Petesi

Everybody who was around and dancing or learning to ( Me ) at The Torch, danced to this, it was a genuine monster of the time and if you can dance to this you can dance to anything it is a genuine 100mph classic.

It happens at most of the smaller events, BUT it is usually to a slow /mush song, so I don`t have an issue with that as I for one won`t be on the floor, so my opinion is leave em alone and let em enjoy it, after all most of us should be at the Derby and Joan club anyway LoL. NOW..... if they start doing it to Jimmy Raye`s.. Philly dog around the world.. that would be a whole different thing and we may have an issue

Just my opinion, I went to Yate a couple of times around 77 and to be honest didn`t really like it, even then there seemed to be a different take on what I knew and grew up with at the Torch, Top rank, Tiffs, Wigan etc, it seemed slower and not the 100mph sweat soaked grit n grime days I was used to. Having lived down south in Kent for the past 20 yrs I certainly see the difference in what`s played and popular at most of the southern clubs and only a few keep to the true spirit of a proper northern soul event. PS. Back up north now so can enjoy the real deal again, again there is even a "north/ south" divide in the northern soul scene too LoL.

My last post or comment on this, northern soul dancing ...It makes your pulse pound, your head ring and your heart sing YES you CAN learn the moves but when you dance you feel the music, the soul, the spirit of the record and the artist that made it. For me it`s a moment that transports you to another place in time, when you sang along, splits, kicks and swallow dives or back drops in the breaks and not a care in the world. You can teach the moves but.. you cant teach the feeling, you either have it or you don`t and it will show in the way you dance.

Just as an Aside/Example. When Chris Evans bought a Ferrari (James Coburns I think? ) after his big radio station pay out of around 40 million, paying something in the region of 8 million for it. many laughed and scoffed at his crazy record price!!. He said he bought it because he could afford it and wanted it, so paid up for it. Fast forward several years and the scoffers and critics went very quiet when it sold for around double that and has been reoffered not so long ago for something nearer 50 million! . So the morale of the story (for me) is people who can afford to do it will, those that can`t may scoff, berate, moan criticise whatever. but it wont change a thing. A better use of my/your? time and effort would be to work out how they got to a place to be able to afford such a prize. Happy New Year

Or .. Northern soul dancers, learn, practice ...then dance!

Oh Gosh , I never new you needed a qualification or licence to teach or pass on tips with regards to northern soul dancing. Been doing it for almost 40 years illegally but as I like to say... it`s not what you do, it`s what you get caught doing that`s the problem! Now where`s me dog licence

MY Opinion. Back in the day it was about the music not the label, I go to dance, not to sit around chatting, so for me the DJ is their to entertain. I would much rather hear a second/Re-issue than none at all! Collectors collect labels ( and good luck to them) DJ`s play records to entertain and for the crowd to dance to. A few major events have deck cams and Its nice to See/hear the big money stuff at those events, but for me at the smaller clubs reissues are fine as I said Its all about the music not the label.

Sneaked in the Torch in late 72 heard something and watched guys dancing to it and just stood there agog thinking WTF is this all about? Then turned up at the local youth club a week later (Pendragon in Alsager) and saw a couple of the guys from the Torch playing and dancing to the same song . I was Totally hooked, back drops , swallow dives the lot, it was just amazing to a clueless 15 year old. Went out to Hanley a few days later (Blood Lloyd) music store asked em about the song, the guy said oh yeah we have that somewhere in the back its in our soul imports area and voila. Then bus back home with my prize to annoy my parents by playing it non stop while practicing endless back drops etc in their bedroom in front of an open wardrobe door with a large mirror, whilst my mum was banging on the ceiling below with a mop handle shouting cut that out! what the hell are you doing up there?? Perfect start and introduction to 50+ plus years love affair with Northern Soul. Oh and the record? My first purchase? Major Lance "You don`t want me no more".

AS DO most of the decent, good or great dancers. A lot (including myself ( Decent)) don`t enter dance comps because it`s a personal choice of which records to dance to and performing for some other persons choice of tracks defeats the whole object, but if you just take it as a bit of promotional fun for the event then no harm no foul.

Yes great, been to a couple of these London do`s and it is mostly 18-30s getting their first taste of northern , well a South/ london take on northern in some cases! As for the comments on "talc in the back pocket" in the 70s???? Well...obviously I missed that one, cos talc on the floor never happened at any venues I went to in the 70s. but hey ho the fact that youngsters are enjoying the music and keeping things going must count for something.

My opinion and please don`t take this as gospel or repeat what I am about to say.. The good dancers dance for themselves and their own enjoyment , in time with the record playing , moves only in the breaks etc and can sing along and change steps with the beat. The ones that aren`t so good usually dance the same way and unusually at the same pace to each and every tune!! And they think that talc will help em? Ouch. Please don`t repeat any of this its just an old gits opinion.