said this on the special effects topic

detroit executives - cool off

always thought it was rubbish,then a funny thing happened.......heard it again and loved it,how come

must have happened to you lot

Bazza

Yes this one......Eric Lomax "Seven the loser" Columbia, never got what this was about back in the 70s but heard it on a compilation about 18 months ago and thought WOW. The reason why, this is pure crossover and not conventional NS, if it was discovered now it would be a monster. Good thread.

BH

PS Ripe for a few spins at X-over venues???

All the stuff when the mecca went "Disco" But now when I listen to Bobby Hutton, Voices Of East Harlem, Pointer Sisters, Anne Sexton, What fantastic soulfull tracks. Sorry Pete, But also the Carstairs.

Paul

Willie Tee - Walkin up a one way street

Always considered it just another youth cub tune until a few years ago, heard with new ears, listening to the lyrics through headphones. Absolutely excellent record

good time tonight the soul sisters, heard it first about 33 years ago, liked it but then put it in with oldies and youth club stuff, until about 3 months ago then WOW!!! cant stop playing it, cant stop singing it, even got it on my phone

Happy - Velvet Hammer, remember when it was first big around 79/80 remember thinking what a load of poppy disco rubbish, one of my all time favourites now !

It's worst ehen you think you love a record, you buy it and it's dissapointing...

I only spent 2 dollars on the one I'm thinkin' so it's not a big prob

Cheers

Hated Frank Beverley & The Butlers 'If That's What You Wanted' first time I heard it 25 years ago, second time I heard it (about a week later!) I absolutely Fuc**** fell head over heels in love with it!!

said this on the special effects topic

detroit executives - cool off

always thought it was rubbish,then a funny thing happened.......heard it again and loved it,how come

must have happened to you lot

Bazza

Lady in green, Sam played it at a Bangor alldayer and I absolutly hated it, a year or so later I completly changed my mind & really fell in love with it. Wasnt in the best frame of mind at the time though, been a Colwyn Bay nighter that was cancelled at the last minute the night before. No ale at the dayer so i went to the corner shop, saw 4 welsh lads in front of me get served from under the counter only to be told when it was my turn that they didn't sell alcohol. I was also pretty indifferent to Yvonne Vernee & Tamala Lewis at the time but think they're fantastic now.

Lady in green, Sam played it at a Bangor alldayer and I absolutly hated it, a year or so later I completly changed my mind & really fell in love with it. Wasnt in the best frame of mind at the time though, been a Colwyn Bay nighter that was cancelled at the last minute the night before. No ale at the dayer so i went to the corner shop, saw 4 welsh lads in front of me get served from under the counter only to be told when it was my turn that they didn't sell alcohol. I was also pretty indifferent to Yvonne Vernee & Tamala Lewis at the time but think they're fantastic now.

Never got that Lady in green,dont like it at all ,other side is a great tune tho'."Heart your made of stone"

Bazza

All the stuff when the mecca went "Disco" But now when I listen to Bobby Hutton, Voices Of East Harlem, Pointer Sisters, Anne Sexton, What fantastic soulfull tracks. Sorry Pete, But also the Carstairs.

Paul

When was the Pointer Sisters anything but out and out northern?? Also all the others you mentioned - I never thought of them as being anything but northern...but my 'hated it now love it' record has to be Sam Williams - Love slipped through my fingers. When this was first played at Wigan by Alan Rhodes it was the most unpopular record of the time, emptied floors, I think it was because of that wailing female backing at the start. As the years went by it grew and grew, not just with me but with everyone by the sounds of it. Another record nobody ever said they liked was Your Autumn Of Tomorrow by The Crow. I just thought it was weird...it gets better as time passes...I can honestly say I have never heard this played out anywhere, ever

Willie Tee - Walkin up a one way street

Always considered it just another youth cub tune until a few years ago, heard with new ears, listening to the lyrics through headphones. Absolutely excellent record

Don't think I've ever done a dj set without playing this..

valentines - breakaway. this one of those records that i got sick of hearing at record fairs, every night of my life from youth club discos onwards, everywhere....never liked it, and was sick of hearing it - then about 3 months ago - whammy! suddenly i likes it.

