Hello 👋🏻 

I currently run a youth club in Sheffield it’s free for young people to attend we play soul music on vinyl and the volunteers who run it all have a passion for soul music too. 
 

We fund the youth club by putting on Sunday all dayers. 
 

I’ve been reading up about Youth Clubs and wondered whether anyone might be interested in sharing their experiences particularly if that was the first place you heard it? 
 

Thanks in advance 😊

 

Amy 

Youth club was my first introduction to northern soul,I was really young in the late 70’s,8 years old maybe,the older kids would come into the youth club and then go off to the Wigan casino!

northern soul was played along side the jam,specials,Dexy’s,…etc….i didn’t know for years that northern soul was old music😂

Whether my experience was different..but from my memory....youth clubs weren't ALL about music...there were loadsa other things going on. Imagine a hormone fuelled teenager finding his feet in the world...northern soul was a small part of growing up in a youth club setting ......going to allnighters at that age is a different story.......................................

 

Edited April 12, 20241 yr by Jez Jones

4 minutes ago, Dobber said:

Youth club was my first introduction to northern soul,I was really young in the late 70’s,8 years old maybe,the older kids would come into the youth club and then go off to the Wigan casino!

northern soul was played along side the jam,specials,Dexy’s,…etc….i didn’t know for years that northern soul was old music😂

Be indulgent with the young kid in you 😉 You were only 8 ! Don't trash 'him' like you trash others later when you were thinking high and mighty of your self realizing that you were ABOVE because you thought you had it all wrapped up right in your head and felt part of that underground 'society' no one could understand...

That was not you I am sure. Joke aside it's often the problem with many elder on such scenes infiltrated with stupid elitist as*oles. The very exclusive mod scene (not the 'hard' mod one for example) was very much that too in my memory. The northern soul scene at times too. But today bullies are rolling on every front.

So not only elders towards youngsters but the other way around too. But hopefully I was most of the times weary enough of the bad characters and well cared for by other elders on all those scenes I strolled into as a young teen. What I never had was such friends my age as a teen. Always preferred the mature company.

And especially their knowledge and respect. Not confusing knowhow for knowitall. But I hear that many have find it good with their as young peers to share and live experiences while growing together a time on a same path sharing adventures and all. Which is another way to bound and learn. But my aim was music & records.

Sticking with my school pals in that regard would have not thought me as much and as fast as it did with the elder mods that introduced me with the right bases for me to then quickly move up onto my 'cloud'. And the youth clubs in my neighborhood in the mid 1980's were only filled with troubled kids not one bit into music.

Hopefully with the time changes we are seeing new generations coming over with positive attitudes. Now begging for the elders to welcome them with respect and hopefully most of them youngsters in humility will respect them in return and learn some and not just toss them thinking they know better with arrogance.

I mean not only in regard of the 'crumbles' of what's left of "the scene" (not underground anymore nor the die hards of the 1990's) but in 'society' in general like in towns, countrysides and the geographical Western Europe. It's always good to witness such youth. But even more one that's craving on a passion in "artistry".

FWIW I've been a social workers with teens for a long while before hanging up my coat after quitting my work unhappy of the political changes and recuperation (lefties all the same) so I'm also compelled to see it from such an angle. Professional induced distortion in my point of view. Sorry about that. Have Faith. Peace !

In 1971 I was 13 and a friend told me about a local youth club. St Marie's in Southport. I went along and mainly it was a disco on Friday and Saturday nights. They played the hits of the day, but also  club soul of the time. The Snake, Cool Jerk, Breakout, Backstreet, Barefootin', Scratchy etc. A great intro to the sounds, although my older sister did have some great records. My real intro to "northern" was a move from Southport to Burscough early 73 and to the Tuesday night football club discos with the "Soul Spinners 4"

 

Paul

4 hours ago, Sheffieldsoulg said:

Hello 👋🏻 

I currently run a youth club in Sheffield it’s free for young people to attend we play soul music on vinyl and the volunteers who run it all have a passion for soul music too. 
 

We fund the youth club by putting on Sunday all dayers. 
 

I’ve been reading up about Youth Clubs and wondered whether anyone might be interested in sharing their experiences particularly if that was the first place you heard it? 
 

Thanks in advance 😊

 

Amy 

I salute anyone who runs a youth club Amy, respect to you and your team.  We all benefitted from them back then and for many of us too young to get to a nighter and too young to be at one when we did attend, youth clubs were the only place to hear Northern, philly and funk and foster our interest & passion. Just the thing for bored/disaffected youngsters who can relate to emotional stories, which help explain or give some understanding to their own experiences and emotions.

There can be no better use of youngsters energy than polishing a dancefloor with leather! 

🕺💃👍