TheBigO

I can email you a pic of mine if you like unti you get one - No? I'll get the door :-)

DJ Times @ The Plinston View full article

NEWS IF TRAVELLING TO THE PLINSTON! View full article

PLINSTON MAY 7TH UPDATE View full article

NORTHERN SOUL IN THE MEDIA AGAIN View full article

Just thought I'd say that I really enjoyed the lovely Jo's interview an choice of songs - however as I didn't get a mention and Taffy did I can no longer entertain the idea of having her DJing at the Plinston :-) So, looks like Ms Wallace it's having to wait until The Rocket re-opens for you....Neen Nee, Neee, Naaah Nahhh!!!!! Hugs and kisses

I've no problems with people playing unissued tracks from CD's or the playing of CD's at venues like yours - the music is all important and getting new blood involved is vital if we are to survive and flourish as a scene. Besides having seen the prices of 45's recently go mental and pricing many out of the market I don't blame anyone who wants to promote this scene of ours having to turn to legal CD's. TheBIgO

Hmmm, down to your own taste indeed as I love Ike & Tina and as for Mr Kline, a classic!!! Now me I loathe with a passion 'Trick Me, Treat Me, by the Cobblestones and there was a record Roger spun at the 100 Club in the 80's that I swear shared the same backing as 'Riders On The Storm'!!!! Now that was dire!!! (Anyone remember who it was??) Having heard some of the stuff Mr Levine was spinning on his recent return/leaving/return/leaving etc etc I can think of at least 20 more to add to my list :-) Rare does not equal quality/good - as I've said B4 on this very site, Searling summed it up best when he said it's a Rare Soul scene - rare in quality, not just quantity. TheBigO *Hopefully my profile pics uploaded now - see my taste in shirts has remained as consistent as my love of the scene

TheBigO Has Mastered Technology!!! View full article

PLINSTON NOT ON FRIDAY 19th March!!!!!! View full article

SOULGATE RETURNS! View full article

NEXT PLINSTON - FRIDAY MAY 7TH! - Trading Cards Soon View full article

PLINSTON MARCH 19TH EVENT CANCELLED!!!!! View full article

Oi! Taffy don't be daft mate there can only be a choice of 2 from the mighty Curtis - You've Been Cheating or Little Young Lover! for when you shuttle off this mortal coil oh buddy of mine :-) Mind you you could also go out to Lover, 2 Loves Have I, oh the list is endless....do you think they were thinking of you when they wrote these toons????? Only kidding mate, you'll probably go out to 'It's All Over' or something....TheBigO (now in hiding!!!)

I WILL SAY IT AGAIN RE: PLINSTON TONIGHT... View full article

Oi! Mark you forgot to mention great dancer, style icon, good looking etc etc......e-mail me Marcus as I have a feeling it's going to be heaving Friday and getting a ticket would be a good idea!!!! The venue is easy to find: A1(M), Jkt 9, folow the sign in for town centre, past longabout, 2n roundabout straight over and keep straight till you hit the one-way system (park in front of you) and there we are over on the right as you look straight on. Mark, I expect to see you and that lovely lady of yours at front of stage and getting down with the Honey Monster as well as me upstairs in what will be a rockin' good night - Taff and myself and Fingers have all got new toons to hit ya with but as you rightly point out it's the 3 main men that will make the night - and with all 3 upstairs in the Ghetto spinning Modern and Crossover for the first time ever anywhere it should be a night to remember!!! Oh and we're great by the wayMarcus!!!! (Biased I know) TheBigO :-O

LATEST NEWS FROM THE PLINSTON! View full article

Have no problems whatsoever with lp tracks being played and inc. many myself in my set at the Plinston and Fingers is always trying to play a 100% LP only set when he's behind the decks and more power to him. As a soul lover I have no problems with legal reissues either (Kent & Grapevine for example) as I am at the stage where it's the music that is all important and getting it out there to the masses (Have been and am still a collecter though) and I am happy to spin a rare original (Allen Sisters, John Wesley, Mind & Matter et all) alongside a Grapevine release of True Image, Eddie Holman unissued gem, Little Ann and so on. It doesn't matter if it comes from a 45, LP or even CD - if that's the format it's on and it's a great SOUL tune - then it gets played! (I have a curent Plinston Monster that is a CD only track and no-one cares about the fact it's a CD.) TheBigO Current Plinston LP spins inc: Sam Dees U/I version of 'Lonely..'; Mary Saxton 'Losing Control'; Various Ace Spectrun tracks off all the LP's; Beres Hammond 'Various'; Countless Motown gems and Little Mama 'Barefootin' (CD Only).

