Amsterdam Russ

As you're probably aware, I've clarified matters with Mike, and all is good. Agreed, I read your comments in the light of your moderating duties and should have seem them as a response from a member instead, such is the nature of ambiguity. Onwards and upwards...

That's sad to hear. You talked earlier about being able to define the music so it could be commoditised. Why? Are you talking about commercial Alchemy here, or do you mean the modern day creation of good soul music? If the latter, aren't there already huge amounts of people and labels out there doing exactly that? Or do you mean how to make new pop hits out of old bottles? You've mentioned your music experience many times now (in this and other threads). Given that most on here won't have any musical training at all, I'm a bit vague about what it is you're after, and what it is that makes you feel you can rate (disappointed - 2/10) the contributions of Soul Source members in any way at all, especially when you asked out of "personal curiosity". Even as a moderator, the contributions of Soul Source members aren't yours to judge.

Chapter Three: For a while the tribes were united. But as time moved on the tribes found that some members, the elders of the community in particular, couldn’t keep up with the pace of progress taking place within their small and often inward-looking society. The elders increasingly reminisced about the days of their youth. For some of them it felt as if their culture was being diluted. One reason repeatedly cited by certain elders is that the Shamen DJs in these new times just weren’t butch enough. Yet still the younger folk worshipped. Indeed, many more joined their numbers - not just locally, but eventually from all over the world. While OVO remained in their hearts, their god appeared less frequently than in the years gone by. With OVO being so elusive, the younger folk found themselves worshipping instead the voices from “Long-Ago” that were responsible for their mystical trances. Debates ensued that threatened to tear the community of tribes apart. Whom should they worship - OVO or the voices? It’s true, they argued, that without OVO they would not have heard the mighty voices, but at the same time, they could worship the voices without the presence of OVO. It was a godly dilemma, one to which no answer could be given that would appease the opposing factions. The tribes fought over their gods. Deadly wars inflicted huge casualties on the battlegrounds of social media and beyond. The elders continued to shake their heads and dream about the old days. But there was no going back: their numbers had populated the Earth and they were many. Chapter Four: In the year 2525, the people are gripped by waves of nostalgia. Moon-base Alpha holds a festival in celebration of the historic cultures of the dying planet Earth. One small corner, called the Wigan Mecca Torch Wheel, is devoted to the ancient cult of OVO. Although archeologists are still not able to understand who or what OVO really was, or the roll baggy trousers sometimes played in worshipping it, over the centuries, and thanks to the multitude of advanced recording methods used for archiving and preservation, they had been able to amass a huge database of ancient spiritual chants sung by the now long-forgotten people who lived in “Long-Ago”. The songs sung by those voices, so filled with devotion to OVO (so says the exhibition catalogue), touches the hearts of those who come to visit the little Wigan Mecca Torch Wheel exhibition. OVO must have been a great god to be so filled with such spirit, the curators say. Some wonder to themselves whether there was in fact any connection to any god at all, by whatever name, but whether the rapturous embracing of these distant, time-capsuled echoes is entirely down of the depth of the emotions exuded so richly by the wonderful voices on the fantastically preserved and restored recordings. Who or what the god OVO was is unlikely to be understood, but thanks to technology the most emotionally soulful sounds ever to come from mankind have been preserved for future generations across the centuries to come. T-shirts and baggy trousers available to buy in the shop on your way out.

