Chas

Always think of this whenever i see or hear Dan Folger, they go together so well. I was enthusing about it to a friend some years ago and the day after he walked on to a car boot sale and found the album!

Like they used to say about Kent albums, 'hardly a month goes by without a Kent release', same applies to the artist obituaries.

Another gone, some great memory tracks from him. Sadly it's only the music that's timeless.

Embrace it all, there's far too many contradictions if you don't, a certain ms Crawford raved about this before covering it for the masses. Like Marley said "when music hits you, you feel no pain".

I was arrested that night, it was just before jnr Walker live at Wigan, needless to say i couldn't go, when my mum found out I'd been charged she stopped lending me the tenner! That was it for the club night also.

Indeed, Monday's as well at Druffies at one stage, Tues was Caroline's Mcr, Wed recharge, Thu was Norfolk Arms, Glossop, Fri was Druffies again and maybe an all nighter, Sat was Wigan, Sun would be Ritz, cats whiskers, or maybe the Cavern.. crazy days, as one shut one opened, Birch hotel Thurs, Hyde botanical club, alt Thurs, to name but two. I'd have to borrow a tenner every Mon off my mum till Fri, that tenner went to and fro in our house for years!

Druffies was officially DRUFC.. Dukinfield rugby union football club, in Dukinfield of course, superb music, some intimidating clientele and all sorts of chemicals on offer. Never realized just how good it actually was until i attended the main all nighters and found a lot of the big sounds I'd heard there previously. It has been referred to in a couple of the books i believe, a great starting point for me, post youth clubs. Greater Manchester (there's nowhere greater).. I'll get my coat!

Those guys at that time were undoubtedly blazing a trail for the legions who would join the scene later, as for Manchester, i don't think anyone would dispute it's pedigree as 'the' historical hotbed for rare soul, that's using the earliest references and the current scene as parameters. Obviously i'm somewhat biased coming from Mancunia, full marks to the Mcr evening news also who recognise the importance of the early club scene and have always given column inches to it over the years. It wasn't till 1975 that i would attend my first early session as a 15 yr old at druffies in Dukinfield, at that time you needed eight days in a week to do all venues on offer in the Manchester area. So druffies would be my equivalent of the Oaks, only right then to mention Roy Young, Mick Lucas and Dave Stubbs, the three guy's behind the decks there.

At the millennium new years eve all nighter at Blackpool Mecca, the countdown started and I'd have put my house on that being played, on came Jackie Wilson 'because of you' a super track also, but Rufus Wood, never been a more apt moment.

He'll be tucked up in bed now,will Phil Spector, with reference to the 'prisoner soul' thread a while back,imagine him being inside 40 odd years ago, the mind boggles! Superb oscar winning documentary feat Darlene, Merry Clayton etc, and the dastardly Mr Spector.

R.I.P Nancy Wilson, plenty of tributes no doubt this weekend in the social clubs, lots of tunes to choose from.

Terribly sad news that, one of the experts for sure. Some great conversations with Dave, he'd just drop facts into the chat effortlessly with great re call, last saw him at Pete Hollander's all nighter. Memories of his sets at the now sadly defunct Wilton ballroom, fantastic times..the best times.

Imagine what a good production could've done!

Always liked this 45 from the slammer, a little messy, mustn't have been any producers doing time when they cut this. A killer.. maybe more than one, oops!

Phil T has just described the Valentines 'breakaway' as 'immaculate in every respect', that says it all. That's up there with the description of the Sharpees 'tired of being lonely'.. 'the real deal' and the Mayfield singers 'the weather's always the same'.. 'some records are too good to play, this is one of them' well said Mr T.. Simply lovleh!

What a shocker!, Haven't seen him since the Sunday afternoon sessions upstairs on Brazenose St Mcr finished.Hope he didn't suffer too much, brings it home does that.

Not heard Simon Barbee before, same as Louis Curry 'a toast to you'.. living and learning.

Most of the platters will still sound like they were recorded in a toilet!

Had it all figured out didn't he? Fast forward a few years and most of those luminaries he mentions go on record saying the quality and volume of 60's unknown 45's was on the wane. Whilst I agree with him on the stale playlist subject i take exception with his superiority complex. You tend to live and die by what you say on this scene and sometimes you have to be careful what you wish for as you just might get it! Stood in a venue with the pondie boys and a scattering of other flat earthers with no chance of getting an atmosphere going, not my cup of tea. After all it's a 10 Yr period and no matter how prolific it was, it could only be a finite figure. It may have been seen as 'their scene' by some but it wasn't, most people progressed from the 'jet age' to further their education and were just as passionate as they were, more in fact. 'Judge baby.. i rest my case.'

This by Dusty Wilson, re hashed as 'gonna be a tragedy' to great acclaim.

Solaris juxtaposed between Lolleata Holloway and M'tume, the best £5 you could ever spend at one time, stands against any of the big hitters does that, inspired selection.

Still as strong, still gives me goosebumps after nearly 40 years, that's value for money!

Always found this to be quite uplifting, great 'rallying call' intro, probably came across it first at the halcyon monthly all dayers at the Manchester Ritz in the 70's.

Move away all sharp and pointy things before playing.

Styrene tastes like chicken, vinyl tastes like tripe and makes your wee smell like sugar puffs... So i heard!