Over the last 18 months or so, I've been aware of the rise of the word "banger" to describe uptempo soul sounds. In more recent months it seems to have overtaken "stomper" as the defining word for fast tracks.

But what exactly is a "banger", and who can lay claim to the introduction of the word into the Northern Soul lexicon? Is a "banger" just another name for a "stomper" or does it embrace broader styles - "funky Northern", or gospel/soul tunes, for example?

Can something be a "banger" but not a "stomper" and vice versa?

And while people can stomp to "stompers", what do they do to "bangers"?

I think we should be told!  

Edited July 27, 20168 yr by Russell Gilbert

Others seen using the term "banger" to describe tunes are Colin Law and Chris Anderton. Dave Thorley mentioned previously...

Possibly much more widely used than first thought. And possibly not used by old-timers with walking sticks - as referred to by Wood Butcher - because of the implicit risks to health of anything involving a bang.

On 26 July 2016 at 22:36, Russell Gilbert said:

Back when would you say?

Around 1985 onwards.... DJ's like Tim Westwood before he started sounding ridiculous at Spats, The Wag Club and Electric Ballroom on a Saturday afternoon.

I kind of know a bit about NS dancing, but have never heard about a 'banger' ? Here's my 3p worth - A 'floater' is slow to mid-tempo, (Detroit Executives - Cool Off). A 'stomper' is faster, but basic 4/4, ( Willie Mitchell - The Champion). A 'shuffler' is faster than a 'stomper' and trickier, ( Frankie Crocker - Ton of Dynamite) .

 

A daft term. Really meaningless. Just an adjective for a hard hitting sound.  Best if this word is merely used to hype-up sales lists methinks.

Certainly not a word that bears comparison with 'stomper', a term that also fails to aptly describe a dance style but was appropriate to depict the noise coming from Cleethorpes Pier on Sunday mornings.

Don't get me started on 'shufflers' though...

I always thought stomper just meant uptempo , 100mph.

It was often said as " 100mph stomper" records like James Carr That's what I want to know , Sandi Sheldon etc.

I think later when a dance style emerged to records like Seventh Wonder , Willie Mitchell etc folks started calling it stomping and records that they could stomp to as stompers but I still use the term just to describe a 100mph sound.

Don't know what a banger is

Since starting this thread I've been surprised at just how commonplace the word "banger" has become in describing a certain types of tunes. It's pretty much mainstream now, to my mind, so is sure to become ubiquitous. Seems about the only place it's not being used with any great frequency is Soul Source. Perhaps that has something to do with membership demographics. 

We could bang on about this for hours... 

I lay the blame squarely on Little Hank !!!

Dave