When you pick up a Casino related CD, well the early ones any way, your head clicks into jukebox mode as you read down the list placing the tracks into your own personal boxes labelled, "Like it", "Hate it", "Ooh" and very rarely "Haven't heard that?"
When I got "into" Northernsoul it was just after the wave had rolled back into the ocean, leaving a beach looking like Branscombe but littered with unwanted baggy trousers and circle skirts. There was a new "Cool" and an even bigger secret, gone now where the coach trips of Soulies smelling of Charlie and Tabac, gone now was the uniform that gave the game away.
Contrary to popular belief, and "Northernsoul Myth", the music was still there and the so called new movement ushered in by Richard Serling and later Guy Henigan, Keb Darge, Dave Thorley and my fave, Pat Brady, didn't replace the tired oldies, it just gave us another dimension to the music. We seamed overnight to have gone from at best "Vesta curries" to "gourmet" and this was too rich for some taste buds. This was too much too soon for some and a lot of the "Old Guard" left leaving a younger, trendier and more adventurous "Soul Boy".
I did like to consider my self the "new guard" I joined a small rank of soul fans who ventured out into the dark after the merry go round had stopped. I remember when Manifesto first came out and it was difficult to spot a new or strange face on the photographs and to hear, "I've seen you about" was a top compliment.
I can still remember the first time I realised how diverse and exciting our music was when we went to "Bensons" in Bradford. If my memory serves, Pat Brady, Soul Sam and Arthur Fenn where the main line up?
I heard so many new and exciting tracks at Bradford, the biggie at the time for me was "Alfie Davison Love Is Serious Business", well it was and I just couldn't get it out of my head. It was so clean and fresh well that was until some trendy bird in the queue at Bradford said that she was sick of hearing it, fooks sake it was hard to stay on top of these sounds.
Thee top record for me personally is not a great favorite with most but I fell in love with Curtis How Can I Tell Her (12"). Charm City Records (US) / 1979 / DM 81853.
I just love the way this clears the floor of some and drives other nuts! I have always been more interested in the dance side of our culture and too be honest for a long while I thought the collectors had some how missed the point, and some had lost the plot, mind you most of the old dancers now have lost the fookin plot but for different reasons!
I would truly love to get a decent file of How Can I Tell Her for my PC, I know some hate it but it instantly makes me feel happy and young.
Some of my other faves where .........
King Tutt You've Got Me Hung Up
Eddie Holman This Could Be a Night to Remember
Bill Harris Am I Cold, Am I Hot
Bobby Sheen's 'Something New To Do'
Alfie Davison Love Is Serious Business
Greg Perry It Takes Heart
Soul Bros. Inc. Pyramid
Loads of wonderful memories, loads of wonderful tunes.
Gotta say a big thank you to Dave Rimmer for taking so much time and effort into writing and recording so much of our history, and history is what it is.
When you pick up a Casino related CD, well the early ones any way, your head clicks into jukebox mode as you read down the list placing the tracks into your own personal boxes labelled, "Like it", "Hate it", "Ooh" and very rarely "Haven't heard that?"
When I got "into" Northernsoul it was just after the wave had rolled back into the ocean, leaving a beach looking like Branscombe but littered with unwanted baggy trousers and circle skirts. There was a new "Cool" and an even bigger secret, gone now where the coach trips of Soulies smelling of Charlie and Tabac, gone now was the uniform that gave the game away.
Contrary to popular belief, and "Northernsoul Myth", the music was still there and the so called new movement ushered in by Richard Serling and later Guy Henigan, Keb Darge, Dave Thorley and my fave, Pat Brady, didn't replace the tired oldies, it just gave us another dimension to the music. We seamed overnight to have gone from at best "Vesta curries" to "gourmet" and this was too rich for some taste buds. This was too much too soon for some and a lot of the "Old Guard" left leaving a younger, trendier and more adventurous "Soul Boy".
I did like to consider my self the "new guard" I joined a small rank of soul fans who ventured out into the dark after the merry go round had stopped. I remember when Manifesto first came out and it was difficult to spot a new or strange face on the photographs and to hear, "I've seen you about" was a top compliment.
I can still remember the first time I realised how diverse and exciting our music was when we went to "Bensons" in Bradford. If my memory serves, Pat Brady, Soul Sam and Arthur Fenn where the main line up?
I heard so many new and exciting tracks at Bradford, the biggie at the time for me was "Alfie Davison Love Is Serious Business", well it was and I just couldn't get it out of my head. It was so clean and fresh well that was until some trendy bird in the queue at Bradford said that she was sick of hearing it, fooks sake it was hard to stay on top of these sounds.
Thee top record for me personally is not a great favorite with most but I fell in love with Curtis How Can I Tell Her (12"). Charm City Records (US) / 1979 / DM 81853.
I just love the way this clears the floor of some and drives other nuts! I have always been more interested in the dance side of our culture and too be honest for a long while I thought the collectors had some how missed the point, and some had lost the plot, mind you most of the old dancers now have lost the fookin plot but for different reasons!
I would truly love to get a decent file of How Can I Tell Her for my PC, I know some hate it but it instantly makes me feel happy and young.
Some of my other faves where .........
King Tutt You've Got Me Hung Up
Eddie Holman This Could Be a Night to Remember
Bill Harris Am I Cold, Am I Hot
Bobby Sheen's 'Something New To Do'
Alfie Davison Love Is Serious Business
Greg Perry It Takes Heart
Soul Bros. Inc. Pyramid
Loads of wonderful memories, loads of wonderful tunes.
Gotta say a big thank you to Dave Rimmer for taking so much time and effort into writing and recording so much of our history, and history is what it is.