Drewtg

Fred Smith as well?

I remember dancing to this when I was about twelve at The Chambers club in Rochdale. That would make it about 1969/70 so possibly a Wheel hit? BTW if any song should be our anthem........this is it.

Hi Gemma, can I ask what source/s you are using to compile your charts so far? The reason that I am asking is that 'Tie me kangaroo down, sport' by Rolf Harris is not a song normally associated with Soul music, R&B, etc. And yet it is listed in your chart at number 26 for 1960. I am sure there are many other examples. Billboard charts were named as follows: 1942 Harlem Hit Parade - 1945 Race Records - 1949 Rhythm and Blues - 1963 no separate chart - 1965 R&B - 1969 Soul - 1982 Black - 1990 R&B - Whilst chart history is not a field I have much knowledge about, I feel sure that there is a ghost in the machine if people like Rolf and Bert Kaempfert can make it onto a 'Soul Music Chart'. Good luck with your project though.

Fetishism and N.Soul, has anyone ever done a study? https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/SUPERB-COLLECTION-OF-ORIGINAL-WIGAN-CASINO-PATCHES-/111468893034?pt=UK_Records&hash=item19f410536a

When I saw "Once upon a time in Wigan" I sobbed - literally. So embarassing. When I saw "Soulboy" I sneered - especially at the dance scenes. I have seen the clips of "Northern Soul The Film" and the atmosphere looks about right. I don't have very high expectations because it's a FILM, not a documentary. One of my ATF films is Zulu, if I were a military historian I could probably rip it to shreads, and no, I don't want to debate it here! I have spoken to Ellaine about the film and I think her heart is in the right place. We can't really ask for any more can we? In the imortal words of William Goldman "Nobody knows what makes a hit film", so let's just see it and have our opinion without getting evangelical about it. After all, it can't possibly do as much damage to the scene as "This England" did. Can't wait

What a truly terrible record! Who would want to hear it more than once?

It was pretty big in 74/75 but I doubt you heard it "early 75 in Mr M's" ................ it didn't open till Sept 75! Another great example of the non existent oldies v newies rift, especially on the dance floor. P.S. Written by good-old Pam Sawyer (puffs chest out with pride)

Love it, love it, love it

Hall of fame surely?

Obelisk? See Freud and monuments to our penises

It's in a box with Schrodinger's cat

Not my era but by christ these are some good sounds. Good old Butch.

When I was your age, I always did it for half-an-hour a day. Why, sometimes I’ve believed as many as six impossible things before breakfast. https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/331302559643?_trksid=p2055119.m1438.l2649&ssPageName=STRK%3AMEBIDX%3AIT

Nah mate, gone the way of all things .

I don't remember The Carstairs as "tearing the scene apart". It was BIG everywhere! I know it's often cited as the "first" contemporary sound played on the scene but that is a bit of self promotion by you know who. I personally think that The Temprees was more of a sign-post of the so called oldies/newies rift.

Just listened to "The Price", if that's the track you mean. It's nice, but it is not what I'd call a good Northern dance song. It's soul-pack fodder that all collectors had a box full of once upon a time. Nice to listen to, sounds like maybe an Archie Bell or a Philly album track but to play to a room full of dancers? Noooooooooooooo.

I've got to weigh-in with Pete here. A lot of the sounds are new to me, and to be honest I really like most of them. However Pete is right that the music just doesn't cut it with most of the older stuff. The reason it was probably passed-over and wasn't played back in the day is because it's not Northern Soul. It's good soul music (mostly) but it doesn't raise any goose-bumps. You can't imagine people jumping over tables to hit the dance floor to this stuff. It's "nice", chill-out music for after you've been to an all-nighter.

No civic dignitaries will be there Mellorfull, deliberately chose Paul Mason as he is one of us who sweated it out on the floor. This was achieved by us through public subscription, here and on Facebook.

In my opinion no. The thousands that went through those doors were winnowed down to a relative few who 'kept the faith' long enough to re-gain the lost audience. Without such large numbers it would probably be a bit like The Blues scene, it's still there but not nearly as healthy or robust.

Surely any definition of N. Soul must have the word 'dance' in it. Whilst not active on the scene any more as I live in Malta, last year I went to a so-called Northern night in Cheshire and the floor was empty for most of the night. The music was very good, the sort of sounds you would play at home or at your mate's when you couldn't afford to go out at night. The sort of sound that we would 'discover' and like, but know instinctively that it would never get played in a club. Few of the sounds had any charisma or presence and the vast majority of people sat around listening and nodding, sagely. It wasn't my idea of Northern and I felt cheated that I couldn't hit the floor more.

Thanks for the positive comments guys. Jeez!

the Wigan Casino plaque is to be unveiled... View full article

...and of course, Cool Off over The Mighty Lover nonsense.

Na mate, she likes Tom Jones and Lulu, never liked Soul apart from the odd Motown.