Playing general soul music and northern soul are two different fields altogether. As Gareth says you can't just pitch up on this scene, say you are a dj in another life, it will not wash on this scene what you've done elsewhere, promoters and punters alike don't care for other scenes or what others have done in their lives. Your statement about anyone around your parts with 20 records etc can get behind the decks, well are you not in that group also? Some of those with 20 records or more have probably got more experience and knowledge than you have of this scene, been around longer and therefore maybe warrant a shot ahead of newcomers like yourself. As I said what you have done elsewhere counts for nothing on the rare/northern (whatever you want to call it) soul scene.