What did someone say in the last thread about this? Something like - 'Northern Soul is like a motown record you've never heard but with something out of tune'. I thought that was pretty cool.
I've really changed my opinion of Northern soul since moving to Detroit. There is an incredible quantity of great soul music that could accurately be described as 'Northern', you just need to be pointed in the right direction. Here are some groups/artists I like:
Jackie Wilson The Artistics Steve Mancha Major Lance Tan Geers Gino Washington The Four Voices The Precisions Sam Fletcher Bobby Reed Johnnie Mae Matthews Johnny Hampton (as heard last night for the first time. )
among many others.
If soulhawk weren't too busy picking up unknown funk 45s, he'd sort us all out.
The song with this title (though I don't think the same song) by The Showstoppers, the flipside of Ain't Nothin' but a House Party, is one of my all-time favorite unhyped tracks. Amazing & heartbreaking uptempo sweet soul group vocal. And a good example of a song I've never heard of as "Northern" but that definitely has a "Northern sound"
Northern soul is a British dude, yelling on a microphone ,like a pro wrestler telling you the next song will blow your fuckin' nuts off and make you shit blood and that it was a real "corker" back in the days of the wigan Casino, and its a "real rare one innit" and then the record drops and it sounds like some weak-ass poor man's Smokey Robinson with an ass load of strings....
Northern soul is a British dude, yelling on a microphone ,like a pro wrestler telling you the next song will blow your fuckin' nuts off and make you shit blood and that it was a real "corker" back in the days of the wigan Casino, and its a "real rare one innit" and then the record drops and it sounds like some weak-ass poor man's Smokey Robinson with an ass load of strings....
Northern soul is a British dude, yelling on a microphone ,like a pro wrestler telling you the next song will blow your fuckin' nuts off and make you shit blood and that it was a real "corker" back in the days of the wigan Casino, and its a "real rare one innit" and then the record drops and it sounds like some weak-ass poor man's Smokey Robinson with an ass load of strings....
but the Volcanos and Van Dykes are cool
Ha! Let's see you say that on the soul boards...
I'm sure some of the dyed-in-the-wool funkers on fryers board would agree with him re 'norman' soul actually...
I personally think he is just underinformed.
some soul music classified as 'northern' is surely amongst the worlds best, regardless of rarity.
some soul music classified as 'northern' is surely amongst the worlds best, regardless of rarity.
I rarely use this graemlin, but
and some of it is amongst the world's worst regardless of rarity...the problem is this term "northern" which has nothing to do with the music but rather with a certain location and point in time...the game continues.
some soul music classified as 'northern' is surely amongst the worlds best, regardless of rarity.
I rarely use this graemlin, but
and some of it is amongst the world's worst regardless of rarity...the problem is this term "northern" which has nothing to do with the music but rather with a certain location and point in time...the game continues.
Naw dude, as been said repeatedly, it is a SPECIFIC sound...
Naw dude, as been said repeatedly, it is a SPECIFIC sound...
I wouldn't come so hardcore with that - the only true constant with Northern is that it is uptempo, often 4/4.
Southern records can be Northern soul, tracks with lush strings might be Northern, but there are raw guitar-bass-drum tracks that are Northern classics ("Carlena" by Just Brothers, anyone?) - it's true many many Northern records have a similar sound, but there is no one defined Northern "sound" IMO.
some soul music classified as 'northern' is surely amongst the worlds best, regardless of rarity.
I rarely use this graemlin, but
and some of it is amongst the world's worst regardless of rarity...the problem is this term "northern" which has nothing to do with the music but rather with a certain location and point in time...the game continues.
This is patently untrue. If it were true, you wouldn't be able to identify anything as Northern without knowing the complete history of the scene. There also wouldn't be any new discoveries, which, in the case of northern, is actually meaningful because the music was being listened to and collected as it was coming out.
One thing I like about England is they have these buses that pick up a big group of party goers, at night, take you to these clubs that go on til 6 or 7 AM, and take you back to the city or whereever you live. You can get your drink and smoke on in most of these buses as well, so the party never stops.
If Darrow Fletcher - What Have I Got Now is Northern Soul, I'm sold.
One thing I like about England is they have these buses that pick up a big group of party goers, at night, take you to these clubs that go on til 6 or 7 AM, and take you back to the city or whereever you live. You can get your drink and smoke on in most of these buses as well, so the party never stops.
If Darrow Fletcher - What Have I Got Now is Northern Soul, I'm sold.
I like 'What Good Am I Without You', but I guess that's just some sissy garbage cause it's got strings.
