Modernsoulsucks

Got a couple of new 45s this morning so had a bit of a session. This sounds a lot like "Unsatisfied" to me but never really did anything.

Kris and Matt, I think you've got hold of the wrong end of the stick when comparing the Northern/rare soul scene to the Beach music scene. If you walked into a shag club you would not be struck by it's similarity to our scene music-wise. It is an odd mish-mash of 50's blues and R&B coupled with an assortment of 45s from 70's onwards, including many tailor-mades, to today. It is not exclusively Black music because as Carms mentioned the only criteria is that you can shag to it. The scene now and for some time in the past [at least mid-80's] has been built around the dance steps. Highly unlikely you would hear more than a couple of 60's tracks [if that] and no chance you'd hear Nomads,Soul Set, Gene Barbour etc. In fact there's probably very few patrons who have even heard of those groups and they are much more likely to know Shakin' Stevens who had around 5 big Beach hits. You would have heard at one time Drifters "Pour your little..." or Futures "Party time man" which I guess you could point to as being played here but they were picked up after being played on the Beach scene so if there is any crossover it is very limited. There is crossover with the current crop of bluesmen/women putting out stuff that is new. It is not entirely accidental because the scene has a profile and artists sometime tend to have an eyer on that market. Something like this was big at the time of release https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KLAxC3GUJs8 There is also Beach radio where you would hear some 60's soul but a lot of it is based on the current Beach Top 20. Again highly unlikely obscure Carolina groups will feature. You may hear Swinging Medallions, Bob Kuban and even "Far away places" Embers [which was the Beach side], records that were hits, but mostly the sound of the clubs. Where it does fit in with the Northern is that back in the 60's those guys made records based on their appreciation of Black music. But even then the Impressions version of "I need you" would be the choice of most of the fans and not Gene Barbour. ROD

Hello everybody. Chalky and Mike are offline at the moment so I'd just like to ask that some members tone it down please. I've removed a couple of posts to this effect. Bob, "spirit of friendship" . Brilliant! ROD [as moderator] except for the bit addressed to Bob.

That's a very fair point Bob although not one I would have assumed you were making by "duh" but then I can be less than sharp on occasions. I also reckon entrance exams for admittance to soul clubs should be introduced whereby random matrix numbers are listed and if you can't come up with the artist,title,label and name of the lead singer's cousin you can't get in. And that's cousin on the father's side. You wouldn't believe how many people fall into the trap of naming the cousin on the mother's side. Ingenues! I dont know what this scene is coming to! ROD

It's like a joke, Bob if you read the next sentence or is it a comment on this new phenomena of the instant expert courtesy of the World Wide Web? Actually just another post to plug "Supernatural" and that's two on this thread now. Of course "duh" could be a joke too. Far out. ROD

Ted, Not saying she isn't Black but I wouldn't say that record sounds particularly like a soul recording. Back-up vocals sound like White guys to me and they don't come in until half way through. Of course everybody knows she was a back-up singer for Tracy Nelson and Mother Earth, some SF 60's rock band. OK I googled it. Interestingly one of the other back-up vocalists was Dianne Davidson who had her 15 minutes on the scene with "Sympathy"That too was kinda blend of soul/rock/jazz like the Routen 45. Can't imagine Bob is going to rate it really. if he does I'll stop watching "Supernatural"! ROD

Im still annoyed at that Godin bloke. Putting out Gene Chandler and Billy Butler. Completely ruined the Northern scene for me. ROD

Mate asked me to sell a couple of things he picked up and also a few I have still lying around unsold which I've reduced. Anything you're not happy with you can send back for a full refund. Don't mind sending 45s upfront either to those with a bit of fb or regulars on here, where records aren't mint-ish. Graded according to SS site so VG++ is EX for some. Alma Faye I believed FLAMINGO UK VG++ £65 Midnight Keep on walking by ARIOLA UK VG+ £30 [couple of marks and very slight click for first four rotations - still looks nice] SOLD Grover Mitchell Take your time and love me JOSIE M- £10 Four Bars Waitin'on the right guy FALEW [white DJ?] VG++ £10 Jackie Wilson Haunted House BRUNSWICK M- £12 Kurtis Scott No No Baby DJ SURESHOT M- £10 Chandler/Acklin From the teacher... DJ BRUNSWICK VG+ [few marks but still nice copy] £10 Leaders You are the one I love DJ BLUE ROCK VG+ [still nice copy but with some slight label fading] £10 Palisades Make the night a little longer WDJ CHAIRMAN VG++ [sticker residue on label] [same as Ramona King, Tan Geers] £15 Listen:- Sultans I wanna know WDJ ASCOT VG++ [Good Carolina type sound] £75 SOLD Listen:- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uAFUMsDrwIw Bill Black Little Queenie LONDON UK M- [ 60's silvertop design] £40 Chantells Why won't you say/ World of Soul SOUL KITCHEN M- [b-side great instr like Saxie Russell to my ears] £25 Cap-tans Tight skirts and crazy sweaters ANNA M- [white label design] £5 Ty Hunter Free ANNA VG++ [as above] £5 Dimensions He's a lover DJ D-TOWN M- [rare Detroit] £150 Couple of Albums Ruby Andrews "Black Ruby" ZODIAC Sleeve is around VG+ but not tatty. Vinyl VG++ to M- inc "Just loving you" £75 Ruby Andrews "Everybody saw you" ZODIAC Sleeve is about Ex and vinyl VG++ to M- £50 Please PM if interested. Postage £2 1st recorded. Albums £3.50 recorded should cover it.

