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1980's Northern Low Point


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Guest Byrney

A man of taste Manus, thats for sure, yeah, remember that period being more underground, most people around then really into soul music, it wasn't hip or trendy, the music was the draw, loads and loads of great mid-tempo stuff getting played, great days

Kev

The 80s early 90s was a underground scene once again, many of those who poked their head around the door post footsie and this England had called it a day leaving a dedicated hardcore and eager new arrivals who for the most part were really driven by the hunger for music and that was reflected by the quality and turnaround of newies. It was edgy, funny, irreverent, messy and at times no easy ride.

To my mind in this period we went back to basics: newies, underplayed, selected oldies and DJs with distinct sets from one another. I can't really get my head around why so many around today aren't gagging to hear some of the quality played during this period.... I envy their opportunity to hear such fantastic music for the first time.

Edited by Byrney
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The 80s early 90s was a underground scene once again, many of those who poked their head around the door post footsie and this England had called it a day leaving a dedicated hardcore and eager new arrivals who for the most part were really driven by the hunger for music and that was reflected by the quality and turnaround of newies. It was edgy, funny, irreverent, messy and at times no easy ride.

To my mind in this period we went back to basics: newies, underplayed, selected oldies and DJs with distinct sets from one another. I can't really get my head around why so many around today aren't gagging to hear some of the quality played during this period.... I envy their opportunity.

Post of the thread Byrney, remember going to Mexboro, Blackburn, Rob Marriots Swan, 100 Club, Shotts, Thorne etc during this great period and hanging on to every note that was played, great lads around at the time who are still into the music,  but having to share it within tight CD swapping networking as a result of the lack of your aforementioned gagging to hear what was being played and still could be played soul music clientèle. The 100 Club Youtube clip in the Preston Cybermen thread brought it all back, compare that scene with what you see now.

 

Kev 

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How good a post is that :D

I was there that night when Debbie Troops and the crew were setting up. They did quite a few interviews which remained in the can including one with Ion, Kitch and Dean Anderson, with me behind the camera man trying to put them off. Wonder if they're still sitting on a shelf somewhere.

I've said it before but that clip helped got me into it! had just borrowed some tapes off my brother and then I saw that and thought I gotta go there, and the next year I did!

Edited by geeselad
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Notre Dame just off Leicester Square in London, used to run Friday nights, I think it was in 1982 or so. Really good venue in central London, great space. I remember Keb talking his way into getting records played and just blowing the rest of us away.

Talking of Keb, Le Beat Route as well. Not sure how long any of these ran for. Big tracks I remember that may not have be his originally but came to me through him were Valentine Brothers and Jan Jones. And of course also the massive 60's Newies.

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Started at niters in 81/82 with Bradford Queens hall, Morecambe Pier, Clifton Hall, Peterborough,never missed Warrington Parr Hall,Bensons in Bradford,Chesterfield,CIS and Abraham Moss in Manchester plus soul nights at Burnley,Castleford,plus Mod events in Bradford, Manchester, plus all dayers in Widnes, Runcorn, Blackpool,North Wales,all niters at every scooter rally..Just a few things going on there for me in the 80s...

Edited by little-stevie
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Me and my mate Reg got into it then as young mods and I loved it to say the least and have stayed with it ever since, despite having an anti Northern boyfriend for a while but I still went places and just lied to him! Suffice it to say, that whether it was poor in the overall scheme of things, it was bloody brilliant for those of us who hadn't been around for what passed before. I appreciate that nothing is ever as good as when you first got into it and I say similar now but it's still good now.

There's a clip from The Old Grey WHistle Test on You Tube and it shows us all going to a niter at Tony's New Empress Ballroom in Blackburn in the mid 80's and me and my mate Reg were there walking up the stairs with our mod gear on, carrying a suit bag each with our spare clothes in at one of our first niters, not knowing that soulies carried a bag not a bloody suit holder! and we walked up acting like we'd done it loads of times and then danced like little mod girls and watched all the brilliant dancers spinning and stomping and gliding and were mesmerised. We copied and studied them and realised we'd found our way in life....

 

An 'anti northern' boyfriend eh? Bet you dropped him like a bad habit! I can't comprehend people that don't like soul music. Drum & Base maybe, but not soul and northern soul is the cream of the crop. I suppose being gospel based with roots in the church etc, being anti soul is a little like being an atheist in my book.  :lol:

 

 

Wasn't this thread started in the 80s?  :lol:

 

 

Certainly seems like it!

