Seems to me to be an insidious creep of retro soul lite, as I'll call it, for purposes of debate.

Anyway the allergies track epitomises the crop of cod soul that often features on daytime radio, I'm sure you'll remind me of others.🙄 WCF epitomises the worst of the commercialism of the 70's. I'd prefer footsie personally, at it's a half decent pop record. 

 

 

Was this actually played first?

Or was it the pye WCF version?

All said and done...it got those dancers 'at it' 

Ed

6 minutes ago, Tomangoes said:

Was this actually played first?

Or was it the pye WCF version?

All said and done...it got those dancers 'at it' 

Ed

It has its saving grace in exposing the scene to the mainstream. The allergies track just exploits the sensibility of soul records, with none of the actual soul, IMHO.

I remember a line in the Temptations movie where they are told they are going to change their style.

A comment is made that the new material is not proper soul music..

Then Meester Gordy says, so what, we want to sell more records and not race records but pop records.

The writing was on the wall!

Not sure many morals or principles are held in the music industry full stop.

Ed

Can't remember the Chosen Few ever being played. It was usually Simons "Sounds of Soul" emi disc as I recall. A totally different kettle of fish to the the WCF issue.

Amazingly, it isn't on youtube, any got a copy to post and remind us? 

3 minutes ago, Tomangoes said:

I remember a line in the Temptations movie where they are told they are going to change their style.

A comment is made that the new material is not proper soul music..

Then Meester Gordy says, so what, we want to sell more records and not race records but pop records.

The writing was on the wall!

Not sure many morals or principles are held in the music industry full stop.

Ed

In that case, Do to perhaps think Mr Gordy was let's say comparable to stock Aitken and waterman? 

Well....in the hear and now, after loads of info has come out, Mr Gordy was probably the MOST colourful character in the Motown story.

Number 1 on the hit chart would have made more money than number 1 on the r n b chart.

It also appears that almost every track was recorded by almoat every artist......as we now see from those master tapes.

Total respect though. He had a lot of mouths to feed and as we all know pride comes before a fall.

Ed

One I've always wondered about.... Wigan's Chosen Few, with its lovably daft, quintessentialy 70s sound effects, has got to have some kind of a claim as an early 'remix' (albeit of a very primitive kind and not the level of technical sophistication pioneered by Tom Moulton or King Tubby). Earliest British-made remix maybe?

From what I remember the Pye release was just the first half of the original, doubled up, with a crowd effect added.

The was a version without the crowd, but car horn instead, but same looped first half only.

I used to have a Pye acetate of another version, with a "kids laughing"effect (could have even been a baby crying ?). On this one I think the underlying track that was the full version as per Roulette.

Pity Kegsy won't be contributing to this thread; I know how much he loved his 'taylor-mades' ...

Anyone got an opinion on the allergies track? Relative to footsie.

What I'm getting at is, the allergies is the thin end the wedge for me in terms of contemporary retro soul, though there are many more, they remind me of the Wigan talor made's. Why? They're both just really lazy half arsed attempts at dancefloor pop. They take the elements and stylings of soul and assemble these plastic facsimiles. A lot of the new releases have an undefinable quality that just lacks the authenticity of true 60's soul records. 

Edited May 5, 20205 yr by Geeselad

I'm not getting your drift properly.

Footsee seems to have been a joke record, similar to the theme from the banana splits show...and I dont know if anybody could actually name the musicians playing.

Ive not heard any other chosen few tracks?

The Allergies are a pop duo from what I've seen who make records to make money and commercial r&b seems to be their base.

I'm not a fan of what I've heard, but somebody must be buying it as they have a fair few tunes out there.

Ed

 

I've got to say, Footsie was massive for about a month at Wigan. I can remember bring in the record bar when it got played. The bar nearly emptied. Got to remember we were young fuelled up loads of energy and would dance to anything.

I like The Allergies. I think they are smart, creative and funny. This is, however, far from their best track. God Walked Down, As We Do Our Thing, Samba Fox, Every Trick In The Book and Push On are much better. I buy pretty much everything they do because they're so inventive.

I think the comparison to Footsee is a bit loose. Footsee was a one off attempt to lever some money out of the popularity of "Northern Soul" at the time. Felony is the latest in quite a long line of Allergies 45's. They're also had three albums. Their music covers a range of styles and occasionally they do stuff that some DJ's pick up on because it either samples something Northern or sounds a bit Northern e.g Entitled to That. I don't think they are trying to milk the Northern market, maybe because it's not very lucrative. 

