Markw

Frank Foster used to get fairly regular spins at the Dome - think it was Carl, might have been Greg.

Baja Marimba Band - Along Comes Mary??? DOH!!! I'll get me coat again!

Mike Vickers - On the Brink!!! Fandabadozy!!!.....................(cue tumbleweed moment).......................I'll get me coat...

Mark, I couldn't agree more mate. I still find it fascinating how much attention the man attracts on this site. Incredible.

Can we bring Paul Weller into this thread as well?(LOL) After all, I have just put a post on that thread describing him as the greatest British soulful singer!!

I love it when everyone gets het up about Weller!

I repeat what I said on a previous thread about him, the fact that he attracts so much attention on a SOUL MUSIC forum reinforces his importance to and influence on so many people associated with the scene.

Let's get something straight, Paul has never tried to appropriate soul music for himself, bathe himself in its light or use its icons in any way to promote himself or his music, unlike some other acts. He draws on a vast range of musical influences and styles just as many soul artists have always done.

Personally, I think Paul is the dogs bollocks and to have carved out 2 hugely successful careers, from angry young man to mature singer/songwriter is ample testimony to his talent. A supremely gifted song writer, a soulful voice and a fantastic live performer. His latest album is patchy - he hasn't just covered soul songs by the way - but I think as one of the most recognised names in the UK music business, he's got more right than most to bring his own stamp to songs he admires and acknowledges as major influences on him. I don't like his version of the Bottle but I wouldn't want him to try doing a straight copy of the original.

It's interesting that people here always choose to debate Weller's soul covers. How about a discussion on the relative merits of Kylie's version of Chairman of the Board's "Give Me Just A Little More Time" or that outfit that covered Mel Wynn a while back? How about Soft Cell's contribution to soul music?

As for the idea that he should log on here and justify his work.....get a life!! I think he's happy enough to let the fans vote with their wallets and feet. Quite right too.

I shall certainly be there at Cardiff International Arena in 3 weeks to have a great time and see another stirring performance from Britain's greatest white soulful singer.

Live long and prosper.

Mark White

For Mikey, I saw scouse about 3 weeks ago at Weston Super Mare, he's had a life I can tell you. I remember the roundabout well, got mullered there with Steve Smith and Geordie Martin. I used to love Chesham soul nights (we called them soul fights, due to the regular scooterist violence) that (I think) MArk White used ta put on, it became the backdrop for Bucks lads apprenticing for the scene after his earlier venture in High Wycombe had folded. I remeber being somewhat refreshed and going up to mark Bicknall to request something and him just putting Freddie Houston "if I had known" on saying "watch what you're doing I paid £150 quid for this".... Ah well those were the days...

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Thanks Buey mate! We did have some great nights at Townfield House and Elgiva Hall. Was chatting with Mark Bicknell recently about those do's and some of the tunes we were spinning back then. Do you also remember Tom Halvey's bashes over Aylesbury FC and other hidey holes? Bumped into Tom in January at one of Jon Buck's nights.

When you next see Scouse tell him Jenny (of Jenny & Nina fame) says Hi as we were only talking about him the other day!

On the subject of St Ives went to a recent reunion and had to chuckle at our friend, who shall remain nameless, going on about how he went every week, never missed one and all those memories etc etc. He then stated that he remembered most the huge tree and massive roundabout at the entrance to the venue...how we laughed as we pulled up and there was this twig stuck in the middle of a roundish hump in the middle of the road! Through the laughter we heard him mumble that 'f**k me the drugs must have been better than I remember back in those days' - cue manic laughing from everyone.

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Neil, I was watching your youthful frame, chewing gum and trying to dance, only the other day - the Leicester 2nd Anniversary video. Sean Chapman's good lady, Michelle, having only started on the scene since meeting Sean a couple of years ago, was amazed at the youthful bodies gracing the dancefloor instead of the now common array of middle-aged baldies propping up the bar!!

What a great thread. I visited St Ives only the once as it closed not long after. Couldn't find anywhere selling pasties in the morning tho 

For a soulie growing up in Gloucestershire, The all dayers at the Subscription rooms in Stroud, Wheelrights and the Roundabout were must go to places. Sometimes we were lucky enough to hear the sounds before they got 'broke' at Yate.  remember the first time I saw Ion dance, clear as a bell, one Friday night on the sunken dancefloor at the roundabout. Memories like that will never leave you 

Also, a little later, soul nights were run at the Swindon Town football club, by a lad called Scouse, (whatever happened to him?). I'm sure it was the only time that ramshackle stadium saw a crowd.