A brief history of the soul scene… Chapter One: The last roars of the mighty dinosaurs echoed across the planet as they fought bitterly against their impending and inevitable extinction. What the dinosaurs couldn’t appreciate is that while it might have been the end of the world for them, their demise would usher in a new epoch. New species would thrive in their place, taking advantage of world in which the old thunder lizards would eventually become nothing but fossilised memories. In the new world, creatures didn't have to behave according to the rules set by the once all-powerful dinosaurs. Instead of being large and clumsy, the new breeds were smaller, more agile, and much more adaptable to the environments in which they found themselves. None of the new species harked back to the old days when dinosaurs terrorised the world. Instead, the new world thrived. Chapter Two: In time, the human species evolved, and one day - not long after mastering fire (which they did so that they could hold cave-nighters) - came up with a thing that would be known to archeologists as a “record player”. Scientists, trying to make sense of the customs and culture of this particular branch of Homo Sapiens, came to believe that these "record players" were only used for special ceremonial occasions. At these events, held mainly during the darkest hours of night (remember they had mastered fire by now), clans would invite members of other clans to their caves so that they could mingle together and share common experiences that would, it was hoped, unite them. It was common practice to invite the most powerful Shamen from the clans to perform special rituals. At these tribal gatherings, people would dance themselves into mystical trances brought on by ancient spiritual chants made by ancient voices from a place known only as “Long-Ago”, and which were conjured forth by the medicine-folk through the magic medium of the record player. The medicine-folk were esteemed as hunter-gatherers. They gained high status among the tribes through what was known as digging. This wasn’t digging for crops or other foodstuffs, but the unearthing of obscure, mystical chants from distant places, which the clans revered and which were central to their worship of the god OVO. OVO was almighty, and the DJs (name abbreviated from “digging jockeys” after their constant travels in search of obscure chants) came a pretty close second. The ancient culture was bound by a strict set of rules. Although no-one is certain of the origins of these rules, it’s believed they may have been handed down on a carved platter to the Wise Ones (they who must be obeyed, and who were responsible for setting all rules for the community, even if some folk felt the rules were a tad silly). The Wise Ones were also known in some circles as the Soul Police. It was their duty to ensure the rules were upheld by whatever means necessary. A favourite punishment was vilification through social media. Although these rules were unwritten, and the community as a whole could never fully agree on them, archeologists believe the basic tenets were as follows: 1. Thou shalt have no other gods before OVO. 2. Thou shalt not make unto thee any false likenesses of OVO. 3. Thou shalt use of the Sabbath to rest after worshipping OVO. 4. Honour thy DJ if they be true to OVO (otherwise blood sacrifice is acceptable). 5. Thou shall not kill in the name of OVO (but see exception above). 6. Thou must not commit adultery in the name of OVO. 7. Thou must not steal another person’s OVO. 8. Thou must not give false witness about the OVO in your box. 9. Thou must not covet thy neighbour’s OVO. 10. Thou must not wear comedy trousers for laughter is not permitted in the house of OVO.

A link here to the winners of the 2018 Wildlife Photographer of the Year competition. https://news.sky.com/story/take-a-look-at-the-best-wildlife-photos-of-the-year-11527469 A few stunners, for sure, but I can't help feel a bit underwhelmed by some of them. What do you think?

First and foremost, the scene is music-driven. Nobody has to be a vinyl junkie to enjoy the music. People talk about this scene dying because its punters are aged. I reckon the same thing was said about the Rock n Roll scenes, yet they still exist - and globally. Sure, there will always be collectors and crate-digging DJs, but being as obsessive as them isn’t essential for this scene to stay alive. And if the scene embraces the modern soul music of the future as well as it’s done so with the “modern”of the 70’s and beyond, DJs will be out hunting elusive CDs, mp3s and long-forgotten streaming service archives that’ll serve as the big warehouse finds of tomorrow!

Enjoying music and collecting vinyl are two different things, especially in an age of digital formats and streaming. At the same time, new vinyl releases - whether reissues, unreleased material or brand new sounds - has never been as buoyant since the heyday of the format, so much so it’s ridiculously difficult trying to keep up with everything that’s being put out on so many indie labels (just like the 50s & 60s). What’s most important is that the music continues to be appreciated, and I think it will. Some will strive for originals on hard-to-find vinyl. Others will buy reissues, and whatever digital forms come to be in the years ahead. As long as folk are appreciating the music, the format or means by which people listen is in many respects irrelevant.

