Y'know , sometimes something happens that's just perfect.

If ever Northern Soul was going to appeal to an international audience and turn more people on to this music, I always thought it would need to be branded a bit more snappily.

Well, we just reached that moment.

I was busy on the Babe Ruth thread in the 'Look In Your Box' section, when suddenly the TV started blasting the Human Beinz "Nobody But Me" from out of nowhere and I looked up and watched some brilliantly filmed sport footage to a hundred mph Northern classic that kept me mesmerized for the next 60 seconds.

Yes folks, welcome to the brand new international Nike ad:

Nike Throwdown

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GAe9SpuxtYI

Not bad ay?

To think it all started some 43 years ago at a little club in Manchester. From little acorns etc, etc.

Great stuff!

Ian D

Edited February 16, 201114 yr by Ian Dewhirst

Way to go Ian.

Great to see some royalty cash going to the writers of this tune the remaining Isleys, Rudy and Ronald (that's if the IRS leave him any !)

Way to go Ian.

Great to see some royalty cash going to the writers of this tune the remaining Isleys, Rudy and Ronald (that's if the IRS leave him any !)

Yep, if ever there was any doubt about the reach, emotional resonance and viabilty of a Northern Soul record to reach a mainstream international audience, then this Nike ad puts those fears to bed.

This was a key record in my own musical education and one of the records which drew me into Northern Soul.

The amount of interest that this will gather purely as a result of this ad is virtually incalculable. I mean the previous benchmarks were Felix Cat Food, Kentucky Fried Chicken and Lambrusco.

This is a whole new league.

If anything was going to provide a surge of interest in this music at a time when everyone's questioning whether it even has a future or not, I would suggest that a pan-world Nike advert is better than a kick in the derriere.........

Didn't see this coming at all. Smart move by Nike and their ad agency. Maybe we're not as dead as we thought we were ay?

Ian D

Yep, if ever there was any doubt about the reach, emotional resonance and viabilty of a Northern Soul record to reach a mainstream international audience, then this Nike ad puts those fears to bed.

This was a key record in my own musical education and one of the records which drew me into Northern Soul.

The amount of interest that this will gather purely as a result of this ad is virtually incalculable. I mean the previous benchmarks were Felix Cat Food, Kentucky Fried Chicken and Lambrusco.

This is a whole new league.

If anything was going to provide a surge of interest in this music at a time when everyone's questioning whether it even has a future or not, I would suggest that a pan-world Nike advert is better than a kick in the derriere.........

Didn't see this coming at all. Smart move by Nike and their ad agency. Maybe we're not as dead as we thought we were ay?

Ian D

Best use of this tune was Kill Bill Vol 1

Brilliant

T

Best use of this tune was Kill Bill Vol 1

Brilliant

Completely forgot about that Tony and that's probably where they got the tune from now that I think about it..............

So presumably the next big international ad will be snagged from Tarrantino's FANTASTIC use of Dave Dee, Dozy, Beaky, Mick & Tich's "Hold Tight" from Deathproof.........?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DIwiUXCA6W0

I mean, that's a pretty effective use of a tune innit? He's very good at that...................

Ian D

HI IAN AND EVERYBODY, THE NAME FOR THAT FEELING (EVERY THING HAS A NAME) IS A QUANTUM FEELING, AND IS JUST A WE INSIGHT INTO THE 4th DIMENSION, WHICH IS WHAT QUANTUM PHYSICS IS ALL ABOUT, THE RECORD MOMENT PROBABLY GAVE YOU A JOYOUS PLEASURE FEELING, AS A SPECIES THE MODERN DAY HUMAN, HAS DEPRIVED US OUR NATURAL SENSES THAT WE POSSES AS HUNTER GATHERERS AND THE SIGNS AND SIGNALS THAT WE HAD THEN HAVE BEEN LOST IN TIME. HOWEVER WE STILL HAVE THEM DEEP IN OUR PSYCHE,

