Mark Bicknell

As the debate continues here and on the scene about what records are over played as I've been sorting through a few bits to sell off, swap, trade or whatever I've become aware of a few tunes which I've not played in ages perhaps a few years either on the show or out and about at the gigs, I think you tend to keep hold of certain records that hold that special quality and magic perhaps for those rainy days and it would seem to be pissing down with the present comments and mood on music policy issues at some venues, one such tune I've just played upstairs is Tommy Bush - I Don't Like It (But I Love You) - Rika.....perhaps not played that much anymore because it's a bloody rare record, a very popular tune way back and I seem to remember it getting bootlegged? no matter not heard it in years anywhere? Northern R'n'B crossover of the highest order before we used the R'n'B tag lol, certainly up there with Little Richie, Mickie Champion etc. and others in that style there must be scores of records like this waiting for a second wind??????? or is Tommy Bush and it's like also old hat? Regards - Mark Bicknell.

Thanks for the many emails and messages via Soul Source showing support, I should be thanking you all not the other way round, the comments and support has made my contribution on Solar all the more worth it. Regards - Mark Bicknell.

Hi Russ, tell you what mate never have seven 11 year old boys sleepover in your house, bugger me I'm not joking there was jelly up the walls, they kept me awake all night and it pushed me over the edge mate...lol only joking, be good to see you soon. Regards - Mark Bicknell.

Fabulous Peps now sold. Thanks - Mark Bicknell.

Further titles to be added Ted tomorrow...lol Thanks for looking. Regards - Mark Bicknell.

Thanks again for all the feedback and comments here, gonna collect, enjoy, play and share the music be it at venues (when asked) at house parties, here on SS, i really don't want to make a big fuss about this but from the bottom of my 'Soul' thanks for listening over the past well almost seven years. Regards - Mark Bicknell.

Wow John, what can I say? I'll send you a message or Email soon once I've got my head around this, to discuss what we have to discuss (John has been a very good friend to the show) Regards - Mark Bicknell.

Cheers Ged, I'm not retiring mate just finishing the show which I have loved doing, the funding issues have been the major factor plus other things but nothing bad from Solar's or my side, I just think it's the right time to finish, never say never as I may be able to present the odd 'special' but musically I'm pretty spent at this time and unable to apply that sharpness and passion I once did. Regards - Mark Bicknell.

Thank you all for your kind words and comments, I'm really touched by all this, I've not heard back from Solar yet but I suspect the show will run for at least another four to six weeks due to current funding and donations which are still current, I will keep you posted. I'm not sad infact I'm very upbeat because now I can sit back, collect and do the odd spot when asked...you have all been brilliant. Regards - Mark Bicknell.

Hi Mike, I think it could be just me mate who has recieved an email, guess I'm an easy target with the show, but if you can find anywhere on SS where I have slagged off anything connected with this or other threads with reference to Mr Levine then please show me, I may have perhaps been a little glib and disrespectful but that's it, all I said was that the subject was of no interest to me and not to fuel the fire and often people can shot themselves in the foot without any help from others, at no time have I questioned the merits of certain recorded work, it would seem and has been suggested in a second Email that as Disc Jockey's I/we have to champion records, yes is the case if I/we feel that it falls into what I/we are about, I have certainly never said a bad word about anybody or anything connected with the Soul scene on my seven year time on Solar. I have never played a tune for the sake of it either when DJ'ing out at the venues or on the show, I would like to think that I have some integrity musically and always have to be honest and true to myself...what happened to free speach and opinion anyway? I replied to this Email in a professional and polite manner and passed on copies to others it concerned which is no one connected directly with SS. Have no fears Mike if this gets out of hand I will print the contents of the Email in full which again will cement and confirm just how costic this whole episode really is. Regards - Mark Bicknell.

None what so ever Pete, if it needs to come out then I will keep you all posted, but this has nothing to do with me stopping doing the radio show as I've been considering my options and future of the show for sometime now, thanks for your concern Pete. Regards - Mark Bicknell.

