Soulstu

Bloody hell - turns out virtually every 'US original' I bought (from nighters, mates, and chuffing bona fide record shops - hang your head in shame Vallances of Mansfield) turned out to be a bleeding boot - mostly found all this out on here - absolutely decimated my collection in one go. I felt rubbish - so it must be doubly brilliant to find out the other way round.

Ta Dave, You gave me some cracking advice - I'll now begin my quest to find the ultimate soul night that suits me!

Well I’m back - what a night!! I had a blast. I won’t bang on about the venue or the DJs and all that because that would be a review and belong in the events forum, so thought it would be better to let you guys know how it felt. After a few people warmed up on the floor Earl Jackson came on and I had no choice but to get up and drag my 49 (and 51 weeks) year old ass on to the floor. The feel of the floor under my shoes, the sound of the record at the volume it’s SUPPOSED to be played at, the like-minded people around me, my own piece of dance floor, suddenly realising my dancing was good enough….. fantastic - I finally found ‘congress’!!! (I'm sure that's the correct term) . …and that’s how the night panned out - danced to one, then two in a row, then three etc... freakin' excellent - felt part of the scene at last - the missing jigsaw piece is in place. A big shout must go out to the wonderful and fragrant Mrs SoulStu who gave me the kick up the backside I sorely needed, and who danced northern in public for the first time ever but looks like she’s done it all her life (her current favourite is Breakaway by the Valentines). I spent some time gassing to Dave and Marlene, veterans of the Torch(!!!) and Pete, a scooterist who hasn’t been out since the mid 8Ts. The night finished too soon I could have carried on all night - in fact for two pins I could leave the house now and go to a do. Just need to keep an eye on the left knee - started playing up a bit around midnight - maybe next time I’ll dose up with ibuprofen, and maybe adapt my dancing style a bit. Looks like the Grange, Rotherham on the 19th is the next one. …and when (WHEN) I go down to a do in Notts I’m going to drag Dave Callard and that 70s smoothie Peter Nice out, whether he likes it or not!!! …and you’re right Quinvy, I could have done with dancing to something I haven’t heard before, or something off the beaten track! SoulStu is back!!!!! Thanks all for the encouragement everyone - I love you all. Stu

I've used all my likes so here's a big like for everyone who's posted - some brilliant advice. Thanks everyone I wish you could all come with me!

Wow - this is like some kind of weird parallel universe! I must be hallucinating. John Barrowman....John Barrowman???!!!! singing to a starstruck Lorraine Chandler????!!! So sorry Lorraine - I love your enthusiasm and I'm not saying the guy can't sing, but hell, you write, produce, sing like an angel, a true soul legend from the golden age of popular music. If all's fair in the world it should be the other way round.

Oh... not intentional - I'm going to the Soul Over Easy night at the Winding Wheel in Chesterfield - thought it might be a good one to ease myself in with - then I'll be looking for somewhere that plays 'newer' sounds. If anybody's going I'll be the one who's pushing 50, balding, wearing dark clothes - can't miss me!

Thanks for the posts everyone! I'll let you know how I get on. Mr Nice - that's just what I was thinking - sweet and mellow 70s all the way.............not.

Good point - do people still chuck themselves about as much these days? Obviously the 'world champion' and the same old young telly faces do, but what about people of my generation, of the, ahem, 'hefty' persuasion!

So, who would have thought that on that warm summer Sunday evening in June 1980, as I packed my sweat-soaked shirt into my canvas toolbag and walked into the clear Nottingham evening that this would be the last time I danced to rare soul in public....... ...until now! Nearly 34 years later I'm out tomorrow night, largely thanks to Soul Source to be honest (all that enthusiasm is catching!): Black short sleeve shirt - check. Levi's, check. Bedded in shoes - check. Dance moves...hmmm unchanged since last time out. Hope I don't look out of place - could be a dream or a disaster.... Reading the Fiona dance lessons thread people are pretty much saying that you just feel the music and everything else doesn't matter - that's how I'm going to approach it (as I used to to be honest). Which brings me to the point - what's the longest gap anyone has had between soul nights? Will I hold the record? If so, it'd be the only decent record I own . Any stories about first nights back after a long gap would be good. Stu

OK I'll start with the usual 'What'????? £400 quid????!!!! When will this madness end?!!!!

Crap! I wish I'd read this earlier. Just bought and waiting for Deon Jackson from Florida - looks like it's gonna end up costing double what I saw it for on here the other day if those extra charges are applied. Note to self - search closer to home and buy from your Soul Source mates!

Ha ha it is! Just complementing you on your eloquence. Loads of people say 'mind'...... and 'should of' instead of should have. Drives me 'balmy'! Anyway, I think I'll get the book - ta for the heads up.

I'd like to have been the guy stood in front of the band ready to count in Bari Track. - 'One Two Three Four.....'

Done!

Cheers Chalks I'll check that out. I'd like to know more about doo wop groups who cut great northern sides at the fag end of their careers. ps - Refreshing to hear someone use the term 'mine' rather than 'mind' of information!

I'm with Jaco - The Tracks Of My Tears. Beautiful. I was gonna go for I'll Keep Holding On by the Marvelettes on Tamla, but that's cos I've just bought it.

Surely by doing what Bearsy says you get your total anyway!

Left a 12" of Uptown Festival on the parcel shelf of my dad's car. The sun warped it like a b****d. I used my mum's iron to flatten it out. Thoughtfully I sandwiched a yellow duster between the iron and the vinyl. Ended up with a very furry yellow disc - still warped. Could have been worse - could have been good (sorry Ian).

Hmmm.. Edwin?...Edwin Hawkins?.... was it Oh Happy Day?

Agree - top, top tune - how could that not have got a release?!!!! Great piece of digging from Harboro Horace! (or whoever it was).

OOOh Peter, thank god it was only a 70s soul track!

Wow, great topic, superb answers as usual! This was a question that always bugged me too.

Simple - every single second of Little Girl Lost - Shephards - oooohhhh

Here we go...... the last 10 minutes! Think I'll go for a walk.

I'm going to get a kicking at work tomorrow!......crap.