Zed1

There used to be lots of small Finches that winter roosted on the Mercury plant Steve ........... but in the summer they turned into Emu's...

Ours in the snow a few years ago......

A Vulcan and a couple of Lanc's........ Sound Pornography.

One for you Steve..... 'A bird with some birds'.

Trying to be a bit 'Arty' when I took my old VX up to the lakes.......

'The' Queen of Soul.....

Couldn't agree more. Some of the best known artists on our scene never wrote a note, But I think in these days of Karaoke Cowell and his 5 minute wonders, being able to write as well as perform your own songs is more a guarantee of success.

Nice girl, nice voice. But True Talent is writing your own songs, not just covering other peoples - Otherwise it's just BGT.

Timi Yuro - It`ll Never Be Over For Me........ sadly it is over for me after those opening few bars.

From Memory...... Luther Ingram - Exus Trek (instro). Doni Burdick - Bari Trak (instro) NF Porter - Keep on Keepin' on. Eddie Parker - Love you baby. James Fountain - 7 Day Lover.

........ so someone who isn't that knowledgeable about the music is going to doubtless play a few of the same old cheesy 'Northern Soul' records.... Clearly Radio 2 has done it's research on the scene and is giving people exactly what they want.

There was a time when we had the choice of only a few venues playing lots of different records. Now we have the choice of lots of different venues playing only a few records.

Before handing over tens of £k of your hard earned on a record, no matter how 'real' it looks you'd be wanting a little provenance/history to go along with it, ie a known collector selling some of his long term collection would be a safer bet than buying from some low feedback seller on ebay who says he just found his mint Darrel Banks at a car boot.

...... and we don't mean maybe.

The difference between Stamp collectors and Record collectors is that Stamp collectors don't think collecting automatically turns them into a DJ.....

Don't think it was ever the price that did it for FW, more it's association with the cheesier side, ie baggies, vest tops, tourists and the bizarre idea amongst non- believers that it was some kind of Northern Soul 'anthem' ...... Darrel Banks hasn't got these associations.

James Coit was huge at the time, although I'd agree it hasn't exactly aged well. Joe Tex is a proper 'Northern' Soul dancer, and still sounds fantastic to me 40 years later. The Shirelles and Lanie Hill may not be the best tracks our scene ever produced. but I'd MUCH sooner listen to these than some of the shite that's passed off as Northern Soul today.

Threads getting a bit long to go back and check every track posted, but....... Another huge at Station Rd but deemed too rare (or not rare enough) for todays lot. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LyNjZtQ9Xo0

I'd think he'd be feeling pretty smug as given it's popularity he clearly knows his audience.....

Then get down on your hands and knees and pray to the Gods of music that it stays that way.

Herb Ward - Strange Change and Bob Sinclair - Tribute mentioned in the same sentence....... The lunatics have finally taken over the asylum.

I'd include a lot of Promoters and DJ's who are completely ignorant of this period in that as well. Been to several supposed Wigan Anniversary type events thinking I might hear some of the lesser played stuff like above, only to suffer the usual parody type night of Frank Wilson and The Snake, one DJ even introducing Ruby Andrews as a 'Massive Wigan Anthem'....

S'pose we all would say our time was the best. I went 77-80, but 79 for me easily the best as can be seen on your list with some of the finest Northern Soul records ever played.

Arguably the best of the lot Pete.