records have scans and soundfiles, and some of the soundfiles even work. (It's all work in progress, but now the work is public!) Come, have a look... https://www.seriouslysoulful.com

Upstairs at The Florence, off Upper St. I'm not sure when the next one is. They don't advertise on here - perhaps to keep us away, Ady!

Fantastic. Great records. And Tomas jointly runs his own little do in London, 'Pork and Beans', which is full of enthusiastic young people his age. (I was grateful they let me in!)

An admirable display of soulful spirit, Russ. Very reasoned, in fact! The good old Blue Lagoon. Yes, I've been asked to DJ, and it would fun to do it. I'd happily go as a punter if someone would give me a lift there and back! (And Russ, I haven't forgotten about those old fliers...)

Clintone, lke the others. But much rarer. Brilliant record.

All good with me Russ. The Lloyd and Julie programme was an episode of a Meridian series called Home Truths. I might have a VHS of it somewhere. I'll have a look. I also have Hi8 footage of Sam Dees at the Colony Club but nothing to view it on or have it transferred! Also, Mark Randell filmed a short video diary at the Colony Club, again for some Meridian programme. Love to Jenny and hope to catch up soon! Cleethorpes?

I've got lots of the fliers, Russ. I'm away for a few days, but I'll get scanning when I can!

Always a place in my heart, Kev, as my introduction to the northern soul scene! Before that the soul scene for me was my bedroom and a pile of Kent LPs, and no idea that there was anywhere to go that actually played this amazing music. And all because you were happy to reach out to new people and sensible enough to put the do in Time Out. I remember the excitement of seeing the words... northern soul! And it was at the Alexander that I picked up my first flier for the 100 Club...

Brunswick 55337 Beautiful yellow DJ of this deep/midtempo double-sider, both vinyl and label M-. £150.00

Jimmy J. Barnes 'I think I've got a good chance' Organic vg++ 1" sticker and slight wear on label plays fine, but with some wear throughout. £150.00 SOLD

These are the remaining records, £15 and over, from Jim Demetriou's collection. Jim lost his battle against cancer in 2007, and all the proceeds from these records will go to his mother. All are in at least excellent condition, unless stated. Icemen - It's time you knew - Ole-9 (black vinyl) £600 Tymes - I won't cry anymore - Parkway £125 (Here she comes mis-press) Soulful Twins - I can't let yougo - Sable £90 Oliver Lynch - Oh what have I done - Renee £65 Larry Williams - This old heart - Okeh £65 Tommy Turner - Lady - Elbam DJ £65 Shep - Fool to fool - TNT £50 Bobby Garrett - I can't get away - Mirwood £50 (small sticker mark) Zerben Hicks/Dynamics - Lights out/You make me feel good - RCA XOL £40 Vernon Garrett - Angel doll - Venture £40 Spencer Wiggins - Lonely man - Goldwax £40 Exits - You got to have money/Under the street lamp - Gemini £35 (slight tear on label) Caesars - (Lala) I love you - Lanie (ringwear) £35 Barbara Mason - Ain't got nobody - Arctic £30 Soul Brothers Six - I'll be loving you - Atlantic vg++ £30 Jackie Washington - Why won't they let me be - Vanguard PC £30 Lou Johnson – Unsatisfied - Big Top (yellow) £30 Malibus - I just can't stand it - Duke £30 Dynamites - Don't leave me this way - Dolores £30 Crystal Generation - You were never mine - CMC £25 Jerms - I'm a teardrop - Honor Brigade £25 Maurice McAllister - I'd rather do it myself - Chess £25 Odell Brown - No more water in the well - Cadet DJ £25 Tina Britt - Who was that - Veep £25 Billy Young - The sloopy - Jotis £25 Bobby Byrd - Lost in the mood of changes - Smash £25 Ultimations - Would I do it over/Without you - Mar-V-Lus £25 Don Bryant - It's so lonely being me - Hi £25 Johnny Copeland - What is a man without his pride - Brown Sugar £20 Volumes - Gotta give her love - American Arts £20 Barbara Lynn - This is the thanks I get - Atlantic £20 (slight ringwear) Buddy Ace – It's gonna be me – Duke (1cm label tear) £15 Ray Algere – You're drivin me crazy – Tou-Sea DJ £15 Vickie Anderson – Don't throw your love in the garbage can – Brown Stone £15 Vicki Anderson – In the land of milk and honey – Brown Stone (ringwear) £15 Jackie Day – Oh! What heartaches – Modern £15 Robert Earl – Say you'll be mine – Carol £15 The Eldorados – You make my heart sing – Torrid £15 The Fantastic Johnny C – New love – Phil-l.a. of Soul £15 The Five Stairsteps – Don't waste your time – Windy C £15 The Flirtations – Nothing but a heartache – Deram £15 The Four Hi's – The train – Verve (drillhole) £15 Erma Franklin – Open up your soul – Shout (drillhole) £15 Bobby Freeman – I'll never fall in love again – Autumn XOL £15 Gloria Gaynor – She'll be sorry – Jocida £15 Delores Hall – Good lovin' man – Keyman £15 Deon Jackson – Ooh baby – Carla £15 The Jades – You're so right for me – MGM DJ £15 Liz Lands – Don't shut me out – One-derful £15 Diane Lewis – I thank you kindly – Wand (drillhole) £15 The Manhattans – All I need is your love – Carnival (drillhole) £15 Charles Mann – She put the hurt on me – Lanor £15 Derek Martin – Sly girl – Tuba £15 Junior Parker – Wait for another day – Duke £15 Larry Sanders – Where did peace go – Sound of Soul £15 Dee Dee Sharp – It's a funny situation – Cameo £15 Elsie Strong – Just ask me – Finally! £15 Howard Tate – Baby, I love you – Verve £15 Toddlin' Town Sounds – It's your thing – Toddlin' Town £15 Valentinos – I can understand it – Clean £15 Johnny Watson – I'd rather be your baby – Okeh £15 Nancy Wilson – The end of our love – Capitol £15 The World's Funkiest Band – When you're alone – California Gold £15

