I keep hearing how in other parts of the world soul music is being appreciated by a younger crowd - whether it's Europe, USA, Australia, it's the same message coming through loud and clear.

So why is it then, that in the country that was for so long the only real guardian of non hit soul music, aside from perhaps Japan, that there isn't a younger generation who are getting into that type of soul music here?

Are we victims of our own legacy? Doe we have a scene that is seen to be populated by "old(er) timers" (and thus not trendy). A scene that is mired in politics and look backs to venues that shut their doors before these younger folk were even born? Or is it something else?

Edited July 25, 201113 yr by Steve G

you either get it or you dont and those that get it will be the same as everyone else who already gets it, why worry about the future its too far away for me, maybe the new film coming out will help encourage more youth into the scene but if it dont does it really matter.

you either get it or you dont and those that get it will be the same as everyone else who already gets it, why worry about the future its too far away for me, maybe the new film coming out will help encourage more youth into the scene but if it dont does it really matter.

Re the new film ( when does it come out and whats it called? ). I doubt any of what you said will come true cos the film will more than likely get the normal slagging off that everything before it has. C'mon let's get positive for gawd sake. There's enough negativity around these day's without it spoiling our moment of truth. Just my opinion btw. for what it's worth.

Re the new film ( when does it come out and whats it called? ). I doubt any of what you said will come true cos the film will more than likely get the normal slagging off that everything before it has. C'mon let's get positive for gawd sake. There's enough negativity around these day's without it spoiling our moment of truth. Just my opinion btw. for what it's worth.

not sure when its released but i have a feeling it wont get the slagging off its seems to have got a lot of input from peeps on the scene today, was told that a good few of the youngsters in that film was at Camber Sands Scooter rally last month and they danced their socks off all night and seemed right into the music enjoying every minute, too much else in life for me to worry about right now than to worry or care where the scene will be in 10 years, live for today and tomorrow will be another day ps, if Soul Sam can still be doing it at 70 then ive got another 27 years at least to go

Me and freinds run events that are pretty open to all age groups, don't really think about age with freinds, our circle of freinds out and about range from 20 to near fossil... Aint no thought about age really.. All welcome but some things never change for me....

You aint gonna stay long on my dancefloor with beer in hand, be that a youngster with alcopops or old timer with a cherry B

This young old question keeps cropping up, what some see as young, i see as middle aged, what some see as old, i see as middle aged??

Lets say young is teens to early 20s, then we can get an idea of what we are talking about...

young... 15 to 24

Younger.. 25 to 40..

Middle aged 40 to early 50s

then.... fossil...

Thing is though, some young mates act fossil and some fossil mates act young, some fossils are staying out/ staying up longer than in their youth, some young mates like slippers and a cup of tea after 2am

Age range of djs and folk at our events are 20 to 50s, so its folk with a few hairs on you crown jewels to folk who don't require a stannah stairlift ( coming in )

aarrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrgh, all this age thing.. Lets knock it on the head....

just get out there and do it.. Long time dead....

PS.. I have been called a youngster a few times of late , i can remember old money, the 1970 world cup and Whatneys Pale ale..

Edited July 27, 201113 yr by little-stevie

I also share the view that the legacy of the Brit scene with all its politics, nostalgia, harping on about Wigan still etc. is a deterrant for younger folks, and at least partly why they have their own nights.

I dunno Steve. People harped on about the mod scene of the 60's, the Scene and the Wheel etc when we were kids and we accepted them as the legendary times and clubs that they undoubtably were. No one can re-write history. If they don't get it, then they're better off being elsewhere anyway imo.

Ian D

Gotta say ' Thank whoever ' for the fact we ARE getting more and more younger people attending our nights here at the FLY in Fremantle, Western Australia. It's great to see as far as we are concerned, and yes we have had to explain to them about the N.S. etiquette of no drinks on the dancefloor. This has alway's been appreciated once we explain WHY. The thing is with the younger kids is they seem to know all the words to most of the Motown and reggae songs and you can see them singing along to them. No they don't dance our style YET but give them time.Not too sure about any of them becomong collectors / deejays but as long as they continue to turn up and then go and tell their mates just how good the music is, this should ensure the continuance of our scene here. They like the fact there isn't gonna be ' any trouble ' and the girls appreciate the fact it isn't the normal ' meat market ' and they ain't gonna get hit on every time they step onto the floor. Long may it continue cos without them we are surely doomed. T Bone.

