Articles: Who are the Great Soul Deejays?

[Guest]

Sorry to say he died few years ago, R.I.P.

Thanks Dave - I didn't know. I used to have a good laugh with Martin, very sad to hear he's gone.

[Boogaloo]

Who are the Great Soul Deejays?

Click here to view the soul article in full

Me

[Guest Nick Harrison]

Hi Steve,

Hope all is well.

After many perusals of your detailed article - you make reference to Tom Jackson breaking the following records. When actually Curtis Anderson/ Hardest Part was a first played only exclusive by Arthur Fenn, in the soul room at Southport W/E. The first of 3 only copies back then, the other 2 being owned and played the following weekend at Bradford's Queens Hall by Peter Shirley and Soul Sam.

Moving onto J B Bingham and I am to assume the titled All Alone By The Telephone. Played extensively throughout 1976 as a UA new release by Colin Curtis, then some 10 or 12 years later reintroduced by Richard Searling and Graeme Ellis and became a hammered soul room weekender Up North Promotions anthem. Tom would be playing these the second time round and later IMHO.

Many may feel, me included, travelled on a large percentage like you, along this detailed and DJ defined journey. Thanks.

What ever happened to Mitzie ?

All the best.

Nick H.

[Guest mrstosspot]

I may be a little impartial but Rob Gray is up there with the best of the them

[Guest Nick Harrison]

and not excluding Tom Jackson either.

How can you claim in your article that Tom Jackson and his wife, were placed in a higher pecking order, via Up North staff, because of their looks! Utter b@llocks.

Tom was a very sought after jock during the early and mid eighties, well before Southport Soul and Dance Week Ender. His bookings reflected that - all before Gala Gran. Tom was selected on his well earned merit playlist status. Should you have been a "key player" back then Steve, instead of the late eighties, then perhaps I need not have posted this reply.

Nick H.

[Wilxy]

TBH over the last almost 40 years of attending "Northern do's", I've heard some stupendous vinyl, played by some very influential DJ's, inclusive of the classic "spinners" already mentioned, and current entertainers" such as messers Dobson and Dyson remain undoubtedly amongst the leaders of refreshing the current playlists so to speak, however I wish to put a slightly different angle on the original post, as interpreted from the Deejay perspective!

Whilst I'm pretty "liberal" with regard my overall choice of a listening perspective, I attended a local Soul night , yesterday and whilst I've often taken for granted, both playlists and the DJ's "performance", realised that sometimes, certain DJ's are taken for granted.... However.Jerry Hipkiss AKA Hippo impressed me from a different perspective, that I'd probably dismissed from a total DJ'ing performance, and along with his long time buddy and Soul associate Paul O'brian , totally impressed me with the actual Art of Deejaying! ...... Both .Awesome entertainment.....and really enjoyable

[Wiggyflat]

Saw loads of great deejays at Stoke on Saturday..they had a dancefloor of 1500 people in the palm.of thir hands...Sean Chapman...Chris King Dave Evison...etc etc.Electric atmosphere...no warm up records...and Soul Sam in a smaller room with a packed dancefloor....amazing stuff.

[Guest Big Al 68]

Gutted nobody mentioned me !!! I've been known to play both the main room & the upstairs room twice on the same night and only one complaining cow to spoil it !

Ok, so I was at home , and the complaining cow was the Missus, ( too loud apparentley !) , but I even had myself dancin' about to what I spun ! So I nominate Al as the best DJ to ever play in my house..................so there !!

[Quinvy]

Saw loads of great deejays at Stoke on Saturday..they had a dancefloor of 1500 people in the palm.of thir hands...Sean Chapman...Chris King Dave Evison...etc etc.Electric atmosphere...no warm up records...and Soul Sam in a smaller room with a packed dancefloor....amazing stuff.

A monkey with a box of boots could do that. Easiest gig in the world.

[Quinvy]

Levine and Curtis in the early 70's were incredible, but overall the prince of the potteries [butch] has to be number 1. And he's still doing the business.

[TOAD]

A monkey with a box of boots could do that. Easiest gig in the world. SO TRUE

[Guest soulboymick]

Amazed no one has mentioned these 3(if they have-apologies) as in my neck of the woods these chappies must have played to more Northerners than anyone else in the last few decdes.

Chris King. The consumate floor filler and never fails.

Dave Evison. Regardless of rare discs, he is inventive and totally clear on the mic.

Kev Roberts. His skill and technique are unmatched. The very best IMHO

[Jerry Hipkiss]

TBH over the last almost 40 years of attending "Northern do's", I've heard some stupendous vinyl, played by some very influential DJ's, inclusive of the classic "spinners" already mentioned, and current entertainers" such as messers Dobson and Dyson remain undoubtedly amongst the leaders of refreshing the current playlists so to speak, however I wish to put a slightly different angle on the original post, as interpreted from the Deejay perspective!

Whilst I'm pretty "liberal" with regard my overall choice of a listening perspective, I attended a local Soul night , yesterday and whilst I've often taken for granted, both playlists and the DJ's "performance", realised that sometimes, certain DJ's are taken for granted.... However.Jerry Hipkiss AKA Hippo impressed me from a different perspective, that I'd probably dismissed from a total DJ'ing performance, and along with his long time buddy and Soul associate Paul O'brian , totally impressed me with the actual Art of Deejaying! ...... Both .Awesome entertainment.....and really enjoyable

Thank you Michael, that's a beer I owe you... ...as someone said, a monkey with a box of boots could fill a floor, but I've always believed that communication, a bit of fun and a bit of professionalism helps! Mind you the soul police would probably hang and flog me for chop-mixing between vocal and instrumental on Duke Browner...I blame Paul O'B for that beer-inspired idea!

