By david, glasgow, scotland (62.7.112.106 - 62.7.112.106) on Wednesday, November 28, 2001 - 10:14 am:

i am pleased to be able to say that the northern soul story is now available for preview at
http://soulfuldetroit.com/northern/indexNEW.html

the backbone of the story comes from my own personal experiences and i hope that this will go some way to explaining my fascination with detroit.

By flash (12.89.171.222 - 12.89.171.222) on Wednesday, November 28, 2001 - 02:25 pm:

I just reviewed your Northern Soul story; very informative. Is there still a Northern Soul scene in England? If not, when did the last club close down for good.

By david, glasgow, scotland (213.1.139.152 - 213.1.139.152) on Wednesday, November 28, 2001 - 04:01 pm:

the scene took a dive in the early eighties when 'pop styled, white artist stompers' began to take over at wigan casino.

wigan closed and stafford began the renaissance.

black/black sounding records reclaimed the lost ground. people came back on the scene as a result plus in last decade their families are now grown up, providing disposable income.

it is true to say that this music is for life however. many say it will never leave their system - quite incredible.

the longest running all-nighter is the 100 club in london - 21 years.

i was at an event in glasgow last saturday and it was heaving. i also get the impression that a significant number of youngish people are joining the scene, once more.

By david, glasgow, scotland (62.252.128.4 - 62.252.128.4) on Wednesday, November 28, 2001 - 05:49 pm:

check out the following 'current events' listing
which i think is very impressive :-
http://www.soul-a-go-go.demon.co.uk/uknsevents.html

By jjaba (205.188.198.52 - 205.188.198.52) on Wednesday, November 28, 2001 - 06:46 pm:

David, I really liked the Detroit Soul tour. I am absolutely amazed that how close to where I grew up, you have been rambling.

In the 1940s and 50s, this was an all-white working class Catholic-Jewish area. We were loaded up with Italians, Greeks, and Europeans from many places in Eastern Europe. Every shopfront was full of life, bakeries, shops, groceries, dime stores for soap and underwear, Italian barbers, delicatessens. There were plumbing shops, corner taverns, and lots of folks out on the streets. It was 100% safe.

I am without words to gloat about my Westside. Your map is completely devoid of the Eastside, a cultural and historic wasteland obviously.

Thank you for the lovely tour.
jjaba

By david, glasgow, scotland (62.252.128.4 - 62.252.128.4) on Wednesday, November 28, 2001 - 07:27 pm:

it is interesting you should say that jjaba.

our tour has only just begun as it happens,
but there will be very little about the east side. so far i've discovered two studios, several record labels and some entertainment premises.

the rest is virtually crammed between john r and grand river - and i know john r is east side - but only just.

did you miss my question about the avenue of fashion? I was asking if anybody recalled livernois being known as such.

right up your street that one.

By Lowell (199.174.178.90 - 199.174.178.90) on Tuesday, December 04, 2001 - 08:24 pm:

As you may have noticed, I have now established the Northern Soul Tour in the site and created a new gateway page for the site to better feature NEW and UPCOMING webisodes, announcements and events.

Watch next for the TERA SHIRMA story that David will soon start parceling out.

By Ade (193.129.220.205 - 193.129.220.205) on Wednesday, December 19, 2001 - 04:45 am:

David

one thing i want to know Re: your Northern Soul experience.
WHAT EVER HAPPENED TO YOUR OTHER TWISTED WHEEL POSTER!!!!!!!!!!
if you still had it I'd be straight on to "Sellyourrightarmforcash.com" to pay you for it. (haha)

By david, glasgow, scotland (62.7.41.156 - 62.7.41.156) on Wednesday, December 19, 2001 - 08:42 am:

sadly it's lying in a crumpled heap in my loft!

By Ade (193.129.220.205 - 193.129.220.205) on Wednesday, December 19, 2001 - 11:09 pm:

Well I'll be seeing you soon with My iron and a heap of patience!!!!!! Even if you think it's beyond repair I'll be willing to take it off your hands. You know what us weirdo youngsters are like, not knowing Geno from Gino and paying a fortune for old jeans!! (ha)

By FrankM (212.250.156.11 - 212.250.156.11) on Monday, July 29, 2002 - 04:41 pm:

Hi david,

I 've just found the Northern Soul tour. You've telescoped thirty years into a few pages but it's still an excellent introduction. I am curious as to your thoughts on Northern Soul in Glasgow. You are one of the few Glaswegians that I am aware of who was involved in Northern Soul in the seventies. My understanding was that Perth, Fife and Edinburgh were NS hotbeds and that the furthest West northern got was Allanton, Shotts in the eighties. As you point out Glasgow loved soul music in the sixties , John Anderson was based there so why was there no Northern clubs in Glasgow till Goodfoot arrived in 1991? Was there nowhere for soul fans to go before then?

PS High Street Tops was selling imported soul stuff in the sixties along with Gloria's Record bar on the south side. Is Alexander the Maryland DJ still about and contactable? Record Mirror used to do a club chart and I'm sure there was a regular top ten from the Maryland.

Keep up the good work

Frankm

By david, glasgow, scotland (213.122.41.186 - 213.122.41.186) on Friday, August 02, 2002 - 11:46 am:

Hi Frank

Sorry, I've just discovered your post today. I keep forgetting about the archives section.

The first post on this thread explains why the story is so brief.

The first Northern Soul club in Glasgow could be deemed La Caverna which was based in Glasgow's Bath Hotel (now demolished).

You will find a tiny advert in Blues & Soul circa no.50 and with possibly the Drifters on the front. It says simply "Dave Meikle plays 100% Soul Music.....". That's all it was to us then. Although we would be using the term Rare when discussing the Wheel.

