Flirtations - Nothing but a heartache

[Chris Turnbull]

Big piece in this month's Uncut magazine about the making of Nothing but a heartache and says Wigan floorfiller - is that right, was it a floorfiller at Wigan? Or just a generalisation of Flirtations tunes overall being played at the time which led to them appearing at Wigan etc

Would have thought NBAH too slow / Swinging Sixties for the main room - maybe M's?

[Frankie Crocker]

Don’t recall it being spun when there in the early years. Got to doubt the assertion. Now ‘Stronger Than Her Love’ was absolutely massive - could this be song that should have been referred to? ‘Nothing But A Heartache’ is more of a Stafford era tune being mid tempo. You’re absolutely right to flag this up as so much twaddle is peddled in the media by wannabe journo’s…

[Chalky]

1 hour ago, Frankie Crocker said:

Don’t recall it being spun when there in the early years. Got to doubt the assertion. Now ‘Stronger Than Her Love’ was absolutely massive - could this be song that should have been referred to? ‘Nothing But A Heartache’ is more of a Stafford era tune being mid tempo. You’re absolutely right to flag this up as so much twaddle is peddled in the media by wannabe journo’s…

Plenty of records of a similar ilk and tempo at Wigan, it was an oldie by the mid 80s and cheap one at that.

[Chris Turnbull]

Just seemed a bit revisionist / wide of the mark to me - article says ‘When Northern Soul DJ’s discovered the song in the 1970’s, it kept the group in business’, but I couldn’t imagine it was a style of tune that would have been played at the time. Mind you it also quotes the producer saying ‘Tony Blackburn told me it was a big Northern Soul record’, so big pinch of salt there as well I guess 

[Modernsoulsucks]

Never heard it in a club.

I do note though on eBay described as NS and seems to sell.

[Agentsmith]

Ffs, is it possible AI was spreading misinformation way back then?

[Peter Richer]

Maybe only big with Kentucky Fried Chicken eaters. Not sure how many KFCs were around in the Wigan years?! 

[Soul-slider]

I know it was played 1980(ish) at a few NS nights (in East Anglia anyway). Before that I really don't know.

[Wiggyflat]

I remember it being massive at Britpop clubs like Happiness Stans in London mid 1990s along with Beggin by Timebox.I had never heard those records played at a Northern Soul venue before hearing it at those style of clubs. I have never seen it on any Wigan playlists either.....now Stronger Than Her Love/Little Darling yes.

Edited July 28, 2024 by Wiggyflat

[Benji]

It was a huge record on the continental mod scene in the mid/late 90s. As was Timebox.

 

[Mark B]

I alway thought of it as just a cheap pick up never heard it played in the 70’s

[Chalky]

The only time I remember hearing it is when The Flirtations sang it live...maybe at some oldies night too somewhere but never at a niter

Edited July 29, 2024 by Chalky

[Alan T]

21 minutes ago, Chalky said:

The only time I remember hearing nit is when The Flirtations sang it live...maybe at some oldies night somewhere but never at a niter

I remember seeing them at an allnighter at Notts Palais around late 80's. They had replacement members i think, they were very average and we couldn't wait to get back to the DJ.

[Chalky]

3 hours ago, Alan T said:

I remember seeing them at an allnighter at Notts Palais around late 80's. They had replacement members i think, they were very average and we couldn't wait to get back to the DJ.

Last time I saw them was in Camden I think, Kents 25th anniversary?  they weren't too bad all told.

[Mal C]

I was chatting about this track with somebody, I can’t remember who, but was told the flip ‘How Can You Tell Me?’ Was the spin originally. 

[Headsy]

HCYTM, is by far the better side, femme fatale NS,

I thought it was played in Ms was it not?

[Sebastian]

Does anyone remember "Need Your Loving" getting plays? A far more "traditional" sounding stomper.