Please note, I have deleted my two posts connected with this thread as I wish to have nothing more to do with this topic, getting nasty Emials from third parties leaves me cold to the behavior of some people connected with this scene and the subject of this thread. Regards - Mark Bicknell.

It's with regret that after giving it a great deal of thought and consideration I have just sent Solar an Email expressing that due to several reasons and issues I would like to finish presenting 'The Soul Shack', the main reasons are the constant funding issues and the fact that recently I feel I have been going through the motions and the show is suffering because of it, I have been in this frame of mind for several months and there are no other outside influence or reasons behind this. I hope to present a few more shows to say farwell and thank all the loyal and dedicated 'Friends Of The Soul Shack' special thanks to all the sponsors and donations over the years, thanks to the many record companies for all the promo and preview CD's and 45's, thanks to the many Guest DJ's and collectors who have been on the show over almost seven years. I've enjoyed every minute of presenting the show, it's been a special buzz but I feel I can't take it any further and because of the various issues I have no other option but to finish. I would like to thank Tony Monson, Keith Renton and all at Solar for giving me the chance to play a few tunes on a Sunday night, I'm sure there will be another Northern based show on the station so please support whoever takes over www.solarradio Special big thank you to Mike and all on 'Soul Source' for letting me plug and beg at times on here. Special big thanks to John Manship, Steve Plumb, Universal Music, Kevin Cox, Rob Moss, Andy and Paula Crane, Dave And Val Box, The Attic Boys, Dean, Garry, Kev and Steve from Mansfield, Paul And Sue from Doncaster, Keith Williams, Chris Waterman - 'New Century Soul Club', Ady Croasdell, Tony Rounce and all at Ace/Kent, Tim Brown at Anglo American, Andy McCabe - 'Soultown', Neil Jones/Jayne Malone - 'North Manchester Soul Club', Paul Donnelly and all at 'Different Kettle Of Fish', Stuart Cosgrove, The Orwell Boys - Flanny, Steve C, Steve P and Barry, Jo Wallace, Sean Chapman, all the many independent donations and sponsors and 'Friends Of The Soul Shack', Dave Greet, Alan Eames, Garry J. Cape and John Anderson at Grapevine 2000, Dave Moore - 'There's That Beat Magazine' and many others who have tuned in, supported and helped me along the way since November 2000.Sorry if I have forgotton anyone but they know who they are. Thanks to everyone out there for the many Emails, requests, mentions and dedications over the years and for the wonderful direct personal feedback out and about at the gigs. I'm sad to finish but feel it's the right thing to do, all things have a shelf life and I think 'The Soul Shack' has come to the end of the road for the reasons I've stated. Just heard from Eddy Edmondson and it seems he will be taking over to present a Northern based show on Solar starting from September 8th, all the very best to you Eddy I hope it works out. Regards - Mark Bicknell.

New additions. Regards - Mark Bicknell.

Big sorry as I understand tonights show (Sunday August 5th) is a repeat show from last week, this weeks show failed to arrive due to postal strikes, maybe the second time this has happened in almost seven years, totally out of my control and that of the station, on the odd ocassion this happens a repeat show has to be used to fill the gap otherwise it would be 'dead air' very soon the show will be uploaded to the station directly to avoid this happening again and to improve the shows production, again really sorry for the repeat show tonight but everything should be back to normal and in sequence from next week www.solaradio.com Regards - Mark Bicknell www.solarradio.com

Some prices reduced. Regards - Mark Bicknell.

Hi Dave, all I can say is each to their own and whatever 'floats your boat' knowing you pretty well and some of our mutual friends I say we are all doing our our thing pretty well after all these years, we all have commitments to the music and scene in different ways, yours at present with the efforts of the magazine is without question faultless, I get off with my Solar gig every Sunday, I'm just glad we all bat for the same team and contribute to the good of the music in some small way. As for the mouldie oldie I'm waiting on from you it's taken me several years to track a Symbol Demo down, then like buses another one comes along as JM has one listed on his site right now...Oldie or mouldie a good record is a good record. Regards - Mark Bicknell.

