Barry

Does anyone have a Discography of Charm City? Cheers

I'll not go into mine, although Jimmy Ruffin stands out . This may be a sparse post, so just in case and on the flip - any lovely memories of artistes at nighters. I still have Martha Reeves lipstick on a tissue (not sure where it was anymore, maybe Leicester '83-ish and Chuck Jacksons autograph on my Pink Slip (?) - Morecambe '84, when he did a Tommy Cooper through the curtains). Anymore?

Just an excuse to bring up his Rotherham classic - 'Very Last Drop'. Love Bobby.

Many Modern left fielders played there also, anyone remember the brief dancefloor smash that was Harvey Mason's ' -'How Does It Feel'? - a definate Parr Hall Biggie!! Anyone remember a young lad climbing into their motor whilst they were waiting for it to open and asking them to 'talk about football'? I'd been out with Brian Rae and a few other cohorts in Crewe?Stafford (??) that night and spent an hour rubbing my face into the dewy grass on the park opposite - as to clear my battered head. Apologies for the purile content, but worth a shot ay?

Ha ha, thank God for a concurrent reply, Sheila and her Degree's played The Carlton in Warrington BITD (my 18th birthday as it happened) and afterwards was quite scary to say the least, especially when pressed for info on her Northern output. Nice one Harry. I saw an interview once with her and her husband at the time, an rough n tumble Army officer...and he was obviously too frightened to say a word.

In reply, of course there were tracks kept to one side for the lads, yes, I shouldn't have left that out if my response, foolish of me - I hope you grasped the general point of my above post though, which was that recognising quality and breaking same on the dancefloor are two completely different things. Simply, for the quality of output alone it has to be Richard. Disclaimer: This is only my view, aimed at people with my view alone.

The piano and drum pattern of which, David Morales robbed, when releasing 'his The Face' production with Juliet Roberts. He cheekily claimed the publishing rights to the arrangement, when it was basically an edit of Rare Pleasure's backing! But then, that's why he has a lovely NYC apartment on Central park innit?

That was a lovely post about Rotherham (Dug out of Google btw). Apart from the nights that I spent playing cards in the back room with some of the above mentioned, the only problem I had with Rotherham was the night me and Richard walked from Sheffield (in the snow - in mocassins), down the dual carriage-way, only to have the Bizzies pick us up and drop us back in Sheffiled - to start again - whereupon we got to the door (sunny, cold morning) at 6.45am - and they still charged us £2.00 to get in.....no more fuel in the tank, we then had to thumb it home. Christ, we had it hard!

Importing records and therefore making tracks available to top end jocks (which in reality didn't happen, at the time as John's lists were invariably open to all who had the sense to put their money where their soul was - but I think (hope) you catch my drift) and having the knackers to play said unplayed, untried records first time out, is a completely different thread. John is inextricably entwined within this scenes history, no doubt, but I remember Charles Johnson being £4....I don't think it would have been that price after it was broken, dancefloor side - do you? Big balls were required (not really, if you understood quality), but still, you had to show and tell.

On a personal note - she's a right b*st*rd, allegedley.

Anyone can throw shed loads of pasta at a wall can't they, but at the end of the day it comes down to wether it was edible or not doesn't it? Searling!!

Mike, call you this week mate - apologies. Thank for the list and CD lads btW!

I'm sure you know the track.. " I don't want no-one who don't love me, Who keep on dishin' out misery! You don't want no-one who don't treat you right [sho-Nuff] She gotta give you lovin' every night now! You an' your new love 'Keep On, Keepin' On!' I know that loving feeling is gone, Yeah! Too late, Too late, Too late Baby now! Too late - Whoohooooh!!" Beat that with a bat!?

Whatever you paid for that record is irrelevant, it is as you say a beautiful track - I see it regularly for about £8-£10 - probably a pound dearer than a Wombats CD (???)... really! "I know that something is wrong baby, I can feel the vibe! Let's forgive and forget honey - and give-a-love another try!" It always had the ability to hush a dancefloor - it drew whoever was on that dancefloor together - the inspired delivery that Larry Houston made of that song, I feel (and forget Northern Soul here, let's talk music) was unsurpassed. I'm feeling particularly starry eyed tonight, but I make no apologies for my views on a track that should be deemed as a Top Ten Northen Soul dancefloor shaper. Proof that Modern/Newies brought another....relevant, emotional angle to peoples mindset as they danced.

Am I allowed to disagree on the grounds of the amount that were pressed? Major label, pressed in its thousands, a tenner, tops, I'd say.

I just love the sentiments of this threads pure integrity. Keeping it real - Pikeys Dog.

I don't come across very well on here do I? Mark, lovely record - but in my eyes not worth the money it goes for - a subjective view, yes, but aren't I allowed that view without a prod from yourself? Or was the whole point of your post aimed at pointing out you also have a copy?

"Burn The Witch!?" At the risk of once again causing a commotion by expressing my opinion - Would this scenario ever happened when Northern was an underground scene, policed by it's own integrity? I think not. Proof that when things get watered down and opened up for the 'greater good', they aren't always better? May I add that whoever the lass is, as has been said before, it isn't really her fault - she was expressing her love for her music in the only way she could afford. Not really reason for the dunking stool ay?

Picture yourself on a desert island (Discs)!? If the one thing you would take are your records, then you are doing it just for you - therefore you are living your living your lie (sic) correctly.

True, very cheap mate. And a side hobby I have is working out how much - per second - Northern tracks go for. And , is it, just short of two minutes? Got to be one of the big per second hitters!?

Flogged mine for about £150 to a French lass about 3 year back, lovely tracks. Don't know the current market value but although it is a great double sider, that does evoke that quality mid 70's sound (Vacate being the more appealing to me), I can't believe the price it commands - I can't see it being THAT scarce - in my eyes shouldn't command more than £30/40. I bought stuff like this, Arlene Bailey, Diane Jenkins et al for pennies in the early 80's - my last statement not at all demeaning quality by the amount paid for said tracks at all. The scene has changed, yes - but I can't see me spending that kind of money on 'time tracks' when there are 'memory tracks' to be bought for possibly less money.

I have to bring to the fore the 'Top Cat', era when I honestly would have killed for the then covered Larry Houston track - simply one of my dearest memories on a dancefloor. "WHOOO!"

Nightwatch Soul Boy - 'Robin Salter' - brought about a change on this scene that I feel his name should be mentioned within this thread. Also, may I mention Ion - my young ears were opened to a lot of stuff care of that lad.

We all know the tracks that upon initial play get stick for being played in a Northern room. Do they eventually gain acceptance due to the fact that jocks stick to their guns and continually play them, therefore on the hierachy scale make them less susceptible to bitching -'Suchabody (DJ) plays it so it msut be worthy of it's play'. Do they gain acceptance due to the old addage that exposure to any form of music eventually gives you an understanding of its merits. Or does it take a while for people to get out of the peer pressure that surrounds this scene, to find it within themselves to actually admit 'Yes, I do like it? My question at heart is, why does it take sooo long for obvious 70's and 80's quality records to be seen as Northern dancefloor standards. Write the list - there are bloody hundreds. Any views?

Peter. Bob on mate!