Northern Soul

Discussion in 'Music Corner' started by WLL, Jan 11, 2019.

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  1. WLL

    WLL Popery Of Mopery Thread Starter

    Does anyone have anything to say about the Northern Soul thing/subcult that exists in Great Britain ? I did know, unlike I trnd to think most Yanks, what it was in tthe Eighties, but I'll let someone closer to it give the basics/link relating to it, it's very late/early and I must go beddy-sleep.
     
    Rockford & Roll likes this.
  2. Pastafarian

    Pastafarian Forum Resident

    I was never deeply into the music but the Wigan Casino 'allnighter' was an experience, people who had encyclopedic knowledge concerning everything about obscure U.S. Soul and you can still meet people in their 60s who'll hit the wedding party dance floor and you know immediately 'Wigan Casino'.

    Whilst Wigan wasn't the only place to be, it closed in 1981 but around here it's memory is still held very dear by many.

     
  3. Grant

    Grant Life is a rock, but the radio rolled me!

    I understand the history of why it's called "Northern Soul", and it has significance there, but, as an American I detest the term. It's nothing but obscure soul music, most of which deserved to stay obscure or buried.

    We once had a big, contentious thread about Northern Soul, so filled with insults that it was closed or removed. Ignore lists grew with that thread.
     
    JoeRockhead and zebop like this.
  4. Wugged

    Wugged Forum Resident

    Location:
    Warsaw, Poland
    Eee by 'eck, lad, tha rait. It wer grand. :D
     
  5. Pastafarian

    Pastafarian Forum Resident

    I know what you mean but whilst the music was essential it was the 'experience' which made the whole thing immortal. Not my music but I have the greatest respect for someone with so much passion for a art form and live it to their core.

    So anything about it's American music not Northern U.K. miss the mark by miles.
     
  6. Grant

    Grant Life is a rock, but the radio rolled me!

    Yes, indeed. It was a culture. It's been thoroughly explained by Brits, but something most of we native Americans just cannot culturally relate to.

    Again, it's the term "Northern Soul" that throws many of us. It means something totally different to us. To us, it's about the musical centers Detroit, Philadelphia, and Chicago vs. Memphis, New Orleans, and Muscle Shoals. They all have their own musical styles. That's simple, but you get the point. There are all kinds of 'soul centers" in the U.S., and it's all about the music. Cincinnati, Atlanta, L.A....
     
  7. majorlance

    majorlance Forum Resident

    Location:
    PATCO Speedline
    While I share your loathing of the term itself (I once got some aging hipster type to admit that it applied to any 60s/70s R&B that wasn't a hit), I do find your "nothing but obscure soul music" comment to be overly sweeping & dismissive.

    I could assemble a quote-unquote Northern Soul playlist that would leave you begging for more — as could many others here, no doubt.

    And yet, you have a problem with "big, contentious threads" that are "filled with insults"? Pot kettle black, pal.
    :doh:
     
  8. Grant

    Grant Life is a rock, but the radio rolled me!

    I resemble that remark!:biglaugh::agree:

    Do it! Prove me wrong. But, of course, tase is all subjective.

    Hey PAL! Did I say I had a problem with it???o_O All I did was mention that there was once a huge thread about it. Lose the attitude, man. I didn't give you one.
     
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  9. majorlance

    majorlance Forum Resident

    Location:
    PATCO Speedline
    You just reinforced my point, little man. Have a nice day!
     
    johnnybrum likes this.
  10. Pastafarian

    Pastafarian Forum Resident

    I'm sure there's been many a thesis written about the sociology-economic aspects of this 'subculture' and if we're looking at the 70s direct comparisons can be made to Punk, which often doesn't seem to be understood in the U.S.
     
    Dave Decadent and Grant like this.
  11. ShockControl

    ShockControl Bon Vivant and Raconteur!

    Location:
    Lotus Land
    I do not understand the negative reactions I have seen on this site to retroactively created genre names. The names are meaningful and useful to some of us. If you don't like a term or phrase, don't use it.
     
  12. Andy Saunders

    Andy Saunders Always a pleasure never a chore

    Location:
    England
    Yes love Northern Soul.... music is very uplifting.... there are commercial songs from way back that crossed over to the mainstream.

