These two tunes are completely alien to the sounds I usually buy, but I seem to have been overtaken by them both over the last few months, when watching the outtakes to the Granada TV documentary THIS ENGLAND.

I can't imaginbe that I;d ever buy them, because they just don;t fit ata ll with the other tunes in my box. Do they still get played out now or are they a relic of the final days of Wigan that most people would rather forget?

Thanks

Sidra's theme, Bari Track and Thumb A Ride are 3 inst's I still love.

I have been sick of hearing My Sugar Baby and Double Cookin, it's funny how some records you grow tired of and others you don.t.

Talkin of PC in today's climate a inst not in vogue is Astral Trip I still love that.

=========

i still play astral trip..As u say dave fabulous inst..

play the otherside of the gallop if you've got it, its an awesome crossover style inst...

The vocal [ on the other side of the Satiron release of I belong to you ], is brilliant as well Paul .Best,Eddie

the vocal is just as good as the instrumental, it's fantastic

Stroll on, something else we agree on apart from 'Sweet Thing' ! I love the vocal, plainitive and simple and does not take away all the attention from a brilliant instrumental. When the vocals stop and the harp break comes in it's a great piece of atmospheric N/S.

Ian Gillabrand played it at the Fernhurst Blackburn soul nights in the early 90s.

Ian is part of the team in the Jazz-Funk room at King George's in Blackburn.

Colin Curtis and Mark Grice are the rest of the team.

Good for Ian. A zillion people will probably contradict me but I'd swear this was the same band as MFSB before they were called MFSB. The simularities are just so close...........whoever the guitarist was he could sure play. Sounds like an early George Benson to me...........

Ian D

Ya Nick, Tradewinds still does it for me as well.

And me, but when was the last time you ever heard anyone play it out?Ian D

Actually, I played it last month at Barrow Hill...on the subject of '70s instrumentals tho', it wasn't so long back that The Brothers "Are You Ready For This" was massive everywhere no?

Does this fit ?

larry hammond - sad sad day - unreleased - No!

This is best though

Ronnie and Robyn--As Long As You Love Me -

Even worse! Flatter delivery than the Major's daisy cutters that destroyed Old Guffington's Biogoted XI in '48

That Larry Hammond is a "fake" anyway isn't it?

yeah, recorded in Hong Kong about ten years ago at Dave Burton's flat. They did four tracks in all.

Actually, I played it last month at Barrow Hill...on the subject of '70s instrumentals tho', it wasn't so long back that The Brothers "Are You Ready For This" was massive everywhere no?

Indeed this was so..........................Yes. Good to hear you managed to slip STRANGE into your recent set - Souladequate. .

I have always loved instrumentals, I would agree with most of the posts re Milton Wright & The Terra Shirma Strings both sides are incredible productions The Gallop and Like a rolling stone which I have featured in my sets in the last year or two.

Like alot of posts are saying that instrumentals aren't featured in sets anymore but I don't set my sets out so they don't include so called souless or pop instrumentals if they are in my box and I feel it's right to play it then on the decks it goes, infact last year at the There's That Beat Weekender at Mojacar in Southern Spain I felt the time during my set to play a real classic that doesn't get featured much anymore and I put on Earl Wright Orchestra - "Thumb a ride" - Capitol and the dance floor was crammed and atmosphere was awesome.

My personal favourites over the years are:-

The Autographs - "Sad Sad Feeling" on Loma & Joker.

Al Kent Orchestra - "The way you been acting lately" - Ric Tic.

The Boogie Man Orchestra - "Lady Lady Lady" - Boogie Man.

Regards,

Alan.

The first hint I got that instrumentals were 'out of fashion' was on the recent CD swap when a couple of people asked why I'd included 4 or 5 instrumentals on my CD. I thought it was weird that they mentioned it until they mentioned that they weren't even aware that instrumentals used to be played 'cos they just don't hear 'em these days. Which is just nuts.

Instrumentals were always a mainstay of the scene in the 60's and 70's. They'd often add another dimension to the night. It still sends shivers down my spine remembering the first time I heard "Crying Over You" Inst - Duke Browner and "Nothing But Love" Inst - The Tartans played one after the other @ the Mecca. "Exus Trek" was always the side which got played originally - the vocal only became majorely popular in the 80's. "The Gallop" was always a magnet for the better dancers who used to do some lovely freeform stuff to it - likewise "Thumb A Ride" which I believe was Frank Booper's (best dancer @ The Torch) favorite track to dance to.

