Is there a guideline on 'how to become a Northern Soul DJ'? What are the must-haves and what makes a set interesting to others?

I'm trying to get Northern back into a club and need some help, caus I only get one chance and 30 minutes to fill up the floor. If it works out fine, I'll have a good start to spin again, but I must compete with the techno-hardhouse-bullshit-dj's who spin monotonous crap-music

I need the bouncy stuff, that moves yer feet.

Tips are more than welcome!!

Is there a guideline on 'how to become a Northern Soul DJ'? What are the must-haves and what makes a set interesting to others?

I'm trying to get Northern back into a club and need some help, caus I only get one chance and 30 minutes to fill up the floor. If it works out fine, I'll have a good start to spin again, but I must compete with the techno-hardhouse-bullshit-dj's who spin monotonous crap-music

I need the bouncy stuff, that moves yer feet. 

Tips are more than welcome!!

link

So are you starting from scratch ( at the begining ) & you will from what you've outlined already.... You don't think that your trying to play the Right Music ( Our Music ) to the wrong crowd, or is that what you want to do Educate them. there are quite a few people out here myself included who can say do this or do that, But what any of us say may not be for you. I wish you luck in your Quest.... Follow your heart & do what feels right

Keep @ It

Jon Buck

Is there a guideline on 'how to become a Northern Soul DJ'? What are the must-haves.

Tips are more than welcome!!

link

A shit load of cash!

Dont worry about playing CD's either

A shit load of cash!

link

that's the second thing that came to my mind.. i *need* at least 10 grand to start with..

just play frank wilson you'll be ok

Follow your heart & do what feels right

thanks man

that's the spirit!

that's the second thing that came to my mind.. i *need* at least 10 grand to start with.. 

link

no you don't......

no you don't......

link

You don't need a shit load of cash although it might help, a good ear for a tune helps.......good luck.

Regards - Mark Bicknell

A shit load of cash!

link

Hello Moonman,

So your going to be a DJ are you, Good I think there is a book " How to be a Northern Soul DJ in Five Easy Lessons " you might get it @ www.goldsoul.co.uk but here are a few of My tips firstly if your going to play any American Import Records ( one's with a big hole ) you will need a plastic centre. You will need a pair of headphones, even if you don't know what to do with them they will help make you look cool. If you give me a couple of days I might be able to come up with a few more usefull tips.

I am off to soak in the bath now

Gill

xx

Hello Moonman,

    So your going to be a DJ are you, Good I think there is a book " How to be a Northern Soul DJ in Five Easy Lessons " you might get it @ www.goldsoul.co.uk but here are a few of My tips firstly if your going to play any American Import Records ( one's with a big hole ) you will need a plastic centre. You will need a pair of headphones, even if you don't know what to do with them they will help make you look cool. If you give me a couple of days I might be able to come up with a few more usefull tips.

I am off to soak in the bath now

Gill

xx

link

You will need a pair of headphones, even if you don't know what to do with them they will help make you look cool

A plastic centre, eeh?

Is there a guideline on 'how to become a Northern Soul DJ'? What are the must-haves and what makes a set interesting to others?

I'm trying to get Northern back into a club and need some help, caus I only get one chance and 30 minutes to fill up the floor. If it works out fine, I'll have a good start to spin again, but I must compete with the techno-hardhouse-bullshit-dj's who spin monotonous crap-music

I need the bouncy stuff, that moves yer feet. 

Tips are more than welcome!!

link

all you need is some of those records they were playing about 25/30 years ago and i think you will be on a winner

good luck ps,make sure you play the right side it,s the one with the big red ~A~on

Dont worry about playing CD's either

link

Or go and buy a stack load of Kent compilations on vinyl if you don't want to play CDs.

Or go and buy a stack load of Kent compilations on vinyl if you don't want to play CDs.

link

Never thought of that, good point

If you're playing to a 'non-soul' crowd I'd suggest keeping it uptempo and sticking in a well known motown tune or 2.

