Northern Soul Prom - BBC2 19.45

[alfinyalcabo]

The Northern soul movement generally eschews Motown or Motown-influenced music that has had significant mainstream commercial success. The recordings most prized by enthusiasts of the genre are usually by lesser-known artists, released only in limited numbers, often by American labels such as Vee-Jay Records, Chess Records, Brunswick Records, Ric-Tic, Gordy Records, Golden World Records (Detroit), Mirwood Records (Los Angeles), Shout Records and Okeh.

Northern soul is associated with particular dance styles and fashions that grew out of the underground rhythm and soul scene of the late 1960s at venues such as the Twisted Wheel in Manchester. This scene and the associated dances and fashions quickly spread to other UK dancehalls and nightclubs like the Wigan Casino,[3] Blackpool Mecca (the Highland Room), and Golden Torch (Stoke-on-Trent).

As the favoured beat became more uptempo and frantic in the early 1970s, northern soul dancing became more athletic, resembling the later dance styles of disco and break dancing. Featuring spins, flips, karate kicks and backdrops, club dancing styles were often inspired by the stage performances of touring American soul acts such as Little Anthony and the Imperials and Jackie Wilson.

In the late 1960s and early 1970s, popular northern soul records generally dated from the mid-1960s. This meant that the movement was sustained (and "new" recordings added to playlists) by prominent DJs discovering rare and previously overlooked records. Later on, certain clubs and DJs began to move away from the 1960s Motown sound and began to play newer releases with a more contemporary sound.

[sinkov]

Cheers Alfie, not sure I'm much wiser, but I'm sure the aficionados know it when they see it. I used to be a regular at the Twisted Wheel in the mid 60s, at that time it was mainly R&B bands, one I can remember playing live was Geno Washington's Ram Jam band.

[The Bedlington Terrier]

As a self confessed Northern Soul Connoisseur I thought this might be a bit tacky.

How wrong I was, this programme was totally gobsmackingly awesome.

I always believed Northern Soul was an eclectic musical genre that the masses would never get.

Wrong again. A brilliant programme but where the hell was a Timi Yuro replica?

https://www.bing.com/videos/search?q...5EAB&FORM=VIRE

[Supersub6]

Did you play there SS? I heard about the mushrooms, how clever, just an amazing place and for an old Soulie the most incredible night and I've had some

dave, I played there many times with Central Band of the Royal Air Force, Squadronaires, Massed Bands of the Royal Air Force as well as 14 appearances at the Festival of Remembrance. My missus also played there with the WRAF Central Band back in the 1960s both at the Festival of Remembrance and the Burma Star Reunions and with the Massed Bands of the RAF. ALways a great atmosphere!

The previous night they televised a Prom featuring music by Boulanger, Rachmaninov's 2nd Piano Concerto and William Walton's First Symphony and that was superb but was matched by the Northern Soul Prom. Just great music!

[wmdave_b]

Amazing both you and the Missus played there Supersub, lucky people. Fantastic music venue, anywhere better?

[wmdave_b]

I had a quick peep on IPlayer and there was R.Dean Taylor's Ghost in my House, I've always liked that but never knew it qualified as Northern Soul. Just what is Northern Soul ? Is R Dean Taylor's 'Indiana Wants Me' Northern Soul for instance ?

Apologies for a late reply to this, I know BT did submit an answer. To be more basic NS is all about the dance beat, The 2 R Dean Taylor tracks you mention are perfect examples. Ghost in my House is a killer dancer, one of the faster ones. Indiana wants me, great piece of soul music but not a dancer as the former. These were Motown tracks and the great musicians that studio had were in demand from other small labels wishing to get big. Thousands of tracks produced sold poorly Stateside buy we picked them up cos of the underground movement at the Wheel and Casino later. Beside Motown and Detroit were Chicago, Philadelphia, lots of US Cities and relatively small record labels tried to emulate. This is what gave us NS as our DJ's chased and discovered these tunes. Hope that helps, but please watch on iPlayer

[sinkov]

Apologies for a late reply to this, I know BT did submit an answer. To be more basic NS is all about the dance beat, The 2 R Dean Taylor tracks you mention are perfect examples. Ghost in my House is a killer dancer, one of the faster ones. Indiana wants me, great piece of soul music but not a dancer as the former. These were Motown tracks and the great musicians that studio had were in demand from other small labels wishing to get big. Thousands of tracks produced sold poorly Stateside buy we picked them up cos of the underground movement at the Wheel and Casino later. Beside Motown and Detroit were Chicago, Philadelphia, lots of US Cities and relatively small record labels tried to emulate. This is what gave us NS as our DJ's chased and discovered these tunes. Hope that helps, but please watch on iPlayer

Cheers Dave, I will indeed watch the whole show and get back to you, I think I'm beginning to get a sense of NS now, but I think you would have had to have been there and involved at the time to have a real understanding of what it's all about, possibly as much about the atmosphere in the clubs and the dancing as much as the actual music, the dance beats as you put it ?

[The Bedlington Terrier]

Cheers Dave, I will indeed watch the whole show and get back to you, I think I'm beginning to get a sense of NS now, but I think you would have had to have been there and involved at the time to have a real understanding of what it's all about, possibly as much about the atmosphere in the clubs and the dancing as much as the actual music, the dance beats as you put it ?

Me and another 7 x 18 year olds on Lambrettas wrapped up in Parkas going down to Tunstall on a Thursday night to see Edwin Starr live followed by half a dozen sets of Northern Soul to dance to. In close attendance were a gaggle of young women from Stoke and Uttoxeter. Memories were made on nights like those.

[sinkov]

Me and another 7 x 18 year olds on Lambrettas wrapped up in Parkas going down to Tunstall on a Thursday night to see Edwin Starr live followed by half a dozen sets of Northern Soul to dance to. In close attendance were a gaggle of young women from Stoke and Uttoxeter. Memories were made on nights like those.

A Lambretta eh, I used to have a BSA, a black leather jacket and hair on my shoulders, we had a few entertaing run-ins with your lot on Blackpool promenade, and as we were inevitably outnumbered it usually ended with us running like feck to escape.

[kritichris]

A Lambretta eh, I used to have a BSA, a black leather jacket and hair on my shoulders,.

Change BSA to Triumph and it could have been me sinky. I'm still riding a Bonneville now but it doesn't leak oil, not quite the same.