Steve G

Hi Keith, it was a phone interview, will try and find it, although it is on minidisc (another "intermediate" media form for the thread "Will there still be records in 50 years" or whatever it's called ). Cal did send me a copy of "Please heart don't break" which we gave out as a prize on the show..... ATB Steve

Some of this is refreshing to hear indeed.

Hi Keith I did it on Soul 24-7 will have to upload the minidisc I have of it.....It's a good listen how they toured round from town to town etc and all about Skipper's Ovide label + their subsequent work.

I agree with Beeks, there are plenty of people willing to supply niche markets. Sony walkman's are an irrelevance now, who walks around their high street playing cassettes these days? . But as long as there is vinyl, there will be people willing to make turntables, albeit on a smaller scale. I can just see it on "The Apprentice" now.......

I keep hearing how in other parts of the world soul music is being appreciated by a younger crowd - whether it's Europe, USA, Australia, it's the same message coming through loud and clear. So why is it then, that in the country that was for so long the only real guardian of non hit soul music, aside from perhaps Japan, that there isn't a younger generation who are getting into that type of soul music here? Are we victims of our own legacy? Doe we have a scene that is seen to be populated by "old(er) timers" (and thus not trendy). A scene that is mired in politics and look backs to venues that shut their doors before these younger folk were even born? Or is it something else?

No Ian, Tighten up" was something different again. It also spurned a lot of answer and copy records. Did you listen to my interview with Cal Thomas (now passed) of the Toranados? You cannot lump all funky records together as starting from one record.......Tighten Up and Funky corners were dance crazes - different ones....

So presumably he'll be "reselling" the Flowers again but this time at a higher price?

"Funky 4 Corners" came first, then Funky 8, then Funky 16 etc. It was an early form of line or formation dancing I do believe

Strewth, never even heard of it.....must be rare then Does he make a habit of such things then?

Not a chance, just starting to take off again

Nothing else as far as I know but a cracking oldie, great harmonies.

Hi It's not something that would ever arise. Apart from some tailor made things (like Soul Fox Orchestra), pressings only ever really made of "in demand" originals. And in some cases the pressing actually killed the growth of the tune - e.g. Nat T jones "Moving forward", the greedy buggers pressed it before the originals had really taken off, making for a sound that was strangled just after it's birth and died on the vine. As I have already said plenty of other formats to play most things on - get a CD player or an MP3 and enjoy away.....

Very naive to think the singers always benefit from either original vinyl or legal reissues. Writers and producers may do however many smaller labels, and also many larger labels just gave a flat fee at time of recording - come in, lay the tracks down, here's $20, don't call us, we'll call you, bye bye. I've spoken to countless artists who never even knew their recordings even came out. Anyway not going to debate it all again Bearsy, people buy what they want to buy, whether that's an imitation watch or a pressing. V different from Djing with them as far as I am concerned. that said most stuff is now available on CD and download so better for 'em to buy 'em in that format but I am not going to get hung up about it.

Swear away Ian, but it's def a 12 LP size, and yes it does have Monarch on it and the titles typed out on the white cover. Incidentally I did buy off you when you sold up the first time, that little blue covered book of records, mind you couldn't afford any of the bigger titles you were selling which probably says it all....I probably still have it somewhere Steve

I'm mistaken confusing her with Mary Saxton :blush:

I think I've got an album by her, unless I am very much mistaken......I'll try and find it...

I've had it for years, probably 10 years now, and it is a 12" test pressing by the way, like one side of an album except the same six tracks are on both sides ( would love to hear the other side!!). Those that are trying to draw a parallel to modern soul not being hung up on originals, also don't get it - it's a completely different scene, mucho stuff only available on download or CD etc. so there is no "vinyl thang" unless it's a Joey Negro or DJ Meme 12" remix And the real modern scene has never had a focus on rare records anyway. Anyway glad we've all ended up agreeing - two scenes as we've all said. Now where's there a rare soul night?