Why on earth would instrumentals not be in fashion these days? They're incredibly important for programming different dynamics in a DJ set surely? Sometimes they provide temporary relief from tortured vocal after tortured vocal and can be used to 'set up' other records from a melodic or rhythmic point of view.

Also the instrumentals showed another side of Northern Soul - many of 'em were the top records of their time and really added range to a night. Remember these were all originally released as jams for Black audiences which could be every bit as popular as the vocal sides - that's why they released 'em in the first place or re-issued 'em later under different names (E. Rodney Jones is a good example and could be cited as a 60's Rap record even).

It's just nuts to say they're out of vogue. How come no one is playing 'em anymore? What's the story?

Ian D

From what i can gather over the years, it was that reverse situation we had where it seemed 'the slower the better' in regard to records that arose post Wigan. In rsponse to the speed not soul brigade. Meaning if it's slow, it's soulful. If it's fast, it's not. (Which we all know is a load of bull).

It's the sweeping statement mentality.

The predjudiced statements i've heard over the years is "What have instrumentals got to do with soul music?" Forgetting that people can posess a whole lot of soul, but can't sing a note. I.e. Mike Terry, the Funk Bros, the musicians from Fame Studios, etc. I used to laugh at these people for their lack of knowledge.

Also to be honest apart from standout tracks, really good instrumentals are in short supply.

Any of you know "Boss sauce" the Beuna Vistas? As i reckon it's one of the best unplayed instrumentals kicking around. But has it been played?

Not as good as "Sidra's theme", but has a stomping beat to it. And not boring or repetative, which could be levelled at some of the old instrumentals.

Martyn

edit.

Edited August 5, 200915 yr by garethx

Ronnie & Robyn...........yes it's weak...................yes it's poppy.....................but, if you love it - you love it.

I love it, great dance track.

agree, its truly a fantastic sound, but weaK???

Just re discovered this and cant stop playing it, followed up with The Steve Karmen Big Band, the vocal version.. The F***** Business !!

Mal.C

Wether PC or not, they are in my opinion brill. records.

As a general rule i find i prefer a "proper" vocal version, not summat knocked up in a garage to cash in on the instrumentals popularity, and in the case of The Gallop/I belong to you, that is so, although i both in the boxes, backed with "like a rolling stone" on Satirion and Carla respectivley.

However the Sidras theme voc. for me dilutes the drive and power of the instrumental, with rather insipid vocals, i also think Bari Trak is so special, that despite Rose Batistes brilliant vocal, for me it will always be a close second.

So thats my personal thoughts, and for me all that matters is "if you like them", i don't eat vegetables, and despite it currently being high profile 5 a day etc..., i ain't gonna eat or buy 'em...ever!!, buy what you like, it shows through when you play them, i could never buy a record i didn't like, simply 'cause people will dance to it.

Talkin' politics it don't look good for Labour next time, yet i'll vote for them as ever, because even despite current failings, it is about me supporting my own belief in the principles of socialism, and its benefits.

"DO WHAT YOU FEEL"

Wether PC or not, they are in my opinion brill. records.

As a general rule i find i prefer a "proper" vocal version, not summat knocked up in a garage to cash in on the instrumentals popularity, and in the case of The Gallop/I belong to you, that is so, although i both in the boxes, backed with "like a rolling stone" on Satirion and Carla respectivley.

However the Sidras theme voc. for me dilutes the drive and power of the instrumental, with rather insipid vocals, i also think Bari Trak is so special, that despite Rose Batistes brilliant vocal, for me it will always be a close second.

So thats my personal thoughts, and for me all that matters is "if you like them", i don't eat vegetables, and despite it currently being high profile 5 a day etc..., i ain't gonna eat or buy 'em...ever!!, buy what you like, it shows through when you play them, i could never buy a record i didn't like, simply 'cause people will dance to it.

Talkin' politics it don't look good for Labour next time, yet i'll vote for them as ever, because even despite current failings, it is about me supporting my own belief in the principles of socialism, and its benefits.

"DO WHAT YOU FEEL"

There's more socialism in the Salvation army, than Labour.