o.k we all know wigan played erm a few, today i was trying to think of bad records played at the mecca and im struggling, i honestly loved them all

many records worked there and when they came on wigans [or other clubs] playlists many never sounded as good due to differences in sound systems i.e marc copage dizzy etc, o.k they are not masterpieces but they worked.

hmm what am i gonna say really star wars -meco shouldnt have been played and that crazy record 'crazy horse' [was it the sounds of brass?] irritated me, though in fairness that was more a sale mecca record, any more?

Usual standard answer from me"cath-e-drels"for me.

The thing with the Mecca was that some/many of the records played in the latter period were certainly a bit naff and didn't work elsewhere and definitely don't sound good today, was that we got carried away with the whole "Meccaness" of it all, the overall scene there was somehow bigger than the tunes played. (I include Meco in this) Maybe its a bit like the Gary Lewis/Nosmo King sort of stuff played at Wigan, they are unplayable now, except perhaps in an ironic way (at Christmas?), but at the time were danced to and collected just as keenly as the proper soul tunes were. It was for a while part of the Wigan experience.

Tone (this one, not that one)

Reaching For The Best by the Exciters

The truth is the Mecca lost it. From being trailblazers on the Northern scene, they went to being a NYC disco, granted a few miles from NYC, but I never went th the Mecca when they went down this route.

Having said that, there was the spell where Levine left and it went back to Northern, but mainly oldies. Must have been around 75/76?

I have a tape in my drawer here at work from 73 from the Mecca. some of the tracks are:

• Sue Barrett
  
• Devonnes
  
• Glories
  
• Bobby Randolph
  
• Tomangoes
  
• Larry Atkins
  
• Mel Williams
  
• Patti Austin TATPS
  
• Top Shelf
  
• Tony Clarke
  
• Detroit Sound
  
• Debbie Dean
  
• Invitations SINS
  
• Terrible Tom
  
• R Dean Taylor
  
• Eddie Foster
  
• Joe Hicks
  
• Janie Grant
  
• Vel-Vets
  
• The Petals CCTWTYH
  
• J Jackson experience Lets Shingaling
  
• United 4
  
• Cissie Houston
  
• Salvadors
  

and loads more......

• 
  

Every club & every DJ in the early 70s played some records that seem awful today. At the time they seem acceptable because we had,overall great night and the vast majority of tunes were simply mind-blowing.

I think Levine went off at an angle, as he always did.. New York Disco was just one of his many attempts to be "better" than everyone else.. some of the later plays at the Mecca were strange - Andre Gagnon - Wow - on Decca was a bloody awful record but I swapped my Bernire Williams - Ever Again - Bell demo for it, so I had an Andre Gagnon to play at Cleethorpes..

We all had occasional bad-taste but we must be congratulated for trying everything except Country & Western & heavy Rock...whoops... forgot about The Glitter Band - Makes You Blind

Every club & every DJ in the early 70s played some records that seem awful today. At the time they seem acceptable because we had,overall great night and the vast majority of tunes were simply mind-blowing.

I think Levine went off at an angle, as he always did.. New York Disco was just one of his many attempts to be "better" than everyone else.. some of the later plays at the Mecca were strange - Andre Gagnon - Wow - on Decca was a bloody awful record but I swapped my Bernire Williams - Ever Again - Bell demo for it, so I had an Andre Gagnon to play at Cleethorpes..

We all had occasional bad-taste but we must be congratulated for trying everything except Country & Western & heavy Rock...whoops... forgot about The Glitter Band - Makes You Blind

=======

i like andre gagnon,,nice powerful 70's instrutmental....glitter band however now that is crap!!!

you cant win em all John!

yes all the crap they played after 1975 - new york disco my arse

Never got my head round Dr Buzzards Original Savannah Band "i'll play the fool". Think they also played "Cherchez La Femme" at one point. I know some people rated it but not for me i'm afraid

Quiet liked DC LaRue - "cathedrals" at the time but havn't heard it for years now so might sound crap now

I'll also put my hand up to buying the Exciters - reaching for the best but in my defence i was doing mobile disco's at the time Am i forgiven and will i get into soul heaven or be condemmed forever to burn in the disco inferno

The truth is the Mecca lost it. From being trailblazers on the Northern scene, they went to being a NYC disco, granted a few miles from NYC, but I never went th the Mecca when they went down this route...

