Hooker1951

There was a gradual evolution for some mods to morph into Soulies not every mod ,some mods just liked the look and the fashion the music was secondary to them, In fact I know a lot of early Rockers who loved Soul music, so like everything else the tall flowers grow the music and atmosphere became sacrosanct to the real Soulies the fashion was a bi product and became in some cases a superficial side of NS, what really matters is that the true soul people found what they were looking for and couldn’t get enough of the most fantastic music in the world KR ML

I was blessed that I had the good luck to see Richard live in his pomp and trust me they threw away the mould when he was born the man was magic he was a phenomenon nobody ever could follow him on stage, the energy the sound the voice belonged to another universe, And Remember he was responsible for giving Otis Reading , Jimmy Hendrix, and James Brown their breaks into the big time besides being imitated by the likes of Prince , Michael Jackson, even Elton John etc and dozens more he was and will always be an brilliant original Icon, Rest in Peace Richard Wayne Penniman You were the king of Rock n Roll and RnB There will never be another like you Soul Brother Mick L

A Great article and what a voice I once read a story by Little Richard where he said Big Mamma and himself had some kind of altercation and she chased him around a venue saying she was going to chop him in pieces he said if she had caught him she would have she was one mean big mamma LoL apparently her drug of choice was embalming fluid but what an artist KR ML

Hi Tam the show was first aired late summer of 1963 around 6.30 Friday evenings it then went to a later time around 10.30 pm for awhile I watched all the shows in 1963 and 64 and didn’t miss many in 65 66 except when in late 66 I was holidaying with HMP, the show was good because it didn’t just play what was current hits ect but also established RnB acts American and British it was a great show highlighting what was going on at the time around the clubs in the UK beside the current hit parade I remember James Brown having nearly a complete show to himself and Otis Reading they were both at their peak at the time, It was a great innovator of a show at the time a great mix of music and the best acts around American and British, it would be great if they could show them all from the Start again but I believe some idiot wiped them probably the same one who wiped Thank your Lucky Stars another treasure chest of memories and music gone forever KR ML

Remember the first RSG like it was last week started with the Safaris instrumental I think it was around august 1963 in the middle of the British beat boom but they still managed to bring a good few American acts on I remember The Beatles bringing PJProby across early 1964 him singing Walking the Dog on the show, Great Memories, Ronnettes late 63 ect Mick zJagger singing You’d better Move on A Arthur Alexander classic KR ML

Your right Julian I was there too ML

Somebody put the Snake in my box once and it bit me ML

I had my full play box stolen from my estate car, broke the back window and away with the mixer however they were scallies who didn’t know what they’d got and couldn’t keep their mouths shut, they were spoken too in a sensible way returned the box everything intact plus a new radio and cassette system which they probably would have stolen from some other poor bugger. I was lucky, but I have over the years had around a couple of dozen stolen at different venues, it’s funny but I used to have a second sense about some that were stolen and check my box maybe a week later to find they’d gone. ML

I was around.then and you could still play most of those singles at a club soul night and get a good hour pleasing to the audience ML

I used to have a solid pair of mono decks the sound difference playing mono soul records was fantastic louder, richer more full on if their was a violin playing 3 miles away in the recording you would hear it, ML

It’s been going on for the last 45 years friend it’s a disgrace it’s worse now because their are a lot of watered down cheap sake Soul nights everywhere, the scene today is becoming a parody of what it used to be, It’s bad enough for seasoned Soulies but what chance would new people on the scene have to progress they wouldn’t have a clue what was the way forward unless they are the type which aren’t looking for the real thing and it seems like there are a good few of them. KR ML

We are all doomed again doomed I tell you I can’t take much more of this it’s just to much ML

We are all doomed, doomed I’m serious something special and unreplaceable is being destroyed by phoney,s pretenders,twobit hustlers who have not got one bit of soul holding them together they invent the past to promote their egos ect, no edge to them no personality, just utter bunkum,unfortunately Boffins of Ballyhoo have followers who are similar minded and it seem like today they outnumber real Mc,oy Soulies, Serious Problems need serious solving I propose hiring a cruise liner for a soul cruise load it up with all the phoney pretend DJ,s phoney promoters and part time soulies say everything is free especially beer and baggy pants sail it into mid Atlantic at midnight open up first tune with the Snake have a submarine ready to fire torpedoes at 12,02 mid ships job done weekend after have proper Soul nights with proper promoters and proper DJ,s with real soulies who won’t visit these pretend soul nights ,I knowitsounds drastic but it just might work LoL, KR ML

It will last until there are no amphetamines left, beer is no substitute , we have to be honest about these things, LoL, ML

Stateside Soul Stubshaw Returns 2020 - Bill Cragg Memorial View full article

Never had a problem with filling a dance floor, only struggled to revive people if the previous spots have been bad, Every venue is different, atmosphere different , lighting different, soulies different,One plug doesn’t fit every socket, You should have in your play box a different plug for different sockets, and of course hope that the area has good chemists KR ML

Has I’ve stated in other topics when asked what records I’ve ever discovered my answer has been that you would have to be vain and narcissistic to claim that you did, It’s a fact that someone could possibly break a record in to make it a success but to state that that yourself played it first time sounds ludicrous and frankly a little childish and boasting it’s up to someone else to say that you played it first or is it that it’s the first time they heard it when you played it. I was always happy just for someone who had knowledge about Soul music coming to you and asking what a record was that you’d just played and that they liked it, that should be sufficient praise, it was always enough for me , but to claim that you were first is a pretty big statement and trust me somebody would have played it first maybe at the wrong venue or to the wrong audience but it would have been played. You can be the DJ that makes a record popular but you can never honestly say you played it first, Like the old Gunfighters of the Wild West used to say there is always somebody faster Happy New Year ML

Merry Christmas to Mike and the crew keep on the good work and a big thanks for working a excellent site and a big shout out for all the Soulies who are still with us and for those who have moved on to the big all nighters in the Sky Keep on Keeping on Keep on Pressing on Peace and Tranquility ML

Kenny Lynch was a great all round artist good singer , good actor, and made some good feasible copies of American artists, RIP Kenny ML

I seen the Fantastics circa 69 72 on many occasions they were a very good live act, Rip Ritchie Pitts ML

BILLY CRAGG RIP, FUNERAL Billy,s funeral service will be held at Warrington Parish Church Town Centre, Church street the church with the tall Spire at 10.45 am on Monday the 9 th of December, all his friends past and present are welcome, Karen and his son William have requested no flowers, Donations welcome. Hope to See you all there ML.

Sad news, Billy died on Sunday evening after a long and debilitating illness as many of you know he worked for me on the door at Blackburn Tony,s and at Stubshaw Stateside for myself and Andy Mcabe he was always a friendly face for the Soulies to meet when entering the venue and would always do a favour for everyone he will be sadly missed his funeral will be held at the parish church , Church st Warrington town centre as soon as I have time and date of service I will message on here RiP Billy Cragg ML

150 maximum should easily do it some DJ,s look like their flitting houses ML