I was watching a film on TV yesterday and it was about the birth of Northern Soul in UK and it began in places like Wigan and the Scene club in London.
There was a lot of drug taking and a hell of a lot of Northern soul and the dancing which matched the music.
I like the music but I could see the despair and the lack opportunities. The laughter seemed to be attached to the music and the drugs and when life was about working in the factory to pay for the laughter it seemed so very sad.
Dark and soulless.
But above all this is the Britain which every one wants once more.
The Britain without Europe and the Britain which needed that special alliance to grow towards the sunlight.
Brexit is disaster and so many steps back.
Have recorded this to watch later.
As a teenager I used to go to soul weekends and scooter rallies in the late 70’s/early 80’s and drug taking was a big part of the scene.
To be honest though you cannot compare UK in the bleak 1970’s with today as young people have so many more opportunities now (even allowing for whatever Brexit may bring).
I will be interested to know what you think.
It made me feel really sad.
This is what I was saying Tim about exams and making something from your life.
It is all out there ready to grasp
Everyone around me seemed to be indulging in the dark. I kept away but looked on.
.Apart from the rain everything is going very well here and things are rosy for next year.
But that is for me…hope it will be like that for every one.
Northern Soul was associated with amphetamines/speed . Lots of all-nighters so you needed something to keep you going I guess.
It probably seems dark and soulless, but I bet they were having a great time. A little escapism when times were tough, was probably a great release.
I’m not sure a lot has changed really. Just different genres of music and different drugs.
I was looking through DVDs today, looking for something to watch as the rain poured down outside and very nearly chose Quadrophenia. Perhaps tomorrow.
You seem to forget that I was very much around at the time and very much involved with music and dancing.My life was essentialy a little tough but I did not escape to amphetamines. I did see a friend of mine swing on one hand on the edge of a balcony in a high rise block and was pulled back to safety by another friend.
I had an amazing time in London working all day and some evenings, punctuating time with a generous dose of dancing.
Many aquitances from that period of my life suffered great consequences from their relationship with pills and some have died at a young age.
Yes different drugs favoured and the music has ben constructed and re constructed but those times back then were hard and not every one could look forward to luxuries…or even essentials as they can now.
I watched the film last night and it reminded me of Quadrophenia in that the humdrum day job was offset by evenings and weekends with your mates where you could just lose yourself.
Loved the music which is so much better than today’s crap.
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Oh there was Etta James, Dobbie Gray and so many Americans who had this sound which became known as Northern Soul.
Then people like Brian Auger, Long John Bauldry and Georgie Fame came along to show us how the British found soul. And it was different. Then we had the blues from home and away…Eric Clapton with John Mayall. Peter Green and the American mighties like BB King…Elmor James…IN another world Jimi Hendrix.
Then the blues moved to Rythm and blues with The Stones and the yardbirds…country rock …wiith America, Crosby Stills, Nash and Young.
Heavy rock with Led Zepelin moving towards the amazing Freddy Mercury.
Somewhere Glam Rock came into the picture.
Cockney Rebel and Marc Bolan.
Where did Jeff Beck fit into the picture.
He is sounding great now;
Now what is the music now…really not inspiring is it.
OH I missed out Motown which was really was something I should never forget…Matha Reeves and The Vandellas, The Supremes and the Marvellettes …Frankie Vallee.
We never managed to fake Motown in UK;
Hello Timothy,
when you write scooter rallies, does that mean what people called “mods”. Young people dressed with some military apparel mixed with italian scooter bikes ?
My cousin went on holiday to Mexico recently. It was a Northern Soul organised event. They take the music with them and have a great time apparently. 2nd time they’ve been.
I suppose that they go to hear the sounds and to dance.
Some of the dancers from way back were pretty good movers.