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Some Blue-Eyed Northern Soul, Anyone?

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The debate on the Javells post regarding black NORTHERN soul v white NORTHERN soul really got me thinking, and relating the differing views to my 27 years on the scene. I like to think that NORTHERN soul music is as diverse as the people who listen to it and buy the music .

I thought that the previous thread of mine would have run its course, but it seems quite a few of us are happy to keep the chat on this subject going, so here I am again - complete with amendments.

Here's my list of blue-eyed NORTHERN soul faves - obviously it will always be far from complete, as there is so much out there, but these for me are the more outstanding ones:

THE MARTELLS: Where Can My Baby Be

THE DEADBEATS: No Second Chance

THE MODS: Dry My Eyes

BOBBY PARIS: I Walked Away

GARY SOL'E: Holdin' On

TONY COLTON: I Stand Accused

MARK LOYD: When I'm Gonna Find Her

LYNNE RANDELL: Stranger In My Arms

B J THOMAS & THE TRIUMPHS: Keep It Up

THE BUCK ROGERS MOVEMENT: Take It From Me Girl

JOANNIE SOMMERS: Don't Pity Me

ROCK CANDY / CONTEMPLATIONS: Alone With No Love (I'm assuming it's white)

NICKY JAMES: So Glad We Made It

STEVE ALDO: YOu're Absolutely Right

THE SEVEN SOULS: I Still Love You (bearing in mind the 50-50 mix of black and white in the group)

THE TEMPESTS: Just about anything they've committed to vinyl (and yes, I know Hazell Martin is a black singer!)

Be interested to get a cross-section of views on the above, and also to hear what your fave blue-eyed NORTHERN soul tunes are. Would also be nice to hear some interesting stories behind the records, if anyone has them.

PS: Anyone posting on here with the sole intention of being obstructive, DO ONE NOW. YOU ARE NOT WELCOME HERE.

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  • Wilxy
    Wilxy

    IMHO the finest example of blue eyed soul is Those Lonely nights by the Soul Communicaters on Fee Bee, with Chuck Corby as lead singer.....Stunning record, and oh so Soulful

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Superb

https://youtu.be/QWJrbqVqntw

Even better with top R&B tune on other side"don't let it go to your head"

Classic

Soulful

Nice !!

biggrin.gif

post-1986-0-63545000-1310304032_thumb.jppost-1986-0-09408200-1310304051_thumb.jpbiggrin.gif

Have that Mel Torme LP-

Different take on Comin Home Baby and a reasonable version of Better Use Your Head :lol:

Tony

Yeh speed it up a bit,little red books ok also secret agent man and you got the power, is Graham Bonney German ? the whole LP is naff German crap save super girl in glorious stereo yes.gif

£4 this morning M- and Graham Bonney £1.50 M- smile.gif

FRIDAY BROWN - 32ND LOVE AFFAIR - UK FONTANA

Got one of these off ebay yesterday for £49.99 - see someone selling on on here today for £150!

Pretty decent UK girl dancer.

There's a thread on all our yesterdays "Best Sound by a White Artist before '73" which has been going for a while.

You'll find loads more on that, the reason for staarting before the end of '73 was the load of pop crap played at Wigan after '73, including Tony Blackburns verion of "I'll Do Anything"

What a lot of people don't realise or undersatnd, is that this was the way to get black music recognised in the UK, when small labels couldn't afford to promote and the bigger ones didn't want to .

We all know of the rip offs etc, but Bessie Banks -Go Now and the Valentinos- It's Al Over Now, by the Moody Blues and the Stones respectively, did help gain greater recognition for the original artists.

Obviously, this changed with lots of white artists creating their own recoreds with the same sounds.

One that hasn't been mentioned on either thread is

Spiral Staircase- More Today than Yesterday.

Plus the Ventures

ps Met Andy Fairweatherlow at Bletsoe alnighter in 72 with a bag full of g&c's

Shelly

Don't think anyone's mentioned that there are quite a few big 70s records by white artists, in fact some of the biggest ever such as The Anderson Brothers on GSF or Benny Troy on Delite. Also add to the mix the likes of James Walsh Gypsy Band, Roger Troy, The Nicky Newarkers, The Fifth Avenue Band, Sons of Robin Stone, George Clinton Band, Pete Warner, Razzy Bailey etc. and it would be eminently possible to do a pretty good spot of entirely blue-eyed 70s anthems.

I've long suspected that The Philharmonics on Soulin' were a white (or at least mixed) group. Does anyone know for sure?