In the context of where you'll be playing a midtempo or beat ballad could well go down like a cold cup of sick!!!!!!!!!

John

make sure you play the right side it,s the one with the big red ~A~on

I thought the trick was to play the side that DIDN'T have the big red "A"???

My son nicks my records for playing so here's my suggestions

Spanky Wilson Sunshine of your love

Stevie Wonder Light my fire

Bob and Earl Harlem Shuffle

The Chi Lites Are you my woman

Chris Clarke Do I lOve You

The Meters Handclapping song

Frank Popp Ensemble You've been Gone too Long/Hip Teens

Shirley Ellis The Clapping song

Lou Lawton Nick Nack

The Isley Brothers Its your Thing

James Brown Bring it Up

Marvin Gaye Tammi Terrell California Soul

My son nicks my records for playing so here's my suggestions

Spanky Wilson Sunshine of your love

Stevie Wonder Light my fire

Bob and Earl Harlem Shuffle

The Chi Lites Are you my woman

Chris Clarke Do I lOve You

The Meters Handclapping song

Frank Popp Ensemble You've been Gone too Long/Hip Teens

Shirley Ellis The Clapping song

Lou Lawton Nick Nack

The Isley Brothers Its your Thing

James Brown Bring it Up

Marvin Gaye Tammi Terrell California Soul

link

This looks like a nice, danceable set. Meters, Gaye and Chris Clarke are the ones I had in mind as well. I never heard the Chi-lites one, got the "More power to the people" caus of the killer intro

This looks like a nice, danceable set. Meters, Gaye and Chris Clarke are the ones I had in mind as well. I never heard the Chi-lites one, got the "More power to the people" caus of the killer intro

link

Thats a very good selection for a mixed crowd...

all you need is some of those records they were playing about 25/30 years ago and i think you will be on a winner

good luck            ps,make sure you play the right side it,s the one with the big red ~A~on

link

Not allways!!!!!!....

Is there a guideline on 'how to become a Northern Soul DJ'?

I'm trying to get Northern back into a club ...compete with the techno-hardhouse-bullshit-dj's....monotonous crap-music..I need the bouncy stuff, that moves yer feet.

Visit this site, and have a listen there are pages of tracks... www.northernsoulmusic.co.uk

look for the 'well worn oldies'-inferno produced comps, and I have a 1976 Richard Searling compilation, 'Dancing at the Go-Go'

Some suggestions:

Laura Greene-'Moonlight, music and you'

The Casualeers-'Dance, Dance, Dance'

Maxine Nightingale-'Right back where we started from' (Easy to find!!)

Curtis Mayfield-'Move on up' (as above)

Chuck Woods-'7 Days is too long'

Dean Parrish-'Determination'

The Belles-'Don't Pretend'

The Constellations-'I did'nt know how to'

good luck!! KTF

We recently had a Northern soul night in our local pub by a couple of soulies who have returned to the scene, it went down a storm. because i was unfamiliar with the guys behind it, although they seem to know me from years back,i was a bit unsure as to what would be played but reasoned that as it was so close to home i really couldn't justify not going and it was free, turned out to be a really enjoyable evening a good selection of music was played. They did veer into more commercial sounds for some of the non soulies who actually got on the dancefloor and had a boogie, this included the landlady who enjoyed herself so much, wants to make this a regular monthly do. Now on the strength of this,another local pub is interested to try a Northern soul night , in the next couple of weeks, so it will be interesting to see how that turns out. Go with what you feel you should play sweetheart, but most of all, enjoy it, i'm sure it will turn out better than you expect let us know yeah, Del x

when buying records , go for originals and only buy songs you like

if you give up djing you will still have a collection of 45s you like , if you buy records just for the dance floor you may have a colection of stuff thats not your sort of stuff and be left with an expensive box of tunes

dont believe the hype , there are often many records that people pay way over the top for because they are in a hurry to own them.

