ImberBoy

Oh I see, I'm not too sure if any English DJ's actually claimed any particular credit for production or artistic pen? I do know that there were dumpsters full of deleted, discarded unfit for release records that found life over here................... Unless you know some thing we don't? Our "championing" of lost courses is well documented. We do have a few DJ's with over inflated egos' but as to claiming credit before they were put onto vinyl, I can't think of one? On the whole I think our scenes DJ's have done a top job and they should rightly feel proud for their dedication and for serving up quality rare soul.

. ?

What is the story behind these Bond type themes?

I think it made me more cosmopolitan? I joined the Army quite late being 21 years old in 1984 joining a melting pot (so they'd have you believe) of young fit 17 to 25 year olds from all walks of life and from all over the country. Once I reached my first posting I was very aware of "Squaddie" culture of weekend BBQ's, union flag T-Shirts and the beer, fight n f**k attitude that was so eagerly taken on by most. I found this immediately boring and I hungered for my music. I think it must be said that the third wave of Northernsoul was happening and for my age group we felt very at home carrying the torch after it was dropped and left to go out after the closure of the Casino and over exaggerated death of Northernsoul, There was a new underground and a new clique of national travelers who when they turned up to a place they were there not as passengers or visiting tourists they were the evolved hard corps and I was running with the pack and loved it! Whilst 99.9% of my mates were happy enough to party in the NAAFI on camp wearing the usual squaddie garb and doing the squaddie shuffle after the appropriate level of Stella, I could be seen leaving then throng clutching my nighter bag and dressing slightly different than my comrades in arms. When I was posted to Germany I found my self inside a protective bubble, behind our camp gates was a little English village and there was no real need to ever rub shoulders with any thing foreign but I went further than the camp confines and ventured out into the German scene and I have a wealth of precious memories from this and an experience of being away from the umbilical mother ship. Did this attribute to any of my life skills? Did this influence me in any way? I don't ever feel fazed at traveling alone now and I don't ever feel uncomfortable when faced with the phony tough guys, our scene has its real tough guys and we certainly rub shoulders with the dodgy?

Pete you're a thug, but I love ya!

It's just a night out, is it? Dancing in the Street "It's just a night out", used to hear this a lot, especially from Polly in Manifesto usually after some one got hot under the collar from a nighter critique, but is it just a night out? Has our Northernsoul Scene done anything to shape our society, has it influenced our thinking, has it altered any of our preconceptions? I love the description of Northernsoul as being one of a desire to breakaway from the middle-of-the-road and the description of a small group refusing the spoon fed mainstream. For me, and no doubt others, there is a very real and personal dent on our personalities, do we define the Northernsoul Scene, yes we do but how much of it defines us? When I was a very young man the fact that I was going to Allnighters made some of my peer group view me in a certain way, yes some thought I was daft but others perceived me to have an air of the sinister, well certainly a whiff of distrust? Hard to explain but it added to my youthful stance and gave me an element of the mysterious, all good stuff for a rutting male who wasn't particularly tough or hip. But what of our group in general, did our scene influence anything in society? Young Northern men dancing on their own and dancing some incredible dances after midnight during a time when this was not quite the done thing to do? I remember a couple of fights at the youth clubs between those who danced like devils and those who thought it a rather effeminate carry on. Stepping away and turning your back, even scoffing at chart music put you in a minority and into the limelight. Did our championing of black American music do anything towards the civil rights movement? Motown and Stax are given their place in history, a British journalist once asked Martha Reeves (of Martha and the Vandellas) if she was a militant leader and if Dancing in the Street was a call to riot. Soul fans in the North of England (best add the South here as well) where aware of Black Power, and the struggling Black Americans, yes so was every one else but not every one had an emotional connection and loved the music, do we love the artists yet dispose of any thought for their wellbeing? Can we, do we just allow things like this to wash over us or are we informed and influenced in any way? I am of course referring to the mid seventies but it is a growing thing and our scene has lasted a long time indeed. Putting the seventies North of England under the microscope most will have us believe that "It's grim up North", a dull grey Lowry type existence where weekend footy and a pint and a grope on a Saturday night was the best we could hope for. Lot of stereo typing being done here yet having a club like Wigan casino emerging to capture the imagination of a nation does not make much sense? Should it? Is it just a night out, did we leave any footprints apart from Polyvelts and Brogues? "Dedicated to Jerry"

I like it!

Wigan Casino Soul Club Station Road Wigan Lancashire WN1 TY2

Keele on the 19th, just seen the line up and it looks mega! Outlaws over for Christmas dinner, five of em coming, mother in law, father in law and two nephews, I do the cooking assisted by my son 16 and nephew 17, its mega! The best ever advise I took and pass on is this, tolerance tolerance tolerance! At about twenty minuets into Crimbo my mother in law will have a dig, that\s their job at the end of the day but I know its coming but it goes over my head like a rare RnB record! My freeloading sister in law will bring two bottles of wine then power sup them before starting on mine, again, over my head! Chillin with my homies is the order of the day, I love every minute of the festive season especially knowing the on the 27th there is a mega and I mean a mega soul do running into a nighter at Maximes in Wigan! The line up is straight from Santa's sack and I will be there giving out free sweaty hugs to every soul boy n gal who has been good this year! Ho Ho Ho lets go!!! Remember that a puppy is not just for Christmas, if you carve it properly you can have some on Boxing Day as well!

