What Is Beach Music?

[Guest brummiemick]

I have been listening to snippets of tracks via ITunes from a collection of CD's called Rare Southern Soul - Beach Music Gems. Many of the tracks sound like Northern or Modern Soul.

What is Beach Music?

[Kris Holmes]

like northern soul but with more garage rock/frat rock influence, think Girl Watcher by the Okaysions or Double Shot by the Swingin' Medallions. there is a bit of crossover. scene based around the southeast, upper florida/carolinas.

[Anais nin Carms]

Its shag music , really no joke thats what its called in the States type shag music in your search engine and you will

see:

I used to know a guy on KTF called Steve Martin and he was very much into it , he loved lots of General Johnson , Chairmen of the Board stuff.

Beach music, also known as Carolina beach music, is a regional genre which developed from various musical styles of the forties, fifties and sixties. These styles ranged from big band swing instrumentals to the more raucous sounds of blues/jump blues, jazz, doo-wop, boogie, rhythm and blues, reggae, rockabilly and old-time rock and roll. Beach music is closely associated with the style of swing dance known as the shag, or the Carolina shag, which is also the official state dance of both North Carolina and South Carolina. Recordings with a 4/4 "blues shuffle" rhythmic structure and moderate-to-fast tempo are the most popular music for the shag, and the vast majority of the music in this genre fits that description.

Edited February 15, 2012 by Carms

[Guest brummiemick]

Thanks folks, so that's where shagging on the beach started :-)

[Guest Dave Turner]

And here's a couple having a knee trembler

[Guest Matt Male]

Nomads - Somethings Bad - big North Carolina beach sound.

There's a Carolina Beach music CD out there somewhere, most tracks you'll recognise as northern.

It's a bit like the Belgium Popcorn scene, independent of the northern scene in Britain but similar music and sharing the same records.

Edited February 15, 2012 by Matt Male

[Guest GARV]

I have been listening to snippets of tracks via ITunes from a collection of CD's called Rare Southern Soul - Beach Music Gems. Many of the tracks sound like Northern or Modern Soul.

What is Beach Music?

Hi mick,

I asked the same question some time back , if you put the highlighted in the search engine then you will get some great info . Don`t know how to put a link up .

Beach Music & The Soul Scene

Garv

[boba]

There was a huge expensive coffee table book called "the heyy baby days of beach music" that came out a few years ago which has info on tons of groups.

In a few words, I would describe the sound as mostly White garage-type bands (they were not like separate vocal groups) playing soul music.

Also, one thing that's different than the northern scene is that it seems like there's a continuity of the music where it continued to be made and new generations got into the scene continuously, even going into today.

[Shinehead]

And here's a couple having a knee trembler

Looks to me like they could be some shagging going on long after the dance is over !

[eddiep]

There's also a film called "Shag" that came out in the 80's based around a group of girls during the 60's beach music scene.

I remember it being pretty good 60's teen movie with some great dancing scene's. Well I enjoyed them anyway....

Trailer clip below for anyone interested....

ATB

Eddie

[Windlesoul]

Yeh the Shag movie I think was the one that got the Tams - Aint nothing like shaggin' briefly in the UK charts (and I've got a spare of the LP that was released if anybody wants one).

Tried to get this on lovefilm but didnt go to DVD?

Edited February 15, 2012 by mark w.

[Nige Brown]

I used to know a guy on KTF called Steve Martin and he was very much into it , he loved lots of General Johnson , Chairmen of the Board stuff.

Sounds a bit of a Comedian to me Carms!

[Paddy Ferry]

The Showmen. It Will Stand,[yeah ok].From the motion picture SHAG.

Edited February 15, 2012 by gainsoul

[Modernsoulsucks]

Kris and Matt,

I think you've got hold of the wrong end of the stick when comparing the Northern/rare soul scene to the Beach music scene.

