Barry

It is mate and your succinct and well thought replies have been greatly appreciated. It's obvious to me that you give a sh*t. Bravo.

Tony! wtf are you doing using the above term on a majoritively working class site? Classist!!

You've taught me summat there. (In The Club - Granada)

Ste. In response? Being a bloke that has constantly been involved in the furtherence and promotion of black music (since we last met that is; which I think was on an ill fated mini bus trip to the 100's Club in the mid/late 80's - dodgy van, AA membership problems and a great deal of hard shoulder driving if I remember correctly. Anyway I digress), I feel I must reply to your tongue in cheek (?) post. Your above comment is understandable given you don't have any background re 'On Hugbert (sic) Street' and it's position in the scheme of things (Not a night on the NS map, given, but a night that many old nighter heads have attended over it's course). You see there are nights that aid and assist the promotion of soul music that aren't NS scene based. Over the five years that OHS ran (Just to fill the readers of this post in, I haven't run a night in the last 10 months, half due to work commitments, half to loss of heart), it was instrumental in exposing many, many youngsters (that were house kids with little or no outside soulful connections other than house music) to soul music and it's many delights. With its policy of booking lads that played black music from all eras - Bob Jeffries, Kerri Chandler, Dave Lee, Tony Hayzer, Carl Dupree, Terry Jones, Quentin Harris, Deano, Jovonn, Rahaan etc etc, to name but a few - it, as a night started many on the road to appreciating the music that we all hold dear. (Quote Terry Jones: "I can't believe what a great night you have here!"), (Quote Bob Jeffries: "It's definately the best venue I have played in the last 12 months!"), both old hands with a history and a valid view. Again, just to fill you in Ste (and the people that may visit following your post), the reason the OHS site is in the state it is at present is due to the fact that I have once again lost heart with the particular scene it created - I tend to move on in the hope that one day I will find Soul Heaven, one free of politics (it never happens). Not that I am naive enough to believe that you can have a scene without politics, I'm jus a stubborn c*nt, know what I mean? Unforunately for me I tend to move on regularly as I have quite high standards when it comes to my beliefs in how the (my particular) soul scene should be handled. But, like clockwork, the sordid underbelly always floats to the surface (the underbelly being the politics of scenes - and politics always, after a spell, annoyingly seem to hold more clout than the music. It is at this point I tend to lose interest, disassociate myself for a while, think about things....and start again. Unfortunately for me you have visited my website at a time when I have neither the heart or the time to keep it at a level that would negate comments such as yours, and for this I apologise, I am in one of my lulls, but as they say that that doesn't kill you, makes you stronger. You see Ste once the porn worms get a hold on your site (I think that is what your post refers to?), it's a bastard to get rid of them, you have to update your security, etc, etc. Your comments as regards my site are understandable, given the fact that you have no prior knowledge of OHS - but at heart it was a dig I think - an understandable one, but still a dig. Am I over sensitive? Simply paranoid? Or just passionate? I've no idea! But I hope this response allows you to see that that I may be one, two, or even all of the above - and that is what keeps me going. I know I'll get hammered for this post, as it is a typical me post after a bucketful, I know, but I felt the need to defend OHS - loose lips sink ships after all. Anyway,do you still get thigh cramp after your spins mate?

That is a poor statement Sean. In hindsight maybe? Good and bad records are played at any point on any scene, and when bad (subjective) records got played they served a purpose, if only for the fact that they helped shape your present day opinions. Yes, a large amount of Wigan plays sound cheesy and poppy now but you are talking about a time and place that was 25/30 years ago - folks that were involved at all-nighter level at that particular time lived within a different social climate and were moulded by very different influences. You can't say that it was a 'poor pastiche', as without the dodgy Wigan tracks played in the 70's & 80'S the scene today would have gone in a completely different direction. Your comment hangs on the fact that you have hindsight Sean - we all grow musically, it, and everything else is a learning curve after all, and this scene today has been shaped from yester-years winners....but also yester-years losers have played their part too. Knowledge is borne of experience, not hindsight.

...Peter Gordeno?

The bastard love child of Mike and Bernie Winters? help!!