I suppose thats the real lagacy of this scene and back from the first mod generations, even surpassing the music, its the exclusitity the feeling of being into something different, something thats yours, or more importantly ours.

you either get it or you dont and those that get it will be the same as everyone else who already gets it, why worry about the future its too far away for me, maybe the new film coming out will help encourage more youth into the scene but if it dont does it really matter.

What this movie I hear you mention, youth?

What this movie I hear you mention, youth?

the one where they have been teaching lots of youngsters (teens & early 20s) all the dance moves, i think Keb and Paul Sadot are involved with the teaching there are some clips of them practicing on this thread and another thread somewhere that explains it a lot more, will try and find the thread i think the film is due for release quite soon

think its called "Young Souls" youtube on page one of a clip of it

This one Geeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeese you old fossil...

https://www.soul-source.co.uk/articles/news-soul/northern-soul-the-film-r2043

cheers guys i'll take a dekko, and dont talk to me about fossils, I'm just re indexing my trilobite collection, LOL.

This one Geeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeese you old fossil...

https://www.soul-sour...-the-film-r2043

...and he tells me he's a vinyl hunter ...........................................think this is on the Xmas pressie list for him :D

This one Geeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeese you old fossil...

https://www.soul-sour...-the-film-r2043

I'd seeen it before but completly forgot about it, the old grey matter is going already!

to attract youth to the scene-firstly there is a current in flux of young blood,there is a young lad called ethan doing the rounds,he is 14! and his dancing has come on in the past few years(ignore the old you tube footage of him,he is a very good dancer now) he has got a very " wigan style" to his dancing,all the hand moves,acrobatics are there and he wears trad soul boy clothing,spencers,frank wright loafers,vest,fred perry,red socks.he knows his onions too were records are concerned.there should be an influx from the scooter/mod/trad skin-suede head scenes aswell.on a slightly diff angle,a word to the men and women who wear the horrendous spencer copies with tartan pockets etc-stop it! you look awful,spencers are for the youth and those that can genuinely dance,you resemble either noddy holder or charlie corroli and not carl piper or vernon!,dont you know "clowns frighten children"!? and heres us trying to attract youth.just a final word-question-who told or said trickster is a great dancer?,sorry mate nowt personal your not and you shouldnt be teaching others your style as your average,the scene has few legendary dancers,carl piper,vernon,curly.sammy.sandy.keb.little deb.donna,frank boo.dale baker etc who could and should be teaching this style of dance not people with limited style,ability and musicality!

to attract youth to the scene-firstly there is a current in flux of young blood,there is a young lad called ethan doing the rounds,he is 14! and his dancing has come on in the past few years(ignore the old you tube footage of him,he is a very good dancer now) he has got a very " wigan style" to his dancing,all the hand moves,acrobatics are there and he wears trad soul boy clothing,spencers,frank wright loafers,vest,fred perry,red socks.he knows his onions too were records are concerned.there should be an influx from the scooter/mod/trad skin-suede head scenes aswell.on a slightly diff angle,a word to the men and women who wear the horrendous spencer copies with tartan pockets etc-stop it! you look awful,spencers are for the youth and those that can genuinely dance,you resemble either noddy holder or charlie corroli and not carl piper or vernon!,dont you know "clowns frighten children"!? and heres us trying to attract youth.just a final word-question-who told or said trickster is a great dancer?,sorry mate nowt personal your not and you shouldnt be teaching others your style as your average,the scene has few legendary dancers,carl piper,vernon,curly.sammy.sandy.keb.little deb.donna,frank boo.dale baker etc who could and should be teaching this style of dance not people with limited style,ability and musicality!

If young Ethan wants to dress up in baggies and dance all 'Wigan' esque then fair play to him. But i wouldn't say it's a wise thing to come on here and slag off someone for their dancing or speculating that said person is trying to teach the future of the soul scene how to dance; especially when that person has a lot of friends on here and the scene in general.

To be honest, a lot of the youth who i know on the scene might respect the glory days of Wigan and it's past, but certainly don't want to be/re-live the past. They do what they do, dance how they dance and wear what they wear because thats what feels right to them in the current day. They've got their finger on the pulse in terms of music but choose not to live in a nostalgia world, and these are the same people a lot of the previous posts refer to.

