Timbo58

I've bought & played out many new releases over the past 5 or so years, so I'm certainly not immune to newer artists appeal. I've played Westbeech/Sunlight Square/Lee McDonald/Kings go Forth out many times for instance, but this tune doesn't do it for me personally. Perhaps it's precisely because it is openly aimed at the NS market, rather than something certain DJs discover, adopt and make our own?

Someone needs to buy the Brighouse Ritz which is still for sale -sad thing is after the £650k asking price it'd need another £1m at least to put it back in usable condition. A travesty, every time we're up there we weep at the state of it.

1st set 8-8.30 The profiles- take a giant step-Goldie. Sam & Dave- you don’t know like I know- Atlantic uk. Mack Rice -baby I’m coming home - lu pine. Carter brothers - so glad she’s mine-jewel. The Rubaiyats- Omar khayyam- action uk. Sampy & the bad habits- stick with me -caillier. Lonnie Lester- ain’t that a shame - nutone. Al Gardner - sweet baby - sepia. Jerry O- There was a time -London Belgium. The Enchantments- I’m in love with your daughter- faro. Spellbinders - help me - Columbia. Clyde McPhatter - give me one more chance-Mca uk lp. 2nd set 00.30-end The Constellations - I don’t know about you-Gemini star. The Ringleaders - all of my life-mpac secret stash. Johnny Bartel & the soul masters- if this isn’t love- solid state promo. Candi-bars - I believe in you- candi-stix. The Rotations - I can’t find her - debrossard. The Millionaires - never for me- Philips. Joe Hicks - don’t it make you feel funky- agc. JJ Callier - pusherman - jay-cee. Judy Freeman & black rock - hold on - rca promo. Sam & Kitty - I’ve got something good- four brothers. Jimmey soul Clark-sweet darling- soul hawk.

I think the whole 'the scene will die unless we allow it to....... progress/diversify/water itself down/sell its soul/cheapen itself or become less authentic/true to its roots' (choose your own preferred interpretation) argument is hugely overblown and frankly I only care about my experience of it, not someone who might decide to join in if its adapted to their own lifestyle in the future. That might be an unfashionable thing to say, but I never made it to Wigan/Torch/Wheel etc - I started off as a 'Johnny come lately' in the early 80's, we were tolerated by the older established lot precisely because we respected that authenticity is absolutely ALL in rare soul, respect for dancers, DJs and everyone else based on a shared passion for the music. FWIW the totally OTT claims on Facebook etc in the marketing of this record 'number 1 for xmas' etc etc etc were laughable, sorry but they were, It's, at best, a passable rendition of a song, lets not over egg it.

Anything that takes away authenticity in soul music itself (or even events that play it for that matter) makes it by definition inauthentic and therefore (to my mind at least) a pastiche of what true rare soul should be -it becomes an insult to the artists and those who actually know what 'the faith' actually means. AI is about as far away from 'real' as it can possibly be. So let's leave its products to the venues with their glitter balls, disco lasers & local yokels jigging about with drinks, you know -the ones that social media repeatedly tells us are 'the soul scene'.

TBF we use these for DJing regularly, but we always stop rotation to cue in of course. I can see they'd be no use for mixing/scratching as they are far too grippy.

Having had crimynal slipmats (great quality, accurate printing & fair price) in the past, the only thing I find wrong with that type of slipmat is they can be too 'smooth' and allow discs to slip if you don't use a clamp. Also being a bit too much of a perfectionist for sound quality I did read a few articles which claimed the absolute best mats for protection against slip and sound quality/protection of the vinyl were actually the thick rubber mats that Technics come with originally. So I now use them.

Personally I've always felt that if a DJ clears the floor that's perfectly OK initially, but to keep it clear record after record for an entire set is almost certainly the promotors fault in booking a completely unsuitable guest (or resident!). I'm not a fan of 'the dancefloor dictates' or 'look at us -we've sold all the tickets!' type events as the vast majority are simply catering to the least fussy audience. That's perfectly fine if your idea of 'success' is measured in £££s of course. As for advertising events truthfully & clearly -I'm absolutely in favour of that, but all too often the ones that promise they're 'keeping the faith' wouldn't know what 'the faith' was even if it came with a colouring in set & crayons.