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Love - Forever Changes (Elektra)
Millie Jackson - Caught Up (Spring)
Lamont Dozier - Out Here On My Own (ABC)
The Members - At The Chelsea Nightclub (Virgin)
Mose Allison - Mose Allison Plays And Sings (Prestige)
The Beatles - Sergeant Pepper's Lonely Heart's Club Band (Parlophone)
Otis Redding - Otis Blue (Stax)
Larry Williams & Johnny Watson - Two For The Price Of One (Okeh)
David Bowie - Hunky Dory (RCA)
The Impressions - A Young Mod's Forgotten Story (Curtom)
I first became interested in black American music through my dad's 78s of Paul Robeson, Fats Waller and the Ink Spots. An interest in rural blues developed throughout the early 60s and from there I found John Lee Hooker, Muddy Waters and Howling Wolf.
The need to attract girlfriends led me to soul music, as there weren't many lookers into country blues and it was the standard Stax/Motown/Geno route that so many late 60s mods took. Then in early 1969 I fell by chance into an "Old Soul" all-nighter and things were never the same again. I fell in love with the music that was later to be named Northern Soul by journalist Dave Godin and listened to it, collected it, talked about it and danced to it for the next ten years.
A degree in International Relations at University College, London only served to give me more time for my hobby and a job on a record stall on Soho's Berwick Street market set me up as a rare record dealer for the next ten years.
In 1979 my favourite soul club folded and necessity caused me to start the 6Ts Rhythm and Soul Club with friend and fellow enthusiast Randy Cozens. That club is still running today at London's 100 Club and is the longest-running Northern Soul night ever (and almost certainly the longest-running club night). A DJing career was forced upon me around this time and I now get to DJ all around the UK. I have recently played guest spots in Germany, Spain, Italy and the USA.
My enthusiasm for all things soulful was recognised by Ace co-founder Ted Carroll. When I visited him one day at his Golborne Road record stall he asked me if I could compile a soul LP from the Kent/Modern catalogue. The resulting "For Dancers Only" record was the hip kids' icon in 1982 and went on to sell about 20,000 in its various guises. 97 more LPs were issued and in 1992 a series of CDs was started that is nearly up to the 100 mark.
The Kent job now entails finding and negotiating with the US label owners, doing tape research (and hopefully finding unissued gems), compiling the CDs, writing the sleevenotes and assisting with memorabilia for the artwork.
The last string to my ukelele was added in 1994 when I started the Cleethorpes Northern Soul Weekender, which is now the scene's biggest event, annually attracting 1000 participants from all over the world and presenting some of the best 60s and 70s soul acts ever to appear in the UK.
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