I think Steve and Bearsy said it - do what you like doing, listen to what you want. There's enough events out there for everyone and everyone's taste. Directly calling people out for how they choose to dance (which is an expression of their feeling towards the music surely) is bad form in my book

Edited July 28, 201113 yr by LilJimmyCrank

If young Ethan wants to dress up in baggies and dance all 'Wigan' esque then fair play to him. But i wouldn't say it's a wise thing to come on here and slag off someone for their dancing or speculating that said person is trying to teach the future of the soul scene how to dance; especially when that person has a lot of friends on here and the scene in general.

To be honest, a lot of the youth who i know on the scene might respect the glory days of Wigan and it's past, but certainly don't want to be/re-live the past. They do what they do, dance how they dance and wear what they wear because thats what feels right to them in the current day. They've got their finger on the pulse in terms of music but choose not to live in a nostalgia world, and these are the same people a lot of the previous posts refer to.

I think Steve and Bearsy said it - do what you like doing, listen to what you want. There's enough events out there for everyone and everyone's taste. Directly calling people out for how they choose to dance (which is an expression of their feeling towards the music surely) is bad form in my book

well said arron

It always amazes me that the younger lads can dance in trainers never been able to dance properly in anything other than leather soled shoes (also never been able to dance properly anyway).

all the younger crowd that i have got to know have all been very knowledgeable about the music and always great fun, as you know we get a few through the doors at the greatstone.I have had good nights at some of liams and paul barkers and adam maxwells do's Steve cato's functions tend to attract a lot of the younger crowd, although not been over to leeds for a while Rich buckley and yourself run some very good nights as was mentioned. I think we are lucky in Manchester and Leeds in having very large student and university graduate communities who do know what they like, which luckily is soul be it northern of funky northern of just plain funky, and they enjoy a dance whatever style they choose.

Long may it continue

Mark

your missing my point.iam not saying that the "soul youth"must wear trad 70s soul boy attire,iam aving a pop at the generation who disappeared in the early to mid eighties,who returned to the scene in the last decade.the northern scene is about dance! yeh i accept some people cant dance well,i just think if your gonna wear the trad stuff(not the tartan) that the younger generation can carry this off, it just looks daft on a grandad,as for the teaching bit again what i was getting at is there are very few people on the scene who are"qualified" to pass on the footwork,acrobatics etc which the northern scene is renowned for,i wasnt "slaggin" some one off for their dancing,i was pointing out that there seems to be alot mediocre tution.and i believe that certain elements of the scene should be only be tutoured by examporly individuals who are renowned for their talent.

to attract youth to the scene-firstly there is a current in flux of young blood,there is a young lad called ethan doing the rounds,he is 14! and his dancing has come on in the past few years(ignore the old you tube footage of him,he is a very good dancer now) he has got a very " wigan style" to his dancing,all the hand moves,acrobatics are there and he wears trad soul boy clothing,spencers,frank wright loafers,vest,fred perry,red socks.he knows his onions too were records are concerned.there should be an influx from the scooter/mod/trad skin-suede head scenes aswell.on a slightly diff angle,a word to the men and women who wear the horrendous spencer copies with tartan pockets etc-stop it! you look awful,spencers are for the youth and those that can genuinely dance,you resemble either noddy holder or charlie corroli and not carl piper or vernon!,dont you know "clowns frighten children"!? and heres us trying to attract youth.just a final word-question-who told or said trickster is a great dancer?,sorry mate nowt personal your not and you shouldnt be teaching others your style as your average,the scene has few legendary dancers,carl piper,vernon,curly.sammy.sandy.keb.little deb.donna,frank boo.dale baker etc who could and should be teaching this style of dance not people with limited style,ability and musicality!

