The First Record That Got You Hooked ?

[Mickjay33]

my first big tune has to be the elgins heaven must have sent you heard it on radio luxembourg 208 about 1967/8 still my all time fav tune still give it a spin when i get the chance

[Guest Sharon H]

my first big tune has to be the elgins heaven must have sent you heard it on radio luxembourg 208 about 1967/8 still my all time fav tune still give it a spin when i get the chance

sweet Motown classic

[Drew3]

I can remember it well. My sister is almost 3yrs older than me and was into Soul from around 1969 and she had a small collection of records which I now know were mainly boots (but she didn't know). In 1970 I was 11yrs old and remember that whenever my sister played her records I would moan to my mum that our kid was playing her crap again (me thinking Fire by Arthur Brown was the bees knees!!!) The following summer in 1971 I was approaching 13yrs of age and 'kick can football' in the playground was loosing its appeal and was giving way to me and my mates noticing that girls were not just sisters or general nuisances but actually had much more about them!!!! The sap was clearly starting to rise. At around 7pm one summer's evening I was board and wondered into our dining room where we had a steriogramme. Our kid's record box was there so I pulled out a record with a bright yellow lable with the logo V.I.P. (boot I think) and played Needle In A Haystack by The Velvelettes. I was awestruck and to this day I can conjur the feeling I had of absolute elation and pure joy. No more hanging around on the park with my old gang and it was off to the local youth club for me. Oh to be young again and I wouldn't mind having our kid's collection of boots!!!! Drew.

Edited February 6, 2012 by Drew3

[Guest MrC]

I honestly can't remember! Sure it would've been something I heard at the Youth Club (they always played "Northern" there), can't think of one particular tune that set me off though, I'd always listened to all different kinds of music anyway, could even have been something like "Tainted Love"- not quite as cliched then (mid 70s) as it is now!

[Guest brummiemick]

I remember being blown away as a kid by Rescue Me by Fontella Bass. It sounded so different to everything else in the charts at the time - 1965. It seems incredible that it will 50 years old in 3 years time - an absolute classic that has more than stood the test of time.

[Spacehopper]

my first would have been 3 of my dads little queenie,shotgun and youre not an ordinary girl...it would have been about 73 and i was 6 and obviously had never heard of northern soul but i knew i loved these tunes even though the name bill blacks combo sounded shit !!

the first knowing it was northern would be about 78 aged 11...youre ready now at the school/youth club discos...before i bought hey little way out girl on grapevine ..early memories from my brothers 500 box which i can remember looked HUGE next to my 25..would have been interplay,sliced tomatoes,cos you're mine,6x6 al records i can still remember playing back then

dean

[Dave Pinch]

johnny bragg..there talkin about me....by accident. 1974 ..my mum was a cleaner in the local club and sunday morning i went with her to work. mum and her friends were busy so i nipped up onto the stage where they`d had a disco the night before. lo and behold this 45 was on the table..green elberjay..no sleeve to be found tho..we`d got lots of records at home but i`d never seen one like this before...i took it home,played it and it introduced me to a sound the likes i`d never heard before

dave

Edited February 6, 2012 by dave pinch

[Tony A]

johnny bragg..there talkin about me....by accident. 1974 ..my mum was a cleaner in the local club and sunday morning i went with her to work. mum and her friends were busy so i nipped up onto the stage where they`d had a dico the night before. lo and behold this 45 was on the table..green elberjay..no sleeve to be found tho..we`d got lots of records at home but i`d never seen one like this before...i took it home,played it and it introduced me to a sound the likes i`d never heard before

dave

So that's where I left it.

[Dave Pinch]

So that's where I left it.

only a boot

[Tony A]

only a boot

All my records are,

[Dave Pinch]

All my records are,

and mine

[macca]

If I had to name just one record it would be Tony Clarke's Landslide, which I imagine hooked loads of us. It was at the youth club late 1973 I guess, as by the summer if 1974 me and my mate were hanging out with the older crowd, who certainly talked the talk and walked the walk.

[Guest starvingforsoul]

Bettye Swann - The Soul View Now! got it on an ebay auction that nobody else seemed to see for a very good price, got my hooked!

