Derby Dancing: Northern Soul Scene Still Going Strong!

I was first introduced to the Northern Soul scene when I was about 15 when some lads at our local youth club at Spondon house school started playing some Soul music – a type of music I had never heard before. The first song they played I now recognise was by Junior Walker and The All Stars ‘I Ain't Going Nowhere.’

I remember approaching the lads and asking them what they were listening to and they told me that it was ‘100 miles an hour Soul’. One of the lads sold me a tape cassette for 25p - that was a lot of money back then!

I started trailing through record shops looking for that genre but it wasn’t stocked anywhere! Then one day I was walking through the market and I heard someone ask a stall holder whether they sold any Northern Soul. I decided to approach the guy and find out more about the music scene. He put me in touch with a record store called Hectors in the Eagle Centre Market. So my music quest began- my first record was Major Lance ‘You Don't Want Me No More’ which I still have in my collection today!

Along the way I found out about the famous Wigan Casino! On my first visit I was refused entry because they said I was too young, so a month later I tried again and I got inside with my new membership card in hand. The first place I visited inside was the record collectors bar. I started looking through the records and I found one by Gwen Owens ‎– ‘Just Say You're Wanted (And Needed)’ on Velgo record label. It cost me £10.00 but is now valued at £6000. Purchasing the record meant that that I had no money for the train home. So after the event I had to hitch hike my way back!

I later started a Northern Soul event at my local working men's club called British Celanese which subsequently got bigger and my record collection grew. One day I got invited to DJ at a small club in derby called Cleo's. My idols Russ Winstanley and Richard Sterling had been booked to play their so I was honoured to be asked!

Another amazing event happened at Tiffany’s in Derby. I remember how fascinating it was to walk into their main room with its palm tree decor and purple coconut light decoration.  The music was incredible, we danced all night and you can almost feel the sweat and energy on the wall from everyone in the building.

My record collection grew bigger and bigger. For a short period of time I moved away from the Northern Soul events and progressed onto the Punk scene and then on to the Jazz Funk scene at Romeo and Juliet club in Derby but whatever happens I always come back to my Northern Soul scene.

Blog written by Carlton Gadsby

If you would like to try out a Northern Soul Night for yourself check out our event

on 29 June 8pm-12am! 

http://www.deda.uk.com/whats-on/midsummer-northern-soul-night/