Epic

I am always wrong : that is why i get along with my self so well ..........

Did you know that Sam Cooke hated SD ?

Malc Burton

I happen to like Soulful Dance music - was it around in Sam Cooke's day then?

If we all thought alike we would end up with "The Northern Soul Top 500" a scene where the same tired old records get played over & over again!!!!

What are the chances of that happening ?????????????

People who tell me 70's disco is a natural progression of northern soul

Somebody who tells me they don't like "70's disco" then you see them dancing to Eddie Holman, The Brothers, Brainstorm, Skip Mahoney, Alfie Davison etc. - THIS IS DISCO!!

People who say to a DJ "you don't know what northern soul is" because the said DJ is playing a group of records that the person doesn't know & that person can't be bothered to listen because hes is waiting for "that Frankie Wilson" tune to come on.

Over 50s still sporting the "uniform" of soul bags & badges - it was cringeworthy in 1977 & the "look" has not improved 30 years on.

It was Les Cokell who played it once when I was in America, and then kept nagging me to play it. He was entirely responsible. Not the Mecca's finest hour - on a par with Colin playing "Tear The Roof Off The Sucker" and "Cocaine In My Brain" - OH DEAR !!!!!!!!! - and to think it was Pete Haigh and Bryan Wakelin and Epic who kept egging him on to play such dross - UGH.........

I categorically wish to state that I never ever encouraged the playing of Dillinger - I am sure Messrs Haigh & Wakelin will bear witness that I could not stand the record. Their opinion is not for me to give comment on & to be fair Ian I think we also encouraged Colin to play the odd bit of quality now & then

Back in 2000, when it got signed, I said this to Kenny, but he said he was keeping it for his entire life, and would never part with it, and even joked about being buried with it.

How things change.....

Thanks for the heads up Ian on this - if that tune is going to heaven with Kenny - Sleeping with Satan is becoming more appealing by the day!!

Unless St Peter says to Kenny at the Pearly Gates - "In you come Mr. Burrell - hang on a minute - that's not Frank 'Bloody' Wilson under your arm is it ?"

You know, I went onto MySpace and listened to those Kings Go Forth tracks, and I just cringed.

The total antithesis of every bit of music I have ever loved.

The most NON-Ian Levine stuff I have EVER heard.

What people forget is that I actually LIKE the music I write.

Listened to them & to be honest they, in my opinion, are just a reworking of Delrays Inc, Jerry Washington, Delegates Of Soul, Elipsis etc.- that funk based uptempo soul which has been popular on the modern/x-over scene for the last twenty years. The title of a tune by Virgil Henry springs to mind.

Blinding CD - "Freedom Song" is the track for me - absolutely brilliant.

OK Epic. Point taken and apologies for being a tad slow. I'm just dim not malicious. Still, reinforces the point that he would be an asset to this site though don't you think?

He is - like his former sparring partner Ian Levine - a guy with a huge amount of knowledge & a wealth of interesting anecdotes.

Whether he wants to join in here - or whether he is amongst us anyway - I do not know. Only Mr C could answer you that.

A year out then. Not too bad

As for no original 45 - that's why I said I assume CC was referring to the UK issue as a first. That's actually the point of my question - to find out when he lost records. Certainly after '77 then

Godz

As most people know The Mecca is - as we speak - in the process of being demolished. Colin jokingly said if during this demolition work anybody came across a box of records he had lost there would be a £5 for its return.

It was merely a way of listing some of the tunes he had broken/played at The Mecca.

There is no box of lost records.

There is no reward.

There is just a list of wonderful tunes provided by Colin

What's the story regarding Colin Curtis and the missing box of records ? how did he come to lose them etc?

Wally

Think you will find it is Colin's wee crack at humour !

I , like countless other people who had during those years - and still have - a wider ranging appreciation of music aligned to the NS scene , find your belief and conviction ( highlighted above ) , offensive in respect of what you assume to be our comprehnsion of music .

I religiously attended the HR during those times ( and in the preceding years , and up to it closing ), to hear a more challenging music policy , so your statement of " nobody who attended the Highland Room late 75 to 1977 new ( ? ) what good soul music was " , is a load of testicles as far as I am concerned ........

For your consideration , and example of " not knowing what good soul music was " , was buying the Ujima 45 on the recommendation of CC , the week before he first played it .........

Malc Burton

Malc - think we have got our wires crossed here. I am actually totally in agreement with you.

The remark you higlighted was a "tongue in cheek" statement as to how the stompers only Northern soul crew perceived us Highland Room regulars.

The point I was making is that Blackpool Mecca was NOT all about funk & disco - people like me (& you !!) were buying Ujima, Bessie Banks & other "future monsters" as new releases back then.

Believe me I & many other people had to defend Blackpool Mecca back then to the sixties mafia & tell them that is wasn't just about Disco & Funk.

In my cack-handed way things may have become lost in translation - or perhaps you have just read it wrong!!

"I come here to praise The Mecca - not bury it"

Think there was a discussion about OOTP bootlegs on here a couple of weeks ago - it's been going on since the Northern Soul year dot what why all the indignation & surprise?

Let's be really honest here we have all bought pressings at one time or another & before the soulier than thou brigade start chipping in, this remark is aimed at people aged around 50 who could only afford pressings back in 1972/73.