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The 80s early 90s was a underground scene once again, many of those who poked their head around the door post footsie and this England had called it a day leaving a dedicated hardcore and eager new arrivals who for the most part were really driven by the hunger for music and that was reflected by the quality and turnaround of newies. It was edgy, funny, irreverent, messy and at times no easy ride.

To my mind in this period we went back to basics: newies, underplayed, selected oldies and DJs with distinct sets from one another. I can't really get my head around why so many around today aren't gagging to hear some of the quality played during this period.... I envy their opportunity to hear such fantastic music for the first time.

 

You`re absolutely right Byrney.  I quit the scene when Wigan closed and have only just recently rekindled my interest in Northern - I`ve been enjoying `catching up` and have certainly heard some brilliant tracks for the first time. 

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Guest in town Mikey

this pathetic nostalgia friends re-united bollox that is sweeping the nation now

 

Kev

 

Right up there with Johnny One Trouts line about being hepped up on goof balls. :thumbup:

 

Wasn't this thread started in the 80s? :lol:

 

A great oldie that deserves reactivation :thumbsup:

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Guest uroffal

 

Notre Dame just off Leicester Square in London, used to run Friday nights, I think it was in 1982 or so. Really good venue in central London, great space. I remember Keb talking his way into getting records played and just blowing the rest of us away.

Talking of Keb, Le Beat Route as well. Not sure how long any of these ran for. Big tracks I remember that may not have be his originally but came to me through him were Valentine Brothers and Jan Jones. And of course also the massive 60's Newies.

 

Was indeed a great space - spent many a good Friday night down there early '80s, been a few threads on here about it over the years. First got chatting to Keb there and many others, which led to going Stafford - Recall him playing Gordon Keith covered as Maurice Williams and screaming "Dance ya bastards" down the mic :D

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anyone mentioned, southside soul club? Kev moore run it in Calpham, also remember going to a venue in the Angel islington, paddocks in holburn and I jamacan club in north londo, run by Ion.

 

Pretty sure within this thread I did a list of all known 80's venues - scroll on back..  :thumbsup:

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Here we go folks 96 - Count em!

Too much time on my hands? Or a love of NS? The latter, ooh deffo the latter biggrin.png

100 Club

78 Club (Letchworth)

Aberdeen Music Hall

Abraham Moss

Alfreton Leisure Centre Allnighters

Arbroath Smokeys

Assembly Rooms (Derby)

Barnsley - Port Cullis

Barrow

Bensons (Bradford)

Blackburn

Bubbles (Leicester)

Burnley

Canklow WM Club

Carlton Inn Morecombe

Carousel Manchester

Chesterfield "Winding Wheel"

Civic Hall Brighouse

Clifton Hall

Cotton's-Stockport

Coventry

Cricketers Wigan

Darlington

Drill Hall (Lincoln)

Droylesden

Dunstable

Edinburgh Queens Hall

Empress Ballroom (Mexborough)

Fife

Fleetwood

Function at the Junction

Fusion (Chesterfield)

Glenrothes

Gloucester Jamaica Club

Hinckley

Jesters

Keele

Kelsey Kerridge

KGB (Sheffield)

Leeds Allnighter

Leicester

Leighton Buzzard

Leven

Londoner Tracky Club

Loughborough

Mansfield Leisure Centre

Mansfield Swan all-nighters

Market Harborough Leisure Centre

Matlock Bath Pavillion

Morecambe

Newbury Soul Club

Newcastle

Olde English Matlock

Papa Luigis Peterborough

Parr Hall (Warrington)

Peterborough

Queens Hall Bradford

Redbrook Hotel (Rotherham)

Ripley Soul Nights

Rock City (Notts)

Romeo & Juliets (Sheffield)

Rotherham Clifton Hall

Scarborough (Rudies)

Sheffield

Sherwood Rooms Nottingham

Shotts Allenton Miners Welfare

Sloski's

Soul Cellar - Harlow

Southport Weekenders

St Ives

Stafford

Stamford

Swan Hotel Mansfield

TAC Yarmouth Weekenders

Take 2 Sheffield

The '81 Soul Club

Thorne Canal Tavern

Three Cups - Chelmsford

Tiffanys (Wigan/Sheffield etc)

Torksey

Trotters Mansfield

Tudor Barn Warsop

Turn-Ups (Sheffield)

Twisted Wheel 87

Warehouse Sheffield

Warrington

Whitchurch

White Horse Putney

Wigan Casino

Windmill Assembly Rooms

Winter Gardens (Cleethorpes)

Wirrina

Worksop Leisure Centre

Worksop Town

Yate

YMCA - Chelmsford

"On it's knees" "Death throes" I THINK NOT !!! smile.pngyes.gifthumbsup.gifbiggrin.png

YOWZER

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Regular soul nights, 6TS used to do the Phoenix in Cavendish Square back of Oxford circus.

