Steve G

I haven't had a chance to listn yet. Is this Soul & Blues Union on Atlantic? Was Mark Baildon the lead singer or something?

Yes I am sure that's right Joan and a lot of people would want a bit of both. We've been saying for ages you can't just play newies allnight. People need some familiarity as well. Flip side of the coin, as long as you wed yourself to the oldies part of the scene, then these debates will rage with increasing futiliy and irrelevance. It's like watching water going down a bath plughole. ATB Steve

Are we talking about records or are we talking about the music, or both? Some people know a lot about records (to the ones already mentioned I'd add Butch, Andy Dyson), others a lot about artists (Tony Rounce for example). But the fact that no one knows everything or anything approaching it, is what keeps this all SO interesting. How boring it would be if people knew everything there was to know.

Managed to get this a few months ago. "It ain't like it used to be / I'm on sick leave" original label before IX Chains. Does anyone know anything about the label (apart that it was from Memphis etc.). How it got leased to IX Chains etc? Steve

Bearsy, Sorry mate and understand where you are coming from, but you are still not getting it. For 90% of the "scene" it's all about going out, having a larf, chat to your mates, booze, dance to familiar music, then go home. And that's it - end. They want nothing else from the soul scene, except maybe some CDs to play in the car from time to time. For a promotor sure CC is a big name who'll pull people in. I mean if they put you or me on in Newcastle, hardly anyone would turn up. These 90% make up the backbone of soul nights, weekenders etc. in the UK whether you or I like it or not. Then there's the other 10% who are loosely a mix of record collectors, people who want to hear something different mixed in, OVO folk who still like the founding perinciples, and some DJs who are constantly looking for something new to play. Within that 10%, as Jocko says there are a lot of 'wannabees' who think by playing some poor quality old B sides and soul pack terrors they're "cutting edge". "Underplayed"? Some records are underplayed for a reason... And incidentally the crossover and 70s "scene" has become even worse than the 60s scene in that regard. You can almost certainly count people who are digging beyond their old classics on two hands there. ... Sorry mate, but this parrot is dead, and it's not going to change. I don't know about jump at the chance but we've all probably ended up there on the odd occasion.....Have done a few gigs in the past which I assumed were OVO only to find they were only part OVO and 'Odd Job' has come on and played a few boots.

Didn't we discuss all this a few years ago? I thought we'd bottomed out what was and what wasn't issued back in the day.

True enough. But everything is relative Bazza. I remember seeing a Lou Ptride in a box in the late 70s for £35, and my mate selling Barbnara Mills UK demo for £70 to Keith Minshull @ Wigan. These sums were a fortune back then. No way could I afford a Lou Pride.

Thanks Steve, WOuld be great if we could put this mystery to bed.

You mean Scepterical surely? So the likely scenarios are either: - Pye were going to put it out in response to the hit with "Armed & Extremely dangerous", but by the time they woke up, the follow up "Smarty pants" was all set to go, and used the Scepter B side "One step away" as it's flip, so they had no B side. - It was prepped up as a potential Pye Disco demand release c.1975.

I knew you were going to say that Pete, I thought of adding it to head you off at the pass, cos of course it's right....we don't know.

Yes, very true, right up to the late 70s new releases that fitted the bill were played on the northern scene as well (Sad Girl, F Emeralds, Eddie Holman etc.). Later if you include Stafford with Richard / Dave T / Robin etc. PS Bearsy: Give me F.Smogg over Bill Cosby anyday! :

Re First Choice. Mick says it's a Pye acetate but with a release number inked on....Steve

Shit mon, you've just publically 'outed' at least 50 DJs sets for this and next weekend.....you terror!

Rather confused by this post now Wiggy - since your signature under your post says "I will be playing uptempo rare and underplayed Northern Soul from original vinyl" at some gig you are doing in London. Thought you were Russ W's agent in the south? Then you are playing uptempo rare and underplayed and now you don't like rare soul after all, but you do like northern. All a bit Spaghetti Head!! :

:rolleyes:

Predictable as ever Roger!

Very funny Len. Problem is some folk might actually believe you... Agreed, flip far better soul record.

Yeah but Steve, just playing OVO for the sake of it, proves nothing. Anyone can line up a playlist of obscure stuff, and to Jocko's point, they also need to be good records. Don't want a row about the myriad of different styles, and whether they're crap or not, but it is a relevant point I think. I've seen plenty of OV playlists of underplayed stuff which are as dull as ditchwater....sorry to say.

No Len, there weren't enough ex northern punters to populate these side rooms, when you can have your own dedicated modern night without the normans. Also the promotors realised they could save money by having a freestyle room for all and sundry, where the only condition is that you don't need to pay the DJs for their services.

The other dimension, as perhaps my learned Scottish banking friend was trying to suggest earlier via his cryptic comments, was that just because a venue plays OVO, it doesn't of itself make it good. The other ingredient is taste - playing good music, not poor music. Do all OV champions play good stuff? Without breathing life into the corpse of the 'playlist' thread from the other day, I'd think not.

Mainly boogie, funky and club classics.

Yes I agree now that I understand what you were saying, although I actually had about 50% of 'em I was delighted to hear

Stop what Jock? We were there, but Lorraine didn't like the bad language :lol: PS: Good to see you at Cleggy

Simsy, and Geeselad he played 80s