    KTF
     
  13. WLL

    WLL Popery Of Mopery Thread Starter

    ..Well...Brits within Britain came up with the term within a British context!:winkgrin::wave:. I'm moderately aware of the whole " Nirf Vs. Souf " regional dislike within E gland proper
    ..which we in America, regrettably, are staring to develop our eqvuivalent of with this " red states feel superior to blue states which feel superior to red states " thing!!!!!!!!!!!:cry:







    "Grant, post: 20353737, member: 91"]Yes, indeed. It was a culture. It's been thoroughly explained by Brits, but something most of we native Americans just cannot culturally relate to.

    Again, it's the term "Northern Soul" that throws many of us. It means something totally different to us. To us, it's about the musical centers Detroit, Philadelphia, and Chicago vs. Memphis, New Orleans, and Muscle Shoals. They all have their own musical styles. That's simple, but you get the point. There are all kinds of 'soul centers" in the U.S., and it's all about the music. Cincinnati, Atlanta, L.A....[/QUOTE]
     
    Grant likes this.
  14. lightbulb

    lightbulb Not the Brightest of the Bunch

    Location:
    Smogville CA USA
    Ever since I’ve heard the term, “Northern Soul” is a Music genre that has “escaped my radar”...

    I’ve yet to hear a song title that I’ve recognized cited as a prime example.

    (I know and confess that it must be “just me”...)

    Ironically, several posts into this thread,
    No songs nor artists exemplifying the genre have been mentioned...

    Yes, I could YouTube it, but it’s one of those rare topics that I’ll just “let the mystery be”... ;)
     
    Frederick Mars and Grant like this.
  15. lightbulb

    lightbulb Not the Brightest of the Bunch

    Location:
    Smogville CA USA
    I’ve heard many “Northern Soul” records are valuable, now...?

    Is this demand actually due to a desirable pursuit of luscious sonic rarities -
    Or
    Just insulated marketplace mayhem driven by a certain hardcore set of collectors, seeking to obtain what others want and need?
     
    Grant likes this.
  16. lightbulb

    lightbulb Not the Brightest of the Bunch

    Location:
    Smogville CA USA
    [/QUOTE]
    :cry:
     
  17. garrincha

    garrincha Forum Resident

    Location:
    Plymouth, UK
    bit of a northern soul cliche, but...

     
  18. Panther

    Panther Forum Resident

    Location:
    Tokyo, Japan
    Good grief, "Northern Soul" (so called) is not a music genre, people! Northern Soul is local name for a certain type of discotheque in one, tiny area of the world.

    Of course, within Britain (particularly the north) the term has its own locally-generated "meaning", which is all fair and good. Brits, however, need to understand that to American ears, the term "Northern Soul" sounds like it does to British ears when Americans call Kylie Minogue and Sting "Britpop".
     
  19. eddiel

    eddiel Senior Member

    Location:
    Toronto, Canada
    Yeah I remember that thread it was full of so much stupidity, mostly from the North American contingent, it was an embarrassment. If it's deleted, that's a good thing.

    I expect this thread will probably wind up just as useless as the other one.
     
  20. Kassonica

    Kassonica Forum Resident

    A friend of mine has a large northern soul record collection and has played me many tracks and albums, good stuff indeed :)
     
    Dave Decadent and Andy Saunders like this.
  21. Grant

    Grant Life is a rock, but the radio rolled me!

    Only in your little mind. Welcome to my ignore list.
     
  22. JumpinJimF

    JumpinJimF Still perfecting ways of making sealing wax

    Location:
    Normal Island
    Well I don't know much about Northern Soul but if you got any of those "obscure soul music" records clogging up your shelves then I'd be happy to take them off your hands and I won't even charge you for doing it.
     
  23. Grant

    Grant Life is a rock, but the radio rolled me!

    Like I said, a lot of that music deserved to be obscure. I've heard quite a bit of it in the last several years. There is hardly anything in it that I would care to hear again. Again, it's all subjective.
     
    zebop and lightbulb like this.
  24. Bobby Buckshot

    Bobby Buckshot Heavy on the grease please

    Location:
    Southeastern US
  25. Grant

    Grant Life is a rock, but the radio rolled me!

    And, I thought the whole idea of Northern Soul was digging up obscure and rare sides that were ignored by Americans. This wasn't one of them. It did relatively well here in the states.
     
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