O/T Best of British Northern Soul

[monty_rhodes]

Hm, Kenny Lynch wasn't bad. I see where CT is coming from with his Helen Shapiro comment on Jenny Wren. Here's a note from Jenny who seems to still be going strong:
Hi everyone.... I AM THE JENNY WREN mentioned here. Firstly, my real surname was Phillips. My Manager named me Wren because I was tiny in stature, and sang like a bird (allegedly) Allen was also a temporary stage name. I was 14 when I recorded Chasing my Dream all over town. I went professional at the age of 16...and I have sang professionally ever since. For many years I was a jazz singer, with the name Jenny Darren, indeed I have been Jenny Darren since the age of 18. I had a 7 Year Classic Rock career in my 20’s. I have recently gone back to it, and had a new release in August 2017. Preceding that, I released an album in 2016,with the Finnish Prog band Paidarion. The year before, a compilation album called Heartbreaker. I have released 8 albums in total, one being with the Birmingham band Secomd City Sound in the late 60’s. I am NOT black. I dyed my hair and wore dark make up at the time. I am actually fair haired. Check me out on a Google , and my website... www.jennydarren.com I also work with guitarist Muddy Manninen (formerly of Wishbone Ash) my albums are as follows: Love is Blue (with second city sound) City lights, Jenny Darren 1, Queen of fools, Jenny Darren 2, Heartbreaker, With Paidarion -The Finlandia Project, Ladykiller, plus around 25 singles. I will be on Wikipedia soon, for those who may prefer even more accuracy.

[Gainsbro_Miller]

Hm, Kenny Lynch wasn't bad. I see where CT is coming from with his Helen Shapiro comment on Jenny Wren. Here's a note from Jenny who seems to still be going strong:
Hi everyone.... I AM THE JENNY WREN mentioned here. Firstly, my real surname was Phillips. My Manager named me Wren because I was tiny in stature, and sang like a bird (allegedly) Allen was also a temporary stage name. I was 14 when I recorded Chasing my Dream all over town. I went professional at the age of 16...and I have sang professionally ever since. For many years I was a jazz singer, with the name Jenny Darren, indeed I have been Jenny Darren since the age of 18. I had a 7 Year Classic Rock career in my 20’s. I have recently gone back to it, and had a new release in August 2017. Preceding that, I released an album in 2016,with the Finnish Prog band Paidarion. The year before, a compilation album called Heartbreaker. I have released 8 albums in total, one being with the Birmingham band Secomd City Sound in the late 60’s. I am NOT black. I dyed my hair and wore dark make up at the time. I am actually fair haired. Check me out on a Google , and my website... www.jennydarren.com I also work with guitarist Muddy Manninen (formerly of Wishbone Ash) my albums are as follows: Love is Blue (with second city sound) City lights, Jenny Darren 1, Queen of fools, Jenny Darren 2, Heartbreaker, With Paidarion -The Finlandia Project, Ladykiller, plus around 25 singles. I will be on Wikipedia soon, for those who may prefer even more accuracy.

If I remember correctly, she was the one who went on Britains Got Talent looking like a "little old lad" but took her glasses & cardigan off and belted out an old rock classic, which I can't remember.

[CTMilller]

CT is that a recommendation or a warning?

A bit of each, I suppose, Monty, depending on how you feel about Helen Shapiro (and the Detroit soul sound!)

The Jenny Wren monologue you posted. I don't think I've ever heard anything that more accurately fits the phrase "been round the block" before. I suppose the music world is full of "didn't quite make the big time" singers like Jenny Wren.

[monty_rhodes]

A bit of each, I suppose, Monty, depending on how you feel about Helen Shapiro (and the Detroit soul sound!)

The Jenny Wren monologue you posted. I don't think I've ever heard anything that more accurately fits the phrase "been round the block" before. I suppose the music world is full of "didn't quite make the big time" singers like Jenny Wren.

Reminds me of being in Joyce's Bar in Cleggan, Connemara about 30 years ago. The owner was really into music and had played in a few bands (sadly he died a couple of years back). I once asked him after a few pints of Guinness who he thought the best Irish musicians were. He said, "Ah now, do you mean the best musicians or the best musicians you might have heard of?"

[great_fire]

The whole Northern Soul 'phenomenon' completely passed me by and to be honest Biglad if that's the best of it I can easily see why. Not for me I'm afraid

These are just the British ones which are very much in the minority, most "Northern Soul" records were actually rare or neglected American soul songs.

[BigLadonOS]

Would never have thought Long John and Rod were Northern Soulers.

Not really Northern Soulies WCH but those songs fit the criteria of what a lot of Northern Soul songs sounds like. Obviously they were both in to Mod music of the 60's which was Soul influenced hence those records.

[BigLadonOS]

These are just the British ones which are very much in the minority, most "Northern Soul" records were actually rare or neglected American soul songs.

That's true great_fire most are from the States but there is also a massive part of the scene that was influenced by Belgian popcorn music. Although Belgian popcorn is not in fact Belgian but rather American music that was popular in Belgian around the same time that Northern Soul was happening here in the UK. There are also some fantastic Noerthern Soul song from many countries around the world not just USA and GB.

[BigLadonOS]

I listened to the two I didn't know much about - Jenny Wren and Dana Gillespie. Thought they were both excellent, tending to the pop end of soul. Helen Shapiro with a bit of Detroit thrown in. Worth listening to.

I know next to nothing about the culture of Northern Soul but it's obviously an intoxicating and enduring thing if you've been bitten by the bug. I remember watching those George Gentley police dramas which were pretty good at tracking the zeitgeist of the sixties and one of the episodes centered on the Northern Soul culture in the North East. I'm sure Big Lad would have lots to correct about how it was done - but I remember really enjoying it.

I have not seen the TV show you mention CT but will have a look for it.

[BigLadonOS]

Maggie Bell and Bobby Kerr (the same Maggie Bell from stone the crows - Off topic a little - my fave Stone The Crows song is Freedom Road) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IMObYyBraPc

Classic Northern Soul.

[BigLadonOS]

Talking about Helen Shapiro CT. Here you go mate. A Wigan Casino belter.