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What is Northern Soul?

OligeeOligee 289 Posts
edited April 2006 in Strut Central
Is this a subjective term or is there a set definition?
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  • pcmrpcmr 5,591 Posts
    There was a gigantic discussion about this last time
    wikipedia it and avoid the hatt
  • funky16cornersfunky16corners 7,175 Posts
    Largely subjective in that most fans (and hatters) have their own set definition. You could probably Google a suitable answer, but....

    Mostly 60's, US/Detroit-style (though Northern Soul records come from all over the place), dancable, pop-inflected soul.
  • bassiebassie 11,710 Posts
    expensive
  • knewjakknewjak 1,231 Posts
    short version:
    soul music that was played in clubs which were located in northern uk.
  • Birdman9Birdman9 5,417 Posts
    Is this a subjective term or is there a set definition?

    Completely objective term denoting Soul made and manufactured due north of Ames, IA.

    Prince is Northern Soul.
  • twoplytwoply Only Built 4 Manzanita Links 2,917 Posts
    Wikipedia claims Modern soul came directly from the Northern soul movement. How accurate is that?
  • bull_oxbull_ox 5,056 Posts
    Wikipedia claims Modern soul came directly from the Northern soul movement. How accurate is that?

    Yes, the genre was invented before Guzzo was born

    And tracks dating back to probably about '73 were getting spun under that title at Northern events
  • RockadelicRockadelic Out Digging 13,993 Posts
    I wanna hear some stories about the Northern Soul "All-Nighters" that took place in the UK in the 70's and 80's....I understand it still goes on today but I understand that shit back in the day was WILD!!!
  • Jonny_PaycheckJonny_Paycheck 17,825 Posts
    there are still records that were not known in the scene's heyday that could be called northern

    it is somewhat objective, despite having a murky definition

    not very important in the scheme of things unless you are actually part of the northern scene

    because if you are not, the primary classifications one should use are "good" and "bad"
  • bull_oxbull_ox 5,056 Posts
    there are still records that were not known in the scene's heyday that could be called northern

    it is somewhat objective, despite having a murky definition

    not very important in the scheme of things unless you are actually part of the northern scene

    because if you are not, the primary classifications one should use are "good" and "bad"

    Records still seem to be introduced on the Northern scene today and go from $5 to $70 overnight.
  • djrdjr 511 Posts
    I wanna hear some stories about the Northern Soul "All-Nighters" that took place in the UK in the 70's and 80's....I understand it still goes on today but I understand that shit back in the day was WILD!!!

    buy Pete McKenna's "Nightshift" book. Interesting read.
  • crazypoprockcrazypoprock 1,037 Posts
    obscure 60s soul music that sounds like motown but not usually as good as motown. that about sums it up!
  • Jonny_PaycheckJonny_Paycheck 17,825 Posts
    there are still records that were not known in the scene's heyday that could be called northern

    it is somewhat objective, despite having a murky definition

    not very important in the scheme of things unless you are actually part of the northern scene

    because if you are not, the primary classifications one should use are "good" and "bad"

    Records still seem to be introduced on the Northern scene today and go from $5 to $70 overnight.

    Right, and despite the misinformed posts to the contrary there is a "sound"
  • Jonny_PaycheckJonny_Paycheck 17,825 Posts
    obscure 60s soul music that sounds like motown but not usually as good as motown. that about sums it up!

    I never thought I'd take to defending the northern scene but this is not really accurate and somewhat misinformed
  • bull_oxbull_ox 5,056 Posts
    Right, and despite the misinformed posts to the contrary there is a "sound"

    Most definitely, although its not a sound I'm big on...

    Increasingly I'm seeing every dope obscure soul 45 from the 70s/80s I find is a 'modern' or 'crossover' spin though...
  • RockadelicRockadelic Out Digging 13,993 Posts
    obscure 60s soul music that sounds like motown but not usually as good as motown. that about sums it up!

    I agree with this but it does get a little more complicated.....the first single I found that someone told me was "Northern Soul" was by Lou Pride on the Suemi label out of El Paso.....I listened to it and thought....second rate James Brown impersonator.....I was wrong to the tune of about $1,200.....but to this day I'll find two 45's...one might be a Northern Soul MONSTER and the other a five dollar piece-O-crap and I can't tell the difference soundwise.
  • Dabney_SoulmanDabney_Soulman 890 Posts
    Wikipedia claims Modern soul came directly from the Northern soul movement. How accurate is that?

