I've just started reading this book, and what a disappointment. I got bored after the first chapter  I found it not to be about the soul scene more about name dropping rubbish

Agree. A turgid, over-cooked read. Nothing I didn't know already and many inaccuracies.  Poor.

Glad I'm not the only one 

I'll bring a bit of balance here!! I have read it and really enjoyed it. Its nice to a see a book on the northern soul scene giving due respect to Stafford and the eighties in general. Added to which, I thought it was well written - all down to personal taste, I suppose!!

Don't bother with the Detroit or Memphis ones ones by Cosgrove, either. Pointless, badly written rubbish. 

4 minutes ago, steveh73 said:

I'll bring a bit of balance here!! I have read it and really enjoyed it. Its nice to a see a book on the northern soul scene giving due respect to Stafford and the eighties in general. Added to which, I thought it was well written - all down to personal taste, I suppose!!

I never saw him at Stafford. 

Never really understand the need to write bpoks about the scene its not like any one outside of it is interested and if you were there you know allready . Having said that   much better than the sugar coated one that Uncle Russ put out quite a few years back .

6 minutes ago, Mark S said:

Never really understand the need to write bpoks about the scene its not like any one outside of it is interested and if you were there you know allready . Having said that   much better than the sugar coated one that Uncle Russ put out quite a few years back .

I think the same on making a film about it too. 

Keep it simple and try not to be disrespectful,,,without certain djs/promoters where would we be 

Wait until the musical comes out, dig out sting again 😂 

Personally thought its the best book on the subject since 'the in crowd'. Which is for me the most definitive. Stuart's book had lots of detail and insight id not seen covered before, 

I enjoyed it and am now reading part three of the trilogy which have all been interesting in my opinion - Its all about personal taste I guess.

Adam.

Personally, I thought it was extremely well written.  Rather than an out and out tale of the scene it blends excellently with what was happening in real life.

I find if you have to critical about something that at least be constructive or as me nan used to say if you can't say owt good shut thee gob 😜

The Detroit book btw was a brilliant piece of literature.

Edited October 27, 20186 yr by chalky

I remember him at Stafford; well, Stafford train station in the morning a couple of times. What I will say though is he cut and pasted my comments about Pete Lawson etc from here without the courtesy of asking. More than a bit cheeky at best, lazy and unprofessional journalism at worst. Bought the book after being made aware of the above, haven't read it though lol

11 minutes ago, jumpinjoan said:

I remember him at Stafford; well, Stafford train station in the morning a couple of times. What I will say though is he cut and pasted my comments about Pete Lawson etc from here without the courtesy of asking. More than a bit cheeky at best, lazy and unprofessional journalism at worst. Bought the book after being made aware of the above, haven't read it though lol

I have loads of 'Soul Books' I ain't read 

Len 

I have never read a book about Northern Soul and never had the desire to but what I would love to read is a book of ordinary people's stories, there must be thousands, record hunting, trips to and from soul events, memorable soul nights. nighter's and any other scene related topics, it's the real people that interest me, anyone up for doing that?

12 minutes ago, Soulfool said:

I have never read a book about Northern Soul and never had the desire to but what I would love to read is a book of ordinary people's stories, there must be thousands, record hunting, trips to and from soul events, memorable soul nights. nighter's and any other scene related topics, it's the real people that interest me, anyone up for doing that?

The problem is, to borrow a previously used phrase, "if you remember it you were'nt really there".

4 hours ago, chalky said:

Personally, I thought it was extremely well written.  Rather than an out and out tale of the sene it blends excellently with what was happening in real life.

I find if you have to critical about something that at least be constructive or as me nan used to say if you can't say owt good shut thee gob 😜

The Detroit book btw was a brilliant piece of literature.

He really put into Context, chalky, give a sense of the time and place. 

4 hours ago, jumpinjoan said:

I remember him at Stafford; well, Stafford train station in the morning a couple of times. What I will say though is he cut and pasted my comments about Pete Lawson etc from here without the courtesy of asking. More than a bit cheeky at best, lazy and unprofessional journalism at worst. Bought the book after being made aware of the above, haven't read it though lol

I wasnt aware of that joan, rather rude. I certainly like to read more of your perspective on the scene. I can remember pete, but at the time he scared this young youth from stoke to death. 

4 hours ago, LEN said:

I have loads of 'Soul Books' I ain't read 

Len 

Me too.

The only one I have read is the one by Tony Ellis 

 

I thought it was quite good, but the Detroit and Memphis books were fantastic. Almost everybody must've learned something from those.

I thought it was good and really evoked how life was back then & reminded how much things have changed. I am a couple of chapters into 'Detroit' (started in May & being a very slow reader and only like a serious read when on holiday) but again seems to build a great picture of what was going on at the time - although obviously i dont know how accurate that picture is because i wasnt there!

13 hours ago, Soulfool said:

I have never read a book about Northern Soul and never had the desire to but what I would love to read is a book of ordinary people's stories, there must be thousands, record hunting, trips to and from soul events, memorable soul nights. nighter's and any other scene related topics, it's the real people that interest me, anyone up for doing that?

Sounds good to me fella 

14 hours ago, Soulfool said:

I have never read a book about Northern Soul and never had the desire to but what I would love to read is a book of ordinary people's stories, there must be thousands, record hunting, trips to and from soul events, memorable soul nights. nighter's and any other scene related topics, it's the real people that interest me, anyone up for doing that?

 

Already been written most of it  ...   it's called "Soul Source" ...

You just need to do a little legwork yourself and trawl through the extensive archive of info , tales , tall tales and other fairy stories all under one roof here .

Ive read a few books  on Northern Soul   and thought it was quite well written and like the way it related the scene to the stories of the time.

The best one I have read by far IMHO  is The In Crowd.

10 hours ago, modernsoulsucks said:

Me too.

The only one I have read is the one by Tony Ellis 

 

I read 'The In Crowd' (Mike Ritson & Stuart Russell) which was one of the first / and covered it pretty well - I can't imagine trying to write a book to cover today's 'scene' 

I'll probably get round to reading my others when I retire...

Len 

Not read it yet but . A book is a very personal thing.  What is relevant to one is the opposite to others.  

I would recommend Gethro,s Book. They Danced all night for a very personal look at this scene 

Steve

1 hour ago, Winsford Soul said:

Not read it yet but . A book is a very personal thing.  What is relevant to one is the opposite to others.  

I would recommend Gethro,s Book. They Danced all night for a very personal look at this scene 

Steve

You are right its a personal thing, how Gethro's book has so many 5 star reviews is lifes greatest mystery to me, although I realise a lot are from mates..

On ‎23‎/‎10‎/‎2018 at 10:19, WoodButcher said:

 

Already been written most of it  ...   it's called "Soul Source" ...

You just need to do a little legwork yourself and trawl through the extensive archive of info , tales , tall tales and other fairy stories all under one roof here .

Beg to differ here as I have heard, read and typed out a lot of stories....none on soul source, there are 40 + years of them...it's remembering them that - I guess - would be the problem.

 

just for info 

as with most books nowadays if there's a kindle version there's usually a preview

ties in with this topic as you can actually read the first chapter that was referred to in the original post via the article shown below

 

 

On 22/10/2018 at 19:41, LEN said:

I have loads of 'Soul Books' I ain't read   Len 

Well (and this ain't a competition....) I've a bookcase full of books I've never read.

And would you believe I've never ever read a single book from start to finish - not even 'Chicago Soul'.

I've looked at a lot of magazines with pictures though.

Dx