Nick Brown put on a few nights there as well...good little venue...think this was prior to Scenesville.

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But does anyone remember an all niter Guy Hennigan put on at the

RAZZMATAZZ CLUB in Brierly Hill ?

The venue was absolutely tiny and there were mirrors everywhere!

I think everyone must've banged into at least one before realising!

And if you were able to have a dance without falling off the dance floor ..... YOU WERE A GOD!

Yep, can recall going there...wasn't it instead of Burntwood or something as a replacement venue?

Tiny as you say, with the DJ booth/bar in the middle. Can recall Guy playing Edwin Starr's, " My Kinda Woman" and Anita Humes', "What Did I Do" which was just being uncovered at that point...think "Ernie Andrews" had been revealed around the same time! Can also remember Tim Ashibende having a Troy Dodds WD for sale and someone turning up late with an interesting sales box which had Pat & the Neurotics in it...think the seller was a roadie from near Cambridge.

Why do I remember such random information!?!

:)

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Here we go folks 96 - Count em!

...

I think the Wheelwrights club in Gloucester is worth s mention, as it was regular for several years and drew a good crowd. Dave Thorley and Adey Pountain DJed there a fair bit...as did a very young moi!!

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The 80s early 90s was a underground scene once again, many of those who poked their head around the door post footsie and this England had called it a day leaving a dedicated hardcore and eager new arrivals who for the most part were really driven by the hunger for music and that was reflected by the quality and turnaround of newies. It was edgy, funny, irreverent, messy and at times no easy ride.

To my mind in this period we went back to basics: newies, underplayed, selected oldies and DJs with distinct sets from one another. I can't really get my head around why so many around today aren't gagging to hear some of the quality played during this period.... I envy their opportunity to hear such fantastic music for the first time.

Mighty fine words, sir!

So many great tunes gained exposure during these times and were much revered by the crowd of the day...they were "our" classics and stood apart from the the established 70's scene Oldies.

Both time periods produced the goods, and folk will have their faves from their own particular hey days...the difference is yes with some tunes "you had to be there" to really appreciate them, plus the cold clinical world of hearing a new tune via PC speakers via YouTube just isn't the same as via a club PA in the thrill of a nighter! Some tunes come alive at a nighter...if I had more time I would list out the "classics" from the 80's/90's scene...but it is already 2am over here!!

:)

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Yes remember the Brierly Hill nighter (I thought there was only one) well was around '86/87 and post Stafford - remember going to Brierly Hill Station in the morning only to find that trains only stopped there every second Wednesday at 12:45 :D

 

Worse than that actually, it closed down in 1962  :lol:

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Guest uroffal

Worse than that actually, it closed down in 1962 :lol:

LOL - no wonder it looked deserted :D I know we ended up in an expensive cab to Wolverhampton

Edited by uroffal
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Great for me.

 

  The records were cheaper, and some really great allnighters playing new upfront records!

 

Most people who say it was a low point are the people who were off the scene at that time!

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The 80s early 90s was a underground scene once again, many of those who poked their head around the door post footsie and this England had called it a day leaving a dedicated hardcore and eager new arrivals who for the most part were really driven by the hunger for music and that was reflected by the quality and turnaround of newies. It was edgy, funny, irreverent, messy and at times no easy ride.

To my mind in this period we went back to basics: newies, underplayed, selected oldies and DJs with distinct sets from one another. I can't really get my head around why so many around today aren't gagging to hear some of the quality played during this period.... I envy their opportunity to hear such fantastic music for the first time.

 

 

wrong post

Edited by simon t
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Me and my mate Reg got into it then as young mods and I loved it to say the least and have stayed with it ever since, despite having an anti Northern boyfriend for a while but I still went places and just lied to him! Suffice it to say, that whether it was poor in the overall scheme of things, it was bloody brilliant for those of us who hadn't been around for what passed before. I appreciate that nothing is ever as good as when you first got into it and I say similar now but it's still good now.

