As at June 2016 we’ve left our previous home at The Rumsey Wells and are looking at future options. Numbers were down and there were lots of other things happening so we’re seeing what to do next. Thanks to all those who continue to support us and we hope to be back.
Thursday, May 26, 2016
Thursday, March 31, 2016
Soul, Latin, Boogaloo!
Courtesy of the ever informative Modernist Society comes a Wall Street Journal article on a 2014 /15 film on the short lived Latin Soul boom. A quick search found me the web page of the film itself and at first I thought, looks good but US only release. However it does look like a UK version is available here. I’d be interested to hear if anyone has seen this. The artist roster looks good anyway.
Whilst searching I also found this list of suggested Latin Soul LPs.
From one source or another I’m lucky to have just five of these on vinyl. Go grab yourself some bugalu!
Friday, March 25, 2016
Time limited bargain vinyl
Many moons ago Edsel and Demon produced some great vinyl reissues. I have some old Lamont Dozier LPs knocking around somewhere. Anyway, just picked up that until 31st March 2016 there are some vinyl bargains to be had.
First up how about what seems to be a reissue of the reissue of a never issued Action LP. If that makes any sense:
At just £8-99 plus postage this looks a bargain. I played through some of these today for the first time in years and amongst the obvious “go to” tunes heard this afresh.
If that wasn’t enough, double LP of The Creation for £12-99 too
Other items of possible interest include The Northern Soul Film with 14 7” singles and The Beat “I Just Can’t Stop It” and their 13 singles in a collection. Fill your boots (loafers, brogues…)
Saturday, July 19, 2014
Spotify playlist
These tracks are inspired by two CDRs I made myself from the earlier years
Saturday, January 05, 2013
A trio of Tamla
Brenda Holloway - Just Look What You've Done - all dramatic intro and urgency and then a solid dance beat - still love this
Last and by no means least one I know Steve used to like too - enjoy
Tuesday, January 01, 2013
Lurking at the back of the boxes
They could be contenders – the first 35
Wednesday, November 28, 2012
Get a Heavy Soul...
Quite deliberately, apart from the glossy front and back covers, Adam has given this a feel of the old 80s "cut and paste" 'zines. Anyone who produced flyers and the like back then will recall typing text, photocopying images and record sleeves and literally pasting them on to A4 paper and then copying into one page (after usually having to "tipex" round the shadows caused by photocopying the pieces stuck on the page). DIY it certainly was. So the fanzine has a basic structure but also benefits from having items stuck in the middle of pages as if to take up some blank space, and all the better to my mind for that feel. The photos and images aren't, as the web site says, like a "Sunday Times supplement". It looks like a labour of love.
So, content...
Features on the CCI reunion, The Moons, DC Fontana, Secret Affair - plus lists of new releases and reissues all in one handy location There are obviously ongoing articles on top 100 mod bands (how to start an argument in an empty room there I think), old gig reviews (this time a hairy Loafers gig from the late 80s) as well as updates on singles seen on eBay and releases on Acid Jazz, current vinyl on the turntable and of course the free 20 track CD taken from 45s only including Prince Buster, Harmonica Fats, Howlin Wolf, Orlons, Joe Bataan, Magnetics - worth the admission fee alone I'd say
Finally thanks Adam for bringing Timo Lassy to my attention, from the Five Corners Quintet:
Thursday, October 25, 2012
Hit the Road Stax
At about this time a school friend of mine let me loose on what I think was his older brother's record collection, or at least the 60s part of it. Bearing in mind at that time I'd really only just come across Tamla and Stax this was a veritable treasure trove. Luckily I was able to borrow a few at a time, tape them and play the hell out my faves virtually on a continuous loop. One of those was this beauty, which I really ought to play more:
Those little nuggets of black Atlantic labels opened up a whole new sound to me. Being unsure of my way in all things mod at an early age it took me a while to appreciate soul. Perhaps in my mind "soul" had become synonymous with "disco", and that was a definite no go area! It's thanks in part to these borrowed classics and cassettes like this that my ears were opened up to "a whole new plan" (that gem would come MANY years later!). It's time to play homage to those underplayed, undervalued tracks which I became perhaps just a bit TOO familiar with and which have been left languishing unloved at the back of the collection
Aah, memories. All together now..."1, 2, 3"
PS - I really would recommend the rest of the blog detailing those cassettes. At the time of getting e.g. the Ace Case I thought some of the tunes sounded a bit too "rockin'". Who knew that in 30 years some of those sort of sounds would epitomise a new found interest in early RnB. Good Rockin' Daddy indeed, and on that note it's time to hit, git n split
Sunday, October 21, 2012
Atlantic Soul Legends - 20 CD box set
- Ray Charles
- Booke T & the MGs
- Otis Redding
- Aretha Franklin
- Sam & Dave
- Rufus Thomas
So now we have hot of the press a box set containing 20 CDs of single album releases from some of these influential luminaries:
Apparently lovingly remastered in replica sleeves and pseudo-DJ box packaging this looks great. Add in some quality later soul from the likes of Donny Hathaway and raw hammond funk from Clarence Wheeler and the Enforcers (I've been known to drop "Right On" many a time) plus for the first time on CD the seminal early 70s soul LP from Sam Dees "The Show Must Go On" and this has been compiled by people in the know. Chances are you'll have many of these tunes, even the albums, in various guises - but this looks a classy put together selection with collectors in mind. At About £1-50 per CD what's not to like?