i am saying trickster is a great dancer billy

you need to get out a bit more then sorry mate he is a bit above average,thats all,carl piper thats what i call a great dancer, an icon! ,the guy has been around for years just like keb etc,and he is as entertaining on the floor now as much as he was back in the day,theres very few people who will make me sit down and watch when iam up there doing "my thang",unfortunately trickster aint in the same league very few are.its dancers like this that make a good nite/nighter memorable.in a nut shell there are a minority of dancers who are GREAT,in my opinion and its the likes of carl who will keep the curiouse youth involved,you only have to watch and listen to "joe public" who stumble into the scene and pass comment on dancers such as this,ive seen piss taking public been left awe struck at many a soul nite and nighters by your keb darge's of this world

you need to get out a bit more then sorry mate he is a bit above average,thats all,carl piper thats what i call a great dancer, an icon! ,the guy has been around for years just like keb etc,and he is as entertaining on the floor now as much as he was back in the day,theres very few people who will make me sit down and watch when iam up there doing "my thang",unfortunately trickster aint in the same league very few are.its dancers like this that make a good nite/nighter memorable.in a nut shell there are a minority of dancers who are GREAT,in my opinion and its the likes of carl who will keep the curiouse youth involved,you only have to watch and listen to "joe public" who stumble into the scene and pass comment on dancers such as this,ive seen piss taking public been left awe struck at many a soul nite and nighters by your keb darge's of this world

Get out a bit more you are having a laugh mate, it's only the last 6 weeks i've been sitting o0n my ass due to an op, carls a good dancer no doubt about it and also many more i had a privilege to dance beside many of the great dancers over the 35 years, i watched trickster dance over the years, the bloke got passion enough said cheers billy

This forum is getting beyond a joke these days, over the past few weeks i've seen a number of threads turn into personal insults.

I've known Chris for some 27 years, he loves his dancing, to publicly say he is average is insulting, Chris has been asked in the past to give lessons and advice, Not set himself up as an expert that you seem to think he has, so firstly you need to get your facts straight, secondly people dance because of the music, if people are now going to be judged on their ability, then i may as well spend my nights sat in a chair, cause if Chris is average, then i'll score Nil points.

yes people are judged on their ability-in all walks of life,but this thread was and is about how to attract the youth and promote the side of the scene which the general mass associate with DANCING!.might i point out the northern soul scene was and is an elitist sub culture from the records to the dance steps,as it evovled from the mod scene.point in fact if you werent up to the "standard" on the floor at wigan you wouldnt get anywere near the stage for being "bumped" off the floor.now back to the point-how to attract the youth?

just to add to billy whizz's comment-yeah mate he has got passion(trickster) and his own style,ive shared a dance floor with him too in the past,

yes people are judged on their ability-in all walks of life,but this thread was and is about how to attract the youth and promote the side of the scene which the general mass associate with DANCING!.might i point out the northern soul scene was and is an elitist sub culture from the records to the dance steps,as it evovled from the mod scene.point in fact if you werent up to the "standard" on the floor at wigan you wouldnt get anywere near the stage for being "bumped" off the floor.now back to the point-how to attract the youth?

Here we go again.."Wigan this, Wigan that" i was always under the impression that the Casino was and underground club for 4 years, that went overground for it's last four years.........to the point it had more members than humanly possible to attend, hardly Britain's best kept secret!

Youth will be attracted to an underground scene, that plays quality dance music, Our Scene is about playing forgotten quality 60's/70's soul records from a period spanning 20 years, plenty of cheaper records out there that could and would get people dancing but from what i've seen of these oldies nights, the playlists are predictable, easy to quote the "Top 500" but this is the reason these events don't attract new blood, why as a yougster would you want to listen to the same records every week, after a year you would be bored, not very progressive, and certainly not an elite culture regardless of how much the records cost on original.

For our scene to continue we need nights that play a mixture of priced records, new record buyers need a point of entry, due to the fact we will always need DJ's. Young Collectors/future dj's are not going to start at the top end, people always work their way up the price scale £5, £10, £20, £50....till they find their limit, some as we know, may never find that limit.

As Highlighted in this thread, we have plenty of venues already doing this, the ones that are struggling for new blood are stuck in this retro/revival nights hell bent on re-living a bygone era "Northern Soul" that has forgotten the will to listen and dance to something they have not heard before. Surely "they" must have danced to records blind back at "Wigan" these nights have forgotten what you have so rightly pointed out is what "Northern Soul" is all about.

Here we go again.."Wigan this, Wigan that" i was always under the impression that the Casino was and underground club for 4 years, that went overground for it's last four years.........to the point it had more members than humanly possible to attend, hardly Britain's best kept secret!