When was the Pointer Sisters anything but out and out northern?? Also all the others you mentioned - I never thought of them as being anything but northern...but my 'hated it now love it' record has to be Sam Williams - Love slipped through my fingers. When this was first played at Wigan by Alan Rhodes it was the most unpopular record of the time, emptied floors, I think it was because of that wailing female backing at the start. As the years went by it grew and grew, not just with me but with everyone by the sounds of it. Another record nobody ever said they liked was Your Autumn Of Tomorrow by The Crow. I just thought it was weird...it gets better as time passes...I can honestly say I have never heard this played out anywhere, ever

the CROW used to get spun at the Mecca,only other place around that time i heard it played was an all dayer at Yarmouth,spun by that bald dj,you know the one...

Edited January 13, 200718 yr by KevH

said this on the special effects topic

detroit executives - cool off

always thought it was rubbish,then a funny thing happened.......heard it again and loved it,how come

must have happened to you lot

Bazza

Yep been there, the answear is never sell any records.

You may have to move to a bigger house tho.

Cheers Paul

All the stuff when the mecca went "Disco" But now when I listen to Bobby Hutton, Voices Of East Harlem, Pointer Sisters, Anne Sexton, What fantastic soulfull tracks. Sorry Pete, But also the Carstairs.

Paul

None of the tracks you mention could ever have been considered "Disco". This was a period of remarkable transition on the scene. I remember when Levine or Colin came down to alldayers in Wolverhampton in 1975. Only a handful of us, who had been going to The Mecca on Pete King's coaches, danced to these records, along with The Brothers "Are You Ready For This" (which has since gone big again).

It was obvious by the differences in dancing styles and clothing that many of the other punters in attendance were recent converts to the scene (via "Footsie" et.al.) and more of these danced to Pep's "oldies" spot - records we'd already got at home in many cases, and which had been played at the Cats only a couple of years earlier, such as Duke Browner and Sam & Kitty! High Voltage and World Column's "So Is The Sun" drew particularly hostile scowls and mutterings I remember, though they went big at "the other place" several months later!

Although The Mecca was still playing 60's recordings such as Jimmy Mack, Robbie Lawson and Tamiko Jones, it was at about that time that I realised that my days on the "traditional" Northern scene were over, and that the music scene that The Mecca had instigated heralded something new. Something we didn't yet have a name for.

Although the Mecca started playing 70's and crossover recordings early in 1974, the changeover to a completely new and contemporary playlist didn't occur until the end of 1976. Two years was a long time on the Northern scene in those days, so the change hardly happened overnight!

Edited January 14, 200718 yr by mel brat

When was the Pointer Sisters anything but out and out northern?? Also all the others you mentioned - I never thought of them as being anything but northern...but my 'hated it now love it' record has to be Sam Williams - Love slipped through my fingers. When this was first played at Wigan by Alan Rhodes it was the most unpopular record of the time, emptied floors, I think it was because of that wailing female backing at the start. As the years went by it grew and grew, not just with me but with everyone by the sounds of it. Another record nobody ever said they liked was Your Autumn Of Tomorrow by The Crow. I just thought it was weird...it gets better as time passes...I can honestly say I have never heard this played out anywhere, ever

Dave Godin had the only known copy of the Crow at one time and took it to Cleethorpes as an exclusive, (where I imagine it went down like a lead balloon!). This was during one of his many public feuds with Ian Levine. However, Levine somehow got hold of it and it was duly spun at Blackpool, which because of the varied nature of the contemporary Blackpool playlist, was it's natural home! Also I well remember being one of only TWO people dancing to Lou Ragland "I Travel Alone" at Wigan, early in 1974 (I'd heard Pep play it previously and loved it!)

