Tomangoes

Hello Ian If you produce something I like, sure I would buy it, why not? I just think you could get more from this site than whether the sources like your latest musical offerings. Ed

I just wondered if you were remotely interested in what other soul sources are having to say and if you felt inclined to join in. Maybe you should consider it and get involved. Part of the fun is to get your thoughts and opinions deliberated over. You never know you might enjoy it. Ed

Just out of curiosity, has the starter of this topic and its original part 1 forerunner responded to any other topic since they came back on this site a few weeks ago? Ed

People pay more for stamps and coins, and you cant play them.................... Ed

Assuming you paid £15,000 for a record, would you actually dare play it? I would love to see (me preferably) a soul-sourcer win the euro lottery (about £90m last count) and see if there was any record that wasnt all of a sudden for sale, once word got out. Looking at the current prices, the winner may still not actually have enough to buy a mint copy of every single record deemed to be northern soul/across the board playable. (30000?). On the other hand one or two folks out there are selling 25000 known tracks on DVDs for 0.4pence per track. No job too small or to big, as they might say. Ed

A real sad week as said previously. Rosemary must be one of the most famous tunes (Wigan?) ever on this scene, especially for the old style dancers with the spins and backdrops etc. Maybe a 'best of' albumn could be put together to fund a suitable memeorial and also help his family. What a talent he had to make soul and dance music. Just glad he knew how much esteem he was held in on this side of the pond. Ed

Jaysus Get the guy back on, its better than Eastenders. Ed

Just noticed Lou Ragland wishes them well in the guest book. Come on sources wish them well. Actually I think Born Free could be a new winner, never took any notice before, forget the Lions, its a reet dancer. Ed

What happened to the Levine topic? Ed

What a great website, and the backing track is brilliant. I would love to see them over in the UK. Promoters come on. Ed

Wow This statement really highlights the difference in taste and opinion between soul-sources. When Wash and Wear Love gets played, it absolutely gets right into my 'inner soul' its a brilliant piece of rythmic heartfelt soul music. Then again the Carstairs is right there with it and the voices of East Harlem, and Eloise Laws, and Sandra Richardson. Mr S, you really do miss out if these type of records dont float your boat. Long live the Mecca Sound. In your defence, I can say that the reggae and ska music you have promoted in previous posts do nothing at all for me, so I suppose its horses for courses and live and let live. Ed

There was a time when Northern Soul talk was only done at Northern Soul events, and the odd home made fanzine. Now you can do it from anyhwere anytime. Blackberry, Iphone, woggle sim adaptor. Time Marches ON. Who will be the first promoter to have an online event or maybe a sky channel where you get your mates round and have a virtual nighter in the front room (all the easier now the 'laminate' floor has arrived). Everybody has cordless headphones on so no problem with noise pollution. I know the sky radio soul northern thingy failed, but that should be improved to add a real virtual DJ in front of the decks etc. Live or pre-recorded, press the red button for requesting the next toon, Skype in several sitting rooms to watch others doing the same? Come on you know its going to come, who's the trend setting DJ who could be the anchor? Even Bingo clumps together several halls to compete for the big prize. Maybe soul nights could be linked with a big video screen beaming in the top DJs and Sounds to make the biggest worldwide Northern Soul event ever. If you can imagine it, it can be done, and will be done. Probably already has to some extent for the rave scene. Ed

There was a time when Northern Soul talk was only done at Northern Soul events, and the odd home made fanzine. Now you can do it from anyhwere anytime. Blackberry, Iphone, woggle sim adaptor. Time Marches ON. Who will be the first promoter to have an online event or maybe a sky channel where you get your mates round and have a virtual nighter in the front room (all the easier now the 'laminate' floor has arrived). Everybody has cordless headphones on so no problem with noise pollution. I know the sky radio soul northern thingy failed, but that should be improved to add a real virtual DJ in front of the decks etc. Live or pre-recorded, press the red button for requesting the next toon, Skype in several sitting rooms to watch others doing the same? Come on you know its going to come, who's the trend setting DJ who could be the anchor? Even Bingo clumps together several halls to compete for the big prize. Maybe soul nights could be linked with a big video screen beaming in the top DJs and Sounds to make the biggest worldwide Northern Soul event ever. If you can imagine it, it can be done, and will be done. Probably already has to some extent for the rave scene. Ed