[*]

Typical response from the Wigan faithful! Who on earth said that the Mecca was SUPPOSED to be a "Northern Soul" venue after 1975? That's what the whole fuss was about! The Mecca was busy forging a brand new scene which embraced the contemporary music coming out of America, and in the process was creating a whole new experience. In retrospect, Levine was one of the advance guard for the House scene in the UK, while Colin was pioneering Jazz Funk as a balance.

In addition, both Ian and Colin were playing the very best 70's SOUL records around. (Where ELSE could you hear Bessie Banks, Bill Brandon, Latimore, Ruby Andrews etc. alongside the most contemporary jazz, funk and disco?) The fact is, that many of the punters who buggered off to Wigan at midnight completely missed the point of what was happening at the Mecca, and still don't get it. The Mecca had become something completely NEW on the Northern scene, and we didn't have a name for it at the time. It was simply 'the Mecca', and the records played there (including D.C. Larue etc.) consequently became 'Mecca' records!

The fact that some of the records played (many in fact) did not fit into the definition of 'Soul' (particularly Northern Soul) that we'd grown accustomed to was due to the far reaching musical changes and developments that were happening in America, not the narrow whims of the DJs. The Mecca embraced these changes, for better or worse, and in the process previewed much of what happened many years later. The Mecca remained "trailblazers" while the other Northern clubs trailed way, way behind.

Edited March 9, 200718 yr by mel brat

yes all the crap they played after 1975 - new york disco my arse

F*** off!

I thought the Wigan v Mecca thing had died off 30 years ago along with the self obssesed deluded tw*ts who started the whole sorry row

I thought the Wigan v Mecca thing had died off 30 years ago along with the self obssesed deluded tw*ts who started the whole sorry row

=======

oh i like do..love reading and hearing about the foundations of our scene....

I thought the Wigan v Mecca thing had died off 30 years ago along with the self obssesed deluded tw*ts who started the whole sorry row

it has died!!,both venues played crap at some stage.....it's just the Mecca broke new ground as well,whether we like it or not.

=======

oh i like do..love reading and hearing about the foundations of our scene....

Yeah, the trouble with that little spat though was a handfull of people (on both sides) ruined a perfectly healthy scene for the ordinary punter who liked hearing 60s & 70s newies in the same room.I'm just amazed that 30 years on people still feel the need to carry on the row.

IMO the sensible crowd buggered off to St Ives,Yate,Cleggy & Peterborough for a couple of years.At least (particlarly at Yate & St Ives) things carried on as before.

In response to the original post I would pose another question;

Is there a single DJ who can claim he/she has never played a crap record?If the answer to that is no then it must surely encompass The Mecca?..........

Yeah, the trouble with that little spat though was a handfull of people (on both sides) ruined a perfectly healthy scene for the ordinary punter who liked hearing 60s & 70s newies in the same room.I'm just amazed that 30 years on people still feel the need to carry on the row.

IMO the sensible crowd buggered off to St Ives,Yate,Cleggy & Peterborough for a couple of years.At least (particlarly at Yate & St Ives) things carried on as before.

In response to the original post I would pose another question;

Is there a single DJ who can claim he/she has never played a crap record?If the answer to that is no then it must surely encompass The Mecca?..........

======

im lucky love both wigan and mecca sounds and collect em all....

======

im lucky love both wigan and mecca sounds and collect em all....

Same as mate,thats the point.

o.k we all know wigan played erm a few, today i was trying to think of bad records played at the mecca and im struggling, i honestly loved them all

many records worked there and when they came on wigans [or other clubs] playlists many never sounded as good due to differences in sound systems i.e marc copage dizzy etc, o.k they are not masterpieces but they worked.

hmm what am i gonna say really star wars -meco shouldnt have been played and that crazy record 'crazy horse' [was it the sounds of brass?] irritated me, though in fairness that was more a sale mecca record, any more?

If you're struggling to think of bad records played at the Mecca you obviously don't know what was played there just like people who who didn't go to various other venues. Of course crap records were played, they are played at every venue you care to mention. The Mecca played loads of new releases, some worked, a lot didn't. It's always a case of selective memory with what was played at lots of venues, you need to listen to tapes recorded at the time to get a full picture, quite often you will be saying what the f**K was that doing in that spot, but it was a time and place and there was obviously a reason why a crap record was being played at that particular time that wouldn't be played now, one basic reason is that taste changes with time.

I think Levine went off at an angle, as he always did.. New York Disco was just one of his many attempts to be "better" than everyone else.. some of the later plays at the Mecca were strange - Andre Gagnon - Wow - on Decca was a bloody awful record but I swapped my Bernire Williams - Ever Again - Bell demo for it, so I had an Andre Gagnon to play at Cleethorpes..

Got a nice UK demo of Andre Gagnon - anyone got a nice Bernie Williams on Bell for a straight trade?

Got a nice UK demo of Andre Gagnon - anyone got a nice Bernie Williams on Bell for a straight trade?

I'm thinking about it.. is your Andre Gagnon mint?

I'm thinking about it.. is your Andre Gagnon mint?

Mint+ John! Is your Bernie Williams mint?

Typical response from the Wigan faithful! Who on earth said that the Mecca was SUPPOSED to be a "Northern Soul" venue after 1975? That's what the whole fuss was about! The Mecca was busy forging a brand new scene which embraced the contemporary music coming out of America, and in the process was creating a whole new experience. In retrospect, Levine was one of the advance guard for the House scene in the UK, while Colin was pioneering Jazz Funk as a balance.

In addition, both Ian and Colin were playing the very best 70's SOUL records around. (Where ELSE could you hear Bessie Banks, Bill Brandon, Latimore, Ruby Andrews etc. alongside the most contemporary jazz, funk and disco?) The fact is, that many of the punters who buggered off to Wigan at midnight completely missed the point of what was happening at the Mecca, and still don't get it. The Mecca had become something completely NEW on the Northern scene, and we didn't have a name for it at the time. It was simply 'the Mecca', and the records played there (including D.C. Larue etc.) consequently became 'Mecca' records!

The fact that some of the records played (many in fact) did not fit into the definition of 'Soul' (particularly Northern Soul) that we'd grown accustomed to was due to the far reaching musical changes and developments that were happening in America, not the narrow whims of the DJs. The Mecca embraced these changes, for better or worse, and in the process previewed much of what happened many years later. The Mecca remained "trailblazers" while the other Northern clubs trailed way, way behind.

Thanks for the reply. I feel it is relatively easy to see this now, but it was difficult at the time when we only wanted to hear Northern.

It boils down to the differing tastes we all have on here. I am a 60ts fan, with the odd 70s being just acceptable.

I don't feel this way deliberately, its just the way I am, so I find it hard to find anything remotely appealing about the stuff Levine and Curtis played from 75 onwards, no matter what label we place on it.

ATB

Brian B

yes all the crap they played after 1975 - new york disco my arse

Oviously you don't remember post 75 records like

Stevens & Foster

Betty Lloyd

Charisma Band

Brothers Guiding Light

Luther Ingram

Bessie Banks

Norma Jenkins

Corey Blake

Millie Jackson

And there's more.............................

Oviously you don't remember post 75 records like

Stevens & Foster

Betty Lloyd

Charisma Band

Brothers Guiding Light

Luther Ingram

Bessie Banks

Norma Jenkins

Corey Blake

Millie Jackson

And there's more.............................