I was deejay there from 1969 through to possibly 1971. Mondays and Thursdays. I was playing some of the records that I was hearing at the Twisted Wheel. Plus other stuff from a pretty solid collection (eventually 3000 strong by 1975). It was all Northern based although that term had still to be coined.

There were about a dozen regulars who were very into it.

That dozen were all from Glasgow and all visited all (or some) of the Wheel/Torch/Mecca/Catacombs/Up The Junction.
John Anderson was an infrequent visitor.

John was also a deejay at a club near top of Buchanan Street (name escapes me). His records were mainly Motown based plus other stuff to keep the general public happy..something I never did :-))

Soon to arrive on the scene was Fraser Dunn whom I'm sure you must know. Also From Glasgow. Although Fraser is very much into Modern I'm sure he was also a fan of Northern too, when he was young.

He hosted many nights in Glasgow especially in the early eighties.

By the time La Caverna was in full swing, Joe Public fickle as they are had moved on to Music of the Long Hairs as we used to call it!

Therefore there was no solid demand in Glasgow for sixties soul. That had died with the Maryland where Alexander had done a great job circa 1968.

I met him in a bar in Trongate where he was working circa 1992. He still yearned for Soul music but i would call him more of a Motown and Stax man rather that a NS fan. He also worked in the Victoria Bar in Saltmarket. They may know his whereabouts. My friend Dougie Ward who frequented Wigan Casino towards the end of it's life bought much of his collection.

Dougie has virtually all Wingate/GW/Ric Tic issues. Tim Brown visited him a couple of years ago and bought quite a few things.

I used to buy my records from HST - great shop - used to go in there every day. I bought Edwin's "Soul Master" there on it's day of release. It was advertised in the window too. I would love to know who owned that shop. Haven't got a clue!

Yes Gloria's too. Next to the Anarkali if I remember correctly.

A great shop too was Paterson's in Buchanan Street (now the Clydesdale bank) where I would meet John Anderson and Gerry Gare (an elderly record dealer from East Kilbride). I got many deleted orange packet Motown 45's in there for 13p! Bought most of the Action label in there too.

There was also Silverdale's in Argyle Street. They had thousands of imports in stock, don't know from where, but I recall Fraser and John Harvey (Kojak from Inter City Soul Club)in there one day rifling the place. I did quite well too I might add. Now that i mention it I wonder if John Anderson off-loaded some of his stuff there before moving to England?

Finally we also had one of the most knowledgeable people in Soul Circles residing in Blantyre. That was Davie Gordon who at 14 years of age was posting discographical stuff in the early Blues and Souls. I am still flabbergasted by his age.

I'm pleased to say Davie doing a great job at SoulfulDetroit now!

Thanks for bringing back so many memories Frank.

If you can make the Redhurst Hotel tonight for "Soul Galore" I'd be pleased to shake your hand and tell you more.

Regards
David

By FrankM (62.188.122.97 - 62.188.122.97) on Sunday, August 04, 2002 - 04:58 pm:

Thanks for the reply David. I'm gonna print it off and keep it for future reference. I remember the Bath Hotel and drank it on the occasional Sunday night before the licensing laws were changed to let the pubs open on Sunday. Unfortunately my steady girfriend was not into dancing then so we tended to go to the Red Lion bar, The Scotia and the State or go to see gigs at The Apollo.
The clubs that I recall at the Top of Buchanan stree were the Picasso, and Le Phonograph and there was another club Hades? beneath a greasy spoon cafe although that might have been the seventies.

I do know Fraser to nod my head to when I see him at The Caledonia Soul club. He played a great Northern set on Friday at Goodfoot. He knows the crowd and their love of mid tempo stuff. I had opened up and I prefer the stompers and up tempo stuff. It has to be said i got better reaction when I played It's a Shame by the Spinners, Don't Put off Tomorrow by The Monitors and Don't be Sore at Me by The Parliaments.
I remember Silverdale's too and still have some of their second hand albums with the address stamp they used. Legend had it that when UK freighters returned from the States they needed ballast and American comics and Soul Pack singles made up the weight. I wonder if Slverdale's picked them up. I think you are possibly nearer the truth about John Anderson offloading some of his stuff.

I drop into Soulful Detroit once a week and check the Forum so I missed you message about the Redhurst Hotel. Just where is that now and when is the next soul Galore?

I do a soul programme on internet radiomagnetic.com on a Saturday afternoon and later in the year we will also be broadcasting on Glasgow's airwaves for four weeks. This should be in October on possible on 105.4FM . I'd like to invite you in so as we can do a Detroit special.
If you are interested plaese let me know.

Thanks again for the reply

By David Meikle (62.252.128.6 - 62.252.128.6) on Wednesday, August 07, 2002 - 07:16 pm:

Frank

John was deejay at the Phonograph.

Picasso was across the road and was the nearest thing we ever had to an all-nighter.

Unforunately it wasn't Soul music!

The Redhurst is a mod event. That was only their second attempt, and my first visit.

They played some excellent records for two hours then moved on to the Jam/Who etc.

Lost my vote after that.

I would love to get involved in your Detroit programme.

Best wishes
David

By Ade (193.129.220.205 - 193.129.220.205) on Wednesday, August 14, 2002 - 03:10 am:

David/Frank

The Redhurst then? Where is it in Glasgow? I'm assuming that it must be on the southside if its getting your patronage David.

Let me know when its on again and hopefully we could meet up again for a pint and a blether?

By David Meikle (213.122.6.161 - 213.122.6.161) on Wednesday, August 14, 2002 - 02:09 pm:

Ade

It isn't a fixed night. That was only the second one and they were surprised to be invited back!.

I'll be going to the next Caeldonia night. Dave Rimmer will be guest dj.

Maybe we can meet up then?