Wednesday, October 10, 2012
Kent Records - 30 years young
As is customary with Kent releases there will be a selection of ultra rare / never released alongside some quality tunes which will probably now be classified as oldies. It includes evergreen faves such as "The Magic Touch" and "It's Torture". Some of my personal faves are Chuck Jackson "Millionaire", Johnny Maestro "Steppin' Out" and O C Tolbert "Shootin High". This looks to be, a bit like the purple vinyl of Kent 50 many moons ago, a quality summary of what's gone before in the annals of Kent Records
Cheers Mr Croasdell (and others) for introducing me to some top notch music over the years, both by way of your releases and when I used to frequent the 100 Club. From those days in the late 80s / early 90s here's another one of my face mid tempo tunes but done by Lou Johnson rather than Roy Hamilton, also on this CD - enjoy:
Sunday, October 07, 2012
Connecting with us
Apart from this blog we have a web page (which I hope to overhaul in the not too distant future), a Facebook page and new Google+ page (still being developed). Please drop by to say "hello", whether in person or virtually
So you can run from us, but you can't hide
Wednesday, September 26, 2012
Modernist t-shirts down under
Other "mod" related designs are available too. I'd be interested to hear if anyone's used this site and what the quality, delivery etc is like
Saturday, September 22, 2012
Dawn of Northern Soul
What we have here is more early RnB, dare I say post Rock n Roll style gaining favour over the recent decade and certainly featuring a whole lot more on Steve and my playlists. Here is that listing:
I've loved "A Certain Girl" for decades since first hearing it on an LP I borrowed from Forest Hill library in London in the early 80s as my exploration of soul began to expand. The LP was Ooh Poo Pa Do Early 60s Soul 60-65. Also on there was the mighty Leon Hayward "She's With Her Other Love", which I eventually got on a white Imperial! That really must feature in my sets again:
Happy hunting and if anyone gets the CD and fancies posting a review please do so. I also see there was a previous CD in a similar vein The Age of Northern Soul which includes Laverne Baker and Jimmy Ricks "You're The Boss" - worth the admission fee alone!
Wednesday, September 19, 2012
'Cos the modern girls are here...
https://www.facebook.com/TheModErnGirlsCalendarPreOrderPage
So in the meantime here are the Modern Boys...
Wednesday, September 12, 2012
Revising layout
Thanks
Phil
Friday, September 24, 2010
Diggin' in the crates
Thursday, September 16, 2010
Getting back to our roots

Sunday, September 13, 2009
That way madness lies...
| Artist | Title | Album | Length |
| P Rodriguez | Oh That's Nice | Asterix Goes Latin | 02:36 |
| H Sanz | Heart Full Of Soul | Asterix Goes Latin | 03:45 |
| T Mack | Hey Gypsy Woman | Asterix Goes Latin | 02:03 |
| Latinaires | Camel Walk | Asterix Goes Latin | 02:37 |
| Ray Barretto | Right On | Asterix Goes Latin | 02:27 |
| P Terrace | No No No | Asterix Goes Latin | 03:01 |
| King Nando | Mama's Girl | Asterix Goes Latin | 02:15 |
| Hector Rivera | Shingaling Baby | Asterix Goes Latin | 02:55 |
| Willie Rosario | Watusi Boogaloo | Asterix Goes Latin | 02:45 |
| W Rodriguez | What You Want | Asterix Goes Latin | 02:28 |
| Ray Barretto | Midnight Boogaloo | Asterix Goes Latin | 02:06 |
| Tony Middleton | Return To Spanish Harlem | Asterix Goes Latin | 02:19 |
| Willie Rosario | Wobbly Blues | Asterix Goes Latin | 02:35 |
| P Rodriguez | I Like It | Asterix Goes Latin | 02:24 |
| P Serrano | Latin Soul Pt.1 | Asterix Goes Latin | 02:33 |
| Caper Brothers | Ain't Gonna Write | Asterix Goes Latin | 02:21 |
| Mongo Santamaria | There's A Mountain | Asterix Goes Latin | 02:28 |
| El Gran | Shake It Baby | Asterix Goes Latin | 02:38 |
| Charlie Palmieri | Bugalu | Asterix Goes Latin | 02:20 |
| Joe Cuba | Push Push Push | Asterix Goes Latin | 02:04 |
| Ray Barretto | New York Soul | Asterix Goes Latin | 02:31 |
| Orchestra Kool | Boogaloo Baby | Asterix Goes Latin | 05:48 |
Saturday, August 08, 2009
Todays soundtrack to my gym session...
Charles Sheffield It's Your Voodoo Working 01:51
Larry Davis I've Been Hurt So Many Times 03:12
Jimmy Hughes It Ain't What You Got 02:07
Josephine Taylor I'm Gone 02:30
Grover Mitchell That's A Good Idea 02:19
Vernon Garrett Shine It On 02:17
La Brenda Ben The Chaperone 02:55
Sally Stanley I'll Have To Let You Go 02:29
Jo Ann Garrett You Can't Come In (Big Bad Wolf) 02:47
Little Milton Grits Ain't Groceries 02:38
Bob Kaylin Tie Me Tight 02:14
Bobby Bennett Big In New York 02:26
Eddie King and Mary B Mae Are You Pushed To Love 01:58
Joe Simon I Gotta Lot Of Lovin' 02:30
Miracles Father Dear 02:35
Mack Rice Baby I'm Coming Home 02:12
John Wesley You're Gonna Miss Me 02:15
Vernon Harell and Little Gigi Baby Don'tcha Worry 02:45
Ray Charles Hide Nor Hair 03:07
Ty Hunter Orphan Boy 02:45
Little Bob and the Lollipops Are You Ever Coming Home 02:09
Barbara Lynn I'm A Good Woman 02:16
Miss Lavell Stolen Love 02:11
Valls You'll Never Cherish A Love So True 03:00
Lula Reed Walk On By Me 02:31
Freddie King One Hundred Years 02:20
Bud Harper Let Me Love You 02:22
...and then "Safe European Home" and "Tommy Gun" off "Give ' Em Enough Rope" just by way of a contrast
