This is just hypothetical discussion, basically earlier I was listening through some Kent LPs and in particular Shoes for the first time. And to my surprise "The Tams - Be Young, Be Foolish, Be Happy" came on. I was surprised in amongst tunes I was familiar with and new to me tunes, such a all time classic was on there. It instantly pepped me up and made me want to move!  

 

So, the question is... Say, you are DJing at a well respected night/nighter, you are playing set of underplayed gems and rarities. But, in the middle of your set you bang on song like The Tams and pack the floor. Would this be an inspired choice or lazy DJing?

 

This discussion goes against the tide a little on here, and I'm not suggesting any old "classic" would be classic as inspired DJing. But stuff like the Tams and Curtis Mayfields - Move On Up are brilliant tunes and stand the test of time.

 

This topic is just meant as a bit of fun.

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CAfaR6IuO-4

Edited December 22, 201311 yr by NorthernJordan

So, the question is... Say, you are DJing at a well respected night/nighter, you are playing set of underplayed gems and rarities. But, in the middle of your set you bang on song like The Tams and pack the floor. Would this be an inspired choice or lazy...

 

Doubt it would pack the floor. It's not as good as Hey Girl Don't Bother Me, a tune I've seen dropped into a 100 Club set to limited response, likewise The Drifters Saturday Night At The Movies - excellent tunes but not comparable to the masses of top tunes out there that discerning travellers pay to hear. Not lazy DJing but somewhat unimaginative at a rare soul venue - best saved for office parties, neighbours around on Boxing Day, Wigan home games etc

burnley

 

Move On,Attic..oops, they've both shut.Empty Bottles.?

There will always be a tad of sycophantic bull shit attached to questions such as this.

 

One person could play a certain record and everyone would be saying "Ooe err, how inspired, what a record, no one else could have thought of spinning such a record, absolutely fantastic lets dance, blah, blah, bull shit, blah".

 

Another person plays exactly the same record and everyone says "Cnut".

 

There's you go.

 

 

Nice

Interesting debate, never thought I'd hear Aretha referred to as Radio 2 fodder!

 

I'm not an allnighter goer nowadays. Work means I need my wits about me in a way I couldn't sustain if I still was. I still do 3 or 4 soul nights a month around the north west and sometimes, irrespective of who is DJing (big name or youngster), a tune pops up that I haven't danced to for a good while. Funnily enough The Miracles - Whole Lotta Shakin' in My Heart did it recently. At the time, I was too preoccupied to think it was inspired DJing. In retrospect, it was.

 

I'm not much bothered whether it hits someone else's credibility test, I just wanted to dance like I did 40 years ago....or die trying.

The problem is-and has been for some time,that some djs need inspiring themselves,because as I see it there are a some that are plain and simple lazy effers.

Case in point-in a two hour period of 3 name dj`s we had "Too late!" played twice.And we weren`t in the sventies,we were at "The Big One" 2013!(apologies to Gordon in advance).Joe Jama is regularly played over and over,as is Bobby Valentin.I don`t want to even hear those two at all!

These guys know that the masses will fill the floor and will argue that they are in the right,but `kinell it`s still boring for some of us.

Also I definitely feel that some dj`s don`t even enjoy their time on stage and that comes through in their "autopilot" set.

As for a good portion of the suggestions,sorry but not at a niter!

I know there will be opposition to my statements,but it`s my opinion as a part answer to theme of this thread.

Interesting debate, never thought I'd hear Aretha referred to as Radio 2 fodder!

 

Why not, she gets plenty of exposure on mainstream pop middle of the road stations like radio 2, certainly her better known tracks like I Say Little Prayer.  As i said i wouldn't expect to hear this at any all-nighter.

As great as The Miracles and Aretha Franklin are (and of course they are), they are mainstream soul acts that can be heard anywhere. I thought the whole point of the northern soul and rare soul scene was to hear stuff we couldn't hear anywhere else other than in a club after hours? That's why I got into it. I can't remember ever going anywhere and thinking, 'I hope I hear that song I heard on the radio last week.' If I thought I was going along to listen to music from the R&B charts or the mainstream charts I wouldn't have bothered, I would have stayed at home and listened to the radio, or would have just gone down the local disco.