TO MAKE MY POINT, MODERN SOCIETY WANTS YOU TO FEEL SAD AT LEAST 95% OF THE DAY, THE PURPOSE IS THEY CAN MANUFACTURE AND MANIPULATE TO CONFORM, THIS IS BECAUSE WE NEED LAW AND ORDER AS A WAY TO CONTROL ANARCHY, THE PEOPLE OF EGYPT HAVE ON MASS TAKEN CHARGE OF THERE COUNTRY, WHICH I AM PLEASED ABOUT, BUT MY INSTINCTS TELL ME THAT IT WILL BENEFIT THE NEXT GENERATION AND THE LIKELIHOOD OF A TRUE DEMOCRACY IS FAR AWAY, THE FEELINGS OF FEAR COME INTO PLAY, FEAR FEELINGS ARE CHEAP AND JOYA'S FEELING COST 3 TIMES MORE, THIS IS THE WAY GOVERNMENT WANTS IT, THIS IS THE CAPITALIST RULE.

YOUR QUANTUM MOMENT IS WORTH 10 X THE VALUE OF THE AVERAGE HAPPY FEELING, SO MASTURBATION MAY MAKE US HAPPY BUT IT'S NOT QUANTUM, BUT WITNESSING SOMETHING COMMON AND FAMILIAR BUT UNEXPECTED OR A SHOCK AS IT'S WHAT WHY SITUATION THAT BRINGS AN INTENSE FEELING THAT CAN ONLY BE EXPLAINED THROUGH A QUANTUM FEELING, THE FEAR OF DEATH IS ANOTHER QUANTUM FEELING, BUT THAT BRINGS UP PARENTAL BELIEFS, WHICH ARE MADE FROM TRUTHS AND LIES,"GOD IS DEAD" FACT, READ ABOUT QUANTUM THEORIES, AS LIKE ME YOU WILL BECOME EDUCATED DAVE

Best bit was the Rugby clip - show's the American's who's the hardest

HI IAN AND EVERYBODY, THE NAME FOR THAT FEELING (EVERY THING HAS A NAME) IS A QUANTUM FEELING, AND IS JUST A WE INSIGHT INTO THE 4th DIMENSION, WHICH IS WHAT QUANTUM PHYSICS IS ALL ABOUT, THE RECORD MOMENT PROBABLY GAVE YOU A JOYOUS PLEASURE FEELING, AS A SPECIES THE MODERN DAY HUMAN, HAS DEPRIVED US OUR NATURAL SENSES THAT WE POSSES AS HUNTER GATHERERS AND THE SIGNS AND SIGNALS THAT WE HAD THEN HAVE BEEN LOST IN TIME. HOWEVER WE STILL HAVE THEM DEEP IN OUR PSYCHE,

TO MAKE MY POINT, MODERN SOCIETY WANTS YOU TO FEEL SAD AT LEAST 95% OF THE DAY, THE PURPOSE IS THEY CAN MANUFACTURE AND MANIPULATE TO CONFORM, THIS IS BECAUSE WE NEED LAW AND ORDER AS A WAY TO CONTROL ANARCHY, THE PEOPLE OF EGYPT HAVE ON MASS TAKEN CHARGE OF THERE COUNTRY, WHICH I AM PLEASED ABOUT, BUT MY INSTINCTS TELL ME THAT IT WILL BENEFIT THE NEXT GENERATION AND THE LIKELIHOOD OF A TRUE DEMOCRACY IS FAR AWAY, THE FEELINGS OF FEAR COME INTO PLAY, FEAR FEELINGS ARE CHEAP AND JOYA'S FEELING COST 3 TIMES MORE, THIS IS THE WAY GOVERNMENT WANTS IT, THIS IS THE CAPITALIST RULE.