Surprise for me is that anyone would want these inferior looking CDs when your local supermarket can furnish you with any number of Northern Soul CDs at a bargain price.

Yes but you must also remember the balls it took to play them.

Colin Curtis played them - he didn't need balls, just a group of people on his wavelength - we bought & danced to them & this was before the world & his wife decided to become DJs.

Totally agree Sean. Different time different place, awesome records that never would have seen the light of day, irrespective of the Mecca playlists in the mid seventies if we, and in particular you, ahadn't brought them to a much wider audience. I always wonder why so many people have memories iof one particular nighter, when we were packing them in at a venue few of the "in crowd" never ever mention. Not withstanding Cleggy?Rotherham/Sheffield Tiffs and Millmoor on a Sunday

You have to remember that records like Ujima, Stevens & Foster, Al Hudson, Bessie Banks etc were all readily available as new releases & whilst the "stompers only" crew thought that the average Mecca punter was buying Dr Buzzard , Stanley Clarke , Brainstorm etc. a group of us were buying the "future monster" tunes as well.

Don't forget that Wigan ruled the roost & Mecca played "disco funky shite" so nobody who attended The Highland Room late 75 to 1977 new what good soul music was.

Colin's last hour set was the springboard for a lot of thes tunes which went on to be the staple diet of the events you list above.

Not wanting to dampen this thread - but the name of the DJ in the threads title could be changed to any other famous (or infamous!) DJ on the Northern Scene. They have all played a few "shockers" in their time - even the best of them.

Also as bad as some of the tunes are - people other than the DJ being discussed have both danced to & bought the said tunes.

Hope this thread is somewhat "tongue in cheek" as I think Sam has rightly earned a lot of respect on the soul scene & for every bad record he has played he has also played a helluva lot of gud uns.!!

I am totally confused now about where any comments or questions should be placed correctly on Soul Source - but will try here.

Did you ever consider, or indeed did you approach Ronnie Mcneir to record "Sitting In My Class" for SWONS . I think it was one of the finest tunes ever played at The Mecca - amongst the dying embers of Northern Soul in The Highland Room it was a real treat to hear it.

I know it was a Colin spin but who first discovered it? Was it you?

Hard to pick as there are tons to go at - but here's one.

"Tell Me It's Just A Rumour Baby" - The Isley Brothers

Forget Frank Wilson & all the hype that goes with it, "Rumour" IMO is THE biggest Motown record ever played on the Northern scene.

If it was discovered today anything else that had been played before it would merely be an "also ran"

I let her have it for nothing.

You mean you "Let It Go" for nothing. (I'll give up one day - I promise !!)

Back in the very early seventies (bear in mind I was young & knew nowt - as opposed to older & still don't know much!!) went into Starpic Studios in Blackpool & asked for a copy of "What Would I Do" - got home & played it - not the tune I thought it was. I'd got The Superiors & what I really wanted was The Tymes. No harm done as I got The Tymes the week later & I still love both records.

Saddest part of all Starpic had listening booths which a cocky 15 year old didn't want to bother with.

Went the 1st week it opened in Blackpool - thought it was excellent - really captured the spirit of the sixties I thought - well recommended!!

)

Just say you're Wanted - Gwen Owens (Straight out stomper)

Agreed on Gwen Owens - I call it "let's not f**k about - this is how it is intro"

A few other tunes in that category off the top of my head :-

Sam & Kitty - I've Got Something Good"

Artistics - "Hope We Have"

Johnny Sayles - "I Can't Get Enough"

Earl Grant - "Hide Nor Hair"

International GTO's - " I Love My Baby"

Think the "excitement" in these tunes is overwhelming - how Northern Soul should be !!

Epic, I know you mean well, but please don't try to shape me or make me into someone I'm not. "Memories And Souvenirs" is purposely still there because every time I have listened to another clip, I have gone back to make sure it showed up again by my avatar.

Heaven forbid the song by my avatar was something like the Kings Of Soul, or some other oddity that I have no wish to be associated with.

After all these years, don't you know who I am and how I act ???

Fair enough- however if you have listened to other peoples clips - which are the tunes that have impressed you which you had not heard before ?

As I think I have said to you before Ian people see you on here & it is noted that you don't "join in" like the other members. You don't go on other threads too much & show that much interest in what other people have to say on Soul Source.

For example below your avatar is "last played clip" - yours happens to be "Memories & Souvenirs" - it has been there for probably 3 months now. A lot of members in that 3 months have posted music for people to listen to but you have not bothered with any of it. I know you have a vast knowledge of music but you cannot possibly know every tune that is posted, so that leads me to think you are not that interested in what other members on here are recommending or listening to - which IMO does you no credit yet you want other people to listen to what you post up.

Do yourself a favour Ian - "Join In" - comment on other peoples postings & I assure you that you will gain more respect from your fellow Soul Sourcers & probably enjoy yourself on here a helluva lot more.

With Respect

Cheers

Andy

It's "Keep On Playing The Music " by Mystique on Curtom (1977)

I have it on a 12" single with the wonderful "If You're In Need" on it.

Both tracks are on the 'B' side of "What Would The World Be Like Without Music"

https://cgi.ebay.co.uk/MYSTIQUE-KEEP-ON-PLA...A1%7C240%3A1318

Neil

Have put an alert on EMS for this - it has been a "hot topic" on there in recent weeks - should be a good seller for you.

Cheers

Andy