Back Street Blue

....don't agree, sorry, there are oldies nights where they would be appreciated. Smudge did a spot at Inner Soul in Sheffield in the summer which was greatly appreciated. Just saying that its easy to pigeon hole people and write them off as non-receptive but there are oldies fans who are not locked into the usual staples......even if they are in the minority.

Think the pigeon holing of the "oldies" and "nostalgia" nights as one and the same is incorrect. There are oldies nights that do champion the lesser played oldies and that don't concentrate on just the well known "staples". They do attract people in the vests and baggies though but similarly not all the vest and baggies men are as ignorant or recently returned as is often assumed. There's some great stuff in your list, some I know and some I don't, (love Trent Sisters/ Joey Heatherton/ Combinations /Del Tours /Brand New Faces.....but don't know Little Stanley or Donne Wells and can't find 'em on YT for a listen). That said there's also a couple in there that, whilst nice sounds and all that, would to me, be hard work on the dance floor and would definitely get my more died in the wool mates whingin' like f*ck. So you're right to assume that some don't want to know.....but don't write all oldies fans off as ignorant......good stuff is good stuff and will grab any true soul by the b*llox. Thanks for the list....really enjoyed playing them.

great record......get it played

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EbsGqQxH-gU like this one by Thelma (cheap lovin)

Yeah I saw that too.....really moving.....long overdue recognition for a great talent.

The reality is that the broad church of northern soul is a phenomenon that has so far stood the test of time unlike any other genre of post war music. Various youth cultures evolved with the music at their core and for three generations, as each group reached maturity, a new strain emerged carrying the music forward with it. It seems to me that the last such "youth culture" emerged in the '80s and that what has separated NS from contemporary genres of music is the fact that its devotees have maintained their enthusiasm for the music and carried it forward into middle age. For it to continue, it must be adopted by a new generation with the same all consuming interest in it. So the future depends on how the youngsters currently involved with the scene, and their generation, run with the baton. All I can say is that they had better get their skates on 'cos its already starting to smell like p*ss and biscuits!

can't believe this is going up in all about the soul....but there goes bit of John Bonham (moby dick) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LC3f19zrMg8

Saw Bowie at Free Trade Hall Manchester '72.......Mick Woodmansey was the drummer then (Ziggy Tour).....and none too shabby either https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HepcwnB19C0&list=PL2DEBF77D658D2925 (david bowie - soul love)

.....in that case...John Bonham is up there with Ginger Baker on the Rock front for me

....that's told them "sucker DJ's" Dave....or is that "Ice-D"? (smiley's not working)

"Right Charlie"

....good call...I have the album....bought it off Ronnie Hanley '77ish

Used to go to Rochdale Tiff's.....Searling did a spot or two I seem to remember?

Must've seen it in B&S?....and I coaxed my mates to come along. Got there early so went in a little boozer just down the street....big ugly "Al Murray" type barman. My mate Chris Buckley (RIP) was a bit of a wuss at the best of times and I can remember him saying "do you sell Guiness?"... ...and the bloke said..."Nah....do we f*ck!!! Happy days.

Abso - bloody -lutely!! I'm dragging my daughter a long too, soon as it comes out...(she's 15 and I hope she's not too young to get in?). Keep seeing the young 'uns out and about and can't wait to see their dancing showcased in the film. I enjoyed Soul Boy and took it for what it was and will do the same with this one. Tell you what, why don't you come with us....my treat?

Never seen this old thread before!!.....(hope it's not too old for mods?) Remember going in Sounds Saturday afternoons.....and nice to hear that The Motown, (which was over the C0-Op in Shaw), and the Magnet in Oldham got a mention. Another one that we made a trip to was the Watersplash in Salford, don't know how long it ran for....no f*cker there when we went!!

love it or hate it ........this lad put's a shift in... https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d3by6imQmn0 (Mitch Ryder & the Detroit Wheels - devil in a blue dress)

don't know who it is but always loved the crash bang wallop in this...... https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sngb8sztAjE (Davis & Tyler - hold on help is on the way)

Not having a pop at you or anyone else mate. Post #98 above makes reference to there being whole coaches of people going to Wigan and says that none of them took any gear. You also say that you never took gear and make reference to having a kip at 04:00.....so I tied the two references together. In our misguided youth, we would probably have seen that as not really fitting with our approach to "being on the scene", just like when people danced round their handbags or wore platform shoes and jackets and ties. We called people who didn't follow our code "divs". We were kids and arrogant, so don't take offence, I'm not calling you a div now! Maybe it was just the people in my circle of friends that thought like that, I don't know. That's my recollection but it seems there were either loads of people pretending to be smashed or a lot of people have now decided to deny what went on to present a cleaner image of their past.

Sorry Terry.....not sure what you mean....there were bus loads of straight members having a kip......or you ended up with a habit? If the former.....must have missed them when I was in M's (where I did spend a lot of my time), If the latter....sorry to hear that mate.

This new take on the gear thing is really strange to me....I went a lot in '77 and don't recall coach loads of straight members having a kip at 04:00. I was earning about £15 a week then and could afford a few pills.....but seldom had enough to buy records. Not trying to glorify being naughty but we were recreational users and unlike those who were having a dig in the bogs, none of us became hooked on anything in later life either. The buzz was an extra bonus, the objective was to be able to dance like you wanted to when you wanted to. Not proud of it......but not going to make out that I wasn't at it. in my experience the majority of folk that I encountered were either blocked or looking to get some.

Squeezed my first visit in just before the end of '74 aged 15...the cool dudes were the old Torch and Va Va's members, "Big Time" as they were known. They became the first Wigan Bashers, complaining that us kids were taking up space on their dance floors and that "the music was going down hill", so a lot of them took their ball home and most had gone by '76 '77. Then there were the traditionalists who became the next Wigan Bashers as more Funky stuff started getting played, and conversely some of the Funk pioneers also became Wigan bashers comparing the Casino with their preferred Mecca & Cleethorpes niters. Then most of my mates had split by '78 and became Wigan bashers cos the place was over run with kids (it was OK when we were the kids but not now when we were the older lads apparently). My visits became less and less frequent '79 - '81 and I loved it that there was a crew of new kids from our way who were just as passionate as our lot had been at their age, who I could hook up with when I went in those later years......and their knowledge of the music and verve in collecting put me and my mates to shame to be honest...but we'd have burned them off the dance floor mind. Those who didn't go, can't bash Wigan as far as I'm concerned because they can only criticise what they've seen and heard about it, they weren't there so they don't know and may as well be talking to a pork chop as far as I'm concerned. Not asking for recognition for me or anyone else who went like it was some kind of achievement, just wish those who missed it could have shared that experience.

proper job

the "James Brown"........... https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ek9-HGHT1Pk

Andy Peebles' "Soul Train" on Radio Picadilly (Sunday night?) was a must..........then Mike Shaft took over the mantle on that station.