Steve G

I think the northern scene has long been largely a revival scene just regurgitating the same records. It's become largely what I hoped it would never become - a nostalgia scene like the rock and roll scene was years ago with Teddy boys, drainpipes and silly dancing. Perhaps it's not that surprising as the music itself is largely so old now. As this revival scene has grown, so has the baloney that goes with it - clocks, northern soul greeting cards, Frank Wilson keyrings etc - all part of this "NS is a way of life" nonsense. To me it's always been about the music first.....but as time has gone on, fewer and fewer have been interested in expanding new horizons, hearing new sounds etc. (well apart from Duffy!). Yes it's partly an age thing, and also partly true that most civilians don't tend to expand their musical horizons either (grew up liking Quo, you probably still have their greatest hits in your car CD player). However the soul scene was supposed to be different, fresh, exciting, different, cool. It's a real damning indictment about the state of the NS scene that the forward thinking progressive venues just about get enough in to make it viable a few times a year and even some of them struggle. By contrast in large parts of the country you by an old rig, put on a Wigan oldies night and you get 350+ in all clapping to the breaks etc. Too many DJ's, too many venues, tackiness and stagnating musical taste - all true I am afraid. Thankfully continental Europe offers such a fresh perspective where more new sounds can be played without some old codger shouting in your ear "You got Barbara McNair mate?".

in a word yes. I know I played it, possibly others/ Part 2 is wicked.

Great track and one I never tire of. Not for sale though.

Yes it did. a record that took a while to take off. Massive now though.

James, something like Lee Fields works on two levels. It may he hashed out at the main upfront venues - Butch and Andy D have been playing it for ages etc. we all know that. Searling played it at Wigan in 75 etc. But at the smaller local venues round here it still gets plays and isn't seen as chasing anyone's coat-tails or second rate or pop, nor is it a bad reflection on the DJ at all. It fills the floor, the punters love it etc etc. and of course it's a great little record. As far as I am aware the only people that play it round Herts/ Beds / N London northern clubs are Dave Fleming (when he DJs which ain't that often), and myself. Hardly played out or pop then, and I'd wager the same is true in other local areas up and down the land. Not everyone goes to Lifeline or Burnley, so I really don't think you can class people playing it as "pop DJs" or chasing Butch's (or Andy Dyson's) coat-tails. I thought about your comments and of course largely agree that DJ's should be breaking new sounds when they can, but we all know you can't do that all night most places (anywwhere in the UK?). In fact you yourself, I understand, use The Tamangoes and Salvadors in your sets - surely the most overplayed totally played out quality oldie of all time? - with the possible exception of "Cause your mine" (equally an excellent record). "Stick by me baby"? "Stick it in yer garage" more like! As for the "Top DJ's" bidding on this I don't know who these are nor do I care, preferring to allow them to spend their money (or trades) on whatever they like without ridicule - even if the price is very high and a bit of a shock to us. They're adults and presumably know what they're doing with their cash (or trades), and it's not for us to tell them how to spend it or ridicule them. Now where's me copy of The Tomangoes then?

think that's the third copy on here for sale today? Is this a first for soul source?

One went for a lot on manship auction a while back - yet it cleared the floor last spring

shandy??? I am drinking beer this weekend

no Ian, I always end up with loads of records pulled out of the box that I don't get round to playing - an hour is never enough. ForgET the van all I need is a 100 / 200 box.

You done let the daylight catch you - great tune.

Let's be honest if we are talking 45s you are only going to play about 20-25 records in an hour so a 200 box, of carefully selected sounds is more than enough. In many cases a 100 count box is fine. The only time I'd need an MP3 player with 20,000 tunes is if I was gonna play a request for Barbara McNair or something, and I won't do that anyway.

Agree, not ground breaking - over the last few months it's actually become something of a play safe floor filler

another non rare record fetching a ridiculous price

Butch started the revival on this but it's popular for a number of DJ's. Always fills the floor down this way.

First signs were 67/68 in the context of the Hippie revolution. Modern soul in it's true sense to me is something from the last 2-3 years. However in the contect of the northern scene it means something that is in a modern style when compared to a 60s headbanger - so anything post 69/70 employing more than 2 track recording, in stereo, with strings, vibes and a softer beat. Same issue with Jazz - modern jazz encompasses anything from the 50s onwards yet I don't hear those boys arguing about the terminology much.

Certainly. I have been on record as saying that if I clear the floor at least once and maybe twice during a set then I am content that I have pushed the boundaries. In other words if the floor stays full throughout then you've probably played it toooooo safe. It's a risky strategy and the key of course is getting them back onto the floor after you've pushed the boat out. Where I think some fail is they can't read the floor period and so go with a style that clearly isn't working and are seemingly unable to change that - anyway enough about you . All joking aside Simon (and that was a joke), that is where I draw the distinction - on the one hand clearing the floor for one or two radical things and on the other doing a set that kills a venue dead. Hope that clarifies. Steve

No real stories about them then, just a bunch of local thugs in trendy brown suits and kipper ties as I remember them. My only encounter was going to wigan with £2 in my pocket and a return train ticket. So I paid my £1.50 to get in and they have system where Mrs Wood gives you a ticket and you give it in to a bouncer on the steps about five feet beyond where you buy it. So I give the bouncer my ticket, and proceed upstairs at which point he says - "hey you - you haven't given me a ticket" (I had). Load of balls really, I am detained for 40 mins telling him that yes I had bought a tivket and yes I had given it to him. He's going "no you didn't, you are not coming in" - tried to mug me for another £1.50 and eventually I convinced him that I only had 50p left, had come up from Kent etc etc. And eventually when he realised I wasn't going to pay again I got in. But what a low lie tosser he was and I wonder how many people he got an extra £1.50 out of? Good riddance, there are no great stories with those thugs!

Youd be surprised how many "DJs" struggle with these basic concepts

Not sure why everyone is getting wound up by this topic yet again..... Play it on original or carver if it's an acetate/cover up . If you don't have an original, don't play it. Play something else. Balls to this "it doesn't matter what format it's on" malarky espoused exclusively by those without the vinyl or the Sad Girl / Snake / Frank Wilson fraternity. Elsewhere there's a load of moaning going on about too many DJ's....well lets have a cull of those: who don't have the records for a start. We can then expand it to include DJs a) who can't read a dancefloor who don't play something exciting c) who can't use a mike d) who are unable to consistently cue up records without loads of dead air time or needles falling off the record. A simple but radical solution methinks.

Wot my one with the scratched out address no good now Actually I haven't played it for a while.......

An old Yarmouth spin and a fantastic side.....builds and builds.....I'd say 25 is a bar gin for the issue.

Lars has the other copy in Germany - a tremendous find on ebay. All the other copies that DJs play out are carvers - would a scan of a carver suffice Simon, in which case I am sure there are several who can supply it

including the many thousands who dance to frank wilson when not played by Kenny B or Tim B it would seem......

Look on the archives and you'll find a thread on this topic just about every week.