BrianB

The number 1 for me is All Turned On. I haven't seen The Kid, Andre Brasseur mentioned, and I have not seen The Way You've Been Acting Lately inst. mentioned? The one that is blowing me away at the moment and is not far off being the best instrumental I have ever heard is She'll Be Leaving You by the Pied Piper Band on the Detroit Concept CD from Adey.

Too many ex Wheel records on here, not mainstream souls classics. I'm going for the Tops Do What You Gotta Do You Make Me Feel Like a Natural Woman Aretha Chi Lites Oh Girl! 3 out and out classics for me.

This has always been my problem with this track...that it was a huge pop hit in 71, and that spoils it as a northern record for me. Some of the other ex pop hits like LOAMT Robert Knight and the Motown stuff, like the Elgins, Tears of a Clown etc were released because they were played at northern venues and then became hits, but MOU does not have that background and I am still a bit surprised it is played. I know things like Mel Torme, another pop hit will be thrown at me, but I don't think that should be played either.

Hi Greg I believe you are stopping at my son's place in May? Hope to meet up then. Best wishes Brian

Just reading Northern Monkeys which is THE book on Casuals, Terrace culture and the link to music, which obviously was northern in the 60ts and 70ts. Just on the section about the influence on fashion due to the Wheel. Great read.

I remember Dave Godin raving about MN in 76 when it hit no. 1 in the States, and he thought there would be a big wave of "Northern Sounding" copy cat records to follow. He was not right with this prediction which shows we can all get it wrong. This part time mobile wedding DJ guy might know 2 NS tracks, and the audience might know none. I was speaking to a 30 year old guy on Monday who had never heard of NS. But SC's feedback does not help us answer the OP's question. I don't think the track is mainly disliked as a record. I believe that some of our music's follower's think that admitting to liking this record puts you into a soul music "type", and some on this post have mentioned beer towels, talc, scooters etc that spring to mind in the same sentence as The Snake. They, like myself I hasten to add, love NS but don't wear baggy pants/beer towels etc and do not want to be typecast by people to whom NS isn't a religion. We need more courage in our own convictions. I like the Snake, I don't like most 70s/Crossover Modern and am not afraid to say I don't like some of the current stuff played out as much as I like some some of the old stuff. However, I am always searching for new/different records and agree fully, that we liked what we liked, and we did what we did in the old days beacause it was new and a bit limited and underground, and we could to an extent be spoon fed.. In the internet era we can do/find/play almost anything and it is pretty much overground and we can be in the public eye. When in the public eye, we will not admit to being a Snake fan and therefore typecast, therefore we don't like the Snake. But it is a good record.

I think Gordon might get more sympathy for his "if its not Upfront, new 60's its crap" stance if he didn't relate every post he answers to his view that almost everything that is not played at Burnley is not worth listening to. If this record was discovered now, (and that is a good point made earlier that it might never have been dicovered) it would be massive. I just hope none of the Upfront records being played at these better than anywhere else venues don't turn out to have white artists singing them! But as Gordon says, if Danny Wagner who is white, can be "a recognised soul singer" what indeed is Gordon's argument about white pop songs on the scene?

Brilliant clip. Never seen this before. What is the history of it please? ATB Brian

I remember one of his articles in the mid 70s oil crisis where DG said that it would be the end of vinyl. Also another where he predicted a mass of NS sounding records would be released following the huge success of Maxine Nightingale RBWWSF here and in the States. He was brilliant when writing about soul, agree with him or not, but his crystal ball could cloud over on certain days. I love the photo of him with his sharp suit and the Motown crew and Berry G. He was right at the forefront of Soul in the UK. Very often his was the only voice we could hear (read!) from say 69 to 73 when trying to learn more about NS, the records and the venues. Also his descriptions of Love Love Love and Please Let Me In in B&S remain with me to this day.

Ooops. Re-read the post and spotted that! B

Thank you for this Slim. What number B&S is it in. I have a couple HOTB and started collecting B&S in 71, so I don't thinlk I have this one. What an excellent article by Mr Godin. Thanks again, Brian

Great singer. Lets not forget I Struck it Rich, Its That Time of the Year, I'll Always Need You and the brilliant Its a Crying Shame. I'm in Love is'nt too bad either. My wife thought he was black until we were talking about him last week!

Don't forget the Radio Luxembourg specials in I think 75. I am sure they did two 3 hour specials. I have them on tape somewhere, courtesy of Dewi from Burnley, now Adelaide!

I don't think Andy meant the NS top ten, but the rarest. However, I am sick to death of Tainted Love, GIMH, Landslide and hundreds more being called Youth Club records. I heard them first at the Mecca in 72 and 73. I have never heard a NS record in a youth club, as I heard them at venues, If some of the lovers of our music were too young to go to venues, thats just a fact of life, but why call NS records by such a term when it says more about the person, not the record? No disrespect or malice intended to anyone, just my view.