 

Isn't our devotion to obscure soul music also about showing appreciation for those artists who never made it big like Smokey or Aretha?

Edited December 28, 201311 yr by Matt Male

Can a DJ be inspiring ? Why not, but still IT IS the music that should be inspiring first ! Before the actual DJ's. Rare or not rare, underated or even over rated many 45 suffer the same fate but when placed right as such they can be sounding totally spot on ! So one tune alone doesn't make a DJ set inspiring. It's rather a coherent set of tunes "knowns" and/or "unknowns" that have a "quality" to them that makes an inspired DJ set. Then it could even be more INSPIRING if it's risky, bold and working all together TO OTHER DJ's. "Programmed" DJ's sets  are boring !  It's a whole. One's DJ set can be filled with all the "ultimates", "rare'n'expenssive" OVOs records and at the same time have no what so ever intrest IMHO. A good DJ set isn't also not necessary the one that put everybody on the dance floor at all times. The same goes for the contrary.

 

BTW, I'm not a DJ as such, even though I do spin out from time to time. I do find more inspiration selfishly listening to my records home (with or without guests) though. With no other reasons than my own earbuds' (guts, heart ant soul included) pleasures. And I love hanging out listening to other DJ's stuffs sets and "discovieries" at the same time. How some DJ's can just place a tune I wouldn't have think of like the too "obvious" and still make it brilliant another time around amazes me always if rightfull. And then I dance to it again. Joy ! Then I also love to just sit and listen to some as "music delight". I still hear, learn enjoy and appreciate music. Always YOUNG, less and less FOOLISH, but still HAPPY like Droopy ! LOL

 

And yes, it's northern soul that drove me in this musical tendecy of the black American music legacy/field with it's quest for a "sharper" (at times) sounds with a "pop" appeal (at other times) that I found vital to this day. So what is northern soul ? It's all that also...

I would really  call it the dumbing down of the scene....not inspiring...it goes with the KTF Nappies,have you got anything we know (when you are playing obvious oldies),Pharrell Williams,Tribute,handbaggers,cheap boots and CDs,piss heads spilling booze,the baggy pants and talc devils.Inspired deejaying was someone at Stoke at 2.00am with a full floor sticking on Hot Line- Reggie Garner....not a well known chart record.

Narcissistic....dick waving.....glad handing.....back slapping.....look at me....!

That's what it's all about.........

Got my iPod on Shuffle Play and Be Young, Be Foolish, Be Happy has just come on.  Is my iPod inspired?

.....How many times have we read?......"What a genius! He slipped in 'An Well Known Oldie, not heard in a while'....It sounded 'oh so fresh!'".....It probably did - That is called 'contrast'......I played 'Martha Reeves - Nowhere to Run' at Boomerang the other week, and actually said on the mike...."I'm not playing this to be clever by the way - It's just a good record".......It's called D.Jing - It's not inspiring, it just means one is at least thinking about making a set more interesting.

 

All the best,

 

Len  

Well said that man, Len. I was at Radders & Nige Brown played Fred Hughes - I keep trying, inspired I thought & rarely heard (No doubbt someone will come on & say they hear it played out regularly) & Andy Dyson use to slip in Gwen & Rae btw the Tams is a fabulous tune & had it not been a chart topper you'd hear it out everywhere, I love it & as soon as I hit the link my feet where tapping, I was singing & was 17 again.  

Spot.  

The problem is-and has been for some time,that some djs need inspiring themselves,because as I see it there are a some that are plain and simple lazy effers.

Case in point-in a two hour period of 3 name dj`s we had "Too late!" played twice.And we weren`t in the sventies,we were at "The Big One" 2013!(apologies to Gordon in advance).Joe Jama is regularly played over and over,as is Bobby Valentin.I don`t want to even hear those two at all!

