Markw

That was Blue Rondo. Both Mark Riley and Tony Gordon were in them. Just Googled the band and they came up on some mp3 download site (none of their tracks available though). I'd forgotten that Tony Gordon performed under the stage name Moses Mount Bassie! Also forgot they did a cover of I Spy For The FBI which I'm sure I saw them do on telly, the Tube I think. Anyroad, you can find Tony Gordon's comments about the Northern scene in the back of Russ Winstanley and Dave Nowell's Soul Survivors book about the Casino.

Nice one Mike! Was that Mark or Tony you met there?

Oh yeah! Forgot to mention, Mark Riley, alias Matt Bianco. He was more into your jazz funk than Northern. Hitched back from Yate to High Wycombe one Sunday morning with him. Prior to Matt Bianco, he was in Blue Rondo A La Turk with Tony Gordon - well known character on the scene and superb dancer (is he still around?).

Obviously the Modfather, Viscount Woking needs a mention. Believed to have been seen at the 100 Club in the early 80s (post-Jam). I certainly saw his Style Council sidekick and still a collaborator with the Weller collective, Mick Talbot - the original Merton Parka. Also used to see the chap from Jo Boxers stomping the floor down there at that time too. What about Dexy's frontman, Kevin Rowlands. West Midlander, said to have gone to Wigan. "Back in 68 in a sweaty club......O Geno!" Number of them here in sunny South Wales remember Steve Harrington, alias Steve Strange of Visage fame.

Don't think you could categorise that fantastic man as a soulie, a rockie, a punkie or indeed anything! He loved it all. I do believe he did a radio show in the 70s from Wigan. Who can confirm? Any details on the show - format, tunes, stuff like that?

Shouldn't you be on a building site somewhere?

Uuuhh...people that like Led Zep and Bon Jovi maybe?

I always loved Willie Kendrick's version of "My Ol' Man's A Dustman" meself...........one of Adey's Pied Piper discoveries

Tony Middleton - To The Ends Of The Earth. An old ballad. I heard Nat King Cole's version once in Marks & Spencers in Cardiff. Nice.

This song is an old standard. Nat King Cole did a version. It's normally sung as a ballad.

Backing track to Chiffons "Sweet Talking Guy" isn't it?

I've never read such a load of bollocks in all my life.

Thanks for the reply mate. I agree, fantastic, proper dancer - pounding beat, blaring horns, soaring vocals. Still covered up then?

You useless lot!!!!!

As I haven't been anywhere much for quite a while, I was curious 1. does Butch still play this in his sets? 2. has it been uncovered yet? 3. if so, what is it? Ta peeps!

Old Orleans plays some surprising stuff!! Apart from Motown standards, I've heard a fair bit of Northern like Rufus Lumley "I'm Standing". Few months back, they even played Mel & Tim "Forever and a Day".....TOP TUNE!!

Sorry Mike, but that's a truly bizarre statement. If you think a piece of music is horrid, then it's horrid to you regardless of the "genre". If there's a prevailing attitude of "oh well, it's played on the soul scene, so it must be alright" then that betrays a real lack of musical discernment and underlines the whole point of Pete's thread. That is, that far too many sub-standard records are tolerated simply because they are (a) rare (or perceived to be so) ( expensive (which many people seem to believe bestows a record with quality - the Northern Soul scene is stuffed full of people who know the price of everything and the value of nothing) © played by a "big name" DJ - which brings the sheep instinct out in the punters - someone with a real passion may have been championing a tune for ages to an empty dancefloor and punters moaning at the poor sap to "play something we know for fooks sake", then as soon as the big name latches onto that tune, it suddenly becomes the best thing they've ever heard Pete, maybe you're missing Remus mate! I think your taste can be appalling, but then that's bacause may taste is impeccable! But I'm with you all the way on this....................oh yeah, I think that Paula Parfitt is a far better NORTHERN SOUL RECORD than a lot of crap that gets plugged, such as that "Deceived" by Ruby..........what the hell is that mess all about? Answers on a postcard please..................

I would say that it comes down to supply and demand. But as Pete says, this is a market that has always been manipulated.

I have the Unknown Soul Classics compilation on Cascade which features the unissued Cressa Watson track "Sweet Temptation". A mate tells me this goes for 50 of our English pounds now. If so, is anyone interested in purchasing?

Funny old world innit? This was a guaranteed floor clearer a few years back when I was plugging it whenever I could. Now I hear the very same people who dismissed it raving about it now. The fickle world of Northern Soul.

Yep! A real load of cults...............

I have to agree mate. Sad but true. As far as the Tops go, how could it ever be as it should without Levi's distinctive, powerful voice.

Sad. Thanks for the info.

I thought Levi Stubbs was not in the best of health? Is he still performing?

Berk! What did he expect in High Wycombe for crying out loud! Superb! LOL