I love the scene today and for me personally the only difference for me now is that I can't chuck my self about the dance floor as I once did.
The passion and quality is more refined due to people having knowledge at their finger tips. I remember having a carrier bag full of C60 cassettes of Northernsoul and never knowing the artist or titles for years! We are all CD cover and Internet e-bay experts now and it is no longer the black arts or the realm of the DJ/Collector train spotters who did some times lord it up.
I have never dropped out of the scene since I started and yes some times I get a little holier than thou when it comes down to the Wigan born again's who are stuck in a time warp musically and I do cringe when I meet the Soul night soulie who wouldn't dance to any thing other than Moses Smith: The Girl Across the Street.
But we have a broad church now and an excellent choice of venues so you go where your particular comfort zone is.
I will be active on this scene as long as we have venues like Middleton and as long as we still have pioneering DJ/Collectors who chip further down from the tip of the iceberg that we know as rare soul music.
To quote Martyn Bird "One day I will hear another The Tomangoes"
Soul Source plays its part on the soul scene, well certainly here in cyber space where I know I can hear a track last night and get some one like Pete Smith to give me the info on it instantly.
We have a great thing going now, it's better than any decade, now is the time, I miss my youth but I would not go back for all the tea in China.
Is Northern Soul More Popular than Ever? What's The Reason Behind lt??
Every one and any one can now enjoy
It's within easy reach if you want and at arms length if you want.