Edited January 14, 200718 yr by mel brat

When was the Pointer Sisters anything but out and out northern??

The Pointer Sisters record might be more properly termed a "crossover" record, as it was not in the traditional 60s Northern bag at the time it was first played, which was alongside Voices of East Harlem, R.P.M Generation etc. in mid-1975. Records like this may have found wide acceptance since, but the rhythm and tempo were considered quite controversial at the time, as the opposition to Blackpool Mecca's shift in music policy was then at it's peak. It was probably only by being accepted at the Cleethorpes allnighters (via Sam) that such records got onto the Wigan playlist at all!

Edited January 14, 200718 yr by mel brat

The Feminine Society...Who'll be the looser......

Ritchie wouldn't stop playing this on J.M.'s web site, kept doing my head in.....as soon as he had the record in the house, he played it and all of a sudden it just hit me, can't stop listening to it now.

huh huh

Edited January 14, 200718 yr by Rbman

and there is no sound fie in refosoul....Am I odd?

Via Sam and Ian Dewhirst

BH

Sorry, have to disagree with you, when I first heard it I thought it was a "traditional" 60's record and it still sounds like one, 4/4 beat and all that.

My Heart's Symphony : Gary Lewis and the Playboys

the CROW used to get spun at the Mecca,only other place around that time i heard it played was an all dayer at Yarmouth,spun by that bald dj,you know the one...

I was at that all dayer in Yarmouth. From memory, I think it was held at "Tiffs".

Must have been around 74, an Inter City Soul Club event. It even had a "Deep Soul" room where I spent several blissful hours.

The Bald guy was John "Kojak" Harvey.

Boy, I bought some cracking tunes off him that day!

Music policy was awesome...

Thanks for the memory!

Sean

Via Sam and Ian Dewhirst

BH

John Vincent, before either of them. The Crow got plays at Samanthas, via Ian D.

I was at that all dayer in Yarmouth. From memory, I think it was held at "Tiffs".

Must have been around 74, an Inter City Soul Club event. It even had a "Deep Soul" room where I spent several blissful hours.

The Bald guy was John "Kojak" Harvey.

Boy, I bought some cracking tunes off him that day!

Music policy was awesome...

Thanks for the memory!

Sean

spot on SEAN, went with Tats and a few others camping for the week.Forgot the groundsheet and ended up in Tats' trannie van ( 6 of us!!).Kojak was the dj,i was only there for the stompers though!!hadn't discovered deep soul then!!still owe Tats £3 from 10 pin bowlin,he was the only one with any money ,,Kev.

John Vincent, before either of them. The Crow got plays at Samanthas, via Ian D.

So was John the first to play/discover The Pointer Sisters?

BH

Sorry, have to disagree with you, when I first heard it I thought it was a "traditional" 60's record and it still sounds like one, 4/4 beat and all that.

You don't say WHEN you first heard it, and this is crucial to the argument, as the tempo of the record would have surely excluded it from Northern playlists prior to '75. In support of this argument is the fact that dancers widely adopted the "new" styles of dancing to the record (that is to say associated with Blackpool Mecca) when it was first played in 1975, while the tempo accomodated both "traditional" and modern fans - hence "crossover"

John Vincent, before either of them. The Crow got plays at Samanthas, via Ian D.

Dave Godin wrote about and reviewed The Crow in 'Black Music' magazine as an exclusive sound. Fact. Accordingly, he is responsible for introducing the record to the Northern Scene and took it to Cleethorpes, as I pointed out earlier. This is well enough documented. That's why Godin released it here on his 'Right-On!' label

Edited January 15, 200718 yr by mel brat

Dave Godin wrote about and reviewed The Crow in 'Black Music' magazine as an exclusive sound. Fact. Accordingly, he is responsible for introducing the record to the Northern Scene and took it to Cleethorpes, as I pointed out earlier. This is well enough documented. That's why Godin released it here on his 'Right-On!' label

Sorry, the JV reference related to the Pointer Sisters only. Also wasn't for one minute suggesting Frank played "Crow" first. Just that he had an early, (ie after DG) copy. Samanthas was a lot more up front in1975 than many people realised.