Thanks for that.Knew I,d heared stevens and Foster in the seventies

Oviously you don't remember post 75 records like

Stevens & Foster

Betty Lloyd

Charisma Band

Brothers Guiding Light

Luther Ingram

Bessie Banks

Norma Jenkins

Corey Blake

Millie Jackson

And there's more.............................

whats this who can do a big list of records , i was refering to the period post 75 when from being a venue playing upfront 60s and brand new soul releases , levine took the mecca elsewhere new york disco and then jazz funk , i stopped going mid 76 for this reason . i was happy dancing to and buying things like essex iv , innersection, boby franklin,gorgeous george , third point ,philly devotions etc etc along with the 60s stuff , but i felt at the time the music was becoming more alien to me has levine and curtis went along the new york disco route . anyone remember being in the highland room when the javells - goodbye nothing to say - was played the dance floor was rammed .

Edited March 9, 200718 yr by Tony Parker

Is there a soul club that hasn't played bad records?

Reaching For The Best by the Exciters

A perfectly good record that nobody should ever be ashamed of buying then, or owning up to owning now...

...I did (buy it) and I still do (own it). It's a little piece of history in its own way.

whats this who can do a big list of records , i was refering to the period post 75 when from being a venue playing upfront 60s and brand new soul releases , levine took the mecca elsewhere new york disco and then jazz funk , i stopped going mid 76 for this reason . i was happy dancing to and buying things like essex iv , innersection, boby franklin,gorgeous george , third point ,philly devotions etc etc along with the 60s stuff , but i felt at the time the music was becoming more alien to me has levine and curtis went along the new york disco route . anyone remember being in the highland room when the javells - goodbye nothing to say - was played the dance floor was rammed .

I was answering somebody who said after '75 Blackpool Mecca became a New York Disco. The list I gave disproves his comments. Hell - Stevens & Foster for example wasn't even released until '77.

If you want to talk about disco - what about The Brothers "Are You Ready For This. An out & out "Disco Record" (from NEW YORK) which was "Mecca Crap" back in the day & now it is arguably one of the biggest tunes over the last five years (based purely on dancefloor reaction) a "Northern Classic" or am I missing something here?

I was answering somebody who said after '75 Blackpool Mecca became a New York Disco. The list I gave disproves his comments. Hell - Stevens & Foster for example wasn't even released until '77.

If you want to talk about disco - what about The Brothers "Are You Ready For This. An out & out "Disco Record" (from NEW YORK) which was "Mecca Crap" back in the day & now it is arguably one of the biggest tunes over the last five years (based purely on dancefloor reaction) a "Northern Classic" or am I missing something here?

luckily i havent heard the brothers since the 70s , i must go to the wrong venues .

mecca biggies that sound poor now paul humphreys - cochise , gearge clinton -please dont run , dave mitchell - the trip ,mistura - life is a song worth singing , levines little lee howell cover up aka marc copage - who can i turn to

luckily i havent heard the brothers since the 70s , i must go to the wrong venues .

mecca biggies that sound poor now paul humphreys - cochise , gearge clinton -please dont run , dave mitchell - the trip ,mistura - life is a song worth singing , levines little lee howell cover up aka marc copage - who can i turn to

There were lots of records played at the Mecca which weren't that great in the scheme of things, of course. But the real point I feel is that the Mecca was pioneering a seismic shift in music policy that indirectly led to the great North West jazz funk scene of 1977-79 and in the process was playing the widest mix of Black American music you could hear probably anywhere in the world, let alone the UK!

I personally enjoyed the excitement generated during those years from late 1974 to late 1976 tremendously, and the continued Jazz/Funk period after that was just as exciting in it's way as was my early excursions into Northern Soul. Besides, there was very little viable alternative by that time as I saw it. Wigan was definitely "out of the picture" for me!

i felt at the time the music was becoming more alien to me has levine and curtis went along the new york disco route . anyone remember being in the highland room when the javells - goodbye nothing to say - was played the dance floor was rammed....

Records such as that are precisely the reason WHY the Mecca changed it's music policy when it did!

