Scallybob

Sorry mate, this is a Soul music forum. I think you need carryonupthekhyber.com

I had a cap-sleeve tee shirt with "Jades" on one side and "Del Larks" on the other about 1975 at Wigan and various other venues. Probably for the time doesn't sound too bad (well OK it does) but my arms are just like bits of string. I thought I was Mr. Cool but maybe not.

Hawaii Five-O was only about 1:51. Thank God.

I paid £15 for mine about three years ago. I bet if you saw one it wouldn't be more than £30.

Has to be "A Bird In The Hand". Mike Terry is awesome on it!

Seeing as it was a Ric-Tic recording before Berry Gordy bought Golden World and it wasn't a UK TMG issue, I'd say so.

Records. I love 'em. Listening to them, looking at them, touching them and playing them. And the other great thing is hearing stuff I've never heard. Even more so when it's a cheapie and it's good. Bob Hinsley played Billy Young-The Sloopy at King George's the other week. I'd never heard it but I can't stop listening to it now! A tenner off JM then got an import copy on eBay for a fiver.

That's the one, on Loadstone. Great crossover, we always played it at the Soul on Sundays dos at the Orwell. Tuuune.

This might all be true and for genuine sellers it's annoying but e-Bay is being closely watched because of money laundering that's happening. I suspect e-Bay are making the most of it (they could do enough checks to get round it) but that would be their defence if you managed to get an answer from them. In the States organised crime has targetted e-Bay big time. It was in the Grauniad so it must be true.

Jocko, if the sedation's worn off I'd rather talk about it over a pint at a Soul do. You're a bit selective with your comments but I've no desire to argue with you. I have an opinion on whether the bubble's burst-for some it has, for others not-but as I've been on the scene more than not on it over the last thirty-odd years I think it's reasonable to debate my opinion without being rude. No matter how grumpy you feel! Anyway, let's hope we vcan meet and discuss sometime. As Berry said, it's what's in the groove that counts.

What I like is being stuck in traffic with some brilliant tune on and looking at the saps in the next car. They will never know what the Salvadors or Billy Woods sounds like.

Sam Williams for me. Is this the same Herman Hitson who cut "Headed For The Street (Again)"?

Sorry, double post!

Well neither uninformed nor ill-informed, merely an opinion. Your opinion is that 79-81 was the best for new discoveries but I thought it was 74-76. An opinion. You're right that the crowds were down in the last two years but I know plenty who gave it up when the tourists and the pop stompers started to ruin the place. And many never returned, either because they got responsibilities or just moved on. But loads got back into it about ten years ago and maybe now it's the second phase of that. There were a lot of venues in the last few years catering for people who wanted to hear the "Wigan Top 40" or whatever but their longevity isn't guaranteed. That type of person was never at the forefront of the scene and although they are interested they aren't fanatical. And those who want something different can only listen to Frank Wilson so many times. Part of the problem has been over-capacity. If your memories were of packed venues and great nights but your recent experiences have been quiet venues with same-old-same-old tunes you might not persevere with it. Incidentally I'm not trying to rewrite history but Baz's nights at the Saints was the only regular gig I could get to when my kids were very young. I'm not suggesting that Baz was the only one burning the torch and it is a comment based on my local area. When you're not 20 anymore and you have responsibilities you can't be all over the country. I know there were other venues running but as I was doing my own "family thing" I couldn't get there so I wouldn't comment on them.

I always thought the first Dottie Cambridge came from Bostocks on Bradford Market.

That's because it isn't. Beats me why they get a talking head on when said head knows nothing. If Jazzy B doesn't care for Northern that's fine. But it's like me expressing an opinion on big game hunting. I know it's out there but it's never appealed to me and I've never tried it. Then again if the BBC wanted to waste some licence fee on me I'd wing it and pretend I knew what I was talking about.