I've heard 'She's a woman' played out! By myself, in the deep room at Yarmouth years ago. Interesting record...

The Monzas - Ain't it the truth - Pacific wonderful midtempo finger-snapper Pacific promo stamp and 'x's on label excellent condition £150.00

The Matadors - You'd be crying too - Keith DJ Lovely early group midtempo. Some soft crackling on the spoken intro, otherwise plays ex. Half book price £125.00

All these records are from Jim Demetriou's collection. Jim lost his battle against cancer two years ago, and all the proceeds from these records will go to his mother. I listed some of his rarer ones last year, and still have more to go through. All of these are in at least excellent condition, unless stated. All at £10: Jimmy Lewis – I just want to talk about you – TRC vg+ Little Milton – Baby I love you – Checker Little Milton – Can't hold back the tears – Checker (drillhole) Little Milton – Grits ain't groceries – Checker (drillhole) Little Milton – If walls could talk – Checker Little Milton – My baby's something else – Checker Barbara Lynn – Nice & easy - Atlantic Barabara Lynn – You better stop - Jamie Steve Mancha – You're still in my heart – Groovesville The Manhattans – What's it gonna be - Carnival The Masqueraders – I got it – Bell The Metros – Now that you've gone – Ra-Sel vg++ The Metros – Sweetest one – RCA The Miracles – That's what love is made of – Tamla (drillhole) Bobby Moore – Chained to your heart – Checker Melba Moore – Ain't no love lost – Buddah The Natura'elles – Show me the way – Venture (slight label wear) Aaron Neville – A hard nut to crack – Parlo Aaron Neville – She took you for a ride - Parlo Pace-Setters – Push on Jessie Jackson - Kent Junior Parker – I can't forget about you – Duke WOL Richard Parker – Got to find away - CUR The Persians – I don't know how – GWP Madlyn Quebec – The love I've been looking for - Venture The Radiants – Don't take your love - Chess Otis Redding – That's a good idea – Atco L.J.Reynolds – What's a matter baby – Law-ton Lee Rogers – Love can really hurt you deep – Wheelsville David Ruffin – Don't stop loving me – Motown Soul Partners – Walk on judge – Bell DJ The Precisions – Instant heartbreak – Drew Harvey Scales – I can't cry no more – Magic Touch (drillhole) Harvey Scales – I wanna do it – Stax (ringwear) Bunny Sigler – Don't stop doing what you're doing – Neptune DJ Edwin Starr – My weakness is you – Gordy Edwin Starr – Back street – RicTic Howard Tate – It's too late – Turntable Debbie Taylor – I don't wanna leave you – Arista DJ Josephine Taylor – Good lovin' – Mar-V-Lus The Tempests – Would you believe – Smash The Temptations – It's you that I need – Gordy Tammi Terrell – I can't believe you love me – Motown (drillhole) Ike Turner & His Kings of Rhythm – The new breed – Sue XOL The Tymes – Street talk – MGM (drillhole) Unlimited Four – I wanna be happy - Chanson Unlimited Four – Walk away lover – Chanson The VIP's – You pulled a fast one – Big Top Jr Walker – Cleo's mood – Soul (drillhole) Lenny Welch – I was there – Kapp (slight label wear) Jean Wells – Can't you stop – Calla DJ (ringwear) Kim Weston – Take me in your arms – Gordy (drillhole) Kim Weston – I got what you need – MGM (drillhole) Marva Whitney – Get out of my life – King Bette Williams – He took my hand – Swamp Dog Larry Williams – Boss lovin' – Okeh Larry Williams & Johnny Watson – Can't find no substitute for love – Bell DJ Ruby Winters – I don't want to hurt nobody – Diamond Charles Wright – Must be your thing – Warner Bros O.V. Wright – Love the way you love – Back Beat