These guys know that the masses will fill the floor and will argue that they are in the right,but `kinell it`s still boring for some of us.

Also I definitely feel that some dj`s don`t even enjoy their time on stage and that comes through in their "autopilot" set.

As for a good portion of the suggestions,sorry but not at a niter!

I know there will be opposition to my statements,but it`s my opinion as a part answer to theme of this thread.

Joe Jama     should never of been played  ever....................maybe thats a good thread?.....records that should have been quietly put back on the shelf....whilst walking away whistleing  ...hoping no one saw you pull it out    

The problem is-and has been for some time,that some djs need inspiring themselves,because as I see it there are a some that are plain and simple lazy effers.

Case in point-in a two hour period of 3 name dj`s we had "Too late!" played twice.And we weren`t in the sventies,we were at "The Big One" 2013!(apologies to Gordon in advance).Joe Jama is regularly played over and over,as is Bobby Valentin.I don`t want to even hear those two at all!

These guys know that the masses will fill the floor and will argue that they are in the right,but `kinell it`s still boring for some of us.

Also I definitely feel that some dj`s don`t even enjoy their time on stage and that comes through in their "autopilot" set.

As for a good portion of the suggestions,sorry but not at a niter!

I know there will be opposition to my statements,but it`s my opinion as a part answer to theme of this thread.

They don,t enjoy their time on stage because the thrill is in the chase....ie having their names in lights......actually giving the crowd a set of music that looks as if the dj is even enjoying it  they find hard..........maybe they should go to the side and dance to their own set?...just a thought

There will always be a tad of sycophantic bull shit attached to questions such as this.

 

One person could play a certain record and everyone would be saying "Ooe err, how inspired, what a record, no one else could have thought of spinning such a record, absolutely fantastic lets dance, blah, blah, bull shit, blah".

 

Another person plays exactly the same record and everyone says "Cnut".

 

There's you go.

 

 

Nice

that's because there is some measure of skill, or at least, good judgement, to djing, and part of that is playing the right record at the right time. Context is everything.

Narcissistic....dick waving.....glad handing.....back slapping.....look at me....!

That's what it's all about.........

well there is an element of that in any sort of performance. A bit of conceit is necessary just to decide to get behind the decks, a bit of arrogance in believing you have something to add to those already doing it. But if no one had those traits, no djing would ever have happened, probably not much music either, or art in general.

It's not pure narcissism, it is a form of expression - of a love of music if nothing else - and at least has a positive end result - the survival and exposure if great music.

how else would you like it done? By computers?

What are we using now?

well there is an element of that in any sort of performance. A bit of conceit is necessary just to decide to get behind the decks, a bit of arrogance in believing you have something to add to those already doing it. But if no one had those traits, no djing would ever have happened, probably not much music either, or art in general.

It's not pure narcissism, it is a form of expression - of a love of music if nothing else - and at least has a positive end result - the survival and exposure if great music.

how else would you like it done? By computers?

 

Edited - Apologies got the wrong gist of what you were saying. Suppose it is an expression of a love a music - Should be anyway.

Edited December 30, 201311 yr by autumnstoned

 

 

Isn't our devotion to obscure soul music also about showing appreciation for those artists who never made it big like Smokey or Aretha?

 

You'd lose a massive chunk of classic records if you were to only play non-hit artists, there'd be no Billy Joe Royal, Dusty Springfield, Wilson Pickett, Lynne Randell, even people with big Northern records like HB Barnum had hits...

Edited December 29, 201311 yr by Pete S

 Context is everything.

 Context obviously plays a part. I would suggest though that sycophantism and a good bit of back slapping plays a bigger part.

 

As I said before one mans inspiration is another man being a cnut.

off topic post and 3 repeated posts removed

member scal given yet another warning about the confrontational way he is using this form

I'm getting a lot more tolerant nowadays, can't be bothered with the all the politics anymore, however, i wouldn't call it inspiring D.J'ng, moreover it is a Soul record, & if the paying punter dances to it then the D.J has done Ok, but wouldn't really expect it played at Rare / Underplayed night.  Just played it & it got my feet tapping, must be something in it. Maybe it's time to bring all the divisions on the soul scene back together......still struggle with 70's though.