[Dave Fleming]

1st record well it varied as I lived near Bedford but went to school in St Neots, I remember things like Apple Peaches Pumkin Pie and Love Love Love. Remember missing the school bus to make sure I got to the record shop en route and buying Isleys Tell me it is just a rumour. Bought Jackie Wilson on MCA about 72 I guess, Sweetest Feeling. Then being on a bus on the way to see girlfriend and 3 older lads were coming home from WC. One , Barry is on here as DETO.

Since found out that my mum used to play my records when I was out. Only found out a couple of years ago.

Remember buying Baby hit and run after hearing it on Emperor Rosko show, I actually wrote down Baby hit him rough. Nice ending though as on my first trip to WC in May 74 some lad was playing it outside as we waited to get in. 2am in those days.

Oh my god memories. Better do some work. Ha ha!

Steve, Hills record shop in the High St ,remember when Steve Sabbey found a copy of April Stevens on a Uk demo at his aunts house,we used to pester him to play it when he done the local discos,is DETO (Barry Pain),cheers.

atb

Dave f......

[Guest gordon russell]

sweet talkin guy.....chiffons

[WheelCity45]

Bobby Paris-I Walked Away-Capitol

Edited July 9, 2012 by WheelCity45

[Richard Bayley]

Was it compulsory in the 70s to play "Band of Gold" at fairgrounds?

[Sleeps45]

vanguards-too late for love-lamp

newcomers-girl this boy loves you-volt

mandells-think back-transworld

[Sleeps45]

1 more..congenial four-you played the part of a loser-capitol

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g7qsZPWJd8Q

[Codfromderby]

i love the youth club thread thats going through this, especially when someone said the music sounded different from all other music, and the music that was played at fair grounds, my nominations are

sex machine james brown

me and baby brother war

mr penguin lunar funk

band of gold freda payne

boogaloo party flamingoes

wooly wbully sam the sham

liquider harry j

hey america james brown

sweet happiness newby and johnson

build your house on a strong foundation gwen and ray

your ready now frankie valli

and a real leftfield one "reach out" by new york city, played loads at our youth club, and still a great underated tune

[Sleeps45]

me and baby brother is sickk..my jam was the slippin into darkness lp version from the all day music lp

[Arthur Fenn]

Think i was lucky, cos at our local youth club we had guys like Swish & Ady Dundas coming in & taking over the decks with things like Dean P "On my way" ( complete with greenshield stamps covering it up ) This would be early 73 i guess and along with Duke Browner, Maxine Brown & the like i was hooked.

[Sammy Seaman]

hi arthur,i think i might have been there as well,how are you doing? silly thing to say,i know you are one of the top boys, and one of the most respected people on the scene,and what i have heard you deserve it,ps you are right about swish and ady they had a great influence on me has well lol sammy seaman

[billmarr]

Has to be Little Anthony & The imperials - Better Use Your Head, played at the local community Centre Disco's, where the Northern lads had a mono record player and a wee room to thereselves. then there was the first time i went to a proper soul night ( before the community centre) in Clouds, Edinburgh, where the upstairs room was northern soul and i saw it at first hand both the music and the dancing and just sat there and watched in amazement, didnt know any of the music but loved all that i heard and i'm pretty sure the one that stuck out in my head that night was Judy Street - What.

By the way, if anyone's ever seen the T.V. program - Looking After Jo Jo ( Robert Carlyle) The place where he lived was where my community centre was where i learned my northern moves.

[Arthur Fenn]

Hells spells Sammy Seaman!, i remember when you brought the ledgend that is Tony Clarke "landslide" along to a local night ( eggborough i think ). It was you guys that sent me to the dark side with all your talk of Catacobs this & Torch that . You know, every time i go into what was The Museum Hall in Selby my mind takes me back & i can see Eric & you guys dancing to thoes great records

[KevH]

Our local chippy had a side room with pinball and jukebox.On there was Chiffons - Sweet talking guy,loads of Temps/Four Tops stuff,Fontella Bass..and JNR Walker - Walk in the night etc...fantastic times and the chips were'nt bad either.

