Ian Dewhirst

Yep, too late already unless BBR's release dates are as elastic as Harmless's, which is unlikely. Ian D

I've always attracted dogs Steve....... Ian D

There was a dip around 5 minutes after I came off screen at the beginning and then a peak with my repeat performances throughout the second half..... Ian D

Bish, bash, bosh. Just got the figures through and it was a big hit with over half a million LIVE viewers on the first showing:- "The viewing figure for Northern Soul: Living For The Weekend (FRI, 25-07-2014, 21:30-22:30) is 558,900. The slot average is 378,800". Ian D

Hi Mark, I did a magnificent 45 minute reply to the above @ 1.00am this morning, then the site crashed and lost everything. Don't have time to re-create it unfortunately, so here'e the gist of it.... "But that's where it's all wrong Ian.......the last thing we need is a museum........or a themed shopping centre. ......or a plaque on a wall.......FFS!!" Why wouldn't you want to preserve a historical UK culture? What's wrong with the heritage? You're belittling a scene that's lasted 47 years and making it sound like a Disney attraction or cheap tat which is not what I'm thinking at all. I wish New York had done something similar to document the 70s and 80s properly before stuff got lost and people passed away. Mel Cheren from West End was in the process of doing something similar when he unfortunately passed away. It's just plain daft not to try and preserve stuff. "Living in all this nostlagia is like just giving up on life in a musical sense". I don't know what you mean. Sounds like gobbledygook to me. Are you saying that there's something wrong with nostalgia? I don't understand what you mean by "giving up on life in a musical sense". I listen to everything. I release across many genres. Just don't get what you're talking about........ And what do you think these "ordinary people" will expect if they turn up at a current gig? 40" trousers perhaps like they've seen on the TV? Dunno. Most places I go people dress relatively normally. It's not an aspect of the scene I dwell on to be honest. If people wanna dress like that, then I guess it's up to them. How can something once so cool become such a parody of itself? In your head maybe. It's not a parody to anyone I've spoken to. The mid 70s horrors like Wigan's Ovation were a real parody. Nothing could be worse than that believe me. I think you need to take a chill pill and accept that any scene has a wide swathe of people who won't always necessarily conform to your way of thinking. You have to realise how tragic some of this is to some people mate.......you really do! You may not agree, but spare them a thought nonetheless. It's not tragic at all and you're the only one that seems to be bandying about these histrionic terms. Everyone I've talked to over the last 3 months for a forthcoming project (which include many names you know very well), has been nothing but extremely positive about the scene. I don't understand your negativity mate. Incidentally, hope you're well and and we'll catch up for a beer next time we're in the same gaff! Ian D

Interesting. Wayne Dickson who runs BBR is a mate who I usually see whenever he's in town. He didn't tell me he was doing an Edwin Starr com for f*cks sake. I'm sure he's missing a few potential Edwin tracks here. It'd be nice to have "Don't Tell I'm Crazy" on CD but I'm sure there's several other currently popular Edwin tracks that aren't on here. I'm thinking it should be a double CD to do the job properly. So I wouldn't mind a list that I can chuck at him next time he's down if anyone fancies obliging with some suggestions.... Ian D

OK, it's been a whirlwind of a week. The "Living For The Weekend" BBC4 documentary aired 3 times over last weekend and somehow propelled "Northern Soul" the soundtrack into the 50th biggest-selling album in the U.K. over last weekend, 7 weeks before release. The stats coming in already are making us nervy. It's a good job we're geared up for this. It's a definitive compilation of 54 brilliant Northern Soul recordings which will hopefully hit a chord with a UK market that's just looking for the right excuse to buy a Northern Soul compilation. Soundtrack out 15/09/14 and film out 20/10/14. Should make for an interesting end to 2014. Word to the wise. Elaine came into the office today and signed 200 copies of the book whilst we fed her with cake and peppermint tea, for the all-singing, all dancing super-duper special edition which is here somewhere: https://www.northernsoulthefilm.com/sponsor If you want this edition, then don't dick around. There's less than 50% left after a week and we're kicking ourselves. You heard it here first, OK? Ian D