That's a Greek pudding isn't it?

In a separate reality, take progressive dj's and their music policies out of the All-Nighter equation (Modern plays) as is - would nighters have been as appealing over any given period of time? I know this type of question begs the response, 'Well, flip it - would Modern ever have gained a scene alone without a 60's scene to base itself upon?' Begging a third question: 'Without Modern, would the 60's scene have eventually died without the impetus (new blood) that Modern brought to all nighters? And could all this not possibly prove that at the end of the day they were made for each other? Ying and Yang? .....I'll go to bed.

That's like having Beachy Head without the beach. It'd just be called - 'Head'.

Saw a re-run of 'The Wheeltappers and Shunters Club' (Peas on a plate - 8p') - bird comes on (it turns out to be David Dickensons missus...don't ask how I know) in a razzy split skirt and wimple, giving it rice - what does she belt out? Tony Middletons 'To The Ends Of The Earth'!!??

Wayne Street?

Go on Mossy, I'll make a c*nt out of mesen to give you a reply, here we go: Johnny Vanelli???

An absolute feckin masterpiece.

A proper one, about £30 - £40.

I've not read all the posts, apologies, but from the opening question and the ones I have read, I take it that the only negative reasoning behind the 'too many venues' argument is that it affects attendances maybe!? I know we all like a full dancefloor, a packed venue...but there is a certain beauty to be held in under attended (???) events, the sparsity can affect a much more intimate atmosphere for the attendees. It, after all, is what you make it.

Definately.

It seems so, and as for price, about £40 - £50 if you keep your eye out.

I'll make no comment about as to it's worth,that is for the buyer to decide.....but...I do find it odd that people have deemed above to ask how it would fit into a Northern set. It simply can't (can it? Tell me.), cos - by definition - it isn't Northern (tell me different if I'm wrong please). I have seen certain appraisals on here of the NS scene, that state in todays scene anything that gets played at a nighter is 'Northern'...fair do's (I, in my naivete grew up that way too)...I obviously understand that there are people that don't live by that rule too. Tell me, are there venues and lads that would play (and get away with, without too much dancefloor disturbance) that particular track in what would be deemed a classic Northern set?

It's obviously a very grey and personal area but I find it slightly incredulous that some of you feel (to make it look like) I don't know what I'm on about. If I am wrong in your eyes then we obviously have different views. Don't be nasty lads, I can stand correction without the testosterone. Fancy starting a 'What are Stompers' thread?

In one Geordie, never a dj will you be if a dancer you weren't first.

That piccie was 2002 at The Egg in London (check me out justifying meself), I wasn't adopting nowt Malc as it was half past four in the morning and I was off me tits (it wouldn't be my choice for a press photograph mate but that's me in the real world), playing a form of independant Black Music that may take some of you a few years to get yer heads round (for that last statement read: 'admit that you like it'), no apologies made for that. I am nowt but a Northern boy who is proud of me roots. (If I'm honest, I went for a piss that night and some Cockney fella in a terrible work suit and a Gareth Gates haircut asked me 'What have you come as?' - so you fashionista's are not on you're not on yer own.) One less Weetabix in the morning and some of you older (and maybe fatter) fella's could look as bad as I do in a Wrangler and a patch ay? Could this last post of mine please be read in the manner that I posted it, that is - in a happy and jocular manner - and not the serious tone that it seems that some of you think that I adopt. Malc - love you.

The first track of any jocks set is crucial. What would you go with?

Please pm me Cunnie old dear. Thanks for the replies folks - you are right in the majority, I do only use this board as a form of therapy and am definately guilty of talking myself around the corner on occassion and sometimes right up my own arse. For that I apologise. The majority, not all may I add, of my heartfelt posts are based around a bullshit free thought process - a process that is not that well adhered to on message boards. And for that I don't apologise. I must add that I feel I did not deserve the post (or maybe I did, who's to say!?) that stated I have not received what I feel I am due from my input. Maybe a deserved comment from the people who don't know me on here, but I must add that as you don't know me, you don't know 1) exactly how much I have put in and 2) exactly where I stand in the real world as regards respect from people. But all in all, great responses. Thanks.