In the early 1980’s a schoolfriend and I started going to local mod do's in Bucks (just outside London) and we’re instantly seduced by the "the Bottle", "Wade in the Water" and "Just like Romeo & Juliet".
Rapidly we grew into men, going to soul nights, Dayers and nighters.
The 100 Club in 1986 was electric, moody and musically utterly insane - but it was the big Midlands nighters that made a lasting impression. Keb, Guy and Adam were massively influential along with Ian Clarke and Ady... (This was before Butch started spinning).
Records were so cheap you’d be a fool not to collect - (Minnie jones £12 anyone) and towards the end of the 80s Bradford was amazing - incredible modern room.
Like many others I moved into house and acid jazz for a bit but coming back to northern in the late 90s when it was in the middle of a renaissance.
A few more years off with children, attending festivals and doing femi Kutis dance workshop and I was delighted to return to the soul scene in 2008 to find it flourishing and global!
Blessed to have met a fantastic bunch of new soul fans and family, and nowadays enjoy traveling a bit further than M1 junction 15 and playing to new faces with some of the nicest people in the game (that’s Emel & Henning) must say I’m really liking forwards to coming to Lucerne again for NTY!!
My current top ten spins...
_Raphael Mullings - Dream on Sleep on
_Tony Fox - Love let Love and be Loved
_Pages - Heartaches & Pain
_Marvin Gaye - Desperate Situation
_Pam Bowie - He's All I Need to Get By
_Superbs - Only for Lovers
_Elements - Hey Lady
_Endeavours - Shattered Dreams
_Theron and Darrell - I Was Made To Love You
_Barbara Mercer - Call On Me
_Charmels - As Long as I’ve Got You
_Skull Snaps - All of a Sudden
_Living Color - Gotta Strange Feeling
_Earnest Bolden - I’m Talking bout Girls