Not that "soccer" is my chosen description. A good few years back Richard had this competition on his show and unbelievably my Al Williams and assorted Detroit rarities were beaten by some bloke from Stockport who picked The Flasher and Muriel Day. Well. not quite but I'm over it now, honest! Referring back to the Soul Britannia thread there is a link with Soul and football. Very few lads I know have no interest in the beautiful game. I once went to Forest away clutching a Rose Batiste demo I'd bought at the Wigan Oldies all-nighter. Is it that working class thing?

Sounds like me!

I don't like stereotyping anyone to be honest. I was in France recently and the people were dead friendly-yet most think they aren't. Why? Because they haven't been and spoken to the French. The point I'm making is that programme makers don't research their subject adequately. That might work for reality TV shows telling you how to put up a shelf but when you get a knowledgeable community like the Northern Soul scene it enrages people. And it's Uncle Joes Mint Balls! They keep you all aglow, give them to your granny and watch the bugger go. https://www.uncle-joes.com/

Macca, I don't think what class backgound people are from is relevant. I work in Corporate Finance and I've always been in good jobs: middle class I suppose but my Dad was a lorry driver. What gets me is that working class lads in the south are seen by the media as "edgy", having guts and spirit and breaking out of their existence by developing punk or being Paul Weller. But northern blokes are just thickos who wear baggy pants and like old records nobody else wanted. Again, it's largely because Wigan or Cleethorpes is a long way from London and we might not be able to make a proper latte so they've never been to find out. Jazzy B probably knows as much about Northern as I do about the London sado-masochist scene. The BBC wouldn't ask me about that, so why do they ask him about Northern? And no, I don't know anything about it!

There were plenty of soul records in the charts in the seventies, that's true, but the record companies in the UK weren't happy with it and ensured the A&R men got home-grown product plugged above it. Nothing wrong with that you might say, it's their job. But it left a legacy because there were no truly independent-minded DJ's giving a national platform to soul music. Searling's knowledge and radio-friendly delivery should have been snapped up but, even though he's highly ambitious, he wouldn't be the sort to compromise his values. So we end up with Trevor Nelson. Soul music is imported music and there was a deliberate attempt by the record companies to keep it off the airwaves. The vested interests in the States did the same with the "Disco Sucks" thing. Blatantly racist-the threat being that black labels would upset the comfortable rock-biased record sales-but not challenged because as we all know America is the best democracy money can buy. Sometimes records came out of the UK clubs and got national acceptance by the suits but this was always more likely with big-label records because some of the profits came over here. Disco Demand singles didn't fit that so the Casualeers hardly got played on radio. If that had been a British act where the royalties were going to some London producer it would have been into the top five in no time. Radio 1 was essentially a pop station but it had no specialist soul show. Peel did a fantastic job spotting and promoting new talent but there was no desire to deliver an equivalent service to anyone who wanted the same for non-British music. The BBC also had Whistle Test and varous other white middle class music shows. I agree more people would buy Human League records-and I thought they were a good pop group-but the BBC blatantly didn't cater for black music fans and consequently doesn't have a heritage to call on. As far as the Northern scene being working class, that's true, the majority were. But that doesn't mean every time it's mentioned we need stereotyping with pictures of run-down alleyways and blokes working in factories. The series isn't about Northern, I wish they wouldn't mention it as they blatantly don't have a clue.

Pete, I know what you are saying but the A&R men aided and abetted by the alleged DJ's at the BBC decided who made it and who didn't. Some bloke form Crawley with a big A&R budget-no problem, on air. David Ruffin-will I get an invite to his house? Not playing that. Half the population was buying it because they never heard anything else and the BBC made sure it all stayed nice and safe. Jazzy B never mentioned that, did he? It's about opinions if you have no financial interest, and my opinion is that Slade were abysmal. No better than Sweet, Bay City Rollers or Status Quo. Pub singers who got lucky. Pop music is fairer now because they include downloads but the BBC refused to include 12" singles for a long time. Can't have Evelyn King in there or Tavares can we? Human League? No problem sir.