If you walked into a shag club you would not be struck by it's similarity to our scene music-wise. It is an odd mish-mash of 50's blues and R&B coupled with an assortment of 45s from 70's onwards, including many tailor-mades, to today. It is not exclusively Black music because as Carms mentioned the only criteria is that you can shag to it. The scene now and for some time in the past [at least mid-80's] has been built around the dance steps.

Highly unlikely you would hear more than a couple of 60's tracks [if that] and no chance you'd hear Nomads,Soul Set, Gene Barbour etc. In fact there's probably very few patrons who have even heard of those groups and they are much more likely to know Shakin' Stevens who had around 5 big Beach hits. You would have heard at one time Drifters "Pour your little..." or Futures "Party time man" which I guess you could point to as being played here but they were picked up after being played on the Beach scene so if there is any crossover it is very limited.

There is crossover with the current crop of bluesmen/women putting out stuff that is new. It is not entirely accidental because the scene has a profile and artists sometime tend to have an eyer on that market. Something like this was big at the time of release

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KLAxC3GUJs8

There is also Beach radio where you would hear some 60's soul but a lot of it is based on the current Beach Top 20. Again highly unlikely obscure Carolina groups will feature. You may hear Swinging Medallions, Bob Kuban and even "Far away places" Embers [which was the Beach side], records that were hits, but mostly the sound of the clubs.

Where it does fit in with the Northern is that back in the 60's those guys made records based on their appreciation of Black music. But even then the Impressions version of "I need you" would be the choice of most of the fans and not Gene Barbour.

ROD

[Guest ps00]

If you want to know what Beach Music is, listen to Shaggin The Night Away - https://pbsfm.org.au/shagginthenight

I think General Norman Johnson and his Chairmen of the Board is considered the King of Beach Music so you could check that out

It's fun background music for me but i can never really give it my undivided attention...nice for a dance

[eddiep]

"Tried to get this on lovefilm but didnt go to DVD?"

Not in the UK but did in the States Mark.

You can pick it up on ebay mate.

ATB

Eddie

Edited February 15, 2012 by eddiep

[macca]

Wasn't the great willie tee a shag hero? I think dear john and walking up a one way street are shag anthems. you gotta pay some dues sounds eminently shagworthy to my ears too...

[Guest]

Isn't harry deal and the galaxies classed as beach music ? of course I could be wrong.

[Soulfinger]

Current Beach Music top 40. https://www.beachshag.com/ImagesSoundsResources/BMT40%20Feb%204%202012.pdf

I listen to 94.9 The Surf on internet radio a fair bit.

[scunnyjack]

I bought a Beach compilation LP while in the States in 1983,knowing very little about the scene. Ian Levine played one of the tracks - Robert John-Who Could Ever Believe it, in his Solar show earlier today. Other tracks include :

Robert John- If You Don't Want My Love

Spellbinders - We're Acting Like Lovers

Major Lance - Everybody Loves A Good Time / Gonna Get Married / Mama Didn't Know

The Tymes - People / The Love That You're Looking For

Billy Butler - Nevertheless / I'm Just A Man

Spiral Staircase,Essence,Wild Cherry, Tyrone Davis, Jimmy Hall and Tina Charles ( I'll Go where the music takes me )

Otis Leavill - Right Back In Time

Tower Of Power - You Ought To Be in Heaven / And You Know It

Then in 1986, I heard the Tams - Nothing Like Shaggin' in Grand Canary and ordered the US import LP. The single release in 1987 made number 21 in the UK charts.

The CD's Mick is talking about are also on Amazon ) About 20 volumes. 18 has Kurt Harris, Mill Evans, and Admiral Ice alone which have featured on our dance floors. Harry Deal - I Still Love You is on Vol 1. A different version of Just Because by Pure Blend is on another one.

Also Chairmen Of the Boards - Bless Your Heart is worth checking out.