Is this topic going to win the prize for most replies and most views, or are we quite a bit away yet? Ian, should you not be in a studio producing or something? I think it should develop into simple questions and answers from now on, with no opinions unless relevant. Here goes my first question. Is it true that you (not all the other DJs) only played Lou Edwards - Talkin bout poor folks, just the once at the Mecca? Ed

This thread keeps going on and on, but Im not really sure what its about, except the life and times of Ian Levine. Obviously thats generated more than 10 pages in a short time, but flicking through the posts it seems to be going round in circles. Maybe its a case of agreeing to disagree. I have never met Ian, never heard him DJ, and tend not to judge anyone until I have some kind of personal knowledge. His reputation as a record finder is no more illustrated than in Kev Roberts 'top 500' book, where almost every other tune is attributed to Ian in one way or another. Like most on here, its a fact that we consider Ian Levine as a major influence in this scenes growth and direction. For me thats enough to put Ian at the top of the list of major players, as after all, the personalities come and go, but the music remains. There cannot be anybody on this scene who have come near Ian Levine in terms of experiences of breaking new sounds of jaw dropping proportions for year after year, and even guiding the vast majority of followers from 60s stompers to modern sounding tunes like the Carstairs, and even breaking new releases on a scene that mainly celebrated forgotton obscurities from the previous decade. In the Northern Soul Hall of Fame, surely Ian Levine would be at the No 1 SPOT, maybe apart from DG (RIP) who coined the phrase. BUT, theres always a but. As a record producer, I have to say that I just dont like 'most' of the stuff Ian Levine is making now. Just an honest opinion. For sure I could not do any better, but that still is not a reason for me and obviously several other soul sources from having an opinion on if we like something or not. In the same token, Ian Levine has to respect that opinion from soul sources who dont like the product (or at least some or most of it). If Ian Levine had produced a record I liked, I would not have pushed it to one side just because Ian Levine had produced it. Of course, I understand some folks would, but they would be in a minority, and probably biased in one way or another. So, in summary, Mr Ian Levine, thanks for all youve done for this scene, and if you feel the desire, keep producing records, but please accept that if its not to other peoples taste, its not a crime on the part of either party, just how things are. Regards Ed

Wow Did only one record get made by these guys in response to the FE? How many copies of sad girl got produced? Ed

Once saw a guy who had sewn beer towels onto a pair of baggy Jeans, completely covering them. Glad it did not catch on. What other fashion statements have you seen on the scene. Ed

Look at the Facts. The biggest ever number of 'official Northern Soul fans' were starting off between 1975 and 1977 at about 13 or 14 year old. That means the average age is still short of 50. Lets hope then with an average lifespan of 75 years old, theres still a quarter of a century before the numbers start to drop As for the artists, look at Tupac....................... Still material being released today and he's (allegedly) long gone. DJs? - Plenty of contenders to keep the masses happy. Ed

Years ago, there used to be a shop called Boylans that imported Soul records amongst other things. Anyway, I used to get a list, and now and again bought a few records from it. One artist that always stood out (although I had never heard the song played anywhere at the time) was Jimmy Thudpucker (I think the title was something like Ginnys song, maybe on Warner). I think it was an early Mecca tune. Can you imagine a surname like Thudpucker!!!! Better than (Gaylord) Fokker....................... Another weird one was that Slaughter Fly malarchy from years back. Ed

Went to Drax a while back and bumped into an old mate I have not seen in over 25 years. Its was brilliant. With so many Born Again soulies attending venues have any of you had a similar experience? Ed

If it was opposite an offy, why not. Ed

Cleethorpes Cleethorpes Cleethorpes: Mack Simmons - Turning Point. After selling most of my record collection, could not bring myself to sell this, and yet to most maybe its had its day. Bigger than the Brothers at the time, KayJee - The Nightlighters, and also Silvetti - Spring Rain. Im sure over the next 10 years old the forgotten oldies will get a second life. Ed

Slade - Merry XMAS everybody. But if your talking NS Tomangoes = IRLYB/WP Now if I could shake the hand of the lead singer, it would be a privelage indeedy. Ed

Not my cup of tea sorry. Going round in circles trying to make a bad job good. Just leave the orginal stuff original. Ed