Gary Van den Bussche

Washed ashore on a lonely island in the sea is my latest guest castaway...  Presenter, promoter and record label owner, Gary Van den Bussche.

Gary started collecting records as a nine-year-old. At school his love of soul music was influenced by pioneering DJ's Greg Edwards, Peter Young and Robbie Vincent.  

It was always Gary's dream to run a record shop and, aged just 17,  he managed Baker Street Records in London's West End with regular clients including Edwin Starr, Paul Weller, Randy Crawford, Neil Francis, Leo Sayer, Peter Sellers & Fitz Brown.

Fitz Brown gave Gary an opportunity to DJ at one of the worlds most celebrated clubs, Tramp in Jermyn Street. The pay was poor, but he got to DJ and play at private parties for the likes of, Tony Curtis, The Stones, Rod Stewart, Joan Collins, Georgie Best, Royalty, Tony Hall, Mel Brooks... in fact everybody who was anybody ! 

When the record shop closed down, Gary moved on to plugging records and his pushing brought #1 hits with Phyllis Nelson's 'Move Closer', Amii Stewart's 'Knock On Wood' and many others. 

Tony Monson gave Gary a spot on Solar Radio which he presented after spinning at Tramp, receiving great reviews in the music press.

Ater a few years Gