Barry

Oh bugger, yeah!! I'll get round to it. I must say that I'm flattered you took notice.

Have you seen the furore over Rick Astley being honoured in the same way btw?

My point exactly.

Apologies if I come on a bit hard sometimes but to me it's the only way to get out of people what they really feel, when your danders up you tend to speak sense . There is so much twaddle spoke on message boards it's laughable, it's the only reason message boards are successful (no doubt certain others would see my input on here as twaddle, proving my point to a degree). I don't think I have a go in my posts, I just seek truths - and I wouldn't at all say my posts are patronising, as in this case I would say of course 'word of mouth is a major factor in how people get to know any event is worth a visit' and of course a strong dj line up speaks volumes. I could have argued that you were patronising toward me, as you obviously thought that I am daft enough not to have the mental capacity to realise that 'word of mouth' and 'dj line ups' contribute to a nights success - but I didn't. My initial post was to do with how people, these days, brand their efforts and nothing more. Don't get the hump with me please, try and read between my tough love lines, as I would like to think there is generally a modicom of sense in them somewhere.

Thanks for the replies chaps - I think a realistic price is £80/£100 for a decent copy, that is what I have seen 'em go for - and you know how it is with your collecting sickness, if it's not The Q, it's summat else that you'll spend your wedge on - there's always too many and always 'another', which is why I'll stick at me oner offer. I'll check your responses out, ta.

Bump! £100 quid for a clean 7"?

Really!?

I know 'word of mouth' will work, obviously mate. But it'll take half an hour of thought to put together a half decent, deserving of today, flyer - as apposed to five minutes in WORD typing out a shite, unworthy of your efforts, sheet - surely? It's not hard to give your flyer a bit of thought, what's the problem. It just strikes me that if you appear to have a downer on well-thought out flyers, you can't have bothered yourself.

Can anyone actually say they are not touched by any other form of music? I see some posts on here, as regards white people singing for example, that if turned the other way round would read as something else. Save me the obvious, 'of course we are' posts - I don't see those posts when certain views as regards 'what is soul' are brought up on here. I think I'm asking the impossible of people on here - which is to open up, in full view of their peers. It's a big old quilt 'music', made up from a patchwork of many styles, colours and passion. Does 'Soul Music' have to be put forward as a form of expression by its devotees as a form of music only able to be delivered by black vocalists?

Isn't that very obvious though Malc? If you see a good flyer, or a different musical policy as a nowt but a 'gimmick' - as our lad obviously does - how does the scene grow?

A classic memory for myself, one of those records that suits my dancing feet, also a beautiful if short epiphany of a track in my life - yet, I'm amazed at the amount of people that don't have my view.

Should I bother posting the story behind this record or not?

'Wrapping it up' is a poor view of peoples efforts, people who try their utmost to get something off the ground (from nowt, no mean feat), a something that they so obviously believe in Andy. Have you attempted to start a night on the back of your belief in this (or whatever for that fact) music? I look at fledgling nights, like Longys Cully nights, and I see the playlists (much of which I don't know) and it lights my fire. F*cking great - just what being into Soul is all about - 'learning'. But what I take from your effort is that you seem only willing to give your time and money over to a night (due to the line up) that will obviously deliver on the numbers (fair do's in the majority of peoples mindset, the big names deliver scarce, quality tunes that will no doubt, due to the exposure by said 'big name jock' will go on to be a stalwart Nighter record). We all like a busy night after all - guaranteed if the Big Guns are on ay? Not a bad thing at all - big line ups = big numbers after all. On experience though, you will probably expand your 'real' knowledge (if it is the music that you are in reality chasing) by attending the home grown fledgling nights that push the boundaries, by sticking their necks on the line and chance their arm. Again, I'm playing Devils Advocate, as I too spent my youth attending the bigger venues of the time - but surely how the the scene is today (years on), your age, and your mindset must have changed by now?

The only times I come across Smokey recently have been the times he and his mates have turned up for do's that Kev (Edwards), ex-Carlton, Smiths et al, have put on - still a very charismatic fella, it's funny how people with a history on this scene tend to have that.

I remember the kit he used to bring with him in the 'back of the van' to nighters - a broom handle and a Fairy Liquid bottle full of emulsion. It mystified me too, until we passed a poor bloke on the motorway who had the misfortune to be on a motorbike and alongside our van. Smokey opened the sliding window on the van, sprayed the poor c*nt with emulsion and proceeded to prod him with the broom handle.