Steve

[Cunnie]

Love this clip & before anyone asks it's Al Green - Give It Everything & no it's not on vinyl

[Kris Holmes]

Kris and Matt,

I think you've got hold of the wrong end of the stick when comparing the Northern/rare soul scene to the Beach music scene.

yeah, i was being really simplistic for simplicity's sake & trying to somehow tie it to the "more familiar" northern scene. Definitely nowhere near as similar as I made it come across.

in my defence it is hard to describe in one or two sentences though

[Guest brummiemick]

Hi All

Thanks for so much information. Having checked out YouTube and some other references I have realised that despite my earlier thoughts Beach Music isn't really my thing but it does seem to have an interesting and older history than some may realise and some parallels with Northern Soul. So I decided to do a little bit of own research and found one particular site which Is very interesting

https://www.beachshag.com/ImagesSoundsResources/BeachShag.html

The site suggests Beach Music can be traced back to 1945 and be categorised in six "waves" (very appropriate definition of eras as it is Beach Music :-) ) The Fourth wave 1970 - 1979 IMHO has more coincidental links via the Artistes & musically to Northern Soul. But also interestingly at the time Northern Soul was booming the site suggests Beach Music was struggling.

To quote the site:

"This era marked a slowdown (and near-demise according to some) of Beach music. New songs in 1970 included the Chairmen, Tyrone Davis, Bill Deal & the Rhondels, the Dells, the Georgia Prophets, Intruders, Miracles, Freda Payne, the Spinners, Spiral Staircase, Jr. Walker and Jackie Wilson, Beach stars all, but for five years there weren`t nearly as many choices as there were in the Third Wave."

However and no disrespect to our friends across the pond, as someone from the UK it is hard to take any scene seriously that sings about "shagging with my baby on the dance floor" :-)

Edited February 15, 2012 by brummiemick

[Daz Mc]

And here's a couple having a knee trembler

Lindyhop is the dance here by the look of things , danced also on the rock n roll scene

[Soul-chef]

Lindyhop is the dance here by the look of things , danced also on the rock n roll scene

Sorry but your way out here....Lindyhop, was a dance featured on the rock n roll scene...

But that consisted of lifts & flips, as well as floor move's....These guys are deffo Shaggin'....

And doing a great job.......

[Daz Mc]

Sorry but your way out here....Lindyhop, was a dance featured on the rock n roll scene...

But that consisted of lifts & flips, as well as floor move's....These guys are deffo Shaggin'....

And doing a great job.......

My mistake then , but my kind of shaggin' consists of bendin the wife over ....etc. lol

[Codfromderby]

yeah, i was being really simplistic for simplicity's sake & trying to somehow tie it to the "more familiar" northern scene. Definitely nowhere near as similar as I made it come across.

in my defence it is hard to describe in one or two sentences though

like the bit in rods original post about shag music being a mish mash of 50,s, r&b ect,... god that sounds familiar,

just played call on me by bobby bland followed by honey on the vine by matt monroe, perfect mix imho

[Ian Dewhirst]

Current Beach Music top 40. https://www.beachshag...%204%202012.pdf

I listen to 94.9 The Surf on internet radio a fair bit.

That Donnie Ray that's No.2 in their chart was one of the best releases from last year and a real hark back to a good ole Southern Soul floorpacker. Next time I'm down thataway I'm gonna check out a shag party........

Ian D

[Roburt]

RE: That Donnie Ray that's No.2 in their chart was one of the best releases from last year and a real hark back to a good ole Southern Soul floorpacker.

Got to agree with Ian, "Who's Rockin You" is a great track. It's the title cut of his Ecko album from last year. If you like southern soul then the album as a whole is well worth buying. Lots of great soul ballads and very little of the 'programmed drums & keys' sound that Ecko is so notorious for.

If you only like 'dancers' & embrace the modern age (mp3's), then you can get just this track for under a quid.

