VA - The Northern Soul Story Volume 1: The Twisted Wheel (2007)

Ian Dewhirst compiles this, the first of four overviews of the UK Northern Soul scene, each CD/LP concentrating on a different club from the era, number one being The Twisted Wheel club in Manchester. Opening on Brazennose Street in 1963, then moving to Whitworth Street in 1966, the club featured a mixture of live UK R&B bands and soul, jazz and blues artists over from America, plus DJ Roger Eagle, spinning tunes on a similar tip. Slowly, with the emergence of Motown, the crowd began to request more mid and up-tempo soul cuts to be played, and new DJs at the club (Rob Bellars, Stuart Bremner, Brian Walker, Les Cockell and Brian '45' Phillips among them) facilitated this change. By word of mouth alone the club's reputation as somewhere playing fantastic, less well known dancefloor soul music spread across the North and Midlands, creating the first stirrings of the Northern Soul movement.

1. Lou Johnson - Magic Potion (3:10)

2. Bunker Hill - Hide And Go Seek (2:23)

3. James Carr - That's What I Want To know (1:54)

4. Lee Dorsey - Ride Your Pony (2:51)

5. Oscar Toney - No Sad Songs (2:06)

6. Moses And Joshua Dillard - My Elusive Dreams (2:17)

7. James And Bobby Purify - Shake A Tail Feather (2:05)

8. Little Richard - A Little Bit Of Something (Beats A Whole Lot Of Nothing) (3:01)

9. Major Lance - It's The Beat (2:27)

10. Larry Williams And Johnny Watson - A Quitter Never Wins (2:37)

11. Al Green And The Soul Mates - Don't Leave Me (2:17)

12. Clifford Curry - I Can't Get A Hold Of Myself (2:04)

13. Bob Kuban And The In-Men - The Cheater (2:39)

14. Shirley And The Shirelles - Look What You've Done To My Heart (3:09)

15. James And Bobby Purify - Let Love Come Between Us (2:22)

16. The Spellbinders - Help Me (Get Myself Back Together Again) (2:23)

17. Peaches And Herb - I Need Your Love So Deperately (2:35)

18. The Bandwagon - Breakin' Down The Walls Of Heartache (2:34)

19. Bob Brady And The Con-Chords - Everybody's Going To The Love-In (2:46)

20. The Incredibles - There's Nothing Else To Say (2:28)

21. Shirley Ellis - Soul (2:38)

22. Major Lance - Ain't No Soul (Left In These Old Shoes) (2:19)

23. Billy Butler - Right Track (2:25)

24. The Vibrations - Cause You're Mine (2:10)

25. Sandi Sheldon - You're Gonna Make Me Love You (2:53)

VA - The Northern Soul Story Volume 2: The Golden Torch (2007)

The second volume in Sony BMG's top-notch The Northern Soul Story compilation series spotlights Stoke-on-Trent's Golden Torch, which supplanted Manchester's late, lamented Twisted Wheel as the epicenter of Britain's blossoming soul-revival culture. The building that would later house the Torch was constructed circa 1824 as a church, and later functioned as a cinema and skating rink; new owner Chris Burton converted the space to a nightclub in 1965, and while middle of the road pop acts like Billy J. Kramer & the Dakotas were the order of the day during the venue's early years, in 1967 soul act Inez & Charlie Foxx brought in a record gate and convinced Burton he could make a living booking soul music exclusively. Torch DJs Keith Minshull and Tony Jebb proved formidable tastemakers, and the club slowly but surely earned notice as a perennial hot spot, reaching its apotheosis on December 9, 1972 when Major Lance recorded his cult-classic Major Lance Live at the Torch, considered by many the greatest Northern Soul live set ever documented. But like the Twisted Wheel, the Torch was doomed by its patrons' drug use, and closed in 1973 -- still, its influence on the subsequent wave of Northern clubs was monumental, and this 25-track collection is a worthy tribute, complete with superb mastering and track-by-track liner notes by British DJ Ian Dewhirst. Highlights include the Carstairs' "He Who Picks a Rose," Johnny Moore's "Walk Like a Man," and Bobby Lynn's "Earthquake."

