When I started going to soul do's I became a right soul snob - I don't know why because I knew fcuk all about Northern Soul. Still don't! Anyway, when attending non soul do's which became less and less as my all niter career took off I used to react pretty badly to disco dj's who used to say "Now for a bit of northern" - and then play shit like Needle in a Hay Stack, some other rubbish like Diana Ross - you know the sort of crap. My snobbery also came to the fore when people would say "Mm, you're into Motown aren't you" etc.

As a result - and at my own loss, I discounted loads of good stuff over the years - because I thought it was Motown shit, or it was stuff like Band Of Gold, Freda Payne - which I thought was rubbish just because the disco DJ dare call it northern soul. "You wouldn't know a northern soul record if it poked you in the eye" I used to scoff. "Too rare for you to have any in your crappy box of pop records".

Obviously, I've learnt over the years how wrong I was - just a great big snob!

Anyone have any views?

Peter

There can be two sides to soul snobbery I think. Like Peter said, when he first started going he was a snob, only knowing a handful of records and over the years liking more the easier well known artists now. I find it a bit like that today, but in reverse, the people who never really got into it back in the day, are now fully on the snob trip. Reverse to that could be someone thats been on the scene for decades and hearing something like The Jokers - soul Sound or Hopkins Brothers - Shake Cheri in a main hall and seeing the bulk of people walk off because they don't know it could result in smuggness. Just an observasion.

My local has a couple of Northern oldie CD's on the juke box.

Last night I deliberately tried a small litmus test of the regulars.

I Put on ;

Lee David Temptation

Little Richard I dont Want To Discuss It

Major Lance You Dont Want Me no More

Phillip Mithchell Free For All

Johnny Johnson Breaking down the walls

All uptempo feel good tunes of a similar ilk IMHO.

However I got the usual "whats this shit" banter from the regulars for the first four.

Then they all sat there and tapped feet and sang along with Johnny Johnson.

Go Figure !!!!!!

Kegsy

Actually, I retract my previous statement - "Yes, not sure if it's 'Soul Snobery'" - Not listening is definatelly 'Soul Snobery' which ever 'side' it comes from.

All the best,

Len

Ditto, but we're in the minority big time at the moment.

Len

Too right !

The other one that always gets me is "Rare and Underplayed" nights.

The last one I went to played nothing but what I call "Detroit Dirges"

You know the kind of thing plodding/disjointed rhythm with a bad arrangement

and produced in an outside bog.

I was beginning to think, F*ck me I didnt know Lee Rogers had

done so many B sides !

There is a reason these records are underplayed for gods sake.

Kegsy

Edited October 26, 201212 yr by Kegsy

Too right !

The other one that always gets me is "Rare and Underplayed" nights.

The last one I went to played nothing but what I call "Detroit Dirges"

You know the kind of thing plodding/disjointed rhythm will a bad arrangement

and produced in an outside bog.

I was beginning to think, F*ck me I didnt know Lee Rogers had

done so many B sides !

There is a reason these records are underplayed for gods sake.

Kegsy

As long as you gave them a good listen before you came to that conclusion, that's fine.

All the best,

Len

As long as you gave them a good listen before you came to that conclusion, that's fine.

All the best,

Len

Being a thrifty Yorkshire lad and having paid the door tax I was compelled to stay to the bitter and I mean bitter end.

(no I dont mean they ran out of ale).

kegsy