Plinston Contact Info! View full article

I think she is in fact white, remember reading a few lines in some Jazz book way back when I still had flowing locks and decent eyesight! If you like the 'I am what I am' track then check out Dana Vallery 'Never Let Go' on UK Decca (I think) which has a similar sound. I like it anyway and have spun it a few times at the Plinston in the first hour slot.

Jsut running out with the kids on the school run but thought I'd post my brief thoughts on the subject now.....Fingers plays a majority of LP tracks when he DJ's at the Plinston, both lp only and 45 releases on lp, and has a huge collection of outstanding toons that deserve to be heard elsewhere. He has a Jap LP with a stunning unissued version of Sam Dees biggie on it which begs to be heard and always gets a great response from the dancefloor. As a collector of lp's only he has introduced me to many great soul tracks and keeps alive the mantra of ensuring that quality soul should be heard, played and giving it's time in the light. I think that Richard Searling summed it up best by saying we are a Rare Soul scene, that is rare in quality, not just quantity and I firmly belive that it doesn't matter if it's a 45, an acetate, an lp or even a CD only track, it is the soul that is the key. Look at the lp only tracks that have been spun over the years from the likes of The Outsiders; Dynatones; Les McCann; Betty Wright; Millie Jackson; Williams & Watson...the list is endless. In conclusion let's not go down the 'should we or shouldn't we spin lp's?' route but unite uner the banner of 'Soul - by whatever means neccessary!' And now, off to the playground!!!!! TheBigO * One final thought re: has the 45 well dried up? Not if Manship's rareest of the rare listing (with soundbytes) is anything to go by! Quality toons galore that I've not heard of, let alone seen, and that's in over 25 years of hitting the floor!!!!

Not underplayed to us at the Plinston dear Ricky where it has been spun many times over the past year (and for many many years at other local nights B4 that!) A great track it's true but check out some of his hidden lp tracks, many championed by our own king of lp collector Fingers inc. his brill' version of 'Open The Door To Your Heart' (that's Jackie and not Fingers version obviously!) and many others whose names escape me at the moment :-O Talking of Jackie his Biog is a great read and rather apt considering the frenzy surrounding Mr Jackson at this time.

What the f*** is going on!!!! It's a top 20 of rare records spun by a DJ, whom I rate by the way, and who has a love and a passion for the scene that many could learn from, with comments designed to aid collectors and inform in general. This scene of ours is based and built upon the sharing of knowledge and the love for great soul music, music that is rare in quality not only quantity. Mark has done no more than carry on a tradiation that has existed since the scene was built in the early 60's. Commenting to assist in the hunt for the vinyl, letting you know how hard that hunt may indeed be. I have dealt with Benji in the past and have always found him a pleasure but I have to say on this one mate your wrong. I think Mark's right, it does just seem to be have a go at him month. I have never had problems with Mark, despite the fact that we don't always agree on some issues relating to the scene, and I respect him and his comments because they are constructive and passionate and he truly loves, as we all do, this scene of ours. Having seen some of the other comments posted relating to other topics I would say there are others who deserve to be taken to task other than Mark! Now, can we all back off and get back to enjoying this life we have chosen - otherwise my head may explode!!!!! TheBigO :-P

Well said Mike, too many people happy to post comments slagging people/venues off without having the guts to put their name to their work!!!! I forgot to mention on my posting (under Mark's top 20) that, as you said, 'Guest' should read the post again because I saw no mention of value expressed in £'s, only notes that indicated that the discs were rare. As people from all across the world read soul-source and use it as a guide to what's hot etc etc then surely indicating if a 45 is hard to get, a one-off etc etc is a good thing for those who want to get hold of it (or not in most of Marks listing - gutter!!!) Besides, the scene has always given indications as to a records rariety or currency value since the beginning (check out old issues of 'Blackbeat'; 'Midnight Express' 'Sold On Soul'; 'Shades Of Soul', in fact ANY of the fanzines over the years covering this scene of ours!) Now I've known and respected Mark for many years and this smacks to me of an attempt to attack the new Manchester venue he DJ's at (not runs!) I hope this isn't the start of a dirty tricks war, like those Mr Levine and his allies were so fond to use on the 'Crossfire' events recently. Why have you not attacked other posters to the site when they have stated record value etc??? (Eric Lomax is the most recent I can think of.) Right, said what I wanted to say, back to a normal life again with the kids. TheBigO

Arthur Conley Dies @ 57 View full article