Epic

Sammy Davis Jnr doing a vocal version of Hawaii 5 0 - that's really all you need to know - apart from obviously avoiding it like the proverbial.

I am not fond of Beethoven's work - doesn't mean to say it is bad - the chap undoubtedly did some fine symphonies - they are just not for me.

Think people are confusing "bad" with "don't like". Gary Lewis - Muriel Day - Lorraine Silver etc. are all good pop records that people tried to pass off as Northern Soul records - that is not the records fault.

Lots of tunes that have been played I don't like - as mentioned earler it doesn't make them a bad record. Harry Crosby cited Esko Affair as an example of a record he doesn't like - agree the lyrics are naff - but the Vince Montana production is spot on. Think a record like Cats Eyes - Life ticks all the "wrong" boxes for me. Don't really understand what it is supposed to be - it definitely is NOT a soul record - it is in fact just a poor piece of music all round - dreadful beyond description.

Listen to George Blackwell & The Del Larks - then play Dean Barlow. Then have quick game of "odd one out" with yourself. Easy innit !!!!!!

The Robert Plant track "You'd Better Run" on JM's site was also done by Ruby Jones on Curtom - had a few spins at Blackpool Mecca round 74/75. Proper bloke that Robert Plant - Wolves fan - seen him at Molineux a few times.

My slant on it is this - Beach Music is generally snappy, happy, poppy - sometimes soulful good time music & doesn't pretend to be anything else. Northern Soul can be all of the above - but can sometimes be beach music itself & not really "soul" music at all - it just pretends to be. The Embers - "Watch Out Girl" is it Beach, Northern or both?

You Bring Out The Best In Me by The Natural Four also on Curtom is a blinding tune as well. As a rule of thumb if a record is by The Natural Four just buy it - this group seldom (if ever) disappoints. I rate them in the same category as The Temps-4 Tops-Impressions - they are that good - check out their albums.

Memories - Little Dooley Money - Barrett Strong

Going out at 9 0'clock so I will leave you with...... Interplay - Del boy & Raymondo.

Hipit - Hosanna Happy - William Bell Heartbeat - Gloria Jones

Go on then - somebody has to say it - FOOTSEE!!!!

Eternally - Charmaines Exodus - Biddu Orchestra Evil - Posse

Contact & Cathedrals (Earlier post) ??????????? Stretching it a bit to call these Northern Soul - especially DC Larue!!!

Cochise - Paul Humphrey Chained - Percy Stone

Brainstorm - Sweet Geraldine

Think the last one on the list may be by King Errison.

Rules ?????????? That would be Gil Blanding & we are not tound to the letter "R" yet.

Major Lance must have had a crap journey home - no coat & no sole left in his old shoes & nobody was prepared to investigate.

There is a Paul Metcalfe from Blackpool who is a bit of a celebrity in these parts Property Developer - Avertising Mogul - Festival Organiser - Comedy Club Promoter etc. etc.

Last record ever played at Blackpool Mecca by Colin Curtis (his last Saturday night there - not All Dayers that followed) was Celeste Hardie - "You're Gone"

Sometimes an early evening "warm-up" DJ happens to put a record on that happens to tick all the boxes & all of a sudden the night has started. The Sherrys is reckoned to be the 1st tune played at Wigan - sad thing is on the first night a cock up with memberships etc. meant that a lot of people were still outside when that tune hit the decks.

To be honest I really have no clue what you or anybody else buys - to give you an idea of what I buy my last two vinyl purchases have been one from 2008 & one from 1976. My point was more about the artists & producers of today having a lot in common with their counterparts from the sixties. BTW - I am much much younger than Pete Haigh - Fact!!

Current Modern scene, or the one that really plays new music, is probably actually getting further away from any Northern connection again, and probably appears to be the smallest it ever has. To be honest I think that is a good thing its getting seperated, as otherwise it will only be the most instant stuff that gains any favour.

It pays to shop around - think a re-issue of Daybreak's "Everything Man" went for over £80 on Ebay recently - yet if the buyer had done a bit of research he would have found copies available on the internet for £7.00. A few minutes digging could have saved him over £70 - buyers can sometimes be their own worst enemy too!!.