ask around for prices and buy a guide and a bootleg guide they may be expensive to start with but will save you getting conned

Thanks everyone for the great tracks suggestions

I've made a list of the ones I would love to play. For sentimental reasons, I'll just drop it here. In no particulair order, here they are:

1. Marvelettes - Please Mr. Postman - Tamla

2. Epitome of Sound - You don't love me - Sevens

3. Monitors - Say you - VIP

4. Earl Harrison - Humphrey Stomp - Soultown

5. Five Staisteps & Cubie - Don't change your love - Curtom

6. Rita Moss - The Measures of a man - Dot promo

7. Precisions - If this is love - Drew

8. Timi Yuro - It 'll never be over - Sevens

9. Liz Damon's Orient Express - 1900 Yesterday - Whale

10. Leon Collins - I just wanna say I love you - Elf

11. Metro's - Since I found my baby - Sevens

12. Staple Singers - Respect yourself - Stax

13. Dobie Gray - Out on the floor - Goldmine

14. C.O.D.'s - Michael - Kellmac

15. Tempo's - Countdown, here I come - Sevens

16. Chris clarke - Do I love you - Stardust

17. Pierre and Anne-Lyse - Don't stop - Vee-Jay

18. Tony Clarke - Landslide - Chess

19. Joe Simon - Come on and get it - Monument

20. Luther Ingram Orchestra - Exus Trek - Sevens

A lot of re-issues, I know. But I think re-issues are a great way to start with for beginners. And I just like those songs.

Now on to the one's you have suggested

I'm not entirely convinced that playing 'Please Mister Postman' to a predominantly hardcore techno crowd would be the best opening move you could make. If you do that I'd suggest having 'Frantic Escape' cued up as your follow on tune. Seriously, you've set yourself a pretty difficult task and your best bet is probably a set of relentless pounders. Good luck with it btw.

when buying records , go for originals and only buy songs you like

link

Good advice.

M.

Edited May 24, 200520 yr by mattmale

i'd suggest putting a 45 up your arse and saying it was a newbie and it wasnt shit. .

link

I have got to say this is the funniest thing Ive read on here, am still laughing to myself

i'd suggest putting a 45 up your arse and saying it was a newbie and it wasnt shit. but then you would get some wanker on here have a pp and say at 23 he was the worlds greatest NS expert . so just dont do it.

link

is knowledge based on how old you are ? it is possible that someone at 23 could be the worlds greatest Ns expert

Davie

I think his knowledge is more likely to be based on him shoving things up his arse.... probably spent more time on that kind of scene in the last 15 years, than he has on the Northern scene.... if ya get mi drift....

I think his knowledge is more likely to be based on him shoving things up his arse.... probably spent more time on that kind of scene in the last 15 years, than he has on the Northern scene.... if ya get mi drift....

link

ahhhhhhh i get where you are comin from joe ........

personally i'm 34 and have been told i know f*ck all hahahaha

Davie

ask around for prices and buy a guide and a bootleg guide they may be expensive to start with but will save you getting conned

link

bootleg guide... tell ya what mines saved me a couple of times...

I must admit I did photocopy it for a couple of mates...

So they have bootleg, bootleg guides!!!!

I have got to say this is the funniest thing Ive read on here, am still laughing to myself   

link

yeah me too. you should start a topic about 'how to put 45's up someone's rectum'. it will be all fun and laughs.

Is there a guideline on 'how to become a Northern Soul DJ'? What are the must-haves and what makes a set interesting to others?

link

You mean there is someone left on the NS scene who isn't a DJ already???

Kick it off with Landslide. Follow that up with The Metros and if you haven't got them after a couple more get on the mic, swear profusely at them, question their parentage and storm out flicking them the big Vs as you go.

If anyone gets in your way smack em in the face with the edge of your record box.

You may not get another booking there but you'll be a legend on here!

