Steve G

Yep that's how a lot of us feel Bob. You could say that some of them are good records known to collectors. You could say that some are lesser known. You could say some of them aren't good and some of the so called rarest aren't in the Manship price guide because they're obviously not soul records.......The Panics and Cilka indeed! BUT it doesn't matter what you say, views on Ian's music have become so polarised it's best just to ignore it all. To his fans he's obviously doing a fantastic job with these podcasts. And I hope they all put their money where their keyboard comments are and turn out to support him at his new London night. We all know that Ian doesn't react at all well to criticism but where do these podcasts fit in with today's northern / rare scene? He's never going to appeal to the oldies fans with this stuff, and the collector /rare soul people are the ones likely to know these records. Dave Abbott and others playing Irma Routen.....Dave T cover up on The Products etc.

Thanks I have amended.......brain dead today Hi will pm you. Ta.

Hi anyone got for sale or prepared to part with?: The Caesars Girl I miss you Lanie 2002 Lovations I keep singing La la la Cap City 109 - not the second issue on Phase III please First issue (blue & white 1958) of Eddie & Starlites "To make a long story short". SP&C. Thanks Steve

It's also not Bishop Sam Williams either.....I spoke to him.

I don't think it's the same Sam WIlliams Mal....

Sam was quite late getting it, some of us were playing it years earlier in the 90's (Dave and myself included), but the problem was it was never quite good enough quality wise. But yes more and more copies turned up and now it's a dead duck.

George & Sonny Sands....now there's a group.....This was Sonny Sands with Nate Adams who had earlier recorded as The Soul Brothers.....back in the early 60's like. And after the New Voice 45, Nate Adams went onto Atlantic......just adding a bit of colour!

yes Staffie tune 85-ish I think although I am sure Chalky will know for sure.

Jordi, Many of these acts are now dead. it's all very well questioning the quality of the video production, but in many cases these are the only shots we have of the artists concerned. The vid was made over 10 years ago can't believe we're debating it now. It's a bit like saying "I wish they'd done a better job with Top of the Pops".....

Last year, or was it the year before I managed to get a copy of Noble & the Uptights, an old "Staffie". Now that's a midtempo chooooon. And a fab Deep B side too. In fact this thread has prompted me to play it Sunday - yeah!

Chuck Jackson is a fantastic singer and entertainer. My only comment on this thread.....

Jordi, If you went out on the streets of Compton with a decent Camera and cameraman you'd either be mugged or shot within five minutes flat I reckon

Oh here we go.....it's the songwriters that get paid for sales at this point, not the singer.....Unless the singer is also the songwriter. In the 60's the artists may have got a percentage of sales if they were on a major label, but those contracts are now long gone......Aretha's "One step ahead" was written by Kay Rogers (under his alias) and Shelby Singleton. Both dead I believe. Move along fella, there is nothing to see here.....A nice Aretha record, a credible and interesting remix a few years ago, a bad 12 inch mix. Carry on selling and buying records for "silly sums of money"....cos if you didn't do that what would you be left with - ah yes just Oldies!

hi Dave, yes spot on about the Caister scene, big in Essex too. it's just the same as the majority of the northern scene.....ironic since those guys used to dismiss northern too! Looking at it another way it's just a bunch of 40 and 50 somethings enjoying themselves with no real passion to hear anything new. There's nothing wrong with that and we scoff at people having fun at our own peril. But to consider it as anything other than a revival scene (playing an even smaller group of records than the northern 500) is not right either. The day Chris Hill forgets to pack Luther Vandross in his box all hell will break loose....I promise!

Terry would notice....his metronome would immediately flash up a meter reading of less that 150 bpm PS: Wasn't Johnny Gilliam the Velvellettes manager too? All his records are pretty good.

I interviewed Curtis on Soul24-7 back around 2000 and played all his records (except the two unissued ones he recorded). He was very proud of his work......

Well I am glad someone is doing it right Len You are a man of taste as you and I both know. To my way of thinking 2nd / alternative rooms have to have a purpose beyond a bunch of wannabees who've managed to amass 50 or so obscure records wanting to play their records to a near empty room. So many of these rooms seem to have very little action beyond the DJ's and their birds hanging round looking glum waiting to see if they can get back on the decks for another turn of the wheels of steel

I quite liked the original mix of the Aretha remix when it was on a 7" edit - but it was YEARS ago now. Can't beleive it's being considered as "modern" soul. Picked it up when I was buying loads of new stuff off of Mark Coddington. It wasn't done for the soul scene originally - Jamaicans were behind it so I assume it was a kind of Jamaican scene lovers tune thing. But listening to that mix posted up the other day it sounds awful. "Tribute" = dogsh*t. For me it all started to go downhill when Lisa Stansfield's "8-3-1" got spins......I remember Nige Mayfield telling me this hilarious story of Lisa performing in Nottingham in front of a couple of thousand youngsters. When she did "8-3-1" about 20 fifty something Normans jump up and start doing northern soul dancing at the front of the stage. Apparently the looks on the faces of the other 2,000 people was a picture - like "who are these people - they're SO funny. Are they part of the show?" Anyway I digress, yes "alternative rooms" are a gimmick, and encourage wannabe DJ's who ain't good enough to be paid for a set. Great for promotors though......they're offering "something different" for the discerning punter eh? That's right innit?

Aren't "alternative rooms" just rooms with a second pair of decks and a load of DJ's who work for free? Just saying like!

Bernard Drake "I've been untrue" went down well at the 100 Club on Saturday. Surprised me how many were dancing.....but generally Niters do need to keep the tempo up.

There are still a few nights that survive, but they are run by what I class to be proper modern soul fans who are pioneering new music with a soulful vibe. Champions include people like Mark R, Fish, Andy Jackson, Roger, Colin C, and a few others. Sadly for much of the time they tend to get drowned out by those that prefer to put on a modern room featuring "something we all know" all night. In a way you are right Len, I still want to hear new music and the number of places where you can is limited.......Oh another parallel with the n. scene!

But a mash up of this exact same record was done six or seven years ago now......I remember buying it on a white label 7 in Worcester at The Soulful Sessions. Years ago.

I reckon we often forget that there is a world beyond our pharocial little niche .....We think we are the only people that like soul music. There must be at least 30 different sub-scenes and genres in London alone. Before we even look elsewheres.

Was it Frederick Hymes, I thought it was the other version?....need to wash my ears out!!!

I know we've done this before but.....in many places it went the same way as the northern scene. Dominated by "rooms" at weekenders where a largely intoxicated "on site" audience just wanted to hear things they were familiar with and could shuffle around and sing along to. Very different from jumping in a car and going off 50-100 miles to a night to hear something new and refreshing and getting a buzz out of it. Sorry I know that's controversial....but! The only thing that's really had a negative impact on the modern scene is the lack of err.....plays for modern soul!