The song with this title (though I don't think the same song) by The Showstoppers, the flipside of Ain't Nothin' but a House Party, is one of my all-time favorite unhyped tracks. Amazing & heartbreaking uptempo sweet soul group vocal. And a good example of a song I've never heard of as "Northern" but that definitely has a "Northern sound"
Huge cosign. The Showstoppers had a couple of very nice b-sides. There are tons of great Northern style records out of Philly, including the Volcanos, Ethics, Intruders (early stuff like 'Check Yourself') Formations, Four Larks, Lee Garrett, Larry Clinton, Eddie Holman and a bunch of others. Those that are dismissing Northern Soul as poor imitations of Motown haven't heard enough of it. There are countless amazing records, as well as a bunch of crap, but that can be said of ANY genre discussed on this board. Keep in mind too, that although the Northern scene is by and large a 70's phenomenon, the groundwork for it was laid in 60's soul clubs in the UK, where US soul artists could tour successfully when they couldn't get a gig in the US (a tradition that continues today). The Showstoppers are a great example. 'It Ain't Nothing But A House Party' was a huge hit in the UK and they eventually moved there and recorded a few more 45s for UK labels in 69 and 70 (which are pretty good).
Naw dude, as been said repeatedly, it is a SPECIFIC sound...
Southern records can be Northern soul...
This sounds like you're confusing Northern England w/ Northern America. Just sayin'.
No, I'm saying all "Northern Soul" doesn't come from Detroit, as some people seem to think. I'm not confusing those two things at all, and I honestly don't know why you would read that into what I wrote.
some soul music classified as 'northern' is surely amongst the worlds best, regardless of rarity.
I rarely use this graemlin, but
and some of it is amongst the world's worst regardless of rarity...the problem is this term "northern" which has nothing to do with the music but rather with a certain location and point in time...the game continues.
Incorrecto...the music is identified with a style, popularized in a specific location (hence the name), but a specific style nonetheless.
Naw dude, as been said repeatedly, it is a SPECIFIC sound...
Southern records can be Northern soul...
This sounds like you're confusing Northern England w/ Northern America. Just sayin'.
No, I'm saying all "Northern Soul" doesn't come from Detroit, as some people seem to think. I'm not confusing those two things at all, and I honestly don't know why you would read that into what I wrote.
"Northern Soul" got its name from being played in clubs in Northern England, not from originating in Northern America.
Naw dude, as been said repeatedly, it is a SPECIFIC sound...
Southern records can be Northern soul...
This sounds like you're confusing Northern England w/ Northern America. Just sayin'.
No, I'm saying all "Northern Soul" doesn't come from Detroit, as some people seem to think. I'm not confusing those two things at all, and I honestly don't know why you would read that into what I wrote.
"Northern Soul" got its name from being played in clubs in Northern England, not from originating in Northern America.
Are you messing with me? Don't you think I ALREADY KNOW THAT? I don't understand what I am saying that makes you keep implying that I don't know this
Naw dude, as been said repeatedly, it is a SPECIFIC sound...
Southern records can be Northern soul...
This sounds like you're confusing Northern England w/ Northern America. Just sayin'.
No, I'm saying all "Northern Soul" doesn't come from Detroit, as some people seem to think. I'm not confusing those two things at all, and I honestly don't know why you would read that into what I wrote.
"Northern Soul" got its name from being played in clubs in Northern England, not from originating in Northern America.
Are you messing with me? Don't you think I ALREADY KNOW THAT? I don't understand what I am saying that makes you keep implying that I don't know this
Isn't DCastillo doing a Northern set last month? I can't wait to go.
Naw dude, as been said repeatedly, it is a SPECIFIC sound...
Southern records can be Northern soul...
This sounds like you're confusing Northern England w/ Northern America. Just sayin'.
No, I'm saying all "Northern Soul" doesn't come from Detroit, as some people seem to think. I'm not confusing those two things at all, and I honestly don't know why you would read that into what I wrote.
"Northern Soul" got its name from being played in clubs in Northern England, not from originating in Northern America.
Are you messing with me? Don't you think I ALREADY KNOW THAT? I don't understand what I am saying that makes you keep implying that I don't know this
Haha. Yeah, dude, I'm sure you do know that. Here's where the confusion came in:
This thread is called 'What is Northern Soul?" and there seem to be a bunch of people with pretty substantial misconceptions of the term. When you said said "Some Northern Soul comes from the South." (i.e. not Detroit) I just wanted to point out that someone who was completely uninitiated might infer from your statement that "Northern Soul" referred to soul music from Northern America. Then when you said "I honestly don't know why you would read that into what I wrote" I thought, hell, maybe this dude is confused. Does that make any sense?
Comments
That Marco Hammond does hang out a lot with the "soulies" and "punters"...
yes! that's what i'm talking about. fookin' brilliant use of the language.