There's a clip from The Old Grey WHistle Test on You Tube and it shows us all going to a niter at Tony's New Empress Ballroom in Blackburn in the mid 80's and me and my mate Reg were there walking up the stairs with our mod gear on, carrying a suit bag each with our spare clothes in at one of our first niters, not knowing that soulies carried a bag not a bloody suit holder! and we walked up acting like we'd done it loads of times and then danced like little mod girls and watched all the brilliant dancers spinning and stomping and gliding and were mesmerised. We copied and studied them and realised we'd found our way in life....

 

(with nsoulxx's consent)

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anyone mentioned, southside soul club? Kev moore run it in Calpham, also remember going to a venue in the Angel islington, paddocks in holburn and I jamacan club in north londo, run by Ion.

anyone mentioned, southside soul club? Kev moore run it in Calpham, also remember going to a venue in the Angel islington, paddocks in holburn and I jamacan club in north londo, run by Ion.

I think I've still got a membership card for the Southside Soul club although I think I only went once or twice. Was the Jamaican club in Edmonton? as I remember going to an allnighter there - Sean McClusky was involved and Sue ( Henderson) was taking the money on the door - it was an upstairs venue. Paddocks rings a bell too and also the Dome was used as a venue late 80s too or maybe early 90s. And I remember an event in one of the function rooms at Chelsea football club with Ian Clark and others DJing.

Cheers

Manus

Edited by manus
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Guest nsoulxx

(with nsoulxx's consent)

What dicks we were! re'll kill me for allowing this but I look the worse one at the front. I look a right porker and carrying that suit bag! I'm cringing big time here :facepalm:

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Guest nsoulxx

The International 2 club in Moss Side. That was another near the start of Reg and I starting out on our life of soul. This girl came up to us and asked if we wanted to buy any gear and I said, "No ta you're alright, we get all our clothes from The Cave in Manchester" (a mod clothes shop on Cross St) (ashamed to death a while later when she'd told everybody in the place!) so we then bought some of her wares and suddenly it seemed we could dance to the excellent tunes!? strange that...... :g:

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I think I've still got a membership card for the Southside Soul club although I think I only went once or twice. Was the Jamaican club in Edmonton? as I remember going to an allnighter there - Sean McClusky was involved and Sue ( Henderson) was taking the money on the door - it was an upstairs venue. Paddocks rings a bell too and also the Dome was used as a venue late 80s too or maybe early 90s. And I remember an event in one of the function rooms at Chelsea football club with Ian Clark and others DJing.

Cheers

Manus

yep that was it, in ednomton, I thought Ion was involved.

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Probably won't qualify for the list as i only think it was on twice, still worth a mention though.

(apologies if someone's already mentioned it.)

But does anyone remember an all niter Guy Hennigan put on at the

RAZZMATAZZ CLUB in Brierly Hill ?

The venue was absolutely tiny and there were mirrors everywhere!

I think everyone must've banged into at least one before realising!!

And if you were able to have a dance without falling off the dance floor ..... YOU WERE A GOD!

Northern soul in the 80's - absolutely fantastic!!

 

The Breirley Hill allnighter has probably got to qualify for the smallest allnighter in the world accolade.

This was without a doubt one of Alan Johnson's worst promotions, myself and the then other local nighter goers couldn't believe it when the add appeared in Black Echoes (surely there must be some mistake :ohmy: ).

The venue had once been a pub that had been reliant on the trade from the Dannilo cinema next door, when the Dannilo closed in the late 60,s so did the pub. Then during the mid 80's some local entreprenuer decided to open it as a wine bar (FFS) a wine bar in a one horse town like Breirley Hill where a lager and lime drinker was regarded as a phoof (OMG). The venue was intially called the Crystal Goblet before becoming the Razzamataz Club when the owner realized there was no demand for a sophisticated wine bar and decided to target the local underage lager lout clientel.

Anyway as Joan mention's the dancefloor was  no bigger than a pocket hankerchief, the decks were positioned on the bar, and folk turned up from all corners of the country and were packed in like sardines, Unreal :lol: Hence to say the Brierley Hill allnighter never became a legendary venue in northern soul folklore, and the pub/club closed down for good shortly afterwards.