Respect! Mark Bicknell.

Just wondering what The Entertainers - Beg Me - Bowmar is worth? seems to be quite a hard record to find Regards - Mark Bicknell.

The Darlings - Now sold. Regards - Mark Bicknell.

Now you are just being silly Ted....lol no mate sorry I wish I did. Regards - Mark Bicknell.

Ted, all the bigger ticket items i've got you also have so bugger off...lol Regards - Mark Bicknell.

Grier Brothers now sold. More titles to follow later. Regards - Mark Bicknell.

Kevin, I'm originally from the South, born in Lewisham and lived in Reading,Berkshire until 1987, so went through the whole Mod revival thing in 1979/80 although Northern Soul based so I undesrstand what you are saying and where you are coming from with your comments, many of the Mods of the day back then used to attend Soul nights I ran in that area and some got well into the Northern thing moving onto the Northern scene due to the introduction of classic club/Northern Soul, Motown, Stax , Atlantic etc. and stuck with it so I very much see the connection here....respect. Regards - Mark Bicknell.

Hi Tim, firstly welcome to Soul Source, i'm sure you will enjoy the banter, sharing of knowledge, information and plenty of Soul on here, call me old school but I would rather enjoy the authentic groove's out of Detroit,Chicago,Philly etc. etc. whatever the decade rather than something for want of better words is a by design ''taylor made" sound and I'm not talking about contemporary modern/newly recorded Soul more the retro sounding records as with the Frank Popp, i'm sure these artists are very talented who try to make the sound now but it's not for me, one thing with an open forum like this and debate is for all people to have an opinion and for others to respect their opinion even if they do not alway's agree, there is going to be split opinion on this one i'm sure. Yes there were poor records played in the late 70's infact there have been plenty of bad tunes played on the scene over the past four decades but I feel you find what you like and can often bypass the crap, i think it matters very little to the age of someone or to suggest that because they are younger that they are more likley to respond to a record made now recorded in a 60's dance style, would the same response not happen if they heard something like for example The Olympics - 'Secret Agent's', Little Hank - 'Mr Bang Bang Man' etc. for the first time? seems to me that 'retro' is pretty trendy in the music world right now and if it takes such music to turn people onto the real deal then fantastic, Amy Winehouse is a prime example of retro meets the year 2007 as 60's influences are all over her records, still music as with fashion seems to go full circle and influences and styles are copied, borrowed, stolen, etc, however music and the discovery of music is up to the individual but often fashion, outside influence and today's exciting mainstream club culture cater for most young people between the ages of 18 to 24/25 the age most of us were when we first got into Northern. I just feel if I'm understanding your point here that it seems that the younger generation will only discover the real deal of the scene's music through Frank Popp etc. rather than the other way round which seems a little odd and almost hark's back to the likes of Elvis Presley, Bill Hayley etc. getting the credit as being the founders of Rock'n'Roll when the likes of Big Joe Turner, Ruth Brown, Big Mamma Thornton etc. infact were doing it several years before, I guess my point is more about authenticity of the music rather than the quality, merits and does this stuff have a place or should it be called or played as Northern Soul?, still as we all know there is sometimes a huge difference between a good Soul record and a Northern Record so i take your point on it's dance floor appeal, However if you are gonna get into a club culture then it's introduction should be via the real deal otherwise it's almost like a sub scene in my opinion, i also see the plus sides of the argument and of course if it brings in new blood to the scene then fantastic but again it's authentic roots have to be preserved, cherished, respected, understood and developed. At the end of the day if younger people want to get involved and the only thing that will make them do that is if the music is up to scratch and appeals to them, if they feel it's not or feel it has to be re-invented or freshly made then the whole ethos and ideals of the Rare/Northern Soul scene will be lost and I'm sorry to have to say this but if this means the scene finishes with the people already involved with it the so be it.Again welcome to the world of Soul Souce and old farts like me who sit at home on a Saturday night pontificating when I should be out at a Soul Night or Allnighter..time to go and play a few tunes I think. Regards - Mark Bicknell.