Barry

Arthur Conley's energy blew it up, Sam & Dave were simply inspirational (a great shot of their feet working in unison goosebumped me up). I thought Otis struggled early doors if I'm honest but worked through it, a fantastic hidden snapshot all the same, loved it.

Anyway, about that cramp Ste!

Can someone normal please re-read this thread and tell me it is not the most bizarre thread in months - I know I have me moments as regards odd postings but the one at the top deserves an award surely - it's a blinder. Yours, A fan.

Genius!! As an add on, our wasted roomfull are still laughing at the original post - class!

Get to work and stop intervening in me working class Northern stance you poor sauce-boy.

You sure about that statement mate!? Most of the 'ones' that are battered on the NS scene? - or just most of the myriad US/UK/European releases over that period? I know that as House beats are able to be mixed it is generally accepted that they should be, but at what point is the separation of thought regarding sequenced beats. There is a certain beauty in the 'to fade' moment in a track, from any era, the last seconds of it's time. Just cause beats are laid down on a pc and are able to be mixed, surely doesn't mean they have to be? Or does it?

I still attend NS events up and down fairly regularly Steve, with the missus but I'm who am I? Nobody would know - unless I go to home turf, Lowton - but I got a bit sick of the wet-fish handshakes I got (Nowt worse than a Soulie gone bad it seems?). I must say though, the thrill of NS events has, in general, gone for me - I still see the love and the need in the people that attend but the urgency isn't there anymore. I still seek the input that youth brings to music. I still buy Northern, alongside my other deviances, but find myself these days comfortable enough not to depend on bouncing myself off the NS scene to make my purchases seem relevant, which I admit that in the past I, like most, did. Not a bad thing, it's what people do I suppose. I am not a bloke who has ever had the luxury of a break from the routine of club-life Ste, it's always been a week in, week out thing since the Wigan days for me really, I ran a record shop for nigh 20 years after all - therefore I see myself as being fully aware of how music has developed around me, what I want from it and where I stand within the structure of things - for myself anyhow. I'm at peace these days in some respects. The reason I haven't been to Cully Ste is due to work, I play music for money Thursday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday - I'd love to come but work's work after all. I have the greatest respect for yourself Ste, don't forget that, you are part of my make up and my history. Mike also has done his brothers proud in keeping the Hawkins tradition alive - he's always been solid in his musical views from being a soul baby. Your night was always going to happen and good on you. I'm also pleased for Duncan. As for your questioning of my credentials to pass comment on the scene Ste, please remember that in real-time on the NS scene, I was there as long, if not longer, than yourself. We all have a lifespan on the scene don't we? I may have, some may say, 'deserted' the Northern scene (in presence, yes) but at no point in my life have I been absent from 'a' black music scene - week in, week out. Unlike yourself.

Jolly good.

It is mate and your succinct and well thought replies have been greatly appreciated. It's obvious to me that you give a sh*t. Bravo.

Tony! wtf are you doing using the above term on a majoritively working class site? Classist!!

You've taught me summat there. (In The Club - Granada)