Jackie Wilson
The Artistics
Steve Mancha
Major Lance
Tan Geers
Gino Washington
The Four Voices
The Precisions
Sam Fletcher
Bobby Reed
Johnnie Mae Matthews
Johnny Hampton (as heard last night for the first time.
among many others.
If soulhawk weren't too busy picking up unknown funk 45s, he'd sort us all out.
send "we live in the ghetto" & "your love is growing stronger" south plaese. such good shit.
What Can A Man Do followed/preceded by Donnie Elbert's What Can I Do? - yikes!
The song with this title (though I don't
think the same song) by The Showstoppers,
the flipside of Ain't Nothin' but a House
Party, is one of my all-time favorite
unhyped tracks. Amazing & heartbreaking uptempo
sweet soul group vocal. And a good example
of a song I've never heard of as "Northern" but
that definitely has a "Northern sound"
but the Volcanos and Van Dykes are cool
Ha! Let's see you say that on the soul boards...
I'm sure some of the dyed-in-the-wool funkers on fryers board would agree with him re 'norman' soul actually...
I personally think he is just underinformed.
some soul music classified as 'northern' is surely amongst the worlds best, regardless of rarity.
Sounds like it should be on Motown, but it isnt.
I rarely use this graemlin, but
Yep, told y'all.
and some of it is amongst the world's worst regardless of rarity...the problem is this term "northern" which has nothing to do with the music but rather with a certain location and point in time...the game continues.
Naw dude, as been said repeatedly, it is a SPECIFIC sound...
I wouldn't come so hardcore with that - the only true constant
with Northern is that it is uptempo, often 4/4.
Southern records can be Northern soul, tracks with lush strings
might be Northern, but there are raw guitar-bass-drum tracks that
are Northern classics ("Carlena" by Just Brothers, anyone?) - it's
true many many Northern records have a similar sound, but there is
no one defined Northern "sound" IMO.
This is patently untrue. If it were true, you wouldn't be able to identify anything as Northern without knowing the complete history of the scene. There also wouldn't be any new discoveries, which, in the case of northern, is actually meaningful because the music was being listened to and collected as it was coming out.
If Darrow Fletcher - What Have I Got Now is Northern Soul, I'm sold.
I'd wager you could make this argument with just about any sub-genre of music.
I like 'What Good Am I Without You', but I guess that's just some sissy garbage cause it's got strings.
fuckin' rockists.
Huge cosign. The Showstoppers had a couple of very nice b-sides. There are tons of great Northern style records out of Philly, including the Volcanos, Ethics, Intruders (early stuff like 'Check Yourself') Formations, Four Larks, Lee Garrett, Larry Clinton, Eddie Holman and a bunch of others.
Those that are dismissing Northern Soul as poor imitations of Motown haven't heard enough of it. There are countless amazing records, as well as a bunch of crap, but that can be said of ANY genre discussed on this board.
Keep in mind too, that although the Northern scene is by and large a 70's phenomenon, the groundwork for it was laid in 60's soul clubs in the UK, where US soul artists could tour successfully when they couldn't get a gig in the US (a tradition that continues today).
The Showstoppers are a great example. 'It Ain't Nothing But A House Party' was a huge hit in the UK and they eventually moved there and recorded a few more 45s for UK labels in 69 and 70 (which are pretty good).
This sounds like you're confusing Northern England w/ Northern America. Just sayin'.
No, I'm saying all "Northern Soul" doesn't come from
Detroit, as some people seem to think. I'm not confusing those
two things at all, and I honestly don't know why you would
read that into what I wrote.
Incorrecto...the music is identified with a style, popularized in a specific location (hence the name), but a specific style nonetheless.
"Northern Soul" got its name from being played in clubs in Northern England, not from originating in Northern America.
Are you messing with me?
Don't you think I ALREADY KNOW THAT?
I don't understand what I am saying that makes
you keep implying that I don't know this
http://s40.yousendit.com/d.aspx?id=0L7EKSCRLZ6QQ2EHO13JESCTHW
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Isn't DCastillo doing a Northern set last month? I can't wait to go.
Haha. Yeah, dude, I'm sure you do know that. Here's where the confusion came in:
This thread is called 'What is Northern Soul?" and there seem to be a bunch of people with pretty substantial misconceptions of the term. When you said said "Some Northern Soul comes from the South." (i.e. not Detroit) I just wanted to point out that someone who was completely uninitiated might infer from your statement that "Northern Soul" referred to soul music from Northern America. Then when you said "I honestly don't know why you would read that into what I wrote" I thought, hell, maybe this dude is confused. Does that make any sense?