Greg made a novel, and no doubt to some blasphemous, comment about maybe changing it to regular club hours. So many of us can't hack allnighters anymore and at times people outside the scene who I have tried to bring along have been put off by the unearthly hours. We're not all drug crazed lunatics (hello Russ, hello Dave...x). And then many have talked about going bi (monthly, that is). I think the Christmas dos are so great not just because it's Christmas but because people come along who wouldn't come to an allnighter. Obviously if they are all evening dos, then a tradition is lost and travellers would suffer too, so what about a few fewer allnighters and a few more excuses for an evening party. What happened to the Easter one? Have I just missed something, or did that disappear in 1990 something? A summer party. My birthday...

All these records are from Jim Demetriou's collection. Jim lost his battle against cancer two years ago, and all the proceeds from these records will go to his mother. I listed some of the rarer ones last year, and still have more to go through. All of these are in at least excellent condition, unless stated. All at £10: Barbara Acklin – Love makes a woman - Brunswick Vicki Anderson – Baby, don't you know – King The Artistics – What happened – Brunswick The Barons – No more baby love – Shout (warp nap) Fontella Bass – Who you gonna blame - Paula Big Maybelle – It's been raining – Rojac (drillhole, 3mm tear on label) Cody Black – Going going gone – Ram-Brock (drillhole) Bobby Bland – Call on me – Duke Bobby Bland – Honey child - Duke Bobby Bland – You're all I need – Duke Don Bryant – Don't turn your back on me - Hi Solomon Burke – Stupidity – Atlantic The Fantastic Johnny C – Hitch it to the horse – Phil-L.a. of Soul The Fantastic Johnny C – New love – Phil-L.a. of Soul Carl Carlton – Sure miss loving you – Back Beat Carl Carlton – Why don't they leave us alone – Back Beat Little Carl Carlton – Drop by my place – Back Beat Alvin Cash – Keep on dancing – Toddlin' Town Gene Chandler – It's time to settle down – Checker (drillhole) Tony Clarke – The Entertainer – Chess June Conquest – What's this I see - Curtom June Conquest – Almost persuaded – Fame The Contours – A little misunderstanding – Gordy (drillhole) Cornelius Brothers & Sister Rose – Too late to turn back now - UA Jimmy Delphs – Almost – Karen Sugar Pie Desanto – Soulful dress – Checker DJ The Drifters – The outside world – Atlantic (drillhole) The Dynamics – Misery – Big Top Eddie & Ernie – I'm goin' for myself - Eastern John Edwards – Messing up a good thing – Aware Donnie Elbert – A little piece of leather – Gateway (1cm tear on label) The Esquires – Part angel – Wand (drillhole) The Esquires – You've got the power - Wand The Five Stairsteps – Ain't gonna rest – Windy C The Five Stairsteps – Change of pace – Windy C (drillhole) The Five Stairsteps – Danger! She's a stranger – Windy C (drillhole) Darrow Fletcher – My judgement day – Groovy The Formations – At the top of the stairs - MGM Four Tops – Ask the lonely – Motown Bobby Freeman – S-w-i-m - Autumn The Gypsies – Jerk it – OldTown (1cm wol) Betty Harris – I'm evil tonight - Sansu Jimmy Helms – Your past is beginning to show – Oracle DJ Monk Higgins – Who-dun-it? – St. Laurence DJ Freddie Hughes – I gotta keep my bluff in - Wand Anita Humes – Don't fight it baby – Roulette The Intruders – Best days of my life – Gamble The Intruders – Do you remember yesterday – Gamble The Isley Brothers – Move over and let me dance – Atlantic Chuck Jackson – Good things come to those who wait - Wand Gloria Jones – Heartbeat – Uptown Al Kent – Where do I go from here – Ric Tic Ben E King – The record - Atco

Really? Do others feel the same? I might start selling again if it is a genuine attraction. I stopped because the demand fell away. What with all this bloomin webby stuff going on and people buying records from their sofas, people stopped looking, and seemed to be intent on going out to have a good time instead, blast them. (So I joined them!)

Ohh, no despondency! She was only teasing and the comment was aimed more at me than anyone else! We should be able to laugh at our peculiarities. In fact, let's rejoice in them! Anyway, see my reply to Rich, above somewhere...

