I would like to ask a question and get your view's

Last year when we launched New Century Soul we started flyering a good two months before our first night we had badges made and had checked the domain sites to see if the address www.newcenturysoul.co.uk/com was available.

We then set the wheels in motion to buy the name only to find someone had gone in after seeing the flyers out and about and bought the www.title, to say I was not happy is an under statement,after a lot of detective work and a little help from friends on the scene I tracked these people down and asked what they were playing at! they responded with "We had seen what your promotion was like and we thought it would be a good business investment and if you had the chance to TM Wigan Casino would'nt you?" NO I would not because it had F** k all to do with me as New Century has F**k all to do with you, well anyway I had to pay well over the odds to get the name back.

This brings me to the second part of the question we recently did a theme night and had to do a deal with some people who had trade marked the club in question ie the name and badge, now I would not have a problem and happily pay if these people had owned the club or promoted it.

And to add insult they turned up and flyered our event with now you have had a taste come to The offical ******** night.

Well the question is,

Is it right for people to TM Club names /web address's they have nothing to do with?

Cheers

Chris Waterman

Its my personal opinion, that in the end the most sucessful nights are run by Soul fans, for Soul fans.

People who are in it JUST for the money tend to be sussed out quite quickly. Then word of mouth spreads thru the Northern Soul village quicker than an STD at University.

I have been planning an allnighter. It has taken 6 months of research and planning, so as not to tread on any toes. It will probably take at least another 6 months, because it is my first attempt, and I want to get it right.

If Johnny come latelys want to cash in on something we have been enjoying for 10/20/30 odd years, let them try, and then watch them drift away, hopefully a few quid lighter.

I still havent made it to your do, but have only heard excellent reviews, from my mates. And frankly, they are the only views I trust. Trust in the good soulies, and try not to let the wallies get you down.

No they are well out of order Chris!!!!

But as an up and coming major player you are probably percieved as a legitimate target for this sort of thing. Why? because everybody knows that promoters are minted, all my friends that promote live in mansions, drive bentley's and have houseboy's to carry out thier every whim ;o))

I mean if someone had the foresight to TM Microsoft most people would give a wry smile and think good on ya, to be honest so would i, what these people have done is take that and apply the same theory to something a lot more emotive and they are well out of order for doing so.

Personally i think you should name and shame!!!!!!!! It's obviously someone on the scene who's done it, basically they are holding you to ransom for an url IMVFHO that is

John

Sadly it's the same for most successful soul clubs at the moment. We've had similar at the Plinston where, when we were based in Hitchin promoting on a small scale, we helped out a local couple promoting a Motown night (don't remember the Nolans being on Motown though :-O and this was played at their venue!) then when we moved to the Plinston we had all sorts of back stabbing from them and some very dubious comments made about us - just another example of non-soulies trying to cash in on what they percieve as 'easy money'.

Personally i think you should name and shame!!!!!!!! It's obviously someone on the scene who's done it, basically they are holding you to ransom for an url IMVFHO that is

John

I agree with John, name and shame.If these people run a soul do then at least decent soulies will know the kind of people we are handing our hard earned to.

Sometimes this scene stinks quite frankly, I'm also thinking of Neils record getting half inched at the weekend. Whatever happened to us looking out for each other and helping fellow soulies as and when we could?

I know the majority of us are decent people but the few scummers out there will spoil the scene and turn even the most optimistic of us into looking for the bad in everyone :-(

This kind of thing really, really stinks. Evil money grabbers should not be allowed to get away with things like this. It's disgusting with commercial parasites sucking blood from an enthusiasts movement. That's what I think.

With regards to domains unfortuantely it's only large companies who really qualify for arbitration under Nominet. However, you still stand a good chance of getting your name back if it is a registered Trade Mark. I would strongly advise you do this anyway Chris as NC is now getting into merchandising.

The people you are on about sound more like "cyber squatters". A cyber squatter is a lazy good for nothing w***er that makes money out of other people's success. This person or organisation purchase domain names in the hope of selling them on for more money. People have reportedly made fortunes out of this, particularly in the early days of the web when celebs and large companies werer naive to the potential of the internet.

If it was me I'd name them and shame them.

BTW, I really like the video clips on your website. What a great feature!!!!!

I'll add to that one....NAME EM!

I sell records every week at different venues and the uprising of thieves and rip-off merchants does worry me. Will have to be more vigilant and less trusting from now on. I think we all need to work together and squeeze the b******s out.

Shane

Shane no worries mate, next bash i'll bring my" Bone Handled Cobblers Knife" that was given to me by an old street brawler on my works gang.

So any of these swine will taste cold steel.

Brett

The lesson is; always register your domain before you do any promotion - this applies to any field of business activity - and always do it quickly after you have found the name available.

There are some supremely shifty people lurking in the darker corners of the net; they'll get access to your search and steal it in the blink of an eye.

Chris doesn't need to name and shame them, Pep's name is on his flyers...Ooops

the f***ers,

Naming and shaming at the very least, posters of their muggs 'wanted style' would perhaps sort these cowboys out.

ps what a quality night at Wolverhampton.

It's simply amazing some of tha actions and tatics some people go to on this scene to make a fast buck and a little name to go with the greed, basically these people leach off the skill and commitment of others and have nothing to say or contribute.

Chris Waterman is a decent bloke and a very good promoter, his passion and legwork is without question first class, if others are jealous or wish to ride the back of the New Century set up then i feel sorry for them, f*** em' Chris don't let them hold you to ransom mate you have worked too hard so far to let such under hand tatics get you down.

Since the New Century Soul Club came on the scene back in December 2003 there has been loads of dirty tricks, back stabbing and general bollocks from certain factions on this scene that you would not believe so give us a break, New Century is here to stay and from my own viewpoint better to be involved in a genuine set up than

others who book you because it's jobs for the boys over record collection and talent to DJ.

We now seem to be working together, talking to each other and looking forward to less venue clashing etc. so it's really not a problem when these dick heads play their very low hands.

We have a very strong set up now within New Century something that i am very proud to be involved with, i support Chris 100% for his efforts and all the hard work Lee Crank does his co promoter.

We are soul fans trying to put on quality soul nights for soul fans it's that simply and yes if Chris and Lee make a few bob then good luck to em' for having the balls ( very big one's i might add ) for putting on such good high profile events, which take a lot of time, effort and money to put on, this is not a Micky Mouse promotion if it was i would not be involved, anyone that try's it on with Chris and Lee is also messing with me, our resident and guest DJ's and the hundreds of loyal dedicated people who attend the venues as they are the people that matter the hard core rare soul fan and not the shit heads who think they know better.

Regards - Mark Bicknell.

Hi To You All,

Thanks for your replies on the question I put to the forum and I would like to close this topic if I may with these comments

I don't think name and shame works

Why? because most of these people are that thick skinned they woud'nt give a shit!

After much thought I believe the best way to hurt them is by working twice as hard on making any venue I promote the place they want to DJ at or the place their mates want to go to and they will be told they are not welcome.

I thank you all again and a couple of chancers will not change my mind that this scene is still a wonderful thing to be involved in.

Chris Waterman

by no means bitter and twisted!