hullsoul

Andy Yes it had bad music night's,yes it was empty some night's etc. But the worst night at Wigan (or any northern "do" back then & now) was still better than been stood in a pub listening to shite pop tunes on the jukebox waiting for the Saturday night fight to kick off.Don't forget Wigan (& any other nighter back in the day) was all consuming because you spent all week putting things together to make it happen,the nighter was just the end product of all the fun Cheers Martyn

Len Top records are all well & good but getting them in the right order is so important,a skill not many master & that includes some of the top dj's. Cheers Martyn

Win You are asking A,B & C to share there time with others who like something else during a night..........as we well know that won't/doesn't happen. So all the things you have mentioned about new night's appearing will keep happening for the foreseeable future. Yes this provides choice but it also quite often lowers the quality of the product on offer as they don't seem to understand that djing is a skill,they don't give credit to the likes of Arthur Fenn or Bob Hinsley who are masters of there art.They don't seem to get how magical a well put together set can sound & how it can bring the night to near fever pitch & have you buzzing for days afterwards.They just think slapping a few bits of plastic on in any random order is djing,how wrong could they be. So have I a magic wand to change things..........do things need changing?I've no idea as I've been beaten into submission on how the scene should develop,all I do now is I find night's that still work for me & let the rest pass me by,it is what it is live with it. Cheers Martyn

Carl Parliament-P Funk,Kool & The Gang-Jungle Boogie,Crystal Glass - Crystal World etc...........Happy days. Surprised I remember it as I was only 5 Cheers Martyn

Dave Abba night then......demo's of course Cheers Martyn

Penny........I think Penny suits you ........hello mik If they did have a love for the music as they say they would do the hard yards but as you point out Lifeline isn't rammed all the time so they are paying lips service as I pointed out. So all the coffee clubs,cellar clubs where the seeds of our scene were sown where all massive? I was at Empty Bottles last week with 60/70 in & it was a brilliant night with a full range of ages & music along with some first timers which included some young student types who were made to feel very welcome & were having a ball.I agree that 50/60 in a big room can lack atmosphere that's why I stated small rooms,not half empty rooms. What if those 5 night's you want to consolidate are in different areas & have different music policies? Or are you advocating all the different genres of our scene should be played under one roof...........good luck with that one. I'd love to see 2/3/400 at more up-front night but it's not going to happen unless at a nighter,so cut your cloth accordingly & get the right sized room for the amount of people who are going to attend........smaller. I drive 100+ miles most weekends to seek out such night's as my experience of any room of the size you are talking about (200+)that aren't nighters are usually oldies "do's" to make sure the hire is paid. As far as your sweeping statement of mates djing I think you'll find there's rather a lot of you dj at my do I'll dj at yours on the club/oldies scene. The up-front nights are a less attended part of the scene so the ones who frequent them will get to know each other that's just due to numbers.Why this makes them cliquey & you meet your friends in bigger rooms less so I can't explain. The difference we are on about is a real world & fantasy world,the real world is small rooms for small numbers the fantasy is we'd love them to be in 200+ rooms? Cheers Martyn

Penny No one said it is easy,it wasn't easy back in the day so why should it be now?Been into our music takes commitment & if people haven't got that commitment any more fine go to your local night,pay lips service to the scene & it's history,be a member of Northern Soul Lite.I don't have a problem with that because I'll somewhere else with 50/60 like minded people & I'm fine with that as I'd rather be with those people than in big hall with 500 who don't get it.All I know is the ethics of the scene I was brought up on are still out there,it just means it's going back to were it started in small clubs away from the mainstream.BRILLIANT. Cheers Martyn

Onto the last few pages & I've really enjoyed it,certainly brought a few memories back that I'd conveniently sifted out the memory banks.The ones mainly of how bloody frightening some kids that we shared many of our nights with & in some cases called mates were.I wonder how many of the new wave wannabe soulies would be so keen to join the fun if things were the same today Certainly reminded me of how bloody exciting it all was,brought back the memories of how devious & dodgy you had to be to get everything in place each week.............I wouldn't change a thing Cheers Martyn PS Seemed strange seeing a small piece & photo's of my older brother in.

Thank f#ck that's all over then,I enjoyed it for most of my adult life,pity it died just like that without anyone telling me.So what's next...........oh that's right sit on the settee & wait for the grim reaper to come & get me Come on boys & girls lighten up?Get some mates to have plenty of banter with,put a bit of time & effort in & apply yourselves instead of thinking your perfect night is going to just drop in your lap within walking distance.There's some half descent night's out there not playing the same ol same ol,they aren't all perfect but they never were back in the day like some would have you believe.So yes there's too many nights with loads of wannabe soulies about.......just find the do's that aren't those & go for it.It was never easy in the past why should it be easy now,for those who can't/don't want to try a bit harder the doors that way,nice knowing you but I'll be out most weekends with my mates laughing my tits off while hearing some great music(& yes there'll be some shit played along the way but that's all part of the ride).....anyone fancy a bit of that Cheers Martyn

Don Great price for a great record Cheers Martyn

Not very nice about poor Otis Cheers Martyn

Peter I like the inst on t'other side too. Cheers Martyn

Mick I've been trying to put it to the back of my box for ages now but I keep getting asked for it,even at Empties last night.Life in the old Sideburn yet matey. Cheers Martyn

Chalks I totally agree & we've spoke about this before,also the problem of dj's working hard to find something a little different & some lazy arse just clicking on the net & buying one to put in there playbox.I totally understand that. The other side of the coin for me is I like to share what I'm playing & I'm never going to have anything that mind blowingly different that it needs to be kept under wraps,I can't imagine people rushing to e-bay after seeing my playlist (maybe to the Exit Doors ).Plus it helps some venues get there identity out there,it allows promotors to project there night to wider audience,which in turn allows punters to think I don't/do like what's been played there I'll give it a go or not as the case maybe? A case of each to there own I think as I can see both sides. Cheers Martyn PS Anyone want to see my playlist from Empty Bottles last night

Hey up Ezzie. How strange...........I was talking to Mick Donnelly about this last night,the best version imo. Cheers Martyn

Don In the playbox for tomorrow at Empties Cheers Martyn

Little Willie John & Big Maybelle great shouts but I'll have to go for........... Walter Jackson..........can't believe he's not been mentioned yet. Joe Simon Baby Washington Gladys Knight

Steve We all know that...........I'm back to been 4th in line in our house as the hamsters died Take care matey. Cheers Martyn

My copy arrived this morning,looks really good.Not allowed a read yet as it's been bought for me as a birthday prezzie,so the boss has taken it off me til later in the month Cheers Martyn

Kev Think this was banned on release for it's ant-war sentiments. Cheers Martyn

Listened to this for years before the last verse dawned on me what it was about........... Walter Jackson-Where Have All The Flowers Gone OKeh https://youtu.be/f_9EmyV7UIA

Standard lines these days amongst our gang is..........Have I got this?Or have you........who is it again???You should know it.....you've got one Stopped going to ask dj's what's playing as by the time I've walked back I've usually forgotten or haven't heard what he said & I'm to embarrassed to ask him to repeat himself for the third time because I'm a bit mutton......old age is no fun Cheers Martyn

John Yep that's my big bruver & Stuart,don't know the other guy. Cheers Martyn

Don Got it cheap from that very nice Grant on here.Have you played the B side,maybe a bit R n B for you? Cheers Martyn

Two newies bought while out last night........... Luther Thomas - She'll Stick By Me Punch Records Grover Mitchell-That's A Good Idea Hunter