macca

If you'd hung on until at least December of that year, possibly January of the following, you'd have witnessed the spontaneous eruption of applause to Looking For You in the main hall at Wigan. We've since had it ratified at branch level, after going through the machinery of negotiation. Garnett Mimms is to blame. Documentary evidence to support this claim can be provided on request. I resisted applauding at first but was soon sucked into the vortex...

Looks like a great venue too, round like our bootiful RAH.

Thanks Len. Pity it's 350 quid in JM's guide. :-( The Betty Lou & Bobby Adams is worse, at 850 quid. Are they really that scarce? New records to me. I'd practically left the scene by 1985 when this superb video was recorded.

Fabulous Wiggy. The picture quality is amazing and the music even more so. How good do Betty Lou & Bobby Adams and The Showmen sound!? Totally transported. I thank you! Mac p.s. What's the Latin sounding track in Baz's set? Reminded me of Manny Corchado.

Do it to it, baby, that's what I say. Was there ever a Soul artist that didn't clap whilst performing? They all did, Major Lance especially... Happy new year chaps!

Thanks chaps. I'm on the look out...

I've seen a VG UK Motown demo copy listed on here for 120 quid. Does that mean 200+ for a minter? Anyone know what a fair price for an EX/M- UK issue would be?

The revivalists have been with us for more than 35 years via oldies rooms/niters. There have always been people who are unreceptive to new sounds, you'd find them dancing to The Valentines, The Incredibles, Chubby Checker and Jason Knight in a darkened room at St. Ives while the main hall was rammed to the likes of Billy Arnell, Milton Wright, Chris Cerf, Herbert Hunter etc. They swore too that the old classics were superior to the new stuff and in some cases they were right, in other cases they were manifestly wrong, in my opinion... Amazing how we still bang on about it after all these years though...

Didn't know he was responsibe for Jay Traynor, but it figures. Along with Ben Zine, Construction-Del Capris, a "Wigan Walk" demonstration record. Hated them all.

I suppose you have to ask yourself if you're there to dance/listen to the music for the music or to listen to some dj 'giving it large' about how much a record means to him or how long he's been after it. Sometimes the prattle can be invasive, other times essential, as when identifying a record/artist new to your ears, for example. Also, one tends to see djs who are totally ratted when they get behind the decks, something that simply didn't happen in bygone days of yore. Not sure if someone who's completely arseholed should be in possession of microphone, it seems incompatible to me...

Yeah, continental European djs don't usually use the mic either but I can't say it diminishes my enjoyment of their sets, it's just that I come from the UK and its a part of my NS heritage, I guess. I do like to hear a dj 'harangue' a crowd Keb Darge style though. You get swept into it...

Unbelievable.

The After Hours man? S'truth, you wouldn't have thought, would you?

she did a nice anne of cleves though...

brilliant live group, with a beautiful and excellent drummer. saw them when the supported barbara lynn in santiago.

Would that make it early 80s then chaps?

thanks. late 70s or 80s period?

Who first played/broke this tune please? My money's on Soul Sam...

No mate, not really. I was just kind of anticipating that kind of answer, thinking aloud etc...

Our local American base was RAF Alconbury near Huntingdon. A complete housing estate was built south of the river in Peterborough specifically for USAF personnel from this base. Our gardens actually backed onto theirs. This would have been 66-72. At the time I had a black buddy called Tyrone (often wonder where he is now). His mum and dad used to invite me and my brother over to their barbecues in summer. We'd cross from our side through a hole in the fence. The first time I ever tasted pizza was in that house. They also used to organise house parties with the music blasting out of the windows, James Brown, Motown, Stax stuff I imagine, and though they were servicemen, when in civvies they wore the colourful garb fashionable among US black folks of that time. What a time to be growing up in England...

Eeeerm... Why is it Pop? Because it sold shedloads? A flawed argument, if I may so so...

Superb bloody thread. It certainly beats that miserable old git Cromwell...

Though I wouldn't go in for this type of event myself, I have to say that these Italian chaps from Florence have made a nice little video of their visit, and in spite of hearing My Heart Symphony again, it looks like they've made the connection with the music. The retro clobber is another issue, but they're definitely onto the vibe. The beauty of Blackpool Tower also lends something to it all. Some pretty good spinning too. I was never able to pull some of that stuff off, for sure...

Cobblestone used to have me seeking sanctuary in the funk/oldies room. ALL of those Lou Roberts things. Loath isn't the word.

Is their website down after being crashed, hacked and generally stamped on? Brian Poulton of Scarborough cleary felt strongly enough to contest the matter officially. Christ, some people do get their knickers in a twist, do they not?