Should have made myself clearer.

Sorry, the JV reference related to the Pointer Sisters only. Also wasn't for one minute suggesting Frank played "Crow" first. Just that he had an early, (ie after DG) copy. Samanthas was a lot more up front in1975 than many people realised.

Should have made myself clearer.

Whoah. Hold on. After re-reading the thread, my JV comment was obviously in reply to Blakes post. So it was clear. (imo of course )

Blake. My understanding was that JV played the Pointer Sisters first. I can't say for sure that he discovered it.

In 1975, he was one of, if not THE, best dj's on the scene. Searling, Sam and Curtis included. I think PeteS may agree . Don't even think about Winstanley Wiganer1 !

Whoah. Hold on. After re-reading the thread, my JV comment was obviously in reply to Blakes post. So it was clear. (imo of course )

Blake. My understanding was that JV played the Pointer Sisters first. I can't say for sure that he discovered it.

In 1975, he was one of, if not THE, best dj's on the scene. Searling, Sam and Curtis included. I think PeteS may agree . Don't even think about Winstanley Wiganer1 !

For a period most of 75 to mid 76 he was undoubtedly the best DJ on the scene in my opinion.

You don't say WHEN you first heard it, and this is crucial to the argument, as the tempo of the record would have surely excluded it from Northern playlists prior to '75. In support of this argument is the fact that dancers widely adopted the "new" styles of dancing to the record (that is to say associated with Blackpool Mecca) when it was first played in 1975, while the tempo accomodated both "traditional" and modern fans - hence "crossover"

Can't agree with you on this. There was absolutely no difference in the way people danced to this at the Casino. Its clearly out and out northern and always has been.

ATB

Brian B

Can't agree with you on this. There was absolutely no difference in the way people danced to this at the Casino. Its clearly out and out northern and always has been.

ATB

Brian B

That's exactly what I said above. And for Mel's information, I first heard it in 1975 when it was first played. At Sammies in Willenhall, played by Pep in fact.

When was the Pointer Sisters anything but out and out northern?? Also all the others you mentioned - I never thought of them as being anything but northern...but my 'hated it now love it' record has to be Sam Williams - Love slipped through my fingers. When this was first played at Wigan by Alan Rhodes it was the most unpopular record of the time, emptied floors, I think it was because of that wailing female backing at the start. As the years went by it grew and grew, not just with me but with everyone by the sounds of it. Another record nobody ever said they liked was Your Autumn Of Tomorrow by The Crow. I just thought it was weird...it gets better as time passes...I can honestly say I have never heard this played out anywhere, ever

Dave Thorley plays it out quite abit Pete.

Ive always loved the Crow cos it was weird and really funky- Wouldnt mind acopy now!

None of the tracks you mention could ever have been considered "Disco". This was a period of remarkable transition on the scene. I remember when Levine or Colin came down to alldayers in Wolverhampton in 1975. Only a handful of us, who had been going to The Mecca on Pete King's coaches, danced to these records, along with The Brothers "Are You Ready For This" (which has since gone big again).

It was obvious by the differences in dancing styles and clothing that many of the other punters in attendance were recent converts to the scene (via "Footsie" et.al.) and more of these danced to Pep's "oldies" spot - records we'd already got at home in many cases, and which had been played at the Cats only a couple of years earlier, such as Duke Browner and Sam & Kitty! High Voltage and World Column's "So Is The Sun" drew particularly hostile scowls and mutterings I remember, though they went big at "the other place" several months later!

Although The Mecca was still playing 60's recordings such as Jimmy Mack, Robbie Lawson and Tamiko Jones, it was at about that time that I realised that my days on the "traditional" Northern scene were over, and that the music scene that The Mecca had instigated heralded something new. Something we didn't yet have a name for.

Although the Mecca started playing 70's and crossover recordings early in 1974, the changeover to a completely new and contemporary playlist didn't occur until the end of 1976. Two years was a long time on the Northern scene in those days, so the change hardly happened overnight!

Will soemone please set the record straight for me or AM I totally senile.

The brothers track played back in the 70s was actually- Are you ready for that- from the LP dont Stop Now I remmebr this played at the Mecca tons of times or was I dreaming- Epic or Pete Haig please set me right as this has been haunting me for years!

Although The Mecca was still playing 60's recordings such as Jimmy Mack, Robbie Lawson and Tamiko Jones, it was at about that time that I realised that my days on the "traditional" Northern scene were over, and that the music scene that The Mecca had instigated heralded something new. Something we didn't yet have a name for.

Four letters, begins with "S"

None of the tracks you mention could ever have been considered "Disco". This was a period of remarkable transition on the scene. I remember when Levine or Colin came down to alldayers in Wolverhampton in 1975. Only a handful of us, who had been going to The Mecca on Pete King's coaches, danced to these records, along with The Brothers "Are You Ready For This" (which has since gone big again).

It was obvious by the differences in dancing styles and clothing that many of the other punters in attendance were recent converts to the scene (via "Footsie" et.al.) and more of these danced to Pep's "oldies" spot - records we'd already got at home in many cases, and which had been played at the Cats only a couple of years earlier, such as Duke Browner and Sam & Kitty! High Voltage and World Column's "So Is The Sun" drew particularly hostile scowls and mutterings I remember, though they went big at "the other place" several months later!

Although The Mecca was still playing 60's recordings such as Jimmy Mack, Robbie Lawson and Tamiko Jones, it was at about that time that I realised that my days on the "traditional" Northern scene were over, and that the music scene that The Mecca had instigated heralded something new. Something we didn't yet have a name for.

Although the Mecca started playing 70's and crossover recordings early in 1974, the changeover to a completely new and contemporary playlist didn't occur until the end of 1976. Two years was a long time on the Northern scene in those days, so the change hardly happened overnight!

When I used the term disco I think I was being ironic, and was refering to how it sounded at the time to a 17 year old Wigan regular. I became quite a regular at the Mecca during early 75 because I was "grounded" from nighters . I didn't hate the tracks, but preferred the true northern stuff played at the time. Another track you didn't mention from this Mecca era was "Turning My Heartbeat Up" which nowaday appears to be classed as a wigan pop side to a certain extent.

What did it for me at the Mecca, although I continued to go occasionally, was when I went for the usual walk downstair to watch the "divs" and the DJ was playing Esther Phillips "What a Difference a Day Makes", which was then played by Levine later on. Rare soul?.

Paul

When was the Pointer Sisters anything but out and out northern?? Also all the others you mentioned - I never thought of them as being anything but northern...but my 'hated it now love it' record has to be Sam Williams - Love slipped through my fingers. When this was first played at Wigan by Alan Rhodes it was the most unpopular record of the time, emptied floors, I think it was because of that wailing female backing at the start. As the years went by it grew and grew, not just with me but with everyone by the sounds of it. Another record nobody ever said they liked was Your Autumn Of Tomorrow by The Crow. I just thought it was weird...it gets better as time passes...I can honestly say I have never heard this played out anywhere, ever

Agreed re Pointer Sisters. It was only relatively recently I realised it wasn't a late 60's track.

Crow was played regularly at Cleethorpes and other venues down the eastern side of the country. Heard it played at various nighters in the last couple of years, including the 100 club.

Will soemone please set the record straight for me or AM I totally senile.

The brothers track played back in the 70s was actually- Are you ready for that- from the LP dont Stop Now I remmebr this played at the Mecca tons of times or was I dreaming- Epic or Pete Haig please set me right as this has been haunting me for years!

No.. it was "Are You Ready For This" and its from the LP "Disco Soul".