Youth will be attracted to an underground scene, that plays quality dance music, Our Scene is about playing forgotten quality 60's/70's soul records from a period spanning 20 years, plenty of cheaper records out there that could and would get people dancing but from what i've seen of these oldies nights, the playlists are predictable, easy to quote the "Top 500" but this is the reason these events don't attract new blood, why as a yougster would you want to listen to the same records every week, after a year you would be bored, not very progressive, and certainly not an elite culture regardless of how much the records cost on original.

For our scene to continue we need nights that play a mixture of priced records, new record buyers need a point of entry, due to the fact we will always need DJ's. Young Collectors/future dj's are not going to start at the top end, people always work their way up the price scale £5, £10, £20, £50....till they find their limit, some as we know, may never find that limit.

As Highlighted in this thread, we have plenty of venues already doing this, the ones that are struggling for new blood are stuck in this retro/revival nights hell bent on re-living a bygone era "Northern Soul" that has forgotten the will to listen and dance to something they have not heard before. Surely "they" must have danced to records blind back at "Wigan" these nights have forgotten what you have so rightly pointed out is what "Northern Soul" is all about.

ding fooking dong what post

just to add to billy whizz's comment-yeah mate he has got passion(trickster) and his own style,ive shared a dance floor with him too in the past,

Well done son i wonder if he thought you danced like a pile of shit too

to attract youth to the scene-firstly there is a current in flux of young blood,there is a young lad called ethan doing the rounds,he is 14! and his dancing has come on in the past few years(ignore the old you tube footage of him,he is a very good dancer now) he has got a very " wigan style" to his dancing,all the hand moves,acrobatics are there and he wears trad soul boy clothing,spencers,frank wright loafers,vest,fred perry,red socks.he knows his onions too were records are concerned.there should be an influx from the scooter/mod/trad skin-suede head scenes aswell.on a slightly diff angle,a word to the men and women who wear the horrendous spencer copies with tartan pockets etc-stop it! you look awful,spencers are for the youth and those that can genuinely dance,you resemble either noddy holder or charlie corroli and not carl piper or vernon!,dont you know "clowns frighten children"!? and heres us trying to attract youth.just a final word-question-who told or said trickster is a great dancer?,sorry mate nowt personal your not and you shouldnt be teaching others your style as your average,the scene has few legendary dancers,carl piper,vernon,curly.sammy.sandy.keb.little deb.donna,frank boo.dale baker etc who could and should be teaching this style of dance not people with limited style,ability and musicality!

First of all you quote a young dancer who wears retro clothing then knock older ones for doing the same, make your mind up is it ok for one and not another? If you don't like the clothing just say so no need to go down the "Clown" route is there.

And is there really any need to get personal with Trickster?

The topic is about the next generation and attacting then to the scene, not insulting others, stick to the topic please.

And can you please post an introduction just so fellow members know a bit about you and who they are debating with

Members Shouts and Intros

Thanks

Chalky

to attract youth to the scene-firstly there is a current in flux of young blood,there is a young lad called ethan doing the rounds,he is 14! and his dancing has come on in the past few years(ignore the old you tube footage of him,he is a very good dancer now) he has got a very " wigan style" to his dancing,all the hand moves,acrobatics are there and he wears trad soul boy clothing,spencers,frank wright loafers,vest,fred perry,red socks.he knows his onions too were records are concerned.there should be an influx from the scooter/mod/trad skin-suede head scenes aswell.on a slightly diff angle,a word to the men and women who wear the horrendous spencer copies with tartan pockets etc-stop it! you look awful,spencers are for the youth and those that can genuinely dance,you resemble either noddy holder or charlie corroli and not carl piper or vernon!,dont you know "clowns frighten children"!? and heres us trying to attract youth.just a final word-question-who told or said trickster is a great dancer?,sorry mate nowt personal your not and you shouldnt be teaching others your style as your average,the scene has few legendary dancers,carl piper,vernon,curly.sammy.sandy.keb.little deb.donna,frank boo.dale baker etc who could and should be teaching this style of dance not people with limited style,ability and musicality!

Carl dresses in bags and a vest,carries an all nighter bag with change of clothes.What's your opinion on that? He's a nice bloke,but wouldn't you say 75% acrobat,25% dancer? Can teach the young guns a thing or two no doubt.

