Frankie Crocker

But little or nothing in London week after week... OK, the 100 Club pops up every month or two, but given the population and number of visitors in the capital at the weekend, there is very little going on. Perhaps the people north of Watford should be pleased with the number of events to choose from? That said, it is plain bonkers to have too many events competing with each other in the same area at the same time. Fewer, but larger events are the way forward - people will travel to them and support them. Trouble is, everyone wants to be a DJ and self-promote their event resulting in a plethora of poorly attended, unsustainable venues.

Of course, it’s a Northern Sole website...

Good DJ’s NEVER play reissues, bootlegs or carvers. That’s partly why they are good DJ’s! Any collector with original vinyl can get by DJing if they have some nous. Dancers attend venues to hear authentic records and can generally put up with mumbling, fumbling DJ’s if the sounds are decent.

Never trust a person who knows the price of everything but the value of nothing. Some records are priceless. Others may be affordable but unavailable. Market value is a fickle concept - the perfect market comprised of a large number of buyers and sellers does not exist in the world of record dealing. The laws of supply and demand do not apply to trading rare records when often demand becomes more feverish as the price rises and nobody bothers with low-end items. For any given record, there are range of prices depending on condition, status of seller, potential availability, current local demand, currency, type of sale and other variables too. Bottom line is, a record sells for what someone is prepared to pay for it whilst its ‘worth’ is subjective. Bet you loads of us have paid too much money for records that we have enjoyed enormously at first but now realise the purchase was rather hasty...or...like the sound more and more with the passing of time and are glad we shelled out sooner rather than later.

Surely must have been spun the once and then set aside. MGM had some crack tunes back in the day and many still sound good. There were far fewer tracks around in the 70’s and an urge to spin anything that might appeal so naturally there were a few duds. Fortunately there were more than enough good tunes to keep the dancers happy. I still go weak at the knees when cratedigging in the States and turn up Yellow MGM demos.

Today’s handbagger could be tomorrow’s dyed in the wool soulie... All venues these days should expect first-time visitors to the scene as they have been drawn in by rumours of wonderful music awaiting them. The scene has become incredibly tolerant of diversity at venues and this is something to be proud of. The Soul Police have been phased out in most venues to be replaced by Guardian Angels, easily recognisable in their red berets, patrolling the dance floor perimeters, ensuring no drinks are spilled and talc is used in small quantities...

You forgot ‘Holy Grail’... Is this is the best descriptor for Rarest of the Rare or just eBay sales pitch by an over-optimistic seller who knows little about records?

Rarity applies to the number or records pressed. Availability pertains to the number of records that come onto the market for sale. I rather like John Manship’s diamond classification in Million Dollars of Rare Soul - OK, not perfect, but nevertheless a solid guide for the most part. Because we communicate with each other and attend events where rare records are spun in public, some of us have a pretty good idea who actually owns the scarcest records. Key dealers also have knowledge of rarity/availability through sales/stocktake figures - their comments are always worth taking note of. Finally, Popsike indicates potential record rarity/availability and should be checked before bidding on expensive items. Bottom line is, if you like the record enough, pay what it takes to own it.

The record did not have a DJ promo copy release as far as I know. The issues have a white label. You might be better off advertising for an ordinary copy. Good luck in your search.

Almost impossible to remove from a paper label without leaving a trace. Some sort of powerful solvent may weaken the adhesive eg Goo-Gone. Over a long period of time, the adhesive may dry out to the point peeling may be possible. It might be better to just leave it alone to avoid unsightly label damage.

Know what you feel like Len. Restless nights until you find the record or come up with an explanation. Did you leave it on the decks when last DJing? Always best to list records sold in a little book - helps preserve sanity and keep an eye on the profits.🤑 Hope it turns up but you need to go through the whole collection a couple of times to be absolutely certain that it’s gone AWOL.

Excellent news Kim. Wrong Crowd was bootlegged and the original release is very hard to find. Great record back in the 70’s and very popular at Wigan Casino. Please give my regards to George.

Rediscovered in the mid 90’s. One of the biggest spins by the late 90’s. Hammered to death in the Noughties - by now a poppy-soul sound featured everywhere, filling the floors up and down the country. Can’t believe it’s still being discussed, let alone played, at the end of the Teenies decade. Funny how a slightly different different record gathers a cult following. I think records by Terry Callier (Ordinary Joe) and Les Mc Cann (Sad Little Girl) did much to popularise mid-pace tunes such as If Only I Could Be Sure. That said, Nolan’s record is very common and a staple in every Wannabe DJ’s box which perhaps explains why it hasn’t gone away yet.