1 hour ago, Soulfinger said:

I like The Allergies. I think they are smart, creative and funny. This is, however, far from their best track. God Walked Down, As We Do Our Thing, Samba Fox, Every Trick In The Book and Push On are much better. I buy pretty much everything they do because they're so inventive.

I think the comparison to Footsee is a bit loose. Footsee was a one off attempt to lever some money out of the popularity of "Northern Soul" at the time. Felony is the latest in quite a long line of Allergies 45's. They're also had three albums. Their music covers a range of styles and occasionally they do stuff that some DJ's pick up on because it either samples something Northern or sounds a bit Northern e.g Entitled to That. I don't think they are trying to milk the Northern market, maybe because it's not very lucrative. 

Just checked out the tracks you mentioned, that's a few minutes of my life I'll never get back, but hey ho.  I think there crass, cheesey and plastic. Lacking class or originality and I'm surprised they have duped anybody on here. I'm not suggesting the're ripping of Northern soul, just soul asthetics in its loosest sense. Essentially as plastic and vacuous as WCF.

* Was this actually played first? *  TOMANGOES SAID

Yes It Was, I am Guilty of playing this At The Friendship Inn, Keadby Nr. Scunthorpe Soul Nites which ran between Late 60's late 70's. Long Before Russ Played It, Not proud of the fact it has to be said, Came in a picture Sleeve with a picture of the Ball on a String Thing you fastened to your Ankle spun it round and skipped over it 

Bought from "Boylans Record Shop" In Conisborough South Yorkshire, A shop brilliant fo New releases and old obscure records which i am sure a lot of the older members on here Would remember, I didn't like the the record at all but my Girl friend at the time Linda Lewis did, so bought it and played it and yes was quite popular with the acrobatic type of dancers, on a visit to the Casino Russ played the Car Horn version and Linda went up to Russ and said My Boy friend's been playing this for ages but without the car horns, he said Impossible this is a SS Record,(think it was on an Acetate from what she described. We visited the next Casino Nite and she took my copy up to Russ to show him my copy And Yes, he had to eat Humble Pie, His face was a Picture, Not very Chuffed it Has to be said....... Rick  

Edited May 6, 20205 yr by Rick Scott
more info

Not a fan of the Allergies at all

First soul record bought from a shop...

Boylans

Lenis guess Just Ask Me on a greenish SPQR...Happy days.

Anybody watching Wigans exploited few dancers on TOTP must have been impressed...not seen that kind of dancing before.

The SS version then was probably the first tailor made?

Ed

 

If I was pushed I'd go for Take My Heart Mary Saxton as a good early example of a tailor made attempt albeit Canadia

Allergies suit me, don't believe they mis represent anything, just combine the juicy bits from tunes and add their touch.

As we do our thing highlights that arresting Motown drum intro.

Was it Nile Rogers quoting Schubert that said....good musicians borrow music, great musicians steal it!

Paul

4 hours ago, Geeselad said:

Just checked out the tracks you mentioned, that's a few minutes of my life I'll never get back, but hey ho.  I think there crass, cheesey and plastic. Lacking class or originality and I'm surprised they have duped anybody on here. I'm not suggesting the're ripping of Northern soul, just soul asthetics in its loosest sense. Essentially as plastic and vacuous as WCF.

Fair play for having a listen. Can't say I think you are even remotely right, but each to their own.

The exciters Blowing up my mind is an absolutely top tune to my ears. When I heard the Allergies remix or retake or sample or whatever you want to call (Loves supposed to be) I was well impressed. Very drum and bass but still brilliant to my ears anyway. 

Hugh

 

 

 

 

The "Allergies - Felony" is appropriately titled if nothing else .... 🤬

You might want to give this a listen ......

 

2 hours ago, WoodButcher said:

The "Allergies - Felony" is appropriately titled if nothing else .... 🤬

You might want to give this a listen ......

 

Well I just hope Sammy gets something out it, if he's still around. 

28 minutes ago, Geeselad said:

Well I just hope Sammy gets something out it, if he's still around. 

Have just posted something to this end on their FB page , pretty sure it'll be ignored and removed but here's hoping for some kind of reply/reaction. 

Well the band deemed it fit to reply (after 6 weeks or so of nothing , guess they don't visit their own FB page that often ... )

Seems all is in order rights-wise as printed on the single cover.

 

No excuse for the pointless cover version/sample though ...