    Yes, the genre was invented before Guzzo was born

    And tracks dating back to probably about '73 were getting spun under that title at Northern events

    SLANDER
  • funky16cornersfunky16corners 7,175 Posts
    An example...



    Irma Thomas - What Are You Trying To Do
  • drewnicedrewnice 5,465 Posts
    expensive

  • Big_ChanBig_Chan 5,088 Posts
    Is this a subjective term or is there a set definition?

    Ask Miss Shing-a-ling! LOL
  • p_gunnp_gunn 2,284 Posts
    I wanna hear some stories about the Northern Soul "All-Nighters" that took place in the UK in the 70's and 80's....I understand it still goes on today but I understand that shit back in the day was WILD!!!


  • pickwick33pickwick33 8,946 Posts
    obscure 60s soul music that sounds like motown but not usually as good as motown. that about sums it up!

    not quite, 'cause actual motown records fit the bill as well ("there's a ghost in my house" by r. dean taylor is considered one of the touchstone records of that genre)
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    obscure 60s soul music that sounds like motown but not usually as good as motown. that about sums it up!

    I agree with this but it does get a little more complicated.....the first single I found that someone told me was "Northern Soul" was by Lou Pride on the Suemi label out of El Paso.....I listened to it and thought....second rate James Brown impersonator.....I was wrong to the tune of about $1,200.....but to this day I'll find two 45's...one might be a Northern Soul MONSTER and the other a five dollar piece-O-crap and I can't tell the difference soundwise.

    Scarelidge. That's a good record.



    K in Canada.
  • bull_oxbull_ox 5,056 Posts
    Yeah, I've got a Lou Pride CD comp of the singles with some unreleased tracks, quality material...
  • crazypoprockcrazypoprock 1,037 Posts
    obscure 60s soul music that sounds like motown but not usually as good as motown. that about sums it up!

    I never thought I'd take to defending the northern scene but this is not really accurate and somewhat misinformed

    i was kidding. and it's informed by listening to northern soul comps and going...oh, ok, i see...i'll just stick with motown and some gloria jones. it's a silly umbrella term that only really means anything if you are of a certain age and were from a certain party of england and went out to these nights...for the rest of us...it's soul music.
  • djrdjr 511 Posts

    Take the northern soul tour:

    http://soulfuldetroit.com/web02-northern/index.html
  • nzshadownzshadow 5,526 Posts

    DAMN!
  • Jonny_PaycheckJonny_Paycheck 17,825 Posts
    obscure 60s soul music that sounds like motown but not usually as good as motown. that about sums it up!

    I never thought I'd take to defending the northern scene but this is not really accurate and somewhat misinformed

    i was kidding. and it's informed by listening to northern soul comps and going...oh, ok, i see...i'll just stick with motown and some gloria jones. it's a silly umbrella term that only really means anything if you are of a certain age and were from a certain party of england and went out to these nights...for the rest of us...it's soul music.

    I don't know what you've got against Northern, Patrick! But damn dude. The northern scene is responsible for a lot of records being known, moreover for the record collecting world even caring about soul music beyond doowop and ballads... huge feed into the disco and boogie/modern scenes... you're really not giving it due as a scene.

    And it means something to anyone that cares about the history of these things, not to mention those of us who sell records that could be called "northern"...
  • faux_rillzfaux_rillz 14,343 Posts
    there are still records that were not known in the scene's heyday that could be called northern

    it is somewhat objective, despite having a murky definition

    not very important in the scheme of things unless you are actually part of the northern scene

    because if you are not, the primary classifications one should use are "good" and "bad"

    Records still seem to be introduced on the Northern scene today and go from $5 to $70 overnight.

    Right, and despite the misinformed posts to the contrary there is a "sound"

    Is there a "look"?

    And does it involve dagger sideburns?
  • crazypoprockcrazypoprock 1,037 Posts
    i don't have much against it it...i just can't relate to it because i wasn't there and i don't have any need for any label for the music besides "soul". if you want to you can fake a british accent and call certain rare soul tunes "northern"...i do that some times...as in, "that's a right northern stomper innit?"
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