01. Lou Johnson - Unsatisfied

02. The Viia Wolves - Stay

03. Major Lance - Investigate

04. Roy Hamilton - Crackin' Up Over You

05. The Ovations - They Say

06. Bobbi Lynn - Earthquake

07. Phillip Mitchell - Free For All (Winner Takes All)

08. Little Richard - I Don't Want To Discuss It

09. The Triumphs - I'm Coming To Your Rescue

10. The Exciters - Blowing Up My Mind

11. Robert Knight - Love On A Mountain Top

12. The Carstairs - He Who Picks A Rose

13. Willie Kendrick - Change Your Ways

14. The Glories - I Worship You Baby

15. Major Lance - You Don't Want Me No More

16. The Cavaliers - Hold On To My Baby

17. Herb Ward - Honest To Goodness

18. George Carrow - Angel Baby (Don't You Ever Leave Me)

19. The Vibrations - Gonna Get Along Without You Now

20. Larry Milliams & Johnny Watson - Too Late

21. The Sweet Things - I'm In A World Of Trouble

22. Johnny Moore - Walk Like A Man

23. The Nite-Liters - K-Jee

24. The Lorelei - S.T.O.P.

25. The Trammps - Scrub Board

VA - The Northern Soul Story Volume 3: Blackpool Mecca (2007)

The third volume in Sony BMG's top-notch The Northern Soul Story compilation series spotlights the Blackpool Mecca, which rivaled the Wigan Casino for taste-making supremacy as British club culture's fascination with forgotten American soul reached its frenzied apex. Opened in 1965, complete with a revolving stage, free coach service, and a capacity approaching 3500, the Blackpool Mecca was briefly the most popular nightclub of its day, but as the decade closed, smaller, more intimate venues became the vogue, and the larger dancehalls generally fell into disrepair. However, nestled within the Blackpool Mecca was a smaller hall, the Highland Room, located above the main arena; in 1971 the Highland Room opened as a Northern Soul venue, hosting acts rag from Isaac Hayes to Edwin Starr to the Chi-Lites and boasting the scene's arguably greatest one-two punch in DJs Ian Levine and Colin Curtis. Levine regularly accompanied his businessman father on overseas trips, scouring American record stores, junk shops, warehouses, and even recording studios to acquire music simply unavailable anywhere outside the U.S., and the Blackpool Mecca play lists would come to represent Northern soul culture at its most musically progressive and socially far-rag. Restricted by conservative licensing laws, the club also earned renown for introducing all-dayers, essentially all-nighters bning at noon and ending at midnight -- soon all-dayers were de ur for all clubs, even those exempt from similar licensing constraints. This 25-track collection is a worthy tribute, complete with superb mastering and track-by-track liner notes by British DJ Ian Dewhirst -- highlights include Lorraine Chandler's "I Can't Hold On," Lynne Randell's "Stranger in My Arms," and Lou Ragland's "I Travel Alone."

