Hooker1951

Full Address for Smokey’s Funeral is St Mary’s church Bushbury lane Bushbury Wolverhampton postal code WV10 8JP 1pm The Crematorium Bushbury Wolverhampton postal code WV10 7JG. 2pm The Goodyear’s Club for the Wake after Crematorium KR Mick Lyons

You can claim what you want on here doesn’t make it true,,I never said Charles Johnson was not played at Northern S venues I said I had never heard it played where I was, or it didn’t make any impression on me to remember it, but it was obviously played out because some of the Stalwarts on here like Karl have said they played it, To my ears it is modern but if people like it So What? I think you need to broaden your horizon and look past Charles Johnson you just might be pleasantly surprised LoL ,Stay Safe ML

Hi Soulsearch Those two records don’t sound remotely Northern Soul to me and I’ve never heard them played in any venue I’ve visited as a punter or a DJ , to my ears they are modern Soul and wouldn’t go down well in any Northern room, if you like them or anybody does that’s yours and their perogative that’s why people like different rooms, For example 1960,s RnB has more in common with Northern Soul than those two sounds your ears should tell you that much LOL, KR ML

Hi Soulsearch I would say there is no definitive end to NS , It starts to morph into different genres around 68 to 72 but there are sounds that I would term pure NS as late as 74 that’s only my opinion though other people on the scene would have theirs, different ears hear different sounds depending sometimes on an individuals choice of music and how much soul dust has fell on them LoL KR ML

Hi Soulsearch Don’t want to sound disrespectful but if you don’t know the difference between NS and modern , if you don’t know musically , the year the record was released is a big enough clue to give you a flying start, As long as it’s good does it really matter? kr ML

For those who wish to go to Ste,s funeral the location will be St Mary,s church Wolverhampton, post code to follow. It will take place on the 25th of November at 1pm Then he will be taken to the Crematorium at 2pm. There is a wake to celebrate his life at the Goodyear’s social Club following that. I have been informed by Alan who has looked after him in his last days there will be a Gospel band performing plus music, I will let you know the post code for the church ASAP as there are two St Mary,s in Wolverhampton, any other news I hear I will let you know KR Mick Lyons

It’s with great sadness I must tell you that Ste died this morning around 12.30 am. He fought to the last, they only gave him 48 hours on Monday last week and he fought and lasted another 8 days. We have lost a true character a lovely happy man who loved his friends loved his music and who could never be replaced and who will never be forgotten, He did tell me a few weeks ago if you missed the first link I put on to let all his friends on and off the Scene that he loved you all and he meant it. He did have his loved ones with him and his best friend Alan who has really looked after him and been with him through this awful time. It still is so sad even when you knew this day was coming, I’m sure you will join with me in sending love and prayers to Ste’s family and loved ones As soon as I find details of his funeral arrangements I will leave them on here. Fare well my Friend and I will see you again in (Another Place Another Time) Will Love you Forever Mick Lyons.

Original Mods in Wigan their favourites and mine at the time, were Otis , Mr Pityful, Wilson picket , ( Don’t fight it ) Robert Parker,Barefootin, Lets go baby baby where the action is ,knock n Wood, Eddie Floyd, most Stax and Atlantic sounds Solomon Burke etc with Motown sounds of Temps ,4 tops, miracles etc, I’m talking the time period 65 till 67 here, f course not to forget Dobie Grey,there was also a raft American soul that was re released in the early 70,s that became Northern Soul that had already had a run in underground Soul clubs in the mid sixties. KR ML

Freddy North ML

Just to let you all know I’ve spoken to Ste he,s in good spirits, I told him that you all send him best wishes and all your Love, A big thanks to you all I know he really appreciates it . God Bless Mick Lons

Some of you might be aware ,for the ones who aren’t Ste is terminally ill, I’ve had a phone call today while holidaying in Greece, To say he’s been allowed home to spend his last days with Palliative care. As you all know Ste was as colourful character as they come in life and on the Soul Scene, He is a great friend of mine and I’m sure if we send some prayers out to Ste and his family it would help them through this awful time. He loved his music and all his friends on the Scene, Lets send him some of that Love back. Keep Safe Mick Lyons

I’m afraid we are all Doomed, These Knobheads are all over the place, They are like Traffic Cones with arms , legs, and heads with nothing inside except a selfish reason to upset and steal happiness from good happy people who just want a good time. I propose to form a Soul Ninja posse , choice of deterrent Blow pipes with poison darts, a silent but deadly solution for these Happiness stealer Knobheads, all you would hear is tccccch and they would drop like flies , whoever is near shouts somebody,s fainted here get them out , Word will quickly spread and they will hopefully go back to normal life where they can torment one another away from our World of Music and Pleasure, LO, L, Stay Safe Mick L

If they move Killem,, ML

I had a strange feeling that this topic would arise after this COVID lockdown ,if you think, There has never been anything like it before, it’s the first time the ride was made to stop ,and for lots of people they have looked at life from a completely different perspective because they have had too. Before they had a choice to give the scene a rest if they wanted too knowing they could jump back on the ride anytime they wanted too . That choice was taken off them due to a disease , I noticed around 5 years ago the night time economy was slowing down evolving if you like NS included into a different animal but hopefully still live and kicking , This COVID Lockdown has speeded that process up 1000 mph it’s what awaiting us at the other end is the worry, What you can’t do with anything you love music included is chase the Dragon if it starts to become hard work the magic will disappear. Along with lots of happiness, I’ve no Answer to this only to say relax with it all if it comes back it will be easy not hard work, But always Remember you will always have the memories a hell of a lot of people have none. Stay Safe Mick L

Hi Rick The reason why the police didn’t shut the place down was that Gerry Marshall the club owner always had contacts with the right people within the Police, ie Chief Superintendents current at the time and Ex Commanders Gerry was a very canny operator with a lifetime of experience with Clubland, The Casino formally the Empress Ball room always held the annual Policeman Ball for example, In February 1973 while working there as a doorman I was locking up one night dropping the keys off at his office , he asked me had I any ideas to benefit the club and I mentioned all nighters Soul Music and he replied that wouldn’t be a problem has he knew the right people, Everybody knows what happened next so make your own minds up, Gerry was very good at what he did. Stay Safe Mick L

Totally agree with Martha and Ruby not seen Mary Wells, Was a little disappointed with Isley brothers concert at the Apollo Manchester1994 but that could’ve been down to the material they chose that evening to perform it just didn’t do it for me Still Stay Safe ML

Seen the band live on many occasions, What used to be said prior to the term NS from people who weren’t from the North was ( That they Play a lot of Soul on those Northern Dance Floors) if you take this forward in its Context you end up with the term NS eventually down the line. Stay Safe Mick L

Hi Ste Russ Winstanley was Chief Inspector of the Soul Police in Wigan Casino that’s why there were never no drugs in there LoL , all the dancing was done on pure Adrenaline Mick L

Billy Ocean together with Hot Chocolate seemed to bridge a gap between Soul and pop, their records touched on Soul without going all the way, very decent artists in that field though , full marks to them. ML

Sad news indeed met Dean a genuine nice guy non pretentious it’s a crying shame but we are all coming to that age when anything might happen health wise so look after yourselves and enjoy each and everyday like it might be your last, don’t keep waiting for tomorrow. R I P Dean Parrish Mick L