Heard The Tams played twice this last weekend, & both times the floor was packed, maybe the next big sound, D.J's get your copies out, give em a clean & get them on the decks.

Heard The Tams played twice this last weekend, & both times the floor was packed, maybe the next big sound, D.J's get your copies out, give em a clean & get them on the decks.

 

 

Chances are the floor would be packed regardless, at the peak times at a nighter or soul night whatever is played will get a response if it is classic northern or club soul.  It doesn't make it inspired DJing though just because you haven't heard it for sometime, something from totally left field would be inspired.

Why not, she gets plenty of exposure on mainstream pop middle of the road stations like radio 2, certainly her better known tracks like I Say Little Prayer.  As i said i wouldn't expect to hear this at any all-nighter.

 

Fair enough. Never listen to mainstream pop radio nowadays. It's clearly got better since I last did!

 

Would you be unimpressed if a niter DJ played Don't let me Lose this Dream by Aretha for example? Does it have less nighter credibility than say the versions by The Ones (way inferior in my opinion) or The Sweet Inspirations might have? I'm not being arsey here but am genuinely interested as it had never occurred to me that some artists would be viewed as being sort of tainted because they'd had chart success.

 

Cheers

 

John

Fair enough. Never listen to mainstream pop radio nowadays. It's clearly got better since I last did!

 

Would you be unimpressed if a niter DJ played Don't let me Lose this Dream by Aretha for example? Does it have less nighter credibility than say the versions by The Ones (way inferior in my opinion) or The Sweet Inspirations might have? I'm not being arsey here but am genuinely interested as it had never occurred to me that some artists would be viewed as being sort of tainted because they'd had chart success.

 

Cheers

 

John

 

 

That wasn't the point John. No one is saying well known artists should be ignored just because they are successful. But obviously many have had commercially successful records that could be heard anywhere. When I was a kid I could here Alexis Korner on a Sunday afternoon playing all the commercial soul and RnB, but when I went to a nighter I'd expect to hear something different. Yes, especially the less commercial stuff by well known artists. For example i'm more than happy to hear these two at a nighter:

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RBI9XFMiA1s

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q8R4lQmLnGM

Edited December 30, 201311 yr by Matt Male

Commercial as in a Millie Jackson lp track that was played on the radio

It is ridiculous to suggest an artist who has had commercial success should be ignored and I wasn't for a second suggesting such nor am I tainting such artists, far from it.  I am suggesting as others have is that all-nighter music is for the rare and obscure not commercially successful records like "I Say A Little Prayer".   

 

Yes, I know some have slipped through the net but by and large I wouldn't expect to go to an all-nighter and listen to records that sold in their millions and are heard on commercial radio playlists every day.  Something from Aretha from left field that failed to make the grade commercially, that would be deemed inspiring by some although I would guess not by many others as her less commercial stuff has and still is played by the more discerning soul fan/dj.

 

Why a DJ would want to resort to commercial soul is beyond me, there's tons of decent northern out there.  No wonder I am fast losing my interest in travelling anywhere.  I can go to local club nights hand hear such records so why would I want to travel and spend a fortune expecting to hear the best this scene has to offer and then have to suffer commercial soul records?

Edited December 30, 201311 yr by chalky

That wasn't the point John. No one is saying well known artists should be ignored just because they are successful. But obviously many have had commercially successful records that could be heard anywhere. When I was a kid I could here Alexis Korner on a Sunday afternoon playing all the commercial soul and RnB, but when I went to a nighter I'd expect to hear something different. Yes, especially the less commercial stuff by well known artists. For example i'm more than happy to hear these two at a nighter:

 

 

Cheers Matt, I get your point entirely. I'm happy to hear those two anywhere, anytime.