[Windlesoul]

The beach scene has always interested me in a curious way, particularly the 60's soul factor. Some have said the soul aspect generally bears no resemblance to the northern scene but maybe depends on the perspective of the narrator or the observer, a bit like the musical perception of an outsider to northern i.e. assuming the stereotype. I agree that some stuff is lightweight / poppy / cheesy (I got a fever, okaysions etc) - presumably what the beach masses are / were after - but again that's only my perception what intrigues me is the more obscure stuff, and the more obscure garage bands or harder releases from known local bands who took the soul slant. I'm curious to know whether a local 'sub-scene' exists for this kind of thing now or in the past? A local Carolina collectors scene or just the domain of DJs?

Edited February 23, 2012 by mark w.

[boba]

while I'm sure there are collectors, I seriously doubt that the scene is collector oriented. There might be some obscure records that get played, but not because there are "rare beach" DJs but rather because they were actually local hits. A collector or even a hardcore music fan is someone who constantly seeks out new material. Most people don't have that mindset; they want to hear songs that they are familiar with over and over again. It's no different than the people on the northern scene who want to hear the same "oldies" or the Steppers scene in chicago where there is like a set canon of records everyone wants to hear (e.g. jeff perry "love's gonna last") with some occasional additions (e.g. R Kelly step in the name of love).

[Phil Shields]

Think Rods earlier post is about right. I love the more obscure Carolinas style of 45 but doubt if they are played on the American Shag circuit.

Phil

[Soulfinger]

That Donnie Ray that's No.2 in their chart was one of the best releases from last year and a real hark back to a good ole Southern Soul floorpacker. Next time I'm down thataway I'm gonna check out a shag party........

Ian D

It surely is a terrific tune.

There are quite a few compilations which show how Beach Music and Northern Soul coincide on a number of tracks...this is a good example.

https://www.amazon.com/Love-Beach-Music-Various-Artists/dp/samples/B0000012CK/ref=dp_tracks_all_1#disc_1

Maybe this is a groove that one of the UK's foremost compliers could plough. One for Backbeats series 4 maybe?

[Sleeps45]

not really my department but I believe this is a carolina beach record

[boba]

not really my department but I believe this is a carolina beach record

doesn't it say nashville, TN on the label of this? or did you just mean that it has a carolinas type sound?

[Windlesoul]

Talking about more obscure stuff, something I picked up recently was the Chashers - Without my girl - Uncle, maybe a bit of a tenuous link and I hope not too off topic, but I know the lead (Lamar Collins) was originally from the Avalons who played around South Carolina. This is the kind of white garage sound I reckon would fit nicely into a Carolina / related spot (would post it up but at work and youtube links are inaccessible), will playing it out next month. If you like the Tempests you might like this (yes I know their lead singer was black but you know what I mean)...

Some nice info / pics on em here

Mark.

Edited June 23, 2012 by mark w.

[Phil Shields]

The Chashers is a terrific tune Mark, I used to play it at Middleton, defo needs loads more plays :-)

[Sleeps45]

doesn't it say nashville, TN on the label of this? or did you just mean that it has a carolinas type sound?

one of my hardcore carolina connects told me this way carolina beach all day..could be mistaken though but it definitley has that sound ..i'll have to look at the label later today but I think youre right

[boba]

one of my hardcore carolina connects told me this way carolina beach all day..could be mistaken though but it definitley has that sound ..i'll have to look at the label later today but I think youre right

I agree that it sounds very beach and maybe it was just pressed on that label but the group was carolinas.

[Liljimmycrank]

My mate Rich Buckley has a great book on 'beach' soul, might even be the one Bob mentioned earlier. Big soul bands like the Embers feature in it. In fact, "Where did i go wrong" is a tune that i'd say was typical of the beach sound that's crossed over to the northern circuit.

Phil Shields is the beach to northern master!! Sublime "northern" sets with massive beach influence

[boba]

My mate Rich Buckley has a great book on 'beach' soul, might even be the one Bob mentioned earlier. Big soul bands like the Embers feature in it. In fact, "Where did i go wrong" is a tune that i'd say was typical of the beach sound that's crossed over to the northern circuit.

