Oh how I love reading the endless debates on here about northern vs. modern, what is modern?, it's all disco, etc. Whilst browsing through some old Blues & Soul magazines last weekend, I came across this interesting article by Simon Dunmore in 1990. He's making a distinction between modern and real soul. Anyone remember that term? I thought the music I liked in the 80s was called real soul. He's also slating the modern soul scene for being stuck in a 70s time warp and not embracing new releases.



The article brought a lot of response. One fella from Blackpool wrote a particularly vitriolic letter in reply and the debate went on for ages. Sound familiar?

Mr Dunmore( a good friend in the 80's ) was getting into his Soulful house by then . I know a few of us gave up the scene and took a Holiday in Ibiza I think the many people new to the Modern soul scene around 88/ 89 were busy catching up with the thousands of 70's and 80's oldies that had already been played ,and seemed to ignore much of the new stuff !! Many of the London Soul DJ's bored me to tears around this period !

Edited August 31, 200619 yr by Simon M

Oh how I love reading the endless debates on here about northern vs. modern, what is modern?, it's all disco, etc. Whilst browsing through some old Blues & Soul magazines last weekend, I came across this interesting article by Simon Dunmore in 1990. He's making a distinction between modern and real soul. Anyone remember that term? I thought the music I liked in the 80s was called real soul. He's also slating the modern soul scene for being stuck in a 70s time warp and not embracing new releases.

The article brought a lot of response. One fella from Blackpool wrote a particularly vitriolic letter in reply and the debate went on for ages. Sound familiar?

....and the debate began long before that! Here's Frank Elson from around 77/78. (apologies to anyone that has seen it before but it makes a good point).

Interesting that although being at heart a 60's man, I have 18 of the top 30 tracks that Simon mentions in your post!!

It's all soul..........

J.

and i thought this debate was new........

....and the debate began long before that! Here's Frank Elson from around 77/78. (apologies to anyone that has seen it before but it makes a good point).

Interesting that although being at heart a 60's man, I have 18 of the top 30 tracks that Simon mentions in your post!!

It's all soul..........

J.

Also remember a Frank Elson column in the mid 80's (sorry don't know exact date) where Frank claims not to be able to list a years top 20 because there was no soul recorded that year. Of course this prompted a deluge of letters/tapes to him pointing out his mistake. To his great credit Frank spent the next few columns giving up valuble space reviewing a comp' tape sent to him (from Jan Barker I believe) of indie soul from that year, Jessie James Willie Clayton, Mary "Love'' Comer etc etc.

Bit off thread I know, but it reminded me when I read your post.

By the way I think Franks claim of there being no soul that year was tongue in cheek, and maybe just a ruse to get some nice tapes!

Is he still around? He'd be great on 'ere.

Cheers Paul Woosnam