Ian Dewhirst

Whoops, doh! I always get the two mixed up. Apologies old bean....I really should know this stuff by now...... Ian

Hi Geoff, Regards to Gordon! You guys should clean-up with this package I hope. Looking at a Top 20 Compilation Chart entry minimum on the 22/09/14! Ian D

One week to release! Way to go! Amazon Bestsellers Rank: 159 in Music (See Top 100 in Music) #3 in Music > R&B and Soul > Soul #5 in Music > Soundtracks & Musicals > Film Music #6 in Music > Pop > Pop R&B www.amazon.co.uk/Northern-Soul-Soundtrack-Various-Artists/dp/B00JYDGFXA/ref=sr_1_3?s=music&ie=UTF8&qid=1410187350&sr=1-3&keywords=northern+soul Ian D

Yep, I believe there's a pleb allowance that's being built in. In fact we insisted upon it. Don't want the celebs to get too comfy..... Ian D

Nah, it's a media invention innit? Ian D

Yep, both the Northern and Southern premiers have been fixed I believe. Some pretty eminent people are coming along by all accounts. I'm sure the details will be released shortly. I'm looking forward to a 'lil bit of razzmatazz. Plus the fact that it'll be the best 100 minutes of music some of these people will ever hear! Should be fun. I'll pass the "No Fancy Dress" command on to the powers that be and look forward to explaining to a roomful of mid 20s film superwomen executives exactly why there shouldn't be anyone allowed in with oxford bags, sports bags, talcum powder, unduly exaggerated 'Northern Soul' tatoos etc, etc. I should probably mention the O.V.O. thing too I guess........... Ian D

Finished packages arrived today and we're very very happy. A superb package to spread awareness for the film and a very very classy package. We can't wait till these packages land across the country in 9 days time. A perfect lead-in to the film launch. All looking good. Very very positive all round. It's definitely going to be interesting watching what happens over the next 6 weeks. Ian D

Well finally got to see the finished film last night and it's tremendous! It's visually stunning and the impact of the music is undeniable. The dance-floor scenes @ Wigan made the hairs on the back of my neck tingle. Seriously. That was EXACTLY what it was like. Plus the way the music is mixed within the film makes an extraordinary impact. Had me hooked that's for sure. I recommend that people see it on the big screen for maximum effect. The most accurate depiction of the 70s Northern Soul scene without a shadow of a doubt. Go see it! Ian D

Actually there's now a stupendous 24 venues! Here's the latest update:- Date TOWN Venue Sun 7th MORECAMBE Vintage By The Sea Festival / Richard Searling’s Northern Soul Room Sun 7th PEEBLES Peebles Scottish True Soul Weekender (nr Edinburgh) Wed 10th LEEDS Central Fri 12th RHYL Wigan Casino Anniversary Weekender Fri 12th WORKSOP Soul At The Swan Fri 12th REDDITCH Soul And Motown Night Fri 12th HUDDERSFIELD Soul At The Pie Hall Fri 12th HOLBEACH Hot Wax Soul Club Lincs Fri 12th BRIGHTON & HOVE Sensisble Soul Fri 12th BROANTON Northern Soul Time (Knowle) Fri 12th HARTLEPOOL Hartlepool Northern Soul Club Sat 13th WOLVERHAMTPTON Goodyears Soul Sat 13th RUGBY All-nighter Sat 13th BLACKPOOL Blackpool Tower Wigan Reunion All-nighter Sat 13th PORTSMOUTH Blue Lagoon Sat 13th KINGSTON Kingston Soul Club Mini-Dayer Sat 13th CHESTERFIELD Northwings Northern Soul night Sat 13th WORCESTER Faithful City Soul at Archdales Sat 13th MANCHESTER Cheetham Hill Irish Centre Soul Nite Sat 13th LONDON Euston Hole In The Wall Club Sat 13th DUNDEE Northern soul oldies club Sat 13th WESTON S-MARE Goin’ To A Happening, The Grand Atlantic Hotel Sat 13th DUBLIN Pow City, The Thomas House Sun 14th MANCHESTER Twisted Wheel Club at Alter Ego Ian D

Well, I'm finally getting to see the film tonight! It'll be a relief now that the various soundtrack formats are being manufactured and due for delivery anytime soon! Everything looking great for Monday 15/09/14, so I'm hoping we can expect a huge Top 20 chart entry on the 22/09/14. Fingers crossed! It's been Top 10 in all 3 Amazon charts for the last couple of months now, so we should see a big leap next week with all the activity that's happening now! Amazon Bestsellers Rank: 199 in Music (See Top 100 in Music) #3 in Music > R&B and Soul > Soul #4 in Music > Soundtracks & Musicals > Film Music #6 in Music > Pop > Pop R&B Ian D

And to demonstrate the current problems that vinyl manufacturers and record companies are having, here's an article from today's Independent...... https://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/music/features/manufacturers-are-struggling-to-keep-up-with-the-resurgence-in-vinyl-records-9695409.html?origin=internalSearch Ian D

It's the vinyl manufacturing plants that are causing the problem. They're all full-up! The deadlines are extending every day at the moment, so what was a 4 week turnaround is now becoming a 10 week turnaround. It's very frustrating! I'll post up details of this special 10 x 7" box set shortly! Ian D