If you're struggling to think of bad records played at the Mecca you obviously don't know what was played there just like people who who didn't go to various other venues. Of course crap records were played, they are played at every venue you care to mention. The Mecca played loads of new releases, some worked, a lot didn't. It's always a case of selective memory with what was played at lots of venues, you need to listen to tapes recorded at the time to get a full picture, quite often you will be saying what the f**K was that doing in that spot, but it was a time and place and there was obviously a reason why a crap record was being played at that particular time that wouldn't be played now, one basic reason is that taste changes with time.

You're absolutely RIGHT. If "poor" (or let's just say "less good"! ) records became popular, you can only really blame dancefloor reaction for that! At least Levine and Curtis persevered with some of the tunes we now know and love, and didn't constantly "play to the gallery", even at the risk of a half empty dancefloor. I always found the Mecca to be something of a musical education - a very good thing I reckon - which always made it well worth the travel.

papaya- ursula dudziak, loved it years ago, not heard it since, is it any good?

Thanks for the reply. I feel it is relatively easy to see this now, but it was difficult at the time when we only wanted to hear Northern.

It boils down to the differing tastes we all have on here. I am a 60ts fan, with the odd 70s being just acceptable.

I don't feel this way deliberately, its just the way I am, so I find it hard to find anything remotely appealing about the stuff Levine and Curtis played from 75 onwards, no matter what label we place on it.

ATB

Brian B

I'm a still sixties fan too, and continued buying the odd Northern Soul record (if I could afford it, and usually from Soul Bowl) but also Deep Soul and ballads as well, (and new, mainly UK albums - I never had any money!). It's just that it was generally felt that the standards of good sixties recordings being discovered, with a Northern beat, was definitely slipping by then. Ian Levine was in a better postion than most to gauge this, as he was rumoured to own over 30,000 records at that time.

Plus the newly resurgent dance culture in America, which was becoming increasingly evident by mid-1974, was simply too appealing and intriguing to ignore! Don't forget also that the Mecca continued to play "traditional" sixties Northern Soul right up to late 1976, such as Gwen Owens, Bernie Williams, Ronnie McNeir etc., usually long before they were played elsewhere, provided they were considered genuinely worthy recordings.

Edited March 9, 200718 yr by mel brat

papaya- ursula dudziak, loved it years ago, not heard it since, is it any good?

It's up in the sounds section cod!

There were lots of records played at the Mecca which weren't that great in the scheme of things, of course. But the real point I feel is that the Mecca was pioneering a seismic shift in music policy that indirectly led to the great North West jazz funk scene of 1977-79 and in the process was playing the widest mix of Black American music you could hear probably anywhere in the world, let alone the UK!

I personally enjoyed the excitement generated during those years from late 1974 to late 1976 tremendously, and the continued Jazz/Funk period after that was just as exciting in it's way as was my early excursions into Northern Soul. Besides, there was very little viable alternative by that time as I saw it. Wigan was definitely "out of the picture" for me!

each to his own but the jazz funk thing never did anything for me , and i found refuge at venues like cleethorpes , st ives and later the yate allnighters , could never cope with the jazzfunkers in there plastic sandles and blowing whistles for most of them it was just the latest fashion statement . if the jazz funk thing was supposedly progress , i didnt want to be part of it i was hearing great 60s/ early 70s records like inspirations- midas , lester tipton, jimmy gresham , and collecting things i had first heard at the mecca like minnie jones , joseph moore montclairs - arch , difficult to remember many bad records played as you tend to remember the ones you like and it is 30 years ago .

although another couple i would put on the poor list was the fugitives - human jungle and although it seemed ok at the time the awful commodores - the zoo

Edited March 9, 200718 yr by Tony Parker

only saw the question,cause they f,,í…¸**ng did.............even if no one likes to admit it!

T. Conecction the way forward ...........f..ck off !for all the good Levine did,after he found his "new" direction there really was a mountain of shite to follow!!

I must also state that i always was one for new sounds etc,still am.