https://www.popsike.com/Rare-Northern-Soul-Freddie-Gorman-Take-Me-Back-Motown/220617990491.html Was going to say quite common but maybe not. I'd have said £25-30 these days but maybe more. ROD

Read your PMs please. You need to do an introduction asap. Please PM me. ROD [forum moderator]

I figured it was so why a CD rather than vinyl if demand comes from Northern market. Glorified cassettes!!! ROD

Kris, You'd think he coulda just pressed 'em up over there? Is this CD promotional only then or is it on sale. Smacks of Universal and their rubbish handling of putting out unreleased Motown on vinyl. Can't see why vinyl wouldn't have sold just as well as the CDs. They always know better than those involved. ROD

READ your PMs please. PM me asap. ROD [forum moderator]

When this CD release was first mentioned on here I did drop Lou a line pointing out the preference for vinyl. He said thanks but no thanks to my suggestion. ROD

I've been waiting over two years for someone to get back to me on that,Mark. ROD

Found it on YT. So it is.Never noticed at the time. ROD

Im sure there'll be more. It's one of them you don't notice if it's a demo or issue especially back in the 70's. ROD

Im not sure about that Steve but Alex and I found both the "Cracksteppin" LP and Sahara 45 in a shop in Detroit E 9 Mile around '93/'94. I think Pure Pleasure too. Guy who owned the shop said he was something to do with Brooks Brothers and Sequins. He had none but took us to his mate.......... who was out of town. Par for the course. ROD

I just googled that Ian. Bloody awful!! So no that's not it. A bit unfair, Gareth. I admit it's lush and sophisticated like those of us who got a liking for it. DtheD is a lush and Im sophisticated. Probably explains why the majority of it is from mainstream 70's acts rather than small independents where maybe production values were lower, although always exceptions I always preferred my northern to sound like it had a full orchestra behind it, the kitchen sink treatment, so I have no problem with the same feel as regards 2-step https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o7_kDejrjNc Hopefully clips will give Bob an idea of what we're talking about. ROD

I was going to mention the new release connection but I thought it might complicate it even further and I can't remember any examples except for a 12" on MCA by Front Page and I've forgotten the title of that! ROD

The Gentle Persuasion is also on UK People I seem to remember. ROD

Steve, I think Dave and I got onto it quite quickly and because we were selling it and it was new to us we had to pay special attention to the sound so that we could pick stuff up in the States. I really like the sound as it's something different and similar to soulful reggae. Much preferred it to the modern Northern of the time. And luckily we had a good teacher by the name of Victor who used to come up to the stall. I think he was actually one of the prime movers of that scene. ROD

Yes you're right and that Water and Power track was very popular with 2-step crowd. I think it's just coincidence though rather than influence. I did notice though as the 2-step thing went on some of the guys out of that scene did then start to get into the mellow Northern including 60's. So Colin's last hour at the Mecca does come into play. ROD

I kinda know the two-step scene from selling it from around 1988 into the 90's. I'd say it was album-based and relatively mainstream artists but as long as the sound was right anything went. Basically ballads with a bubbling backbeat. Judging from our customers at London record fairs I'd say it was a predominantly Black scene, more so than rare groove but there was some overlap with the more mellow rare groove and of course some punters liked both. There was also a big reggae connection with many of the soul tracks being covered by reggae acts in I suppose what's termed a lovers rock style. Not so sure about Gareth's comments. I think the scene was pretty new when I stumbled upon it. I went to the Mecca in the mid 70's. Two-step was far too slow for that venue. I think 2-step passed the majority of the modern Northern scene by certainly at the time of release in the 70's and even when it took a hold down in London in late 80's. That's not to say it didn't start to catch on with some but I'd say 2-step influenced the modern side of Northern rather than the other way round. A few classics. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cGB1NKcOeJU

John please get in touch by PM asap re your introduction and Profile. ROD [forum moderator]