Still that was the first and only time it took me less than half an hour to walk home from an allnighter! :thumbsup:

Dave

Edited by Louise
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Guest micksoul

The 80s was the peak of my venue going days , as well as being a regular at the 100 club i attended nighters at Blackburn , Peterborough , Dunstable , Mexborough ,Manchester and Mansfield . Remember the Mansfield nighters in particular were always rammed

I was totally into the whole 60s mafia thing and thoroughly enjoyed that time on the scene

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yep that was it, in ednomton, I thought Ion was involved.

He most likely was they were always together - Ion was promoting some nights down here (Brighton) a few years back at the Sussex Arts Club - really good craic with a great mix of Black music - Keb was on the decks once or twice.

Cheers

Manus

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Great for me.

 

The records were cheaper, and some really great allnighters playing new upfront records!

 

Most people who say it was a low point are the people who were off the scene at that time!

 

 

Exactly! That's exactly what this thread has been about all of these years.

 

I think in truth we have surprised ourselves with the sheer number of active and significant clubs there were in the 1980's.

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 And I remember an event in one of the function rooms at Chelsea football club with Ian Clark and others DJing.

Cheers

Manus

Remember going to an event @ Stamford Bridge function rooms '86/7 or 8 pre house days anyway. Two rooms(upstairs/downstairs) Northern/Modern in one and rare groove in the other.

Spent most of the night in the rare groove room as my mate Paul Guntrip was one of the DJs there.

 

Cheers Paul

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Remember going to an event @ Stamford Bridge function rooms '86/7 or 8 pre house days anyway. Two rooms(upstairs/downstairs) Northern/Modern in one and rare groove in the other.

Spent most of the night in the rare groove room as my mate Paul Guntrip was one of the DJs there.

 

Cheers Paul

Yes that would have been it Paul - 1987 I think - great night.

Cheers

Manus

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The Breirley Hill allnighter has probably got to qualify for the smallest allnighter in the world accolade.

This was without a doubt one of Alan Johnson's worst promotions, myself and the then other local nighter goers couldn't believe it when the add appeared in Black Echoes (surely there must be some mistake :ohmy: ).

The venue had once been a pub that had been reliant on the trade from the Dannilo cinema next door, when the Dannilo closed in the late 60,s so did the pub. Then during the mid 80's some local entreprenuer decided to open it as a wine bar (FFS) a wine bar in a one horse town like Breirley Hill where a lager and lime drinker was regarded as a phoof (OMG). The venue was intially called the Crystal Goblet before becoming the Razzamataz Club when the owner realized there was no demand for a sophisticated wine bar and decided to target the local underage lager lout clientel.

Anyway as Joan mention's the dancefloor was  no bigger than a pocket hankerchief, the decks were positioned on the bar, and folk turned up from all corners of the country and were packed in like sardines, Unreal :lol: Hence to say the Brierley Hill allnighter never became a legendary venue in northern soul folklore, and the pub/club closed down for good shortly afterwards.

Still that was the first and only time it took me less than half an hour to walk home from an allnighter! :thumbsup:

Dave

 

Nothing to do with the 80's but just talking about Brierley Hill, I remember going to an allnighter there at the Leisure Centre in 1977, around october I think, it was a Pep promotion and was quite well attended, it was near where the Asda car park is now I think.  Don't know if it was a one off, but I remember the top sound of the night was the new discovery "Don't go away baby" by Frank Lyndon along with Yvonne Daniels, John Bowie and Lou Ragland.

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Nothing to do with the 80's but just talking about Brierley Hill, I remember going to an allnighter there at the Leisure Centre in 1977, around october I think, it was a Pep promotion and was quite well attended, it was near where the Asda car park is now I think.  Don't know if it was a one off, but I remember the top sound of the night was the new discovery "Don't go away baby" by Frank Lyndon along with Yvonne Daniels, John Bowie and Lou Ragland.

 

It was the old Brierley Hill Youth Club which is now a Mosque.

Their was no Asda there in those days just a few things that you would associate with local communities way back then such as a swimming baths and the home ground of the local football team Brierley Hill Alliance F.C.

Dave

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Been a lot of talk about the 80's being a low point on the northern scene and last week a comment of "during the eighties when the scene was on it's knees" was posted and I thought that was a bit OTT.

 

 

Didn't think the 80,s was a low point. To me it just went back where it belonged Underground.

 

Ste

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