It is ridiculous to suggest an artist who has had commercial success should be ignored and I wasn't for a second suggesting such nor am I tainting such artists, far from it.  I am suggesting as others have is that all-nighter music is for the rare and obscure not commercially successful records like "I Say A Little Prayer".   

 

Yes, I know some have slipped through the net but by and large I wouldn't expect to go to an all-nighter and listen to records that sold in their millions and are heard on commercial radio playlists every day.  Something from Aretha from left field that failed to make the grade commercially, that would be deemed inspiring by some although I would guess not by many others as her less commercial stuff has and still is played by the more discerning soul fan/dj.

 

Why a DJ would want to resort to commercial soul is beyond me, there's tons of decent northern out there.  No wonder I am fast losing my interest in travelling anywhere.  I can go to local club nights hand hear such records so why would I want to travel and spend a fortune expecting to hear the best this scene has to offer and then have to suffer commercial soul records?

 

Cheers Chalky, Thanks for your detailed reply. I understand what you mean. I'm certainly not advocating for playing commercial soul per se and if nighter DJ's weren't taking risks and finding new stuff which filters down through the soul scene, the soul night circuit might die of an overdose of uninspired DJing and endless plays of Just a Little Misunderstanding.

 

 

could always just play this..

could always just play this..

 

Why?

Why?

As an alternative to the Tams, as the OP original question. or do you think its overplayed? or just uninspired?

As an alternative to the Tams, as the OP original question. or do you think its overplayed? or just uninspired?

 

Yes it's a better alternative to the Tams by a country mile, not overplayed really nor would I call it particularly inspiring?  It's the type of record I would expect to hear at an all-nighter. 

Maybe inspired at a wedding reception.

 

To be honest if you need to ask, then it probably isn't. Being inspirational about your playbox doesn't usually involve asking everyone on here what you should and shouldn't play is my advice.

 

Personally I like it when a DJ plays something by a very well known artist that is less well known, for example:

 

Ann Sexton - I Still Love You

Gladys Knight - All Over But The Shouting

Al Green - Let Me Help You

Al Green, a right belter, for a tenner n'all

Yes it's a better alternative to the Tams by a country mile, not overplayed really nor would I call it particularly inspiring?  It's the type of record I would expect to hear at an all-nighter. 

 

Funny that you say it's not overplayed. Mary Saxton was played literally to death on the scooter scene in the 90s. Off pressings though.

Funny that you say it's not overplayed. Mary Saxton was played literally to death on the scooter scene in the 90s. Off pressings though.

 

It's not in the Ruby Andrews bracket but know what you mean. 

Sorry, should have said "german scooter scene". But I know what you mean.

 

"inspired dj" means f*ck all. "inspiring" is the key. Play a set of quality rarities/biggies/monsters/in demanders/what ever and drop a few truly forgotten quality cheapies. That's inspiring. Inspiring to the punters.

Honestly: it's inspiring if you see a dj singing/dancing behind the decks, feeling the music and taking delight in djing! and if the set makes me dance as well: all good! if there are some well knows in the mix with raries and underplayed ones it's perfect (coz I can sing along) - imo...if I go to a respected niter just to LISTEN (and dance) to new stuff then it's not inspiring...so it depends on your point of view...

Edited January 3, 201411 yr by mattfox

Narcissistic....dick waving.....glad handing.....back slapping.....look at me....!

That's what it's all about.........

 

I'm with you Scal. A dj puts on records and some people either like them or don't, it's not like painting the Sistine Chapel is it? I know a lot of the posters here have probably stood behind the decks but seriously, "inspired"? Let's get real.

Honestly: it's inspiring if you see a dj singing/dancing behind the decks, feeling the music and taking delight in djing! and if the set makes me dance as well: all good! if there are some well knows in the mix with raries and underplayed ones it's perfect (coz I can sing along) - imo...if I go to a respected niter just to LISTEN (and dance) to new stuff then it's not inspiring...so it depends on your point of view...

Mr Barnyfather always likes to swing his pants behind the decks.

 

He's always inspired me.

 

Peter