YOUR QUANTUM MOMENT IS WORTH 10 X THE VALUE OF THE AVERAGE HAPPY FEELING, SO MASTURBATION MAY MAKE US HAPPY BUT IT'S NOT QUANTUM, BUT WITNESSING SOMETHING COMMON AND FAMILIAR BUT UNEXPECTED OR A SHOCK AS IT'S WHAT WHY SITUATION THAT BRINGS AN INTENSE FEELING THAT CAN ONLY BE EXPLAINED THROUGH A QUANTUM FEELING, THE FEAR OF DEATH IS ANOTHER QUANTUM FEELING, BUT THAT BRINGS UP PARENTAL BELIEFS, WHICH ARE MADE FROM TRUTHS AND LIES,"GOD IS DEAD" FACT, READ ABOUT QUANTUM THEORIES, AS LIKE ME YOU WILL BECOME EDUCATED DAVE

il get my coat,

Mine's on and I'm out the door

It was a minor hit in the States I believe. I've seen it used in a few American ads. A Mastercard one, a washing up powder ad and one featuring a speeding train like the silver bullet.

I've probably got the ads on DVD from when the only way to watch the whole NFL game was to buy the video or DVD from a company in Switzerland.

Best use of this tune was Kill Bill Vol 1

Brilliant

T

One thing I admire Tarantino for, is he chooses all the soundtracks himself, from his own vinyl collection

One thing I admire Tarantino for, is he chooses all the soundtracks himself, from his own vinyl collection

Yep, he's a major vinyl fan. I did the 180 gram vinyl pressings for both "Reservoir Dogs" and "Pulp Fiction" soundtracks and he loved 'em!

Ian D

What about the one that has too people (Warner Hollidays)

taking off loads of tee shirts

backing is like shades of blue--oh how happy

I think the record is actually 'claimed' by several scenes.

do get a 'buzz' watching the commerical though. :-)

Edited February 17, 201114 yr by macca

absolute total agreement there, a roller-coaster tune for a roller-coaster action sequence in a restaurant of all places!,....uma thurman testifing to the fact there was "nobody but her", could watch that over and over again. this, on the other hand is a spectacularly tight co-ordination ad. nike rebrand theirselves time and again and its quite obvious that the american conglomerate have, within their ranks, intelligent people who have grown up with musical roots...yes this tune already has a media history and was spawned amongst the mid-sixties west coast, garage and psyche output that contributed largely to tribute albums years later, namely, pebbles, nuggets and the chocolate soup comps. the human beanz were just lucky enough to post a chart hit courtesy of capitol records and then an extraordinary thing happened in the early 70's...the unerringly fast pace was found to be condusive to and subsequently picked up and adopted by the new "northern" soul scene.....and now it appears to be driving the scene's appeal to greater heights.

great AD, although not seen it yet on telly, fave for me though is "come on train" by don thomas used for a bank or is it a phone company? cant remember now and of course there was addias using dee edwards "why can't there be love" which caused a mild storm last year..

Edited February 19, 201114 yr by garswood

Isn't going to make the slightest bit of difference to the Northern scene though.

People don't go 'Oooh, I like that record on that advert, I must find out more about the lifestyle of the people who like it', do they?

Isn't going to make the slightest bit of difference to the Northern scene though.

People don't go 'Oooh, I like that record on that advert, I must find out more about the lifestyle of the people who like it', do they?

No, but the i-tunes sales of the Human Beinz will soar and people may then be tempted to hear more similar stuff. However, we're perhaps missing the point here. The key task was putting an athletics ad together with a tune that has the requisite energy and appeal and I think they succeeded on that level.

Also that'll be a nice pension fund for the Isley Brothers!

Ian D

I was amazed in the late 80's and early 90s of people introduced to Soul through those Levis ad campaigns. I used to find it sad when you mentioned Ben E King and someone would say 'oh' the geezer stripping off in the laundrette'.. Same with Ain't No Mountain High Enough by Marvin & Tammi, which was used by Telefonica here. You should see the reaction when it's played in the pubs & clubs here. It's kind of depressing but encouraging at the same time. I wonder if Don Thomas was around to receive royalties...