1. Morris Chestnut - Too Darn Soulful (2:30)

2. Lorraine Chandler - I Can't Hold On (2:26)

3. Lee David - Temptation Is Calling My Name (2:23)

4. Bernie Williams - Ever Again (2:33)

5. Tony Middleton - Paris Blues (2:13)

6. Lynn Randell - Stranger In My Arms (2:36)

7. The Van Dykes - Save My Love For A Rainy Day (2:43)

8. Lou Courtney - Trying To Find My Woman (2:26)

9. Susan Barrett - What's It Gonna Be (2:16)

10. Shane Martin - I Need You (2:06)

11. The M.V.P.'s - Turnin' My Heartbeat Up (2:16)

12. Robert Knight - Branded (2:54)

13. Laura Greene - Moonlight, Music & You (2:31)

14. T.D. Valentine - Love Trap (2:30)

15. Lou Ragland - I Travel Alone (2:33)

16. The Uptights - Shy Girl (2:14)

17. Bobby Lester - Hang Up Your Hang-Ups (3:28)

18. Patti Austin - Didn't Say A Word (3:20)

19. Lou Edwards & Today's People - Talkin' 'Bout Poor Folks Thinkin' 'Bout My Folks (3:12)

20. Van McCoy - Soul Improvisations Pts 1 & 2 (5:52)

21. The Trammps - Hold Back The Night (3:46)

22. The Brothers - Are You Ready For This (4:05)

23. The Philly Devotions - I Just Can't Say Goodbye (3:12)

24. Earth, Wind & Fire - Happy Feelin' (3:20)

25. Aquarian Dream - Phoenix (5:19)

VA - The Northern Soul Story Volume 4: Wigan Casino

The fourth volume in Sony BMG's top-notch The Northern Soul Story compilation series spotlights the Wigan Casino, which rivaled the Blackpool Mecca for tastemaking supremacy as British club culture's fascination with forgotten American soul reached its frenzied apex. If the Blackpool Mecca represented Northern soul culture at its most musically progressive and socially far-rag, from its 1973 launch onward Wigan Casino maintained the traditionalist hard line, rarely deviating from Motown originals and I-can't-believe-it's-not-Motown soundalikes. But even if its play lists lacked daring, Wigan Casino captured the Northern spirit at its most hedonistic, with all-nighters that are now the stuff of legend: a massive post-Victorian theatre-cum-snooker hall, its environment was ideal for dancing, with a sprung wooden floor instead of the concrete flooring common to other clubs. Wigan Casino also held about 2000 patrons, although at its peak, card-carrying membership totaled a staggering 100,000-plus members. Spearheaded by DJs Russ Winstanley, Kev Roberts and Richard Searling, Wigan Casino broke more new records than any other club, and in 1978 it was named by Billboard magazine "Best Disco in the World," beating even New York's renowned Studio 54 at the peak of its own influence and notoriety. When city leaders closed Wigan Casino on December 6, 1981 to build a civic center that never even materialized, an era truly came to an end; a few months later, the derelict venue burned to the ground. This 25-track collection is a worthy tribute, complete with superb mastering and track-by-track liner notes by British DJ Ian Dewhirst. Highlights include Don Ray's "Born a Loser," the Spiral Starecase's "More Today Than Yesterday" and Tobi Legend's " Will Pass You By."

1. Paul Anka - I Can't Help Loving You (2:38)

2. Dana Valery - You Don't Know Where Your Interest Lies (2:15)

3. Dean Courtney - I'll Always Need You (2:10)

4. Michael & Raymond - Man Without A Woman (2:04)

5. Reparata & The Delrons - Panic (2:12)

6. Nancy Ames - I Don't Want To Talk About It (2:06)

7. Spiral Staircase - More Today Than Yesterday (2:50)

8. Percy Wiggins - It Didn't Take Much (For Me To Fall In Love) (2:44)

9. Christopher Cerf - Sweet Music (2:21)

10. Billy Joe Royal - Hearts Desire (2:38)

11. The Charmaines - Eternally (2:24)

12. Otis Blackwell - It's All Over Me (2:46)

13. Taj Mahal - (Ain't That) A Lot Of Love (4:01)

14. The Jades - I'm Where It's At (2:31)

15. Jimmy Fraser - Of Hopes & Dreams & Tombstones (2:38)

16. Don Ray - Born A Loser (1:45)

17. Derek & Ray - Interplay (3:02)

18. Beverly Ann - You've Got Your Mind On Other Things (2:19)

19. Sue Lynn - Don't Pity Me (2:38)

20. Honey Townsend - The World Again (2:39)

21. The Seven Souls - I Still Love You (2:25)

22. Rick Sheppard - Can We Share It (3:13)

23. Judy Freeman & Blackrock - Hold On (2:31)

24. Gerri Granger - I Go To Pieces (Every) (2:31)

25. Tobi Legend - Will Pass You By (3:05)



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