MELS

Had one record arrive in just an envelope. No sleeve, no cardboard, just a white envelope.

Because it's worth it!

You have total control over what you choose to listen to and you have the opportunity to trawl a wider source of music. Would personally prefer to see the record, but some prefer a fancy video for whatever reason, not always to disguise the origin of the record. Some collectors who don't dj, take the time and trouble to upload the very stuff that isn't widely played or bootlegged. Down side is, it has cost me more in original vinyl when I've been sufficiently inspired to get my own copy.

Thinking about the people I know who attend venues, the majority want vinyl, but don't care about it's originality and probably wouldn't bother to read this topic let alone participate in a poll. Kind of skews the results. Biggest argument I've had with my ex since we split was over Northern Soul. He dances to it every week, but he doesn't collect vinyl and doesn't differentiate between discs.

I've got laminate; talc is fine.

At the end of the day, it goes back to the other old chestnut of same old stuff, playing safe, getting the punters on the dance floor, fear of mixing it up and being remembered as the dj who cleared the dance floor etc. At Derby, for me, the cameras on the decks gave an extra dimension to the music, which would not have been fulfilled by a succession of Stardust lables. The majority of people going out at the weekends don't give two hoots about the originality (in all senses), although strangely, still demand vinyl. Roll on the proliferation in recent years of copies of anything and everything it seems. Supply and demand. More available copies, legitimate or not, means more plays, more likely to get overplayed, more stagnation. Each to his own. Try Youtube.

I collect what I can afford, whether original or second issue vinyl or cd/ download etc. If I dj'd, which will never happen, for my own pride I would want to put original vinyl on the decks for all the reasons most collectors can think of. Each to his own, but I do think it's poor when a dj puts a bootleg on the decks, knowing that the dj following him or her has the real deal to play in their box. There are thousands of decent original, affordable records to dj with. I have emotions attatched to those records I struggled to get, despite having the music in some other format. I would feel cheated if I was a dj robbed of the chance to share that record by someone with a £5 bootleg. Entirely selfish, but hey-ho. More imagination may also prevent stagnation, which is not necessarily a bad thing.

I buy records to play; not to sell, not to dj with. To quote Richard "I think the 'gift' limit is GBP £40 and for commercial items it is GBP £18." So if I buy a moderately priced record for £20 from an American dealer, theoretically I could be charged tax plus £10 handling charge from the carrier? A hefty percentage on a not so high priced single. If I'm an MP fiddling expenses and can afford a flight to the States and a fortnight in a penthouse would I be able to carry the record through customs as part of my duty free allowance or would I just escape the carrier charge?

Despite the grey hair, I was just too young to go to Wigan. I came to Northern Soul late and it has been a wonderful voyage of discovery. Personally, I have found most people to be great and happy to share knowledge about the music, although in the past, I have had a couple of dismissive comments from obviously self-appointed, superior authentic soulies due to my lack of pedigree or experience. I still get the rush when I hear a great 'new' sound. Do they? Just enjoy the music with the majority and pity the bigots in the minority - they lack soul

TWO COPIES ON GEMM ONE OF WHICH IN UK. STILL KEEP TRYING TO GET MY OLD MAN TO PLAY THIS OUT.

TO ME IT ISN'T SO MUCH ABOUT TECHNIQUE. WHETHER YOU INCORPORATE BACKFLIPS, SHUFFLE FROM SIDE TO SIDE OR TAPDANCE IN A CIRCLE, THE DANCERS I MOST LIKE TO WATCH ARE THE ONES WHO OBVIOUSLY FEEL THE URGE TO MOVE, RATHER THAN FEEL THE URGE TO BE SEEN. NORTHERN SOUL IS A WAY OF LIFE. MY WAY IS NOT A DUPLICATE OF SOMEONE ELSE'S WAY. A GREAT DANCER IS AN INDIVIDUAL WHO DANCES HOW THEY FEEL AND WHO WEARS WHAT THEY WANT TO WEAR WITHOUT WORRYING ABOUT CONFORMITY TO ANOTHER INDIVIDUAL'S IDEA OF WHO THEY SHOULD BE. ME. I'M A SHUFFLER AND PROUD. GOOD ONLY BECOMES GREAT WITH INSTINCT.

GO OUT EVERY WEEK NOW THE SPROG IS GROWN UP. BONUS IS HEARING SOMETHING UNDERPLAYED OR NEW (TO ME) AND LIKING IT. I HAVE NO MATES AND I DON'T CARE WHOSE THERE, AS LONG AS THE PLACE ISN'T SWAMPED WITH PISSHEADS LOOKING FOR A LATE-NIGHT DRINK WHICH CAN BE THE DOWNFALL OF SOME INNER CITY VENUES. NOT OFTEN TRAVELLED 50 MILES PLUS TO HEAR A DJ. EXCUSE IS I WORK EVERY SATURDAY AND SUNDAY. I'M GOING TO AN ALLNIGHTER IN OCTOBER AND WILL BE PROPPED UP WITH CAFFEINE THROUGH THE WEEKEND AS MY BOSS WON'T ALLOW ME TIME OFF. WOULDN'T HAVE THE PATIENCE TO DJ. PREFER VENUES THAT MIX IT UP A BIT. NOTHING WRONG WITH THE OLD FAVOURITES, BUT EVEN YOUR FAVOURITE, YOU HEARD FOR THE FIRST TIME SOME TIME. SOMETIMES I LISTEN, SOMETIMES I DANCE. SOMETIMES MY JOINTS DON'T LIVE UP TO MY APPRECIATION OF WHAT IS BEING PLAYED. TOO MANY PEOPLE COMPLAIN ABOUT THE "SAME OLD" BUT VOTE FOR IT WITH THEIR FEET EVERY TIME. IF YOU WANT IT, ADMIT IT BUT DON'T STROKE YOUR CHIN IN THE CORNER PRETENDING YOU WANT MORE. BAH HUMBUG.