Not seen Smokey for a couple of years, he still at it?

Interesting to hear that some people are put off by 'glossy' flyers. I asked mainly because, in todays world it can't be that difficult for someone within your group to brand your event in what I would deem, as a professional manner. Surely if it looks like you have put some effort into the bottom level of the promotion, the bottom level generally is your flyer, then it must tell people that you are taking it seriously. Obviously the jock line up is what matters, but how can someone putting a little effort into their branding put people off? Or is it the norm that certain, smaller, promotions have to put a little more work into the bottom end (a bad thing?) as they don't have the connections to have the big draw jocks play at their event? And should that put you off anyway? That kind of talk seems to go against the ethic of a lot of the 'well done for starting your own night' topics I read on here. Views?

Their mates put money on who would be the 'winner'. I never took me Dad again after that.

I stuck to Ten Bob wally meself. Not much safer in reality due to the 5mm of piss that your ten bob had to surf through on it's way to the wall before you picked it up. Pie anyone?

Ha ha I can see that mate. In my view covering the information on records up is definatley a form of onanism. Now what does that make the coverees?

We all saw some very odd things in the bogs at ***** but by far the scariest practise was the lads that used to shoot air into their veins, via a syringe, and let the air bubble travel up their arm (Bearing in mind if the bubble went over your shoulder - VHOOM! - into your brain and you weren't gonna be in the bogs next week), whilst the two opposing groups of 'friends' of the topless bubble armed gamblers, laid bets on who would bottle out first. Basically, the lad who allowed the air bubble to travel the farthest up his arm, won. They then forced the air bubble back down the vein and out the puncture-hole. FFS!!

As far as the practise goes on the Northern scene I don't know but check out the book 'Bass Culture - When Reggae Was King' by Lloyd Bradley Malc, it explains the origins of the selfish, wicked, yet ultimatley understandable deed.

On the FFRR UK release yes, not on the Italian 'New Music' original issue though; Eg: Arthurs (Italian released) records had possibly the worst picture sleeves in the history of mankind btw, laughably bad. Italian pressings (always nice heavy thick cut and well produced/pressed vinyl as a rule of thumb), had more response than the majority of the vinyl churned out by their UK 'dance' counterparts in the early 90's(that sounds so pseudo dunnit? Apolgies). As for the Mavis argument, I'd say you are right yes, in a purist manner, but hasn't there always been a wonderful urgency on this scene for current, soulfully sang, cover versions - just reel 'em off. It's hard to cripple certain records (Ooops! cue "I beg to differ" posts). I've said it often on here but there was such a wealth of fantastic original soulful dance productions coming out of Italy in the late 80's/ early 90's. There was an awful lot of US stuff that used to get licenced to Italy, and poorly remixed for their market at the time too, the occasional gem used to turn up though. I know I've gone off on one now but apart from stuff that was never going to fail once played on the soul scene, such as Arthur Miles, the problem a lot of it (Italian soulful dance that is) had was, it was too housey for the Soulies and soulful for the House lovers, which led to it being a very untapped source...by many, not all that is. I remember the shipping rates for Euro 12"s going up, which brought about a lot of distributors shunning Italian product for a good spell. It appeared to me that during that period Italian producers, knowing that there product wasn't going to be shipped to the US & UK in as great a quantity as before, changed their sound and in doing so the soulful sound they once used got left behind to a degree. Their productions as a whole became a lot more stripped down, minimal even, which was a great shame.

I read this forum, and others, and see the good people (of which there are many these days) who put there money where their mouth is and start their own event. I also see the many ways that these events are branded nowadays (obviously things have moved on from my epiphany). Nights seem to be branded these days in a much cooler manner (Flyers and their images, message board blogs, sound systems and venues are better than BITD etc.) than in my day. Does this extra 'gloss', if you will, actually work though? I ask, you that are regular followers these days that is, as I am not. I've been to nighters recently and picked up some God-Awful 70's style photo-copied, poorly printed, badly grammatised flyers (not knocking 'em - they may be belting nights). I have also picked up some very flash glossy, on the money flyers (not bigging 'em up or knocking 'em, as they may be belting nights too). I think I'm asking... ...does 'clever/urban marketing help these days?- or does quality still shine through? (Even without my poor and shallow view).

By the way, I never bore of listening to Dave on that documentary, each and every time I watch it. He delivers such an eloquent yet beautiful naievity in his view of the Northern Soul life he lived at that time that will stay with me. His words were/are so bang on.