Ha, yes, no offense meant to the sad old men! I'm rapidly becoming one myself and I've no intention of ever stopping going! In fact, I can't find anything that you've written that I disagree with. And it's that bedrock of longterm passion and dedication and musical literacy that is missing from Madame Jojos (mentioned here somewhere as successfully attracting the yoof). I just wanted to address the balance a bit, as the ideal is some kind of mixture. It's a rather obvious point that any club will eventually cease to function if it doesn't attract new blood, as there's bound to be a gradual seepage of original punters. One of the wonderful things about the northern scene is that all that matters is the music, and age and fashion and all the rest of it are irrelevant. And the mix of ages and types of people united by a shared passion is part of the attraction - as long as it IS a mix. (Anyway, I've finished with her.)

A lot has been said on here about how to attract soulies into London, but I think it's important not to lose sight of the fact that one of the great successes of the 100 Club over the years has been that's it's somehow managed to be attractive to both travelling soulies and to younger, London-based folk from the periphery of the soul scene (of which I was once one). Somehow it needs to reconnect with both, but I would hope not with one at the expense of the other. I took a friend down this year. She'd never been. And to me she's the kind of person that the club should appeal to. She's young and full of energy, isn't interested in following the crowd, passionate about music - especially soul music - and has a genuine interest in northern soul. I had raved about the place, so she came along, but she won't be coming back. Obviously I was curious to know why. Firstly, she said that she had been made to feel excluded and unwelcome. I was amazed at this, but it goes to show that we need to be careful about confusing the twats with new, genuine people. Secondly she said something about it being full of sad old men. Hmm. I didn't think that that was the case, but she said it. Certainly nobody could have made such a comment a while back (of everywhere else on the soul scene, yes, but not the 100 Club!) When I walked in there as a youngster for the first time, I was blown away - it was clearly a happening place! It would be easy to dismiss her comment as superficial, but atmosphere and appearances are important if new, young people are going to come, and surely we can't rely solely on an aging, travelling (now less travelling) crowd. (This thread is full of people apologising for growing up!) Again, no easy answers, but I would say promoting to open-minded young people on the mod scene and beyond is no less important than wondering whether Mr and Mrs X are going to make it down from Derby. The mod scene might have changed, as has been suggested, but northern soul influences seem to be seeping into new music as never before. A wider diversity of sounds perhaps, and a more youthful and varied DJ presence. (Is three old farts each time one two many?) Musically, I think that soulful content isn't always paramount in the DJs' quest for new sounds. I'm one of the ones that wants to hear new records, and that's one of the reasons I've been a regular at the club, but as long as it's soulful. New, less loyal and dedicated punters are less tolerant when it isn't. And if it's the same tempo hour after hour, the good stuff easily gets lost. And as for the venue and location... for Londoners, perfect!

Well good on you Ady for inviting comments. I'm left with a heartfelt plea to life, the universe and everything that it keeps going. Even on the nights I don't go, it's a comfort to know that it's chugging away and that while so much changes the 100 Club just goes on and on. For many of us, the beating heart of our northern scene. I have mixed feelings about the non-soul crowd. At first I thought it was a good thing. On the whole the northern scene is so bloody insular and at times so seemingly determined to indulge in some kind of protracted suicide by not attacting new blood. But I do think the atmosphere in the 100 Club is suffering now because of these nitwits. In the past, the 100 Club has been fantastic at getting fresh young faces along and introducing them to the scene, and Ady deserves a huge amount of credit for that. But they did tend to be young people who had an interest. They came because they'd heard about northern soul and were genuinely curious. Whereas now to have people along who couldn't give a toss about the music is disheartening. I used to think that if just one of them is genuinely moved then it becomes worth it, but there comes a time when they do more harm than good. I don't know what the answer is, but I do think that if it returns to membership only then we should all take some responsibility in promoting the club, and that anyone who does show a genuine interest is made to feel welcome. If it dosn't, then, as a minimum, shouldn't anyone who wanders in looking for a drunken dance be quizzed at the door? They should be told what the night is all about and refused entry if it's felt that they won't show it the respect it deserves. Perhaps this happens already, but if so, not very successfully. As for the music, obviously we all have our own agenda. Surprise surprise, I want it to be less stompy and to hear more midtempo and crossover. I don't hear the variety that others have mentioned, but then admittedly, I'm at home in bed when others are just warming up. A coffee and a sandwich would keep there a bit longer and I've always thought it a shame that kitchen isn't put to use. But then if it was down to me there'd be sofas and an open fire. Hammocks maybe. Ohhhhhhhhhhhhh I hope nothing awful happens. A phase, surely.