You mean there is someone left on the NS scene who isn't a DJ already??? 

link

Everybody who attended the recent Derby all dayer was a DJ

(It's only a joke, stop PMing the cavalry )

Kick it off with Landslide. Follow that up with The Metros and if you haven't got them after a couple more get on the mic, swear profusely at them, question their parentage and storm out flicking them the big Vs as you go.

If anyone gets in your way smack em in the face with the edge of your record box.

You may not get another booking there but you'll be a legend on here!

link

Breaking News: "Soul Hooligan Smacks Audience with Record Player"

hahaha.. dead cool headline, huh?

I never heard the Chi-lites one, got the "More power to the people" caus of the killer intro smile.gif

Agreed I played More Power to the People at the GoGo which has an mostly under thirty crowd. I say mostly as they let Davie in and sometimes let him DJ too but his enthusiasm for playing Al Jolson tracks gets the better of him sometimes.

Am I your woman has the original horn riff sampled for Beyonce's Dangerously in Love. I presume you've heard that

Frankm

Agreed I played More Power to the People  at the GoGo which has an mostly under thirty crowd. I say mostly as they let Davie in and sometimes let him DJ too but his enthusiasm for playing Al Jolson tracks gets the better of him sometimes.

Am I your woman has the original horn riff sampled for Beyonce's Dangerously in Love. I presume you've heard that

Frankm

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i'm not that much over 30 frank .....and i played that "al jolson" tune at outta sight as well ...and i'm gonna play at at basics too ...it is my mission in life now hahah

Davie

starting with landslide i think is a good idea too ............ or maybe some motown like "love is likean itching in my heart" which pounds along ..... or even something very obvious like "nowhere to run" which has a nice thumping intro. heavy beats and uptempo is probably the way to go ............ and end with california soul. even though its slow most will recognise and like it i'd say.

i'm not that much over 30 frank

I know that Davie but it's your insistence on maintaining the hairstyle you have in your avatar that misleads people into thinking you're Frank Bough's slightly younger brother.

when I was younger in the 70's I thought the following top ten tips were how you became a Northern DJ, certainly was order of the day for some of the big hitters of the time, maybe it'll work for you...good luck.

1) Learn How to miss cue your records

2) allow long pauses between tracks (unless you are plugging something see point 7)

3) ensure needles grind on anti-dust mat with volume up so the audience can hear

4) press mic hard onto mouth and talk, ensuring no one can understand what the f**k you are saying.

5) Push volume up to max so it distorts sound and pierces ear drums (mandatory)

6)If playing CDs put a vinyl track on the decks and let it spin to let people think your playing an original (recent edition on the soul scene)

7) if you have a new book or overseas venue you are running, plug at every opportunity especially between every track for four mins.

8)Only show up to DJ if theres something in it for you (a load of wonga would be good)

9) watch the TV some good theme tunes for kids programmes that may just be the next big hitter.

10) Learn to brag of all your yesterdays (needed for 20/30 years time)

Hope that helps

Geeoooordie

what ? WHAT....have I said something wrong?

I'm trying to get Northern back into a club but I must compete with the techno-hardhouse-bullshit-dj's who spin monotonous crap-music

I need the bouncy stuff, that moves yer feet. 

Tips are more than welcome!!

link

hello, i'm a bit late so you've probably done your 30 minute spot & i hope it went well. just felt i had to stick my nose in and complain about you complaining about techno and hard house. if the people have paid in for that kind of night then they are expecting some pretty hard n heavy beats and bass. there's plenty a stomper with those elements. for instance We Got Togetherness has got to be the filthiest , teeth-gridning pre-techno tune going. and there's heaps more. i would love to go to a techno night and have a bit of soul chucked in, but only if it was in keeping with the overall music policy of the night. ie. predictable, consistant beats, with big build ups and breaks. i guess if you cast your eye over any list on soul source of the dumbest/most hated soul tunes then you'll have your set sorted. dont forget to turn up the BASS. let us know how you get on...