First of all, hello to everyone. First post as I'm not a keen writer on forums, but I have been lurking on these pages for a few years. And i have read a few threats about the problem with young people on the (rare, northern, whatever) soul scene. Here's my two pence's worth: When I moved to London when i was 20, I started going to Mod and Soul Nighters on my own, not knowing anybody or much about Northern Soul (well, knowing as much as you can know when you are interrested in this music/scene, and come from a small continental town). I am still passionate about soul music a few years down the line, and travel to soul nights throughout England and Europe with some of my fellow "young" soulies. Bottom line: I don't really get the discussions about youngsters in the scene and it's future. If youg'uns come to Nighters and love the music plus the whole shebang around it, they will stick with it, if not than not. No need to make the scene seem like something it is not to attract young people just for the sake of it. It is what it is, a nice mix of people from around 20 up to 70 (?) that share a common passion, including music/records, dancing, drinking etc. And anyway, I see plenty of "young" folks at the nighters i attend, and loads of young DJs putting on their own nights (which are also attended by olds). Hope that makes any sense.

M

ooh ive really hit a nerve with some folk-good firstly ive never said any one was "shit"!,and do i believe trickster thinks iam a average dancer? he probadly does,do i care? no!and even though some of you out there think iam being personal i apologise as i wasnt as ive no issue with trickster but i just believe that only a select few have all the elements to get involved with the training of other dancers-yeh i have an imformed veiw of this and i wouldnt try and coach any body,might i add paul sardot has been doing a fantastic job of teaching the youngsters for the up and coming movie,he was polishing their styles,and this is what i was getting that very few on the scene have the teaching skills and dance technique to create an interest from the younger element.and now for the "retro" thing most of the "young uns" ive been in the company of do the retro clothing thing and do it well-with style! but come on you must admit that theres some "born again soul boys" go over the top to the point were they look ridiculous?,as for carl wearing retro singlet,spencers and carrying a holdall-yeh he looks the part,subtle and practical and as for wether he is a dancer or acrobat?-neither he is the architypical "soul boy",he is the person most of us wanted to be!.again my point about "the clowns"is these people tend to make up for there lack of dance floor prowess by going over the top(now there is a good tune) with the 70s look.to attract the young the scene needs to be portraide in the media with the current batch of "young faces" liam,steve,ethan en all not us old uns

firstly ive never said any one was "shit"!,

You're right, you didnt. But you did call him average, and said he shouldnt be teaching kids to how to dance because of thast fact.

At the end of the day, why do 'kids' need teaching? Dance how you wanna dance - no point copying someone elses style. I'm with Mlad on this, the scene is what it is in the UK. Young 'uns come out to play with the old 'uns, and also do their own thing.

Maybe the focus should be less of 'what can we do to get the young uns in' and more about 'do less of the things that keep young uns out'..........or here's a novel one, what will be will be so lets just get on with enjoying things

You're right, you didnt. But you did call him average, and said he shouldnt be teaching kids to how to dance because of thast fact.

At the end of the day, why do 'kids' need teaching? Dance how you wanna dance - no point copying someone elses style. I'm with Mlad on this, the scene is what it is in the UK. Young 'uns come out to play with the old 'uns, and also do their own thing.

Maybe the focus should be less of 'what can we do to get the young uns in' and more about 'do less of the things that keep young uns out'..........or here's a novel one, what will be will be so lets just get on with enjoying things

Top post Azza (and mlad's too....) There's been far too much "they might enjoy it, but they won't enjoy it like we do..." on this thread - I guess old hands from the Wheel and Torch said much the same when they saw hordes of pilled-up teenagers descend on Wigan .

A few canards on this thread - "they like city centre bars, but won't travel" - completely unfair! Quite a few get around a lot - and the sentiment masks the fact that the majority of the UK's northern soul scene these days largely sticks to its own environs, attending largely oldies-based soul nights (sad but true). Access to nighters is a real issue for newer punters - usually solved by a healthy interaction between the soul generations. And hasn't that always been the case? I couldn't begin to count the number of times old soul veterans have told me when starting out, how they were taken under the wing, so to speak, of an older crew, who told them what was what, got them to nighters, bent their ears about taste in music, sorted their gear.....

Also etiquette........ as far as I can see, the scene's "unwritten rules" are a plus point for newcomers - why not come to a night where there's no need for gorillas in suits to police the venue, where you can leave your coat, bags drinks where you like, largely free from the threat of thieving scrotes, and where the dancefloor isn't a moshpit - what's not to like?