Levine caused a rift in the scene like no other at the time,like it or not,but no one should take away what he put into it(they will)

I state my case

Steve

You don't have a case! If you were genuinely "always one for new sounds" what do you mean by "new" new sixties Northern discoveries? New releases? T-Connection was played as a new funk release in 1977 - several months after the Mecca had become a completely new release Jazz/Funk and Disco venue. It had nothing to do with Northern Soul by that stage, and didn't need to either thank you very much!

each to his own but the jazz funk thing never did anything for me , and i found refuge at venues like cleethorpes , st ives and later the yate allnighters , could never cope with the jazzfunkers in there plastic sandles and blowing whistles for most of them it was just the latest fashion statement . if the jazz funk thing was supposedly progress , i didnt want to be part of it i was hearing great 60s/ early 70s records like inspirations- midas , lester tipton, jimmy gresham , and collecting things i had first heard at the mecca like minnie jones , joseph moore montclairs - arch , difficult to remember many bad records played as you tend to remember the ones you like and it is 30 years ago .

although another one i would put on the poor list was the fugitives - human jungle and although it seemed ok at the time the awful commodores - the zoo

I actually liked The Commodores, and still do!, but that was regarded as genuinely Northern Soul at the time, as you know, despite being a 70s recording. (Fugitives was always crap though!) As for being a "fashion statement", almost everyone I knew on the early Jazz Funk scene had formerly been involved in Northern Soul and were all bone-fide Soul fans. (Who do you think was buying those great records such as Beloyd, Stevens & Foster, Heywood Cash, Annette Snell and many other Soul gems AS NEW RELEASES?) I never had any plastic sandles, but blew a whistle or two.. and besides, who wanted to flap around in 'baggies' after 1975? Dear God!

Edited March 9, 200718 yr by mel brat

It's up in the sounds section cod!

found it in the sounds section ive just danced around the house in a late 1970,s style, brilliant

Right-on Steve..........

I think the point is we all played/danced to some awful records, in amoungst some good 'uns.

But the point that Mal Bratt made about "proper" classic style Northern Soul was drying up, is a very important one..

New discoveries just were not being found in the quantities required to keep the scene going. I remember The New Wanderers "This Man In Love" being played late 70s at Cleethorpes and that was the first "NEW" classic style stomper I'd heard it quite some time.

Then of course in later years "Stafford" changed the pace of things and 100s more rare-soul 45s were considered playable and collectable.

It was a transitional peroid where we were all experimental in our choice of play. Every record mentioned in this thread played it's part in building, what is today, the largest underground music scene in the world. It's diversity was and is it's strength.. that includes Nosmo King, Brass Construction, Peter Brown, Babe Ruth & Bernie Williams etc.

I went through Levine's collection very early, in the coarse of him selling of it..(first time round) it was FULL of Stafford type records, and undiscovered gems "Groovettes on Reness" was one I bought that day, along with 100s of others. So he could have chose the later "Stafford" route years before Stafford existed.

But chose new releases, which has given us some of the most sought-after 45s on the scene today.. Stevens & Foster is a good example.

Hands up who didn't buy, play or dance to a few recordings in the 70s that now sound awful in 2007.. Remembering, Bill Deal - It's too Late - was a Torch spin as a new release in 1971/2!

Original Question: Did Blackpool Mecca play some bad records? YES they certainly did but the vast majority were ground-breaking future monsters, that's why the club sits firmly in the top three venues of all-time.

I think the point is we all played/danced to some awful records, in amoungst some good 'uns.

But the point that Mal Bratt made about "proper" classic style Northern Soul was drying up, is a very important one..

New discoveries just were not being found in the quantities required to keep the scene going. I remember The New Wanderers "This Man In Love" being played late 70s at Cleethorpes and that was the first "NEW" classic style stomper I'd heard it quite some time.

Then of course in later years "Stafford" changed the pace of things and 100s more rare-soul 45s were considered playable and collectable.

It was a transitional peroid where we were all experimental in our choice of play. Every record mentioned in this thread played it's part in building, what is today, the largest underground music scene in the world. It's diversity was and is it's strength.. that includes Nosmo King, Brass Construction, Peter Brown, Babe Ruth & Bernie Williams etc.