Ste. In response? Being a bloke that has constantly been involved in the furtherence and promotion of black music (since we last met that is; which I think was on an ill fated mini bus trip to the 100's Club in the mid/late 80's - dodgy van, AA membership problems and a great deal of hard shoulder driving if I remember correctly. Anyway I digress), I feel I must reply to your tongue in cheek (?) post. Your above comment is understandable given you don't have any background re 'On Hugbert (sic) Street' and it's position in the scheme of things (Not a night on the NS map, given, but a night that many old nighter heads have attended over it's course). You see there are nights that aid and assist the promotion of soul music that aren't NS scene based. Over the five years that OHS ran (Just to fill the readers of this post in, I haven't run a night in the last 10 months, half due to work commitments, half to loss of heart), it was instrumental in exposing many, many youngsters (that were house kids with little or no outside soulful connections other than house music) to soul music and it's many delights. With its policy of booking lads that played black music from all eras - Bob Jeffries, Kerri Chandler, Dave Lee, Tony Hayzer, Carl Dupree, Terry Jones, Quentin Harris, Deano, Jovonn, Rahaan etc etc, to name but a few - it, as a night started many on the road to appreciating the music that we all hold dear. (Quote Terry Jones: "I can't believe what a great night you have here!"), (Quote Bob Jeffries: "It's definately the best venue I have played in the last 12 months!"), both old hands with a history and a valid view. Again, just to fill you in Ste (and the people that may visit following your post), the reason the OHS site is in the state it is at present is due to the fact that I have once again lost heart with the particular scene it created - I tend to move on in the hope that one day I will find Soul Heaven, one free of politics (it never happens). Not that I am naive enough to believe that you can have a scene without politics, I'm jus a stubborn c*nt, know what I mean? Unforunately for me I tend to move on regularly as I have quite high standards when it comes to my beliefs in how the (my particular) soul scene should be handled. But, like clockwork, the sordid underbelly always floats to the surface (the underbelly being the politics of scenes - and politics always, after a spell, annoyingly seem to hold more clout than the music. It is at this point I tend to lose interest, disassociate myself for a while, think about things....and start again. Unfortunately for me you have visited my website at a time when I have neither the heart or the time to keep it at a level that would negate comments such as yours, and for this I apologise, I am in one of my lulls, but as they say that that doesn't kill you, makes you stronger. You see Ste once the porn worms get a hold on your site (I think that is what your post refers to?), it's a bastard to get rid of them, you have to update your security, etc, etc. Your comments as regards my site are understandable, given the fact that you have no prior knowledge of OHS - but at heart it was a dig I think - an understandable one, but still a dig. Am I over sensitive? Simply paranoid? Or just passionate? I've no idea! But I hope this response allows you to see that that I may be one, two, or even all of the above - and that is what keeps me going. I know I'll get hammered for this post, as it is a typical me post after a bucketful, I know, but I felt the need to defend OHS - loose lips sink ships after all. Anyway,do you still get thigh cramp after your spins mate?

That is a poor statement Sean. In hindsight maybe? Good and bad records are played at any point on any scene, and when bad (subjective) records got played they served a purpose, if only for the fact that they helped shape your present day opinions. Yes, a large amount of Wigan plays sound cheesy and poppy now but you are talking about a time and place that was 25/30 years ago - folks that were involved at all-nighter level at that particular time lived within a different social climate and were moulded by very different influences. You can't say that it was a 'poor pastiche', as without the dodgy Wigan tracks played in the 70's & 80'S the scene today would have gone in a completely different direction. Your comment hangs on the fact that you have hindsight Sean - we all grow musically, it, and everything else is a learning curve after all, and this scene today has been shaped from yester-years winners....but also yester-years losers have played their part too. Knowledge is borne of experience, not hindsight.

...Peter Gordeno?

The bastard love child of Mike and Bernie Winters? help!!

That's a Greek pudding isn't it?

In a separate reality, take progressive dj's and their music policies out of the All-Nighter equation (Modern plays) as is - would nighters have been as appealing over any given period of time? I know this type of question begs the response, 'Well, flip it - would Modern ever have gained a scene alone without a 60's scene to base itself upon?' Begging a third question: 'Without Modern, would the 60's scene have eventually died without the impetus (new blood) that Modern brought to all nighters? And could all this not possibly prove that at the end of the day they were made for each other? Ying and Yang? .....I'll go to bed.

That's like having Beachy Head without the beach. It'd just be called - 'Head'.

Saw a re-run of 'The Wheeltappers and Shunters Club' (Peas on a plate - 8p') - bird comes on (it turns out to be David Dickensons missus...don't ask how I know) in a razzy split skirt and wimple, giving it rice - what does she belt out? Tony Middletons 'To The Ends Of The Earth'!!??

Wayne Street?

Go on Mossy, I'll make a c*nt out of mesen to give you a reply, here we go: Johnny Vanelli???

An absolute feckin masterpiece.

A proper one, about £30 - £40.

I've not read all the posts, apologies, but from the opening question and the ones I have read, I take it that the only negative reasoning behind the 'too many venues' argument is that it affects attendances maybe!? I know we all like a full dancefloor, a packed venue...but there is a certain beauty to be held in under attended (???) events, the sparsity can affect a much more intimate atmosphere for the attendees. It, after all, is what you make it.