Oh, and if the grizzled nature of today's NS crowd is a problem, we just have to think about making venues a bit darker

You're right, you didnt. But you did call him average, and said he shouldnt be teaching kids to how to dance because of thast fact.

At the end of the day, why do 'kids' need teaching? Dance how you wanna dance - no point copying someone elses style. I'm with Mlad on this, the scene is what it is in the UK. Young 'uns come out to play with the old 'uns, and also do their own thing.

Maybe the focus should be less of 'what can we do to get the young uns in' and more about 'do less of the things that keep young uns out'..........or here's a novel one, what will be will be so lets just get on with enjoying things

Indeed mate..

Natural selection.... Some will get it and others won't..

Thats the way its always been and i like it that way..

simple..

bearsy mentioned camber sands scooter rally..ive.only been going for about 4 or 5 years now djing in the soul room and i can really notice how many more teens and early twenties there are now to when i started...a few years back most of the dance comp were oldies puffing and sweating now the last three were all youngsters ( the winner only 16 according to the new scootering and she's been fourth for the last 3 years),infact some of the older faces who were there didnt even enter....give these youngsters a few more years they will have the money to go by themselves and not with their parents and to soul nites/alniters too i reckon...loads of young bands playing there influenced by the mod scene playing soul covers too

kings hall was the same ,always been a few young faces most of which you recognise each time you go...this july shit loads ive never seen up there before...not just in the 70s clothes but also more and more of the mod look...

as for djs and ovo...going back to another thread they might not have the money for the top tunes but as has been said there are loads of tunes they can afford..and anyway....we all started somewhere...plenty reissues and boots played at those youth clubs when you were younger!

go go children in bristol (another big...ish city)has loads of youngsters some really into the soul/mod thing others just passing through lovin the quality music dancin how they wanna....

i think some people take OURselves a little too serious...this music will last forever,yes the scene will change as it always did before there was a nostagia side to it,it may get smaller but maybe thats a good thing...i hear wigan wasnt as good when it was popular after the mid 70s(TOTP etc) anyway...

so dont panic..might not ever be THE scene of the young folk in general like punk,ska,new romantic etc but then again youngsters today dont seem to have big waves of certain genres like the good ole days...probably cos the 'charts' today are full of pop stars with half tidy vocals but are singing songs written by middle aged millionaires...so most credible young scenes today that are actually made by younsters are underground

thats what i think anyway

dean

by the way im 44 for those who dont know me...never went to wigan my older bruv went to niters and i cut my teeth on the scooter rallies of the 80s...

theres also a sequel to quadrophenia been written which apparently is a lot better than you might first think,has the backing of pete townsend and may be made into a film...history repeating?

dean

At the end of the day, why do 'kids' need teaching? Dance how you wanna dance - no point copying someone elses style. I'm with Mlad on this, the scene is what it is in the UK. Young 'uns come out to play with the old 'uns, and also do their own thing.

Maybe the focus should be less of 'what can we do to get the young uns in' and more about 'do less of the things that keep young uns out'..........or here's a novel one, what will be will be so lets just get on with enjoying things

Best post of the thread Azza

People get too hung up on 'How you should look' and 'How you should dance' on this scene and tend to forget why we are ALL here.. No matter what the age

The Music

Not everyone is the ace face..or Keb Darge..a lot of folks don't even dance at all at nights!

Yes my generation and younger might wear trainers..might not know all the old steps..but all I have met are as enthusiastic about the music as any veteran wheel goer

I think this scene will continue..but it will evolve

I'm not so sure pure soul nights will continue..a lot of the younger crowd like a mix..psych..garage..R&B..even Rockabilly mixed into the equation..OVO will still be adhered to..drinks will still be banned on the dancefloor..but in 20 years time when half of you have popped your clogs and the young ens have matured

The Soul Scene might be a different animal entirely

dean mate your right! and thats what my original post said-the young blood has the best chance of getting a foot hold into the northern/rare soul scene via the scooter/mod events.plus the likes of duffy's "mercy" vid etc, and the new northern soul film and not t.v programmes like paul o'gradys mockery.if a t.v channel was/should to make a documentary on the soul scene,then focus on the new blood who will take it forward but incorporate the history.and as for "teaching" the soul youth-i think they should be nurtured