They've started showing the ad, but instead of the Human Beinz, it's a more recent female version...

Sounds weak compared to the Human Beinz.

WON'T AFFECT THE ISLEYS ROYALTY PENSION FUND THO JOE, COME TO THINK OF IT THEY ALREADY MADE A PACKET THRU THIS TUNE COS IT WOR A MILLION SELLER IN THE STATES BACK IN 68.

BRI PINCH

Edited February 20, 201114 yr by bri pinch

No, but the i-tunes sales of the Human Beinz will soar and people may then be tempted to hear more similar stuff. However, we're perhaps missing the point here. The key task was putting an athletics ad together with a tune that has the requisite energy and appeal and I think they succeeded on that level.

Also that'll be a nice pension fund for the Isley Brothers!

Ian D

Yes Ian,but they'll all be young funky things,writing there own chapter of soul.Move over granddaddy...!!!!

Great high energy ad.

Keith, putting kettle on In't kitcken t'other night and HEARD the ad, Bloody hell they're playing Oh How Happy I thought.........unfortunatley they spoilt it with the visuals LOL

Well remember first time I heard the Beinz, were at Market Harborough Allnighter, straight after I've been blessed (I know 'cause I wrote both tracks down in my wants book) eventually got a Soul Sounds boot copy, they're collectable now are'nt they???, and I've been blessed for 25P (were actually 5 shillings) from FLMoore a couple of weeks later

Edited February 20, 201114 yr by DanDare

It was a minor hit in the States I believe. I've seen it used in a few American ads. A Mastercard one, a washing up powder ad and one featuring a speeding train like the silver bullet.

I've probably got the ads on DVD from when the only way to watch the whole NFL game was to buy the video or DVD from a company in Switzerland.

The Human Beingz recording was a HUGE hit in the US - top 10 on the national charts and sold 100,000s of copies. It's also been in rotation on oldies stations forever and shows no sign of disappearing. All 300 million+ people in the US know it well. If it's used in an ad/movie by anyone from the US, it's pandering to the obvious, not some stroke of deep cultural insight. The HB band members also collect performance royalties.

Yep, he's a major vinyl fan. I did the 180 gram vinyl pressings for both "Reservoir Dogs" and "Pulp Fiction" soundtracks and he loved 'em!

Ian D

Oooh, get you! Rubbing shoulders with the best film director (+) of all time! I'd love to have him over for dinner and a chin-wag I'd like to hear that story Ian; if you'd share that is

Oooh, get you! Rubbing shoulders with the best film director (+) of all time! I'd love to have him over for dinner and a chin-wag I'd like to hear that story Ian; if you'd share that is

Actually I've been a big fan of his since Reservoir Dogs and as a result of that I went to the UK premiere of Pulp Fiction which cemented his reputation for me. Shortly after that, I became Head Of A&R for a quality vinyl album reissue company called Simply Vinyl. We did a deal with Universal Music and in the first 10 Universal titles I chose, I went with Reservoir Dogs and Pulp Fiction 'cos I thought they'd be popular with retro vinyl album collectors and the booming Tarrantino film crowd. I then 'met' Quentin on the "Ain't It Cool' film forum and mentioned I'd just released 2 x 180gram vinyl albums of his first 2 films, got his address and sent 'em over. He was knocked out with 'em!

He hasn't offered me a bloody soundtrack to do yet though.........

I'll have to give the big clod a clip around the ear when I next see him........

Ian D

i know its not strictly northern but R L Burnside popped up in last weeks edition of Being human on BBC3, must be a northern connection there somewhere with this ebing a current spin for many and who else is likely to have picked up on it!

and the sopranos

Isn't going to make the slightest bit of difference to the Northern scene though.

People don't go 'Oooh, I like that record on that advert, I must find out more about the lifestyle of the people who like it', do they?

No!! Thank God!