Just thought of Tony Middleton and Lou Johnson as two class acts to add to the list of those not yet mentioned.

Ray Pollard. Gene McDaniels. Dean Parish. Major Lance. Romance Watson . Not mentioned so far in this thread but pretty close to Roy Hamilton when it comes to belting out a song. Impossible to pick a Top Three as there are dozens and dozens of unsung heroes.

It might have been me who suggested a change in tempo at the end of a set. Of course, it doesn’t have to be a mid-tempo sound to close a set, but after a few fast and furious records, something like Bob and Fred ‘I’ll Be On My Way’ or Johnnnie Mae Matthews ’I Have No Choice’ goes down well, fills the floor, builds the atmosphere, allows for some hand-clapping, gives the dancers a chance to applaud and helps the next DJ cue up a hjgh-impact sound.

Mello Souls is as good as it gets and is certainly ‘top trumps’ as a party starter. So few copies around and when do you ever see a DJ copy? Anyone who hears this played in public is sure to have a jolly good time. Tricky record to surpass so drop it down a tad to Four Tracks, Sandy Golden, Timi Yuro, anything to give the dancers a breather.

In his recent book, Richard Searling linked the decline in Saturday attendance to the monthly Oldies All Nighter. Richard also expressed concern about some of the sounds spun by fellow DJ’s...even though he was championing ’Modern Soul’ as it’s now called. The Casino of course had been condemned and earmarked for closure - the protracted period of uncertainty surely deterred potential travellers. Wigan rode the wave, right time, right place, right DJ’s, right sounds...all crazes come to end at some point. Looking back, we had it so good for so long, it’s not worth dwelling on.

You’re absolutely right so sparing readers any deep philosophical justification... Jades - I’m Where It’s At - Nite Life Delites - Lover - Cuppy Admirations on Peaches or Fortson and Scott on Pzazz...this is where you have to make a tricky call and read the crowd to help make the decision. Fast, Fast, Faster or Slower...

First record you can plan for. Got to be a party starter. Previous record was an ‘ender’ so you know to pick the tempo up. You have to stamp your mark on this first spin so make it count. Maybe a classic rarity. All depends on the venue, the crowd and of course, the timing of the slot in the DJ sequence. Have a longlist of possibilities in mind but they need to be proven floorfillers. Second record...you’ve got 2 minutes 20 seconds to shuffle through a few, pick one, tee it up, check out the dancefloor action, maybe crank it up a bit further and segue into the next track or mumble a few words and give the dancers a breather. No time to overthink things as autopilot takes over - be cool, take it one record at a time.

Try putting the best bits on Soul Source. That way, they will find a good home and you may achieve a better price, particularly if meeting the needs of someone’s wants list. Plenty of other dealers would appraise them but might be inclined to ‘cherry pick’ and leave you with the harder-to-move-on stuff. Maybe better therefore to sell as one job-lot but only receive 50-60% of full value. That said, I would advise you not to sell, or just sell your least favourite records if you really have to. It’s easier to get the money somehow than it is to replace your treasures. Most serious collectors will tell you they regret selling such-and-such a record and wish they hadn’t.

Always an interesting read. Loads here I would be proud to own. Looks like a more bountiful month than some with plenty more really good Northern spins up for grabs. Prices seemed a bit more realistic and reasonable. Just goes to show there’s plenty out there still be picked up...

Copy from dead stock in company sleeve. Probably unplayed so in mint minus condition. Priced at £50 plus £2.50 postage to UK address. Payment by PayPal preferred, buyer to cover fees. PM to reserve or for further details. Thanks for looking.

String ‘em up I say. Flogging’s too good for them. Bring back the stocks. If you can’t do the time then don’t do the crime. This kind of activity gets Northern Soul a bad name so add another three months in solitary confinement.

Did anyone ever get framed by the drug squad reception parties? That would make a more interesting read if indeed it actually happened. I think we should give Russ the respect he deserves. As Billy Whizz says, he put Station Road on the map. He brought Richard and Kev into the fold. He played some fantastic records back in the day. It’s because of Russ, dozens of Soul Sourcers, and maybe hundreds more, are into the music he introduced us to all those years ago. I was in Wigan last weekend, checking out the memorabilia at the Casino Cafe and pleased to bits I could tell the other lookers on that I was there. Thanks a million Russ.