Ian D

Actually I don't necessarily agree with that Ady. It's always nice to get an advance promo of a great record and if you know you're getting it in advance and could be influential in breaking it, then what's not to like? Plus you'd be getting the record to everyone at the same time and thus hopefully creating some synergy and an initial buzz, which could hopefully spread to better advance orders for the general release hopefully. These days it might take a few weeks for someone to actually get hold of the releases. If they have a local record shop and can get there every week, then fair enough, lucky them. Otherwise they'll be having to order it, as and when they finally get around to it and assuming they're that diligent with UK releases! So it could be a couple of months before there's any momentum. I reckon it'd be worth putting a limited mailing-list together. If you covered say, 50 key people - 25 key name Northern DJs, 15 good Radio DJs and 10 Press/Online reviewers and internet sites, I think you'd get some bang for your buck and maybe create a lot more awareness for the next releases and the Ace/Kent back catalog in general. I know Ace/Kent's reputation is the best word of mouth promotion you can get but 50 promo copies won't kill anyone, especially if you could sell another 500 copies and up the pressing quantity. Gotta be worth a shot surely? Ian D

A dilemma. Out of curiosity, do you have a mailing list of DJs who could potentially play these releases and, if so, roughly how many would there be who could get behind these records? Or is up to them to buy the records as they're released? These releases are caught between a rock and a hard place really. I don't know how many of the DJs who can can actually 'break' records these days would actually go into a record shop and buy these as new releases. Given the emphasis on rarity, do these releases get anything like a fair shake I wonder? Ian D

I've just got back from being away Geoff. Will reply shortly mate. Best, Ian D

Your're welcome. We interviewed Sam a couple of weeks back so that worked out very nicely. I won't get drawn on the other stuff 'cos we'll be going down the same path again and at cross-purposes. As I've said a gazillion times previously, if someone wants to step up and make a program about the 80s forward then fine, go for it. I'll watch it. Ian D

Who needs an anniversary when they have a 1,000,000 unit pre-sell? They're doing 'em in Mono apparently. This figure represents the international demand for vinyl releases by the Beatles. This campaign alone represents one sixth of the total U.S. vinyl sales for last year. Personally I'm skeptical. Really? 1,000,000 Mono Beatles LPs? I didn't realise that many people still had record players! Ian D

My enthusiasm is humbled by the 17 years of gestation that this film took for Elaine Constantine. Whichever way you look at it, it takes a huge amount of commitment and passion to get from an initial idea to a finished major film - a massive achievement in itself. Plus a very brave leap to go from being a top-level blue chip photographer in the fashion industry, to becoming a film director with a debut film that focuses on a 'cult' music scene with limited appeal. I honestly don't know how she managed to do it. I was late to the party really. I actually didn't know Elaine personally but everything I was hearing about the projected film sent the right signals and obviously touched a nerve so I contacted her out of the blue a couple of years back and begged her to let me do the soundtrack before a frame of film was shot. Sometimes gut instinct is enough. Unbelievably, I still haven't seen the film. I'm kinda saving it. I wanna see it at both the London and Northern premiers along with everyone else. The footage and trailers I've seen are simply spellbinding and awesome. There's a very nitty-gritty and shocking trailer I've just viewed which blew my mind and which was the perfect combination of image and sound with the most manic part of Lou Pride's "I'm Com'un Home In The Morn'un" perfectly complimenting some seriously incredible (and x-rated) footage. Serious, serious stuff. I just had to view the Interview DVD that comes with the 2CD package and James Lance's interview with Elaine is just pure gold. A fascinating interview which catches the passion of the project perfectly. Very very moving. And the in-depth Elaine Constantine/Richard Searling interview with the exclusive access to his memorabilia is just fantastic! Hooked me right to the end and I know this stuff! Projects like this make it all worthwhile somehow. I hope 50,000 people will buy it and make their lives better. It they don't get it after this, they never will. Ian D

My elitism started before your elitism so there nyaaaah....... Ian D

Phew. What a week. I've had enough of London now. I'm heading up North tomorrow to get back to reality and de-pressurize from riding this bucking bronco. With a bit of luck I'll be in Wakey on Saturday, get paralytic, have a fight in the bullring and wake up Sunday morning in A&E. That's the plan. An extraordinary week. "Northern Soul: The Soundtrack" is looking exceptionally good and will be in the charts on Monday 22nd September - a mere 4 weeks away. Top 20 for sure, Top 10 maybe. Let's see. But it's definitely catching fire big time with the buyers. The enthusiasm is pretty fantastic from all areas - the big decisions on what will be on the shelves towards Christmas are made now and "Northern Soul" is looking very good indeed. Also lots of excitement with the Film people. Momentum is gathering almost daily so I'm sure there'll be some announcements soon. Plus some FANTASTIC PR coming up too. Also, the bonus Interview DVD with the release is just fantastic - James Lance's interview with Elaine is wonderful and almost had me sobbing lol and the Richard Searling interview with the footage of his his personal memorabilia is just fascinating and great. I think anybody buying this package will totally get what Northern Soul is all about. Even though this is technically a 'mainstream' release, this is as good as it gets for me. And I didn't even compile it damn...... Ian D

Wilky was a giant amongst men. One of the scene's major characters in the mid 70s. Please tell him 'Frank' sends his warmest regards. Ian D

Mark Bicknell? Ian D

I for one, have banned any acrobats from coming within 10 yards of me. Dangerous f*ckers! Ian D

The clue is in the phrase "for me it was the best era bar none". That's me personally Mark. Can't talk for anyone else and I wasn't comparing the 70s to any other decade or the scene from '82 onwards which seems to be a bit of an obsession for some. This whole debate is really about what age people were when they entered the scene surely? A bit daft I think. I was a carefree teenager in the early 70s having the time of my life so I have extremely fond memories of pretty much that whole decade. Likewise I'm sure that anyone who was a teenager in the 80s or 90s would say the same thing really. Ian D