Truth be known, it was more than alright. Since it was aired I've spoken to dozens of 'normal' people who watched it and without any exaggeration, each and every one of them was intrigued and were all interested in learning more about Northern Soul. From a 21 year old receptionist to a 55 year old accounts clerk, the age range of viewers has been absolutely huge. I'm still trying to get some figures but my gut feeling is that the show hit the target for the BBC 4 audience across the weekend. Nice review by Andrew Collins in the Guardian too. And yes. Of course things will get fractious. It's the nature of the beast. The same passion that got us all into it in the first place is still very much in evidence today whatever year we all got into it. The good thing in my view, is that come the close of 2014, the general UK population will hopefully have a better understanding and respect for what Northern Soul is: namely a very pure and unique part of the UK's cultural musical heritage. Stop bickering. Whether we like it or not, we're all part of the rich tapestry of an incredible scene, so let's enjoy the ride for the next 12 months until things settle down again. I want a museum OK!!!!! Ian D

Somehow I'm not so sure if the £2, a Mars bar and a couple of unknown records methodology would get you through a weekend down here in 2014 mate. On the other hand, looking at Manship's prices, if you had the right couple of records.......... Ian D

I think I can manage that! Ian D

Many thanks Byrney. I'm hooking up with Guy on Saturday and will be down @ Va Va Voom drinking beer in the sunshine and wondering where the last 34 years went........ Ian D

If ever a record defined the mid 70s for me it's undoubtedly "Could Heaven Ever Be Like This". RIP Idris! Ian D

Yes, please do. We are trying to make a balanced overview of the scene from 1968 to present day. Obviously we have most of the usual suspects but also lots of recent inductees, so we have a nice balance thus far. We managed to get Ady a couple of weeks ago and Dave Thorley, Colin Curtis and Sam are hopefully being interviewed in the next couple of weeks. The close-off date will be mid August so we need to work fast! Had some turn-downs as well unfortunately, so some people prefer to shun the limelight which is understandable but somewhat frustrating...... Ian D

The Odyssey: A Northern Soul Time Capsule 1968-2014. Due in late October 2014. Over 24 hours of interviews already with key people, covering all eras of the scene with everybody who has consented to be interviewed thus far. Some amazing stuff recorded and hopefully this will be the most comprehensive overview of the scene yet. Very exciting. Another 4 key interviews coming up in the next 10 days. Very exciting! Ian D

It really doesn't mate. This documentary is simply the most obvious focus designed for the biggest demographic audience available at the time when it will be shown. In 6 years time it'll be all about 'what happened after Wigan and how sheer faith kept a dying scene alive for the next three decades' I can virtually guarantee. This is a story which is constantly evolving 'cos this scene is unique. A lot of passion involved, as evidenced by this very thread. Ian D