Great venue. I first heard Chris Hamilton I've Got to Have Your Love and the Marvelettes Only Your Love Can Save Me there. Would love to attend a reunion.

Hi Steve, Thats you in big trouble.... "I bought her the number for her 40 something birthday a good few years ago"!!!!! Can't make the KS, something else on. Went to Romans do last month there and only 2 beer pumps at that time. Might have changed now though. My suggestion would be get some cans in the boot in a cool box. They sell John Smiths and Carling in cans if the beer runs out. Still a great venue.... Steve became an elevator service engineer. When I saw him around 2005 or so, we were talking about the Torch, the Mecca, the Casino and the little do's we went to. I was absolutely gobsmacked when he said that he had never been into the music but he went cos the scene was exciting!! Honestly, I nearly fell over. He likes heavy rock now! Were you in his house when Inky dropped his pants to show packages taped to his thigh? One of the packages burst open and we all dived on the peculiar coloured pill and capsules that went all over the floor, the settee, behind the telly, whilst Toofy was trying to stop the dog eating them! I was also taping that night but distinctly remember lending it to John Roscoe to listen to and never saw it again. (hint hint!). Have a great New Year.

Hi Steve, I think the guy was from Bolton. He was being hassled by someone taking the mick. He smacked him twice and said to him "now f*** off out before I really start" as Baeutiful Day rang out from the speakers. Russ asked for bouncers but by the time they got there it was all over and no action taken. The Beachcomber after the nighter ran from 8 til 10. It was to put it mildly, intimidating. Dark, dingy but fantastic atmosphere. I remember they once played a records so loud that I nearly fell off my chair at one intro. To dance in there you had to be really good as no OK dancers ever seemed to get up. I heard Dena Barnes in there for the first time. I asked Fuse what it was and he didn't know. (I saw Toofy a few weeks ago. Not imto soul at all now, which amazed me. Nice reg no. on Linda's car by the way!) When it closed I used to quite enjoy the baths! A bit safer, but there was till some hassle in the changing rooms.

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I absolutely love IJH and think his recordings are so underated. Just listen to Where Are You. If released this would have been massive. He is supposed to have a CD out soon, but no sign of it yet. I put a thread on here asking for info but unfortunately no one replied! I love all his sides. His plaintive vocals are just so soulful.

Hi All, There was some talk of the Ivy Joe Hunter album being released with some of his other unreleased stuff, but it all seems to have gone quiet. Anyone got any info? Thanks in advance, Brian

Wigan big room. Frankie Beverley ITWYW. I Need You, Shane Martin, Towanda Barnes Mr Ms Looking for You. Ann D'An Drea Don't Stop Looking Samanthas. Al Kent TWYBAL Mecca. Younghearts, Williams and Watson Too Late, QOF Barbara Mills Ukranian Soul Club Todmorden Lenis Guess!!

Some people never miss an opportunity to decry the records played in the past in an attempt to show how upfront they are. A decent thread with some good contributions, then someone has a pop because others like something they don't.

Found the tape, and apologies to Pete S but he sent the tape back to me. Other tracks are: Sue Barrett WIGB Devonnes Stanley Mitchell Bobby Mandolph Gems Tomangoes Patti Austin TATPS Mel Williams Top Shelf No Second Thoughts Landslide Detroit Sound Both David and the Giants Please Operator Saxi Russell Debbie Dean Invitations SITS Salvadors Edie Walker/Patience Valentine Cissie Houston Bring him back Laura Greene with big scream from the crowd! Sandy Nelson SITEJB Soul Symphony United 4 Eddie Foster Terrible Tom Janie Grant The Petals CCTWTYH Johnny Jackson Experience Lets Shingaling Great times and what a CD that would make.

I had a tape from there from early 74 which was some feat as the bouncers took cassettes from you. I think Pete Smith has it now as he kindly put it onto CD for me. The tracks off the top of my head that don't get a mention above include: Frankie Beverley R Dean Taylor both sides Go for yourself Afternoon at the Rhino Larry Atkins ATLE Branded Get Out Dana Valery The Petals CCTWOYH Joe Hicks Can it be Me The Vel-Vets I have the track listing at work. I'll dig it out and repost the rest. We had some great nights there. We were the 71 to 76 Burnley crew and we used to hit the bars first and then go to the Mecca around 10pm ish. As mentioned in a thread some time ago, there was always a bit of friction inside and always outside with the non soulies from downstairs who were generally on 21sts and stag dos. However the music was outstanding and as Dave T and Fergie say, sometimes you heard a record 2 or 3 times and then it was booted and never played again. In my humble opinion it deteriorated quality wise when the more modern stuff began to be played, but I know it is all about opinions. KTF Brian B