manus

Just wondering about the "underground" bit and what that means. I think there's parts of the scene which are very commercial , the key rings , mugs etc but I'm not sure if I believe the scene has really been mainstream at any point. Of course it's been on TV numerous times now and lot's of press coverage and records introduced on the scene going on to chart from the Tams and Tami Lynn onwards but it still seems to me it's very much a minority interest and most non scene folk have only a very vague notion of it or often haven't heard of it at all. I'm a member of a wine club ( I live in Brighton we need a worthy or intellectual reason ( book clubs) to get drunk ) and one of the fellas who's a similar age to me started talking about music and said he was into underground music , now must folks will recognise this as term for "counter - culture" rock music late 60s early 70s and the fella went on state he hated all that commercial stuff like Motown. We had a conversation and I knew all the singers groups he mentioned more so they were mostly very well known and still fill the pages of the " overground" music press now just as they did back then, I mean who hasn't heard of Frank Zappa , Edgar Broughton and all. We talked about the music press , Sounds , NME , Melody Maker , Rolling Stone all well known but he hadn't heard of Blues and Soul , Black Music or Black Echoes and this was a guy who considered himself knowledgeable about music , I mentioned some Soul artists and he'd never heard of them , I mentioned some Soul venues and similarly he was clueless , I don't particularly like the commercialism of the scene , the stagnant retro thing or the dance classes but I often think that it's an internal mainstreaming that happens on the scene that it mainly passes the rest of the music world by and they have no interest or only a fleeting glance maybe use a record in an ad or something ( and only we notice) and then they're off.

I really enjoyed those early Up North weekenders late 80s early 90s , it felt for me like the scene had grown up a bit and you could have a chat to folks about ballads as well as dancers , talk about new releases from the likes of Toney Fountaine , Rick Webb as well as the rare sounds and hear all eras of Soul and see people like Sam Dees , Mary Love live , brilliant times.

That's very sad news , bless him RIP

I think the best place to start to learn to dance is by sitting in your bedroom or wherever just "listening" to Soul music . Get into the music first and then just do what you want on the dancefloor , personally much prefer to see folk just doing their own thing rather than robotic uniform steps. Manus ( tuther one)

Looking forward to the craic

I agree Russ Maxine Woon plays some fantastic records and is very knowledgeable. Also heard Pat Bleasdale play a fantastic set at Soul Kitchen recently , really top stuff. Nicki and Tracey Shaw are two folks that I love to see doing a set and I remember Jumpin Joan doing a fantastic set up near Darlington a few years back. Sue Brick and Amanda are always really entertaining and always the lift the place when they do a set too. Soulful Cris did a great spot at Soul Kitchen too and Julie Lambert from Portsmouth plays some great tunes and also Rachelle Piper is very knowledgeable on the R and B front . I think we are way past the time when women DJs were a rarity , there's some very knowledgeable women on the scene

I remember going there one Sunday night around 87/88 Sean McClusky was running it at that point .

Can't imagine any genuine Soul fans ever tiring of this wonderful record , maybe the sort of folk who see records as a vehicle for self promotion might cast it aside as "having had their use out of it" but personally always happy to hear it played out and I don't think it's been over exposed in the way Frank Wilson was.

Some fantastic records played Paul , top stuff All the best Manus

Lol but they were long leather white labs coats and they walked with a limp Strangely enough though I did wear a long white belted overcoat to go to the alternative Wigan around 74/75

Ha Ha no I eventually headed South in the mid 80s Jock although I did live in London for a bit in 78 trying to escape the pop music lol All the best

Plenty of folk never wore bags at all , I didn't , so maybe I went to an alternative Wigan , I also had a wedge haircut 75/76 and wore sandals.

So very sad , like many on here I grew up listening to Jimmy Ruffin records. Farewell and thanks for all the wonderful records.

I'm really into the concept of progression and new sounds but I must say I would have found it a bit of a downer to see JJ Barnes confined to the past in favour of Tony Galla.

Hello Manus , yes James Brown sure knew how to pack some power into his music and his moves , all the best Manus ( t'other one)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ek9-HGHT1Pk And this man dancing like this since the early 60s and Jackie Wilson too , both influencing the moves of other Soul artists and onto us. Cheers Manus ( t'other one)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lJC0mWIBGqw This is what I think of as part of the influence and that little clap folk used to do behind their back with hands pointed down picked up from the Four Tops , Temps etc

I've always seen it as coming from the stage dancing of touring Soul artists Macca and then picked up by the audience at clubs like the Wheel.

Really enjoyed the film , it was one of the best days out we’ve had down here in Brighton for years , with the film at 3pm followed by a Soul event , and a great vibe in the bar beforehand and the event afterwards. The drug aspect was as I remembered it and I’m genuinely surprised that some people were shocked by it but glad that the grittier , edgy side was portrayed because it's been candy flossed over for too long. Really liked the inclusion of the Soul Bowl lists as it reminded me of being late for work because I’d hang around to get the list and then run to the telephone box ( no phone in our house in those days) to hear John Anderson tell me “ It’s gone”. I didn’t mind Soulboy , I thought it was very silly but watchable but the difference between the two films was like a cup of Horlicks at bedtime or a glass of absinthe with breakfast , and I’ll go for the breakfast.

Ha Ha , all the best Manus

Pretty sure they are what we used to call Smoothies or very similar , worn in the skin/suede days Cheers Manus ( the other one)

Really sad and always so sorry to hear of fellow Soul people passing .RIP Soul man and condolences to his family. Regards Manus

Might try this Winnie as it's not scheduled for Brighton and I'm really looking forward to seeing it. I'll get the DVD of course but it would be nice to see it on the big screen with other like minded folk and then have the craic afterwards

And Amen to that

The Lovemasters Pushin and Pullin