That's from my YouTube channel. Some years ago, and because of the upload, I was contacted by a member of Dry Well. I still have a record of the discussion, the essence of which I stated alongside my comments in the upload. That says... Fantastic stormer of a track seen here on the original Lauren release and recorded late 1968 or early possibly 69. The La Salle release came out much later - in 1971 according to record dealer John Manship - and the release of which was completely unknown to a band member of Dry Well. That band member also states that there was no group called Ellen and the Shandels. In fact, Dry Well formed after the Shandells broke up and Ellen was never a part of that group. Psychedelic soul, garage, what ever you want to call it, it's a fantastic and utterly original take on the Justin Hayward/Moody Blues song. I shared the information with John Manship, and he's subsequently acknowledged when auctioning a copy that Lauren is the first and original release. Given the back story from a band member, it does appear the later release was not done with the sanction of the group and thus is a "bootleg". That in turn, considering it was seemingly released several years after, might explain its own obscurity, and the incorrect thought that its rarity means it was the original issue. That's incorrect. The Lauren release is the genuine, real deal.

One day!

Well worth a look: the landscape photographer of the year awards. Some of the photos are stunning! https://news.sky.com/story/landscape-photographer-of-the-year-awards-the-winners-11526414

Record prices and collections have nothing to do with it. Why do you have to buy records to appreciate the music? They don't have to "buy into the scene" to appreciate great tunes, and they're not flummoxed by genre as "Northern Soulies" are. Imagine a scene where a tune is appreciated for what it is - free of scene-based history, politics, or anything else. When the European youth of today hear a tune for the first time they decide, there and then, if they like it or not based whether it fits the mood or not and whether it's exciting or not. Every tune played lives and dies on the dance floor based only on how good it or isn't. No value, rarity, exclusiveness, history or whatever. Is it good or isn't it? Simple as that!

Exactly so. This from a scene that says it wants new blood so it can move forward, but gets hung up debating what trousers were worn by people 45 years ago, and describes newcomers who attend events but aren't recognised as "soulies" as divs, hand-baggers and worse - and all the while proclaiming that it's an open, tolerant and welcoming scene. Europe is where the future of the scene is. At European events (certainly the ones I've experienced), people only care whether you're enjoying the music. And there's nothing more important than that - not the width of your trouser bottoms, the way you dance, the shoes you wear, your views on one sub-genre of soul music versus another sub-genre of soul music, whether [insert name of venue] was better than [insert name of venue], whether there are too many DJs, or who played what tunes first and when nearly half a century ago. If you're there to enjoy yourself, and you're loving the music - no matter if you're young or old, a soulie for a lifetime or a first-timer who dances in their own way for their own pleasure - then you're very, very welcome. And it's this open attitude that'll ensure there's a scene on the European mainland for a long, long time to come.

State of the northern soul scene today? Let me ask... Anybody here under the age of 50? Anybody here under the age of 40? Anybody here under the age of 30? Anybody here under the age of 25? There’s the state of the northern soul scene today.

I see them now.

No pic, Steve... ☹️

Two links here... https://www.historyforsale.com/junior-walker-autograph-note-signed-co-signed-by-the-drifters-elsbeary-beary-hobbs/dc285566

Thanks. Shells on or off after cooking or doesn't it matter? Just thinking back a few years and recall trying to dry and store a batch we'd foraged. The Netherlands is a very damp country, and they all went mouldy!

Oh, and a question for the knowledgable folk on here... While in the woods yesterday, I foraged 3lbs (1 1/2kg) of sweet chestnuts. What's the best way to look after them so they'll remain edible in the months ahead?

I'm sure someone here will be able to be able to provide a comprehensive list of members over the years, or at least point to such a thing. Best I could dig up straight away is Wikipedia... https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Junior_Walker

Not fungi, but very definitely exuding that real sense of autumn...

A glorious, sunny day here yesterday, so took the opportunity to cycle to the Amsterdamse Bos armed with my camera to see if I could get some pics with an autumnal feel. Here's a few fungi... Can't name them, unfortunately. If you can identify them, please do. Shown in the last pic are chanterelles?

A quick search on Google images for "Jr Walker autograph" brings up a couple of examples, none of which look like the signature on your 45.

Lots of fungi to be seen in the Amsterdam woods presently. These two pics were taken using my aged iPhone while on a Sunday stroll there.

Thanks. Really incredible skies here this time of the year, and you get more of it because the country's so flat. All I had to do was point my iPad at the sunset from the back balcony and the photo basically took itself.

A very close-run thing this month. A couple of extra votes on these two pics meant we avoided something like a five-way tie!!!