Phil Shields is the beach to northern master!! Sublime "northern" sets with massive beach influence

The book is so big that you can't just pull it out to read it, it is a coffee table book. I couldn't put it on my shelf so I laid it on top of some other books on my shelf that were unevenly sized and the book is all warped now because it was so heavy.

[Liljimmycrank]

The book is so big that you can't just pull it out to read it, it is a coffee table book. I couldn't put it on my shelf so I laid it on top of some other books on my shelf that were unevenly sized and the book is all warped now because it was so heavy.

From memory, it was about 2ft in width Bob (60cm)?

[boba]

From memory, it was about 2ft in width Bob (60cm)?

at least that wide

[Smudger]

Love this clip & before anyone asks it's Al Green - Give It Everything & no it's not on vinyl

https://www.discogs.c...release/1207314

track B2

Edited February 24, 2012 by smudger

[Haydn]

One of my faves from the beach scene.......shag on

https://youtu.be/PUvEPc_YbOI

[Ian Dewhirst]

It surely is a terrific tune.

There are quite a few compilations which show how Beach Music and Northern Soul coincide on a number of tracks...this is a good example.

https://www.amazon.co...ks_all_1#disc_1

Maybe this is a groove that one of the UK's foremost compliers could plough. One for Backbeats series 4 maybe?

That's a great idea. I'm looking for some new areas for Backbeats and that could be a feasible one couldn't it?

I'll give it some thought when I can squeeze a moment. I wouldn't mind having a few decent beach music comps myself.........

Good thinking Soulfinger!

Ian D

[Goldsoul]

while I'm sure there are collectors, I seriously doubt that the scene is collector oriented. There might be some obscure records that get played, but not because there are "rare beach" DJs but rather because they were actually local hits. A collector or even a hardcore music fan is someone who constantly seeks out new material. Most people don't have that mindset; they want to hear songs that they are familiar with over and over again. It's no different than the people on the northern scene who want to hear the same "oldies" or the Steppers scene in chicago where there is like a set canon of records everyone wants to hear (e.g. jeff perry "love's gonna last") with some occasional additions (e.g. R Kelly step in the name of love).

Bob- Spot on. An earlier posting from Rod was pretty thorough and accurate too.

Chris Beachley at the Wax Museum was one of the early suppliers of Beach in demanded to the Carolinas. One of my dearest friends John Hook was the voice every Saturday on WBT in the early 80's, who would really push the genre.

I would say Beach was at the peak of its popularity during that decade.

And like Northern, it refuses to lie down!

[Russ Vickers]

When I lived in VA I was really excited to attend a Shag Dance....it was awfull....one of the DJ;s there was selling up, so went round there to check the collection out, again awful nothing at all that the NS collector would be interested in.

Russ

[Windlesoul]

Bear in mind the terminology really applies to a genre (though not a clearly defined one, associated with soul but also a range of styles since the 1940s and development of the Shag) rather than a specific geographical location. Beach music as a term itself was pretty much coined in retrospect in the late 60s / early seventies. Just like how the term 'garage band' was a label applied in the mid seventies I believe, but is now applied to bands from the 60s onwards.

Regarding posts on this thread about tracks that 'sound beach' but not from the Carolinas: coastal areas of the Carolinas are obviously most associated with beach music, but the neighbouring states of Virginia, Georgia, Tennessee, were also hotbed of (predominently) white garage bands who tuned into soul including the beach 'sound', and many of these bands travelled across state a few hundred miles on a regular (sometimes weekly) basis to play the coastal areas. There's a LOT more to beach music than than people think or assume. If you can see beyond the stereotype and 'classic' beach there's a lot more musical diversity (should that be sub-genre then perhaps?) and history - all relevant to northern fans - than people are maybe aware of. I am on a personal journey through this very topic at the moment, give me 6 months or so and I'll try to show you how I think northern and beach 'connect'.

Mark

Edited June 21, 2012 by mark w.