Soulfinger

Happy days indeed. I was trawling the same shops as a youth with a list of tunes I'd heard on Mike Raven too. Also looking in Mazel's on London Rd and Hime & Addison (though I don't think I ever bought anything in there) and later, with a bit more success, in Robinson's and Global.

Not sure if this is widely known about, but there are some big implications for the future of Bury Town Hall and The Longfield Suite in this. Consultation started today. https://www.mynewsdesk.com/uk/bury-council/pressreleases/your-views-sought-on-future-use-of-civic-halls-3066505

Now that I know that it's a (checks notes) "Real Hands in the Air Anthem", 88 quid for a carver sounds like a complete bargain...

Wow! That's fantastic. Thank you very much for sharing it.

It seems very well written, but I am struggling to see a justification for charging £52 for a kindle edition. I buy a lot of music books but couldn't bring myself to stump up that kind of cash for covering ground that's been pretty well covered previously.

If you haven't read Tony Douglas' terrific book: Jackie Wilson - Lonely Teardrops, I really recommend it. The multi-layered complexities of Jackie's personal and music business life are thoroughly explored. Not many people come out looking good. It would have been interesting to see what Motown did with Jackie but, as Tony Rounce observed above, look at what we would've missed.

Yes please. I'm really looking forward to this.

Desperately sad news. I was privileged to see her perform live. What a voice. RIP Betty.

Fair play for having a listen. Can't say I think you are even remotely right, but each to their own.

I like The Allergies. I think they are smart, creative and funny. This is, however, far from their best track. God Walked Down, As We Do Our Thing, Samba Fox, Every Trick In The Book and Push On are much better. I buy pretty much everything they do because they're so inventive. I think the comparison to Footsee is a bit loose. Footsee was a one off attempt to lever some money out of the popularity of "Northern Soul" at the time. Felony is the latest in quite a long line of Allergies 45's. They're also had three albums. Their music covers a range of styles and occasionally they do stuff that some DJ's pick up on because it either samples something Northern or sounds a bit Northern e.g Entitled to That. I don't think they are trying to milk the Northern market, maybe because it's not very lucrative.

Great story, thanks for sharing it Mark. I spent a lot of time in that basement in my early teens. It and Robinson's were just full of great music. I remember a lad from school getting a Saturday job in Global. I was incandescent with jealousy; and he wasn't even a soulie.

I used to like the Niters at the Carousel. Cracking dance floor and lots of excellent music. My first go at dancing properly was at the Blue Rooms - Butch Baker - Working at the Go Go.

I Love the Kent albums. Shoes is my favourite cover. I've always had a soft spot for this one though. I only have to see it and I'm thirteen again!

James Hunter never disappoints. Excellent new album.

What a fantastic find. I hope you and Ady are able to work something out. There's potentially two lovely Kent Select 45's...

The Ritz. Couldn't pick a specific night or even a year. Nowadays, when I go there for the occasional live show, even though it is much changed inside, I get flashbacks. It was phenomenal!

I used to go to the Oaks when I was 15/16 in 1973-74. The music policy was mostly youth club soul and current soul releases. They played some good tunes. I remember hearing the Originals - Good Lovin' is Just a Dime away and Bettye Swann - Kiss My Love Goodbye as new releases there. I had no idea it had had such an excellent soulful past. Fair play!

Harlem '69 maintained the excellent standard of the first two books. I also particularly enjoyed House of Broken Hearts - The Soul of 1960's Nashville by E. Mark Windle.

I had a very fine pack from Roger Banks a few months back.

Very fine book it is too! Really enjoying it! Many thanks. John

Thanks for posting this, it's very interesting stuff and has prompted me to buy your book!

What am I Gonna Do Without You was the first Chuck Jackson song I heard and I have loved it ever since.

RIP Dean. I used to love my Saturday visits to Expansion where he used to tell me with great and erudite conviction which new tunes I was going to love and torment me for being a sixties dinosaur. Lovely, witty bloke who will be sadly missed.

RIP Aretha. The greatest female soul singer of all time. My greatest regret is never having seen her sing live.