Edited July 25, 2012 by Jerry Hipkiss

[Guest]

Butch

Soul Sam

Mick H

[Guest Dave Atkinson]

Odd, no mention of Pete Stringfellow or Dave Knight. There is an hell of a difference between the Juke box DJ's of the time like Roger Eagles who sat and never used the mike and the entertainers who paved the way. Richard Serling came along much later but I must admit his Radio shows were well worth a listen his stage craft left a lot to be desired :-)

[Guest giant]

Hi,

I think it is important to judge a DJ

1. In the context of their era

2. By the general consistency of their records rather than just the great tunes they spun.

Searling and Curtis were obviously masters of their era and Guy Hennigan was untouchable for a period in the 80s.

Personally, I think Butch has a very strong claim overall on the 60s front. He started DJing regularly in a period when the vast majority of classic sounding northern soul records had been discovered yet he has consistently for 20 years managed to present a set of new discoveries that sound as though they could have been played in the golden years - no R&B, no latin just excellent northern. If I think back over the last 20 years and the truly exceptional discoveries the vast majority have come through Butch or Ady.

Many of the great names from the 70s played some exceptional records but were also happy to drop in a lot of poor records. Butch has always maintained the quality control and turned up his own stuff, so he's the man for me.

Regards

Ion

you have explained it very well and correct in what you say.

[Guest giant]

Me

:lol:

[Milliontearsoul]

Nev Griffiths for what i've heard in Barcelona in june 2012......refreshing sets of sky high quality !

[Rhino]

its all subjective and down to personal taste and when you got into the scene . personally thought richard searling, mark farley and the other morecambe pier where great at the time with the great mix of oldies, 60's newies but most of all the modern soul tunes at the pier was spot on . There was so many different events and the scene split into oldies and newies fans didnt matter a dam to me i just love it all. butch guy and keb and the stafford djs found so great tunes and tonys at blackburn . keith minshall was always a great dj and didnt get the recognition he deserved.

[Knockerdj]

On 17/07/2012 at 01:20, Guest giant said:

for me BUTCH miles a head discovered many great tunes' RICHARD SEARLING was great but fed by JOHN ANDERSON with many tunes over the years' COLIN CURTIS and IAN LEVINE were the masters early 70's.

They was all fed with tunes mate, mainly by one man, arise Sir John Anderson. The all time no. 1 single contributor to the NS scene

[Chalky]

6 hours ago, Knockerdj said:

They was all fed with tunes mate, mainly by one man, arise Sir John Anderson. The all time no. 1 single contributor to the NS scene

Discussed with Butch his discoveries etc and most didn’t come from John. Some yes but the majority no. 

[Chalky]

A Dj has to get his or her records from somewhere and regardless how successful the source or how good a record may be there is no guarantee it will work for the dance-floor. 
 

For me there are just two on the Northern scene, Richard and Butch.  Butch edges it for me as he has been at the top since 86/87 and is still there.  He can play just about any record any other Dj has.

To be a top Dj or indeed top in any field you have to bring something to the table others can’t.  Too many cheque book Djs the last 20 years or so for them to be considered IMO.

Edited May 28, 2020 by Chalky

[Blackpoolsoul]

1 hour ago, Chalky said:

A Dj has to get his or her records from somewhere and regardless how successful the source or how good a record may be there is no guarantee it will work for the dance-floor. 
 

For me there are just two on the Northern scene, Richard and Butch.  Butch edges it for me as he has been at the top since 86/87 and is still there.  He can play just about any record any other Dj has.

To be a top Dj or indeed top in any field you have to bring something to the table others can’t.  Too many cheque book Djs the last 20 years or so for them to be considered IMO.

Some of the best tunes I ever heard were played by Dee Jays when I was younger and to be honest I didn't even know who they were and never will (most of the time they couldn't use a mic properly anyway)

A couple of names I do remember just are Tony Clayton (we won't go there !!!) and Nev Wherry (RIP)

It was always about the tunes for me and Ego's can be left well on one side for me

Rob Smith all ways used to make me laugh with his carrier bags full of records (can't remember him using a box)

 

[Stephen Houghton]

SEAN CHAPMAN, TAKES SOME BEATING, CLASS

[petegroover]

so many great dj's ,but many don't play what they have imo,sure they have great collections,yet play a safe sets,i think now in 2020, in many ways the scene is a bit like formula 1 ,20 main dj's  getting the cream spots & the rest trying to get an in,also shouting at the punters to encourage them is piss poor really[ you know who I mean] I gave it up in the early 80t's as it became about networking and not the music,it seems now to get a top spot you need to have a million in tunes,then don't play them,strange old thing really

[Blackpoolsoul]

55 minutes ago, petegroover said:

so many great dj's ,but many don't play what they have imo,sure they have great collections,yet play a safe sets,i think now in 2020, in many ways the scene is a bit like formula 1 ,20 main dj's  getting the cream spots & the rest trying to get an in,also shouting at the punters to encourage them is piss poor really[ you know who I mean] I gave it up in the early 80t's as it became about networking and not the music,it seems now to get a top spot you need to have a million in tunes,then don't play them,strange old thing really

Those that often get the top spots often get TOLD what to play as well YUUUUK

[petegroover]

very true blackpoolsoul,prob why I don't go to those do's,a good dj in my opinion should allways try to broaden their playlist,otherwise we're all stuck in 68 ,72 etc,which is fine if that's what your into ,but the scene needs to move forward also- with rare,underplayed and dare I say it-never played tunes,ktf p

Edited June 9, 2020 by petegroover

[Mssoulie]

On 17/07/2012 at 18:03, Guest said:

A more interesting question is: Which DJs are/were great dancers? I'd have Evison in as someone who always made me smile... but after that I struggle... I once saw Levine on the dance floor lol

Keb darge.