Not going to carry on wasting my life debating this with folk that don't care. None of the bootleg DJs has answered why can't they be honest with themselves and play off a lap top if no one really cares on the format of the music at their venues? Truth is, apart from Brian who does this, and is honest about it, they haven't really got the balls to carry it off. So instead they try and pretend they are playing "proper records". Fake Elvis's - always have been, always will be in my mind.... Ian - where is your Sy Hightower now then? as if you didn't know......Still gets a full floor at x-over and 70s venues....but you should be aware two of the three best tracks were out put a few years ago by Hayley so you can re-own those tracks for a tenner - and that's where the knowledge comes in. I am sure, mixing in those exhalted London music circles that you do, you can find a "rich twat with too much money" who would want to buy it You could even make a living earning a commission on the deal, like you did with James Rubble !! .Let us know when you have found someone "suited" for it please. ATB Steve

I am sure boots were played at WIgan and we all know about the emi's and tailor made soussan soul fox stuff as well. However back then the scene was very different with big sounds breaking nationwide in a week and most of the punters were still in school etc. Not like today at all, where it's just fellas (and a frew gals) with a box of treasured records. In any event Wigan Casino played some awful stuff. And it is a shopping centre now, and so on a number of levels it is not the benchmark I choose to use for comparrison purposes - far from it in fact. I'd rather look at clubs like Stafford and the 100 Club, and what's been going on since Wigan closed it's doors. I doubt boots have graced the decks at these places, except for possibly Ady or Dave's cowboy boots . The clubs round these parts do not play boots either, except the mod ones, and that's really a different scene - a parallal universe in fact (our paths don't cross). I don't believe boots are played at places like Va Va Voom, SITC, Groovesville, Lifeline,Caliente, Bamburg, Stoke, or come to mention it Bob A's US venues either. Certainly as a collector who has worked hard at this sport for a long time, I will stick to my views on this thanks, whether others agree or not. Perhaps I am more aligned to the rare soul scene, rather than the northern scene, and maybe that's the difference. However - Rod you can rest assured I wouldn't really use some finishing DJ's bootleg of Eddie Parker as a frisbee to behead some unsuspecting dancefloor junky as "Odd Job" did in James Bond with the metal lined bowler hat! So you can pack in the "infantile" references cheers. If I accept what several of you are telling me, that in certain parts of the country, boots are "de rigeur" and the scene is really "just a bunch of mates playing the music they like", then fine, it is what it is, but that's not the scene I am on. And if that is the case can't see why these folk don't just use CD's or better still a laptop or i-phone. (except they are really trying to play "pretend DJ with rare vinyl records" - a bit like a fake wannabee Elvis) . If these folk used a laptop, or their i-phone they could carry with them many more titles to keep the public happy, than they can ever fit into their box. I went to a wedding in Exeter and the DJ had 15,000 titles available to him on his laptop - no more "No sorry Fred I left it at home", so the opportunities are endless - makes more sense to me than lugging around a heavy box of popular pressings. Carrying these boots around with you seems a bit like going to see a tribute band rather than the real thing.... so, come on boot boys, shed your inhibitions and at least be honest, and play the music you love on something other than "fake" copy vinyl if it really doesn't matter to you. Right off to dig out some OV.......Wright that is, not vinyl Brett - Hi!

So Bob, at your events in Milwaulkee, Chicago etc. do the DJs play boots? Or is it OVO.....Just curious to know....no agenda....and not being infantile (rod take note )

I was going to say it was on his auction the other week as I recall. Also saw one at the Manchester record fair last week.

I thought you were a Cabbie

Actually in reality Pete, I doubt very much that I'd be booked at one of these bootleggy type venues in the first place.

You're playing Stardust pressings, Mine are original re-presses with Delta matrix numbers on them!

Excellent post Matt Male. And for those that still "don't get it" I get serious about it because I have spent as much of my diosposable income as I could, and endless hours of my life - for all of my adult life buying records and building a collection. Not 5 years, but 35 years +. At this point no one is ever going to convince me that people who turn up with a box of boots and CDs at northern soul venues is what it's about. "The dancers don't care so wtf" is what I always hear, but that doesn't change anything from my perspective. Thanks for listening.....anyway sense of humour returned now..... BTW the wost insult surely is "your pressings have needle burn".