Edited by garethx

few for me,least i think they are all 'blue eyed' :thumbsup:

singing swinging counts - along the way

sue lynn - dont pity me

paul anka - i cant help loving you

gary haines - keep on going

jan foreman - your last chance

warner brothers- im going your way

sandpipers - lonely too long

Love this track

Someone said on a previous thread on here that although Jan sounds white, she was in fact black - evidenced by a picture which unfortunately never got posted up

P.S. found the link

Cheers

Richard

Edited by Premium Stuff

the reflections,i think one of the group was a sweaty,!!!

SOUL SET - will you ever learn

Trade Martin

Epitome Of Sound (most of 'em anyway)

Explosive Dynamiks - whole lotta lovin (Lemco)

Soul Masters - I'll Be waiting here (Raven)

The Salvadors - Stick By Me Baby (wise world) ......surely a blue-eyed group?

Not according to one of the group's sons who posted this on youtube:

Not according to one of the group's sons who posted this on youtube:

I would never have thought of the Salvadors as a blue-eyed tune - sounds nothing like it no.gif

Probably the best male group Northern Soul record ever hatsoff2.gif

Cheers

Richard

Don't think anyone's mentioned that there are quite a few big 70s records by white artists, in fact some of the biggest ever such as The Anderson Brothers on GSF or Benny Troy on Delite. Also add to the mix the likes of James Walsh Gypsy Band, Roger Troy, The Nicky Newarkers, The Fifth Avenue Band, Sons of Robin Stone, George Clinton Band, Pete Warner, Razzy Bailey etc. and it would be eminently possible to do a pretty good spot of entirely blue-eyed 70s anthems.

I've long suspected that The Philharmonics on Soulin' were a white (or at least mixed) group. Does anyone know for sure?

Doug Parkinson - I'll Be Around.

Anyone said Antony and the Aqualads? Lots of those beach sounds that were popular in the early 80s fit the bill in this thread.

Thanks Gareth & Premium stuff for clearing up that the Salvadors are indeed NOT a blue-eyed group. A top notch tune and definitely in my top ten of Northern Soul tunes!

This one is blue-eyed though....The Lost Souls - Secret Of Mine (Raven)

What about:

The Spontanes - Where did I go wrong - United Artists - great blue eyed soul out of New York

Magnificent Men - Together Forever - Capitol

also a great tune which has already been mentioned I think

adam

This thread is completely mashing my head up I thought Ive been listening to the sound of black America for all these years :thumbup:

My mum says Tom Jones has a black voice , so by that logic do all black singers sound Welsh ? :P

Can a blue man sing the whites ? :D

Besides Black Puddin Bertha didnt Bill Oddie sing something that got a few plays ? :g:

Brilliant thread BTW :no:

Now then James Walsh Gypsy Band - spent years trying to sell the LP but no takers - probably because of the cover ?

post-14816-0-15319200-1310374131_thumb.j

Edited by mark w.

This thread is completely mashing my head up I thought Ive been listening to the sound of black America for all these years :rolleyes:

Brilliant thread BTW :lol:

True mate, it really makes you think again about what you've been listening to all these years :D

Like I s aid before there's some turkeys here but a lot of good stuff as well yes.gif

Now then James Walsh Gypsy Band - spent years trying to sell the LP but no takers - probably because of the cover ?

post-14816-0-15319200-1310374131_thumb.j

Looks like my 1975 school photo :rolleyes:

Now then James Walsh Gypsy Band - spent years trying to sell the LP but no takers - probably because of the cover ?

post-14816-0-15319200-1310374131_thumb.j

or because of the price? :rolleyes:

Edited by MrC

Thanks Gareth & Premium stuff for clearing up that the Salvadors are indeed NOT a blue-eyed group. A top notch tune and definitely in my top ten of Northern Soul tunes!

This one is blue-eyed though....The Lost Souls - Secret Of Mine (Raven)

BRILLIANT!

Can't find any mention of 'Chapter five' 'you can't mean it' anywhere here!!!

Has anyone mentioned The Nomads yet? Surely one of the very greatest from a golden age.

I tend to separate the Beach records from the rest of the US pop stuff that got played, maybe because they were made for a very specific geographical dance scene (as opposed to national radio), and maybe because they were very heavily influenced by the original Beach scene hits which were practically all 'real' Rhythm 'n' Blues records by the likes of The Showmen, The Clovers, Willie Tee etc.

Having said all that the few genuine Beach sounds from the late 60s with black vocals such as The Mighty Marvelows "Talking 'Bout You Baby" or Reggie Saddler Combo on Panther really ratchet the thing up a gear and make we wish more black groups attempted the genre.

Can't find any mention of 'Chapter five' 'you can't mean it' anywhere here!!!

Best British Northern Soul record ever made.

There we go!

Should also mention Carol & Gerri on MGM, maybe one of the greatest blue--eyed double siders.

Best British Northern Soul record ever made.

There we go!

More up to date - the Primers "How does it grab you"...must be white.?

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