I went through Levine's collection very early, in the coarse of him selling of it..(first time round) it was FULL of Stafford type records, and undiscovered gems "Groovettes on Reness" was one I bought that day, along with 100s of others. So he could have chose the later "Stafford" route years before Stafford existed.

But chose new releases, which has given us some of the most sought-after 45s on the scene today.. Stevens & Foster is a good example.

Hands up who didn't buy, play or dance to a few recordings in the 70s that now sound awful in 2007.. Remembering, Bill Deal - It's too Late - was a Torch spin as a new release in 1971/2!

Original Question: Did Blackpool Mecca play some bad records? YES they certainly did but the vast majority were ground-breaking future monsters, that's why the club sits firmly in the top three venues of all-time.

I reckon that pretty much says it all !

What i meant was new as in not having heard before pretty obvious really don´t you think?

Still doesn´t change the fact that Levine turned into some Messiah trying to convert people to his new music direction/taste,wouldn´t you agree?

I picked T-Conection as an example cause it stands out as one of"those"sounds that at the time pissed me off! thats why i dropped off the scene for a while,Wigan(Oldies shite) Mecca (gay disco shite) .

That is my case............still open to new records,but personally disco never did it for me(although i quite like Shame!)

I will always stand up for Levine for changing his playlist etc and would go anywhere here he was dj­ng cause he broke some great records,i also agree with the seventies direction but Brass Construction ,Crown Heights affair were to me just to close to every day disco sounds,the reason why i went to all nighters/soul nights etc was to get away from that type of shite!!(and take red and browns )every body to their own i believe.

Steve

What's "obvious" from your obtuse and muddled comments is very little indeed! You display your tolerance and broad minded opinions with every word you utter. (Not!) and your desperate need to mention 'red and browns' says it all about the sad, sad state of Northern Soul at that time in my view...

Edited March 10, 200718 yr by mel brat

If you're struggling to think of bad records played at the Mecca you obviously don't know what was played there just like people who who didn't go to various other venues.

think i do i was there every week

aaah the good old days.....

Lets be brutally honest there isn't a venue that hasn't had its share of shite played, and its a matter of personal taste, without getting to personal i have many hates that rate highly on most persons top sounds list, asi'm sure we all do.

The sad and most critical point i find is that as the two factions split in 76, we saw yhe 'Wigan' camp head down the road to playing anything with a dance beat, irrespective of it being soul, with 60's white pop, tv themes etc...all seemingly being ok. The 'Mecca' crowds tastes were pushed further and further towards either disco or jazz funk,The result was the great chunk of new soul releases inbetween were mostly missed until the 'modern' scene was kick started in 79'ish..that accounts for the sheer amount of brilliant things played one after another in the early modern years.

So yes i know there were shit things played everywher, others were of their time . and although great then, should never ever see the light of day again, but again, once more to individual tase , they constantly do!!!!

And then there's this so called RnB 60'S scene.......no.............perhaps i'd better not go there eh!

MNy only criteria is soulfull and in most cases danceable, although we all love the killer slowies that leave you speechless now and then.

So looking at the above spec. i ccould easily find a fair few undesirable pieces opf what i think are bollocks at every venue, and from every period or influential venue, but its alla matter of personal taste.

Blackpool on the whole was brilliant , but that new stuffs always been my bag, and 70's soul my personal fave stuff, so for me its a winner

Oh! and finally Ca-the-drals still love it !!!!!

Harpo

Edited March 11, 200718 yr by harpo1

of course all bad records played but it wasn't just 1976 or anything but even long before new sounds was breaking as Ian played a lot of stuff that deemed crossover, modern or more disco in sound like he played the Cairstairs which is great but it's more Funky then obvious Northern records.

But everytime i hear of Blackpool Mecca songs to me they are sheer brilliance.

F*** off!

Are you me in disguise

Are you me in disguise

Thought you were having a rest

Thought you were having a rest

trying to but so so bored...