Stuff the Christmas turkey Let's go mental chicken oriental! Well the festive season is here; as far as the telly is concerned it started months ago! Our house hold is starting to decorate today and we have nudged the great snowball moving off towards the great climax that is Crimbo, but what of Northernsoul? There are loads of events planned but what are you doing? Have you got your eye on a special record, do you and yours have a night of dancing planned or is it all on the back burner until the tree comes down? What's going to be your Soulful Christmas?

RIP Alan

I take it that you're doing a local soul night? If so it's a piece of piss! Here's yer script: "Good evenings ladies and gentlemen, don't forget Mary and Babs, you need to collect your raffle prizes from behind the bar and thank you to Cocksnip Sausages for donating the tray of meat. Just before the next record could the owner of the blue Subaru please move your car as it is blocking the exit.' Right, let's rock, queue "The Snake", punch the air and down your pint of Fosters in a one'r, queue "Girl Across the Street - Moses Smith" or; Double Cookin' - Checkerboard Squares or Night Owl - Bobby Paris Smile and give thumbs up to Tony who is emptying a bottle of Imperial Leather talc onto the dance floor before sitting down for the rest of the night. Queue Blowing My Mind to Pieces - Bob Relf and say "remember this from The Casino" Use torch to find the CD with She Blew a Good Thing - Poets on and get it ready to follow If I Could Only Be Sure - Nolan Porter. Lean over to hear Julie requesting Mistura - The Flasher and tell her that you didn't bring it, mumble "Divvies" under your breath as she walks away spilling her half of Magners on the dance floor as she shuffles off. Queue Because You're Mine - Vibrations and get your mobile ready just in case Peter gives him sen a heart attack trying to stomp. Queue The Parliaments Heart Trouble and stand back as the dance floor clears, play The Ad Libs Johnny My Boy as people start to put their coats on and actually leave! Play Clarence Carter She Ain't Gonna Do Right as the venue promoter walks across and gives you the cut throat sign play Do I Love You (Indeed I Do) - Frank Wilson and watch them run in from the car park. Finish your set, wipe yer bum and collect your five pound expenses whilst the promoter slaps you on the back and warns you not to play any of that rubbish again. Drive home, sup a bottle of gin, log onto Soul Source

Not too sure if this band has had much air play on the scene? They are blue eyed and not every ones cup of tea but they do some of the Northernsoul classix,

Yes I think so

Can any one help ID this track? I think it goes "I can't sleep for you baby" There are a couple of breaks in the record with a soaring drum and plunking piano bit that works up into a crescendo followed by "Hey heyyyyyyyyyy" Great dancer but driving me nuts!

Chorleysoul and Scarborosoul sitting in a tree K-I-S-S-I-N-G

My spelling is getting wose

Longy , I'm not surprised you didn't get chucked out! Taking a monkey to Northernsoul events is bleedin irresponsible mate! Now spank it!!! Soooooooooooooooo back to 3 before 8 :-)

If I went to a nighter were I couldn't dance coz the floor was to sticky and they wouldn't allow talk then I don't go back, simples

Mike I hope it's ok to post these three clips from youtube, if not delete mate. They are my 3 before 8 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F9sr2f96FQ4

3 before 8 Wigan Casino Ooooooh I wish I had been older enough to have gone but sadly I missed all the baggy pants and Brut 33! When some one says to me Wigan Casino I always think of the 3 before 8, if the 3 before 8 were down to me I would have the following: Eddie Holman - This Will Be A Night To Remember (1977) DISCO That's the extended play one not the short version mind! MANDRILL TOO LATE JESSE JAMES If you want a Love affair That's my 3 before 8, I could hear those three on a continuous loop! I love Northernsoul! What's your 3 before 8, you can choose what you like

I did the Blackpool Weekender this weekend it was a great laugh and I heard some mega music, didn't go upstairs to the main room, nothing there for me! Downstairs in de Modurn room was completely superb with some spectacular tracks spinning. I am sat watching the funky Monkees bustin their moves to a wave of crazy trax then this track comes on reminding me that I no nothing about Northernsoul and even less about Modern! I watch as every one in da house is singing along to this track as if it's their school song, felt very left out coz I didn't know the song? It's brilliant to be reminded that there is no such thing as an expert! Aint we blessed with all of this cracking music, still can't get my head around the upstairs room? Thousands of people going mental to tracks like "Cracking up over you", and I mean going mental as if they haven't heard it for so long? I am completely flumext about it? All of the anthems were greeted like lost sons, not too sure who is out of step me or them? Crazeee weekender, didn't hear anything up stairs that I hadn't heard over and over again but the dance floor was going mad and I mean mad like mad! It was like seeing some strange cult that I wasn't apart of any more? I went down stairs to hear new and different toonz, I am counting down the days now until Maximes in Wigan, lets get in on! Thanks to all of the people who have sent me the track, keep feeling fascination people!

Cheers buddy, thats the one!

Help ID this track please Modern toon "My Saturday ........ my Sunday morning face"?