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My good friend Scouse (Chris French) is very much alive and well, living in Swindon and attending the occasional do (there is a picture of him @ 100 Club a few months ago somewhere on this site). I would very much expect him to be @ Stoke this Saturday, most likely to be found to the right of the stage with the rest of the West Country Massive. Scouse can also be found on the old Stafford TV footage sporting an unruly moustache, ridiculous 80s hairdo, a variety of hideous tattoos, all whilst dancing in a rather gay looking pair of very tight shorts!

Does Keb Darge count?

Ah, so maybe now isn't a good time to mention that I got Dave to play 'party time man' Saturday night at his do, shame you wasn't there to enjoy the torture

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Were you dancing round Carol's handbag with the rest of us Janine?

Willie Hutch - Love Runs Out

Saw the Jam at the Nags Head in High Wycome in March 1977. I was wearing a white t-shirt with a question mark sprayed on it. Paul Weller came up and said "like your t-shirt mate"........I bet he still tells his mates about it now.

Oh, by the way, got backstage and met Smokey Robinson. A charming man.

Andy, I agree with you entirely mate.

My point really is that a lot of the people chasing sounds like this will be the ones who glazed over when you played it to them years ago and then told them its cheap.

I'll echo points made by Mark Bicknell. I too had this many years ago and used to play it out - nobody gave a shit about the tune then. Funny how they all jump on the bandwagon when the price escalates. Like I've said before, lot of people on soul scene know the price of everything and the value of nothing. Excuse me, there's a herd of sheep passing my way...................baaaaaaahhhhhhh

Did anyone spot Rob in the line-up round of Never Mind The Buzzcocks last night? Or I am being slow?

Kiki Dee - On A Magic Carpet Ride was c/u as Chris Clarke - Touch The Sky.................. so there poppickers.

A few I can remember (I've always had trouble remembering the actual titles and artists!) - for some reason these stick in the head:

Tempests - Someday - c/u as Bobby Paris

Big Frank & The Essence - c/u as Big Joe Ivory's Brass

Sam Fletcher - c/u as George Kirby

Mellow Souls - c/u as Del Larks

William Powell - Heartached Souvenirs - c/u as Bobby Powell (I think)

and what was that horrid BBC TV instrumental Guy played in the early 80s?

Didn't Dave Flynn compile some sterling research on this subject for the benefit and betterment of mankind!!!?

If it moves, boot it! For crying out loud, they even booted the Four Scandals and that was a fake boot!!! This is Northern Soul after all.

Tim Tam & The Turn Ons? A piece of sh*te but a venerable classic compared to the likes of Bobby Day "pretty girl next door" and numerous others of that ilk. Oh no, here we go again!!

the "four vandals" saga was by all accounts a claim that this was a rare 6ts "find",If track was presented as a reworked instrumental that would have been ok, luckily collectors are knowledgable lot not to be hood-winked, i dont see this record gaining many plays or exchanging hands for vast sums now (tho as said dont get out alot in uk).

Unfortunately, there were a surprising number of well-known and supposedly knowledgeable collectors and DJs who were sucked into this particular scam. Brings into question how discerning are many people on the scene.

I think Carl or Greg gave the Four Arts some spins 2 or 3 years back at the Dome. Great sound.

To adapt Oscar Wilde's line, there's a lot of people on the Northern scene who know the price of everything and the value of nothing. That's why so many excellent tunes get continually overlooked.

Hi John - yeh, I see what you're getting at. Like I said, the guy is not even a soul singer yet so many people on this site have some sort of connection to him and can get frothed up about it!

Cough, cough, I DJ'd at this! and no I wasn't wearing chaps or a leather cap before anyone asks! Don't remember it being billed as a gay alldayer (Sensible Soul, I thought?), though I do remember a couple of unsettling things going off! 

Tony - fantastic!! I do clearly remember the half-page ad in Black (as it was then) Echoes advertising it as the World's 1st Gay Northern Soul Night because we were all debating the wisdom of going. In the end the combined impulses of alcohol and curiosity about Levine, the tunes he'd play and what his club was like, all got the better of us. Also, I knew a lot of people who used to go to the Arches when it was the Global Village, a haunt for London's jazz funkers in the late 70s.