Zed1

'A youth culture left in the hands of old men'..... Sums it up for me. None of us can look at a youth scene objectively 40-50 years after the event. You can't simply go back and re-hear all those tracks again for the first time through teenage ears. I've learned and forgotten so much since then, Tracks I loved then - I hate now and vice-versa. People and places that shaped my memories have all gone or changed. NOTHING can ever replicate that feeling of your first nighter or hearing your fave track for the first time. Far too many of these old men forget what it was like as the new kid on the block and try and rewrite the history of scene to suite their own agenda and will happily tell anyone who will listen that 'their' version of events is in fact ''how it was' and they were all born rare soul fans.

No wonder you nearly Choked on your breaky....... Big Box - Little Box could never be described as a 'dance'.

Agreed. I never seen a poster for a venue in the 70's saying 'Friendly atmosphere' 'cheap Bar Prices' and 'Large Car Park' ....... and If I did I probably wouldn't have gone.

Likewise, seen very little trouble in or around the Casino in my 3 years, but our last train from Warrington Bank Quay used to get us into Wigan just after 11 so we'd be walking through at kicking out time and did have a few 'incidents' with the locals.

40 years ago it would be travelling late at night to Wigan on Public Transport then getting off the train to run the gauntlet of the Towns pi55-heads to get to the Casino.... Interesting irony that these same pi55-heads now make up much of the scene.

Trying to Dance to 'Better use your Head' and thinking you'd be better using your feet instead as I had all the grace & style of a Baby Giraffe in Diving boots.

This is EXACTLY what I mean.... I'd completely forgotten about 'If He were Mine' given it's that long since I've heard it. Being reminded about tracks like this is exactly what should happen more often on today's scene instead of being bored senseless by the same old, same old. Thanks for posting.

Excellent post. Said it before. I still think there is room on the scene for a Nite playing 'just' those forgotten tracks from the Wheel/Torch/Wigan/Stafford etc. These were not rare records, but tracks that filled floors in all these Venue's but are now sadly not even considered (or even known) by many of todays lazy Jukeboxes.

As with most things Northern Soul it's all very subjective. To me an Oldie is more about when the Track had it's time on the scene, and much less about when we had ours. People have joined, left, re-joined and then left the scene again down the Years, so one Man's overplayed record may well be another's killer new track.

'Music with Soul' even though it 'ain't got any..... And for me one of the best Northern Soul instro's ever......

Circa early 77 at Station Rd when I was very new to the scene 'It Really Hurts Me Girl' was playing and the mate stood next to me said "Is this Crossover?" to which my serious reply was "No, I think it's the Carstairs!"

The Gems ticks all the right Boxes for me, A proper 100mph NORTHERN SOUL track that could easily replace the same tired Oldies that the Jukeboxes of today have probably never even heard of!.

I'm sure I/we could list endless tracks that don't fit nicely in some people's little pigeon hole of what 'Should' be Northern Soul. Tracks like Today's People or Babe Ruth, or VERY left-field stuff like the Crow or that Itchy & Scratchy Travis Wammack thing. Again, whatever you think about any of these tracks and whatever genre you think they should be in. they have all deserved to be part of our VERY eclectic scene.

Joey Heatherton along with Bobby diamond from the same period are two Truly Fantastic 'proper' Northern Soul Tracks that prove a record doesn't have to be 'Soul' or even Soulfull to deserve a place on the Scene.

PG?... ...... and Saying Peggy March isn't a Soul record on a scene that's FULL of records that AREN'T Soul is a somewhat silly statement as well. This Scene has always been first and foremost about the dance floor, yet some would have you believe that for the last 50 years it's only been a super Rare black music scene destroyed by those Wigan infidels and their White Pop Crap.

What ever anyone thinks Peggy March is a great 'Northern' Soul Record. Like countless other tracks on the scene, It was chosen first and foremost for it's Dance floor appeal NOT because the artist is a Sister from the Ghetto. 50 years on and people STILL keep trying to rewrite the history of this scene.

A couple from our Tree Ste. Spot the Bumble Bee.

Remember getting Held outside for an extra hour or so one night when Sad Cafe were on.

It was 40+ years ago Ste, Are you sure you've not got confused with that other popular combo from Wigan, 'Charlie Chalky & The Blueys'.

Never knew that Ste.

Martha Reeves. Early 78 ...ish (again)

'I can't Stand the Shame' eh?.

Ann Peebles. Circa Summer 78... ish.

Ste. Just think how many times we all could have a reaction like this if some DJ's could only look outside 'their' box.