Well, I think we're probably talking about different projects to be honest Byrney. I'm very well educated about marketing 'specialist' music and very experienced in terms of the media, so I view things in different ways to most. I was actually very apprehensive about how this show would turn out, but for entirely different reasons to many people on S.S. and obviously yourself. It's always a punt in the dark on these programs 'cos you're reliant on things which are way out of your own control, so it's always a leap of faith as to how it'll come out. Nobody saw this show before it was aired, so nobody knew how it would come out. Also, nobody on the show (to my knowledge) talked to anyone else who was on the show, so there was no 'agenda' on the part of any of the interviewees. The researcher for the show asked me if I could get them in touch with Dave Clegg and Fran Franklin which I managed to do via Soul Source and Facebook (and a lovely result in my opinion, R.I.P Fran). I was pleasantly surprised to see Colin and equally surprised to see Pete Stringfellow, Marc Almond and Norman Jay. Fact is, I had no idea who was featured and how the show would be skewered and neither did anyone else to my knowledge. It turns out that I kinda already vaguely knew the Director but, in typical Dewhirst fashion, I didn't click until after the shoot. It was James Maycock who, believe it or not, was a former compiler for Harmless in the 90s and thus before my time with the label. I've got his comps and they're great. But I didn't know that it was him at the time. I still haven't rung him. My thoughts on the show? Mainly relief. It had the potential to be so much worse and it turned out just fine in my opinion. A BBC4 prime-time Friday night show is designed for a wider audience, so this wasn't a show that was being designed for the cognoscenti on Soul Source. This was a show that was designed for snaring the right audience over the three separate time-slots over the weekend that it was shown and it hit that remit like a bullet I'm sure. Believe me, there's not a documentary ever made that I couldn't pull apart in 30 seconds if I wanted to, so it's almost impossible to make a mainstream TV documentary that's bulletproof for the hard-core experts. This is why I manage my expectations. I actually view all this very positively. In the heyday mid 70s ( )when Northern Soul was beamed to the masses via Top Of The Pops with Wigan's Chosen Few and Wigan's Ovation representing Northern Soul to the population, it became intolerable for me to carry on simply because of the amount of energy I was expending explaining to people that what they thought was Northern Soul was not actually Northern Soul. So I banished myself to be a self-anointed 'Returnee' who would eventually return like an avenging angel 40 years later and set the record straight. Let's not be too harsh folks. Finally we're getting some serious national exposure and respect with two hugely popular BBC documentaries and a world-class film, directed by a true Northern Soul believer coming up. We have a lot of friends in high places these days which befits a truly unique British cultural phenomenon and a special scene that has managed to last 47 years thus far. This is so much better than anytime previously believe me. I know it goes against the ethos but I honestly believe it'll be for the greater good. How many new young vibrant people could all this activity draw in and secure a future for an incredible scene? The timing right now is just perfect. We deserve to get some national attention godammmit! In 2016 it'll back underground again...... Love the passion everyone! Ian D X

Ian D

So your fault then? Ian D

This is getting a bit out of hand mate. I have NEVER said ANYTHING derogatory about the scene post my early years. Truth is I was busy with other stuff from circa '76 onwards and only dipped the occasional foot into the scene but I still watched from afar. I have nothing but undying respect for anyone who was still breaking records and getting an audience throughout the post Wigan years. People need to get this whole thing into context. The remit of the program was to cover the 70s Northern Soul youth culture first and foremost and that's pretty much what it did. Had the program been covering anything 80s, 90s or even 00s, then I certainly would have declined to be on it and would have pointed them in the direction of the people who could speak for those respective eras had they asked. This whole thing blowing up kinda has astounded me sonewhat and I concur with Kegsy's view that neither period is better than the other. I am also rapidly coming to the view that the age of people very much forms their view. I'm 59 now, so I was 16 in 1971 just as I was getting into Northern, so naturally those incredible few years from say, 1971-76 form the foundation of my experience during a key phase of my life. Anyone between 50-55 will naturally cite late 70s Wigan as being a key period, anyone 45-50 will cite the early 80s and 100 Club/Stafford etc, etc and so it goes on. This shouldn't denigrate anything. Everybody's learning curve is different, not better or worse. Ian D

Already selling magnificently. Elaine's doing the book signings tomorrow, so that'll be fun..... Ian D

The phone calls can last an hour at least. I'm actually sick of Satan's Breed now...... Ian D

In which case you've probably been aiming at the wrong target Byrney. Most of the proper DJs from the programme are still very much into hearing new rare stuff. Whenever I speak to Colin, Kev, Richard, Levine and others from that era, the conversation inevitably steers around to "have you heard ?????". It's like it's always been. Levine is the worst of the lot. If anything he's even more fanatical and passionate these days if that's possible. I don't know that I'd label any of us ''returnees'. As long as I've been around I've never lost touch, from finding records in the 80's to putting some of the first CD comps out in the 90s and doing radio shows and writing for Manifesto in the 00s. But, then what occurred to me, is that Northern Soul is a constantly evolving beast and these pressure points are bound to happen to a scene which has lasted many of us a lifetime. It's really a phenomenon as most other music scenes bite the dust long before. Whoops, at station. Gotta go... Ian D

Nice to get the prices Denbo, but what about the year of recording.....? Ian D

That's what I'm talking about. Need to pin down the exact year if poss...... Ian D