My home education started with the Tamla Motown stuff,plus Jamo Thomas - I spy,and the Impressions Big 16 LP.

So i suppose "I cant satisfy" and "You've been cheating".

[Guest kev such]

Hesitations "Im not built that way". The main thing for me was the energy and the harmony at the end. Pure class.

Kev

[Guest Sharon H]

Our local chippy had a side room with pinball and jukebox.On there was Chiffons - Sweet talking guy,loads of Temps/Four Tops stuff,Fontella Bass..and JNR Walker - Walk in the night etc...fantastic times and the chips were'nt bad either.

My home education started with the Tamla Motown stuff,plus Jamo Thomas - I spy,and the Impressions Big 16 LP.

So i suppose "I cant satisfy" and "You've been cheating".

memories ....

[Guest Droylsdonian]

Maiden post.

Great to be back after well over 35 years away from the scene ( I started very young, btw!)

Willie Tee's ' Walking Up a One Way Street'. I'd be 13 , I guess. Blew my head.

Went to John Dalton St. & bought it the next weekend.

I was ever so lucky, growing up where & when I did, because NS was played even at kids' discos.

Never stopped collecting, listening & dancing at home. God Bless the inventor of the laminate floor, eh? The fu**er is almost worn out.

Been to 2 just NS nights & would just note a couple of things:

1 Very few instrumentals played now. I have several tapes from the early/mid 70s & about 25% of tracks are insties.

2 Folk taking booze on to floors whilst inebriated, then spilling it , causing others to slip - totally out of order & needs stronger management.

KTF - I have.

Pat

[Codfromderby]

me and baby brother is sickk..my jam was the slippin into darkness lp version from the all day music lp

it has to played from a common or garden uk 45, just played it, sounds just as good as back in mid 70,s with 30 inch waist !

[wiganelli]

Early seventies listening to tamla down at the Beachcomber, but the 1st Northern to get me HOOKED was late 73 around the time the Casino opened we had a club in ASPULL called The Pink Elephant and i remember going in there one Thurday night and heard THE VELOURS IM GONNA CHANGE and i certainly did !!!!!

[Guest Gogs]

Similar thread on "all our yesterdays" forum so same answer, excluding motown that i was already into, the answer is lynn randell- stranger in my arms

[Guest Phoenix8049]

Jackie Lee - Oh My Darling.

Stu

[Lee Bates]

The very first record that got me hooked has to be "Out on the floor" Dobie Gray

[Reg Scott]

Frank Beverly & The Butlers "If That's What You Wanted".

First heard it on an Inferno compilation way back when and it just blew me away (still love it to bits).

Great tune, but it was the flip "Love (your Pain Goes Deep)" for me that demostrated the depth available..

And one more is both sides,equally great, of Barbara Mills classic Queen Of Fools / (make It Last) Take Your Time - Hickory

[tosspot]

Around 83/84 the local police ran a disco (Peelers disco - pun intended) - I would have been 13/14. Mod was still quite big locally and I think it would have to be Benny Spellman - Fortune Teller that most reminds me of the time. At the time got the bandy 45 & lp with other new orleans stuff (showmen - it will stand, Ernie K-Doe - A certain girl etc) which was great.

I think a lot of the joker 45's came out so Peanut Duck was also played alot. Probably tunes like this have lent themselves to my penchant for r&b.

A few early comps that have stayed with me are

On the soul side (Kent)

Nite-Life, the inferno comp mentioned above and sue story (vol 1 & 2) i think

A certain girl is one of my fav. records of all time, but by the mighty Yardbirds

[Peter99]

I've tried but I can't remember. I can remember me mates back in the day were into proper shite - Black Power, Barnaby Bye that Mickey Mouse shit thing. I pride myself on the fact that as a new boy on the soul block I even knew that those records were crap. I do remember having a stomp to So Is The Sun at Derby Assembly rooms all niter and the whole floor was bouncing. I probably knew then that I'd stick around for a bit of bouncy bouncy!

[Little-stevie]

The 4 tops.....

Reach Out..... That really got me started, did my dance practice to that and George Benson "On Broadway"....

Happy days.....

[Slim Jim]

Agent Double O Soul by Edwin Starr .

As a 16 year old mod brought up on good music this took things to a higher plain .....

Within weeks I was collecting rare soul and within a few years the mohair suits were replaced with polo shirts and baggy flares .

I'll never forget that bass line and intro ...... so cool

[Mickjay33]

Has to be Night Owl Bobby Parish, Still remember dancing to it at the Colas Club in Grantham.

remember colas club well was the res dj there for 2 years happy times

[Krawen2]

Road Runner by Jnr Walker and the all Stars. First heard it at Eastwood go go about 1971/72.

Pure class then and still pure class today.....

[Hammie]

Back in 1968 I was 13 and regularly going to my local youth club Haylands in Bedford,

remember hearing a mix of Motown and Reggae on the record player played there, but

a big moment for me was hearing Doris Troy - I'll do anything late one night at home in

my bedroom whilst tuned in to radio Caroline (I think).

The Doris Troy track was so uplifting and powerful and as good as the Motown sound I liked

but yet it was different..... and so started my search for that alternative upbeat sound that

later became known as 'Northern Soul'

[Guest Mart B]

Motown was rammeded down my throat by my brother from 1967 yes i was only seven he used to send back soul packs" soul bowl or selecta disc i beleive" if it didnt sound like motown!god knows what was in those soul packs . I Lived and breath it ever since.Northern soul was a easy progression for me 1974 local youth club folkhouse i would say" afternoon on the rhino" was my first true blow out tune,the rest is history.

[nstomp97]

Ohhh got to be, Rita & The Tiaras - Gone With The Wind

First time I heard it, I found it so dark yet beautiful and I was hooked

KTF

[Robbk]

As I started collecting LONG before Northern Soul started (and before what you all would term "Soul Music), my answering this question is probably "off topic". But I'll do it anyway. I first started listening to music in 1951 (mostly the 78s played by my parents, who were big fans of all types of Jazz, City Blues and the new genre of R&B. The first songs I remember liking were rockers by Louis Jordan and his Tympany Five, Bulmoose Jackson and his Buffalo Bearcats, Amos Milburn and His Chickenshackers, and T-Bone Walker. But the most memorable single song from my early listening, I would say is: "Sixty Minute Man" by The Dominoes.

I bought all the R&B and Soul records I could get my hands on, and listened to all the "Race Music" radio stations or programme hours we could hear in Chicago during the transition from R&B to Soul. So, I was in on Soul's beginning (WHENEVER you define its start). So, I couldn't choose a first Northern song that "got me into The Northern Scene", as such. But, I like many of the classics that were played early in Northern Soul's development. "My World Is On Fire" is one of my favourites.

[SallieJane]

Think I just grew up on it...I remember listening to all the Motown stuff when I was just a kid and loving it. Then when I was a bit older (11 or 12) I discovered Stax and Atlantic. So by the time I was 14 I was really up for it !!!

[boba]

As I started collecting LONG before Northern Soul started (and before what you all would term "Soul Music), my answering this question is probably "off topic". But I'll do it anyway.

hey robb, look at page one, you also answered the question in february.

[boba]

not "northern soul" but the original post wasn't that explicit. Three records that got me really into the chicago sound:

Notations - I'm still here

Chymes - My baby's gone away

Ledgends - Something to remember you by / Gotta let you go

[Robbk]

hey robb, look at page one, you also answered the question in february.

See what happens when one gets old? I've got a great memory for things that happened 50 years ago and back. But, if it happened within the last 10 or so....... zilch!

[Roburt]

Like Robb, I got into the music years before NS was 'invented'.

Back at the start it was 45's on UK Stateside (incl Motown), Atlantic (incl Stax), Sue and the like that got me hooked. Sam & Dave + Otis Redding tracks figured large in those days, soon to be followed by stuff like "Harlem Shuffle", "Determination", "Jump Back" & the original versions of tracks that Jimmy James, Alan Bown, the Who, Small Faces & Geno were doing.

But then, back in the 60's, all the UK chart & beat groups were covering soul songs .... you just had to go looking for the 'real version' when you heard a soulful type track by a UK artist / outfit.