Steve S 60

"They smile in your face, all the time they wanna take your place....."

As posted on the Northern Soul film Face Book site.

As a kid growing up on the scene, I never had the money to spend on records. By the time I'd bought my train ticket to Wigan and paid the entry fee into the Casino, it didn't leave much from my £11 a week wage. My mate was a collector and I used to enjoy looking through the boxes with him, but I preferred to be on the floor. When I eventually had enough money in my pocket, I had, in my opinion, better things to spend it on. Don't get me wrong, I have no problem with collectors spending their money on the vinyl, it's their money. What I can't get my head round is some collectors who amass large amounts of sounds that never see the light of day. It's like these millionaires that own priceless pieces of art that only they see. At the end of the day, they own it, it's their choice, but it's nice to see priceless art in public galleries, just like it's good to hear rare sounds at soul nights. Hope this is still in keeping with the thread. It's just my view as a non-collector of vinyl.

Listening to the lyrics, I'd hazard a guess at "Where There Is Love For Me". Don't think she'd have got away with that a few years ago.

The promoters will initially sound out the punters to see if there is a demand for a particular music policy, or that would seem the common sense approach to me. Not much point starting a new venue without the promise of some support. So getting back to the original question "What Gives A Soul Night Direction - Punters Or Promoters?", I'd say both. The promoter may have a clear idea of where he wants the night to go, but without the backing of the punters, he'll have a hard time getting there. Ultimately it'll be a compromise.

Epi tome of Sound was another.

Mispronunciation of artists always cracks me up. A certain Northern D.J. I know regularly played "I Still Love You" by the Super Relatives!

I was on school dinners, although my mam used to knock me up some sandwiches and put a clean change of underwear in my bag when I went down to an All Nighter.

I was still at secondary school in the mid 70s and most of us had vinyl sports bags (Adidas, Puma, Gola etc) for carrying our P.E. kit in. It wasn't a Northern Soul thing, everybody had them. Not surprising then that they started to appear at All-Nighters.

Probably one of the saddest things I've experienced over the years is a great venue lose support not because of the music policy, but because of the pure greed of the promoter(s) not closing the doors at a decent time. Soulies don't want to see their night spoilt when the local bars turn out and all the piss heads turn up looking for afters. Absolutely killed the night and the numbers attending dropped off the cliff face, leading to the night being swiftly axed.

"Right On" was supposedly another term used, but I only ever heard it in 70s Blaxploitation movies.

At £55 for the shoulder bag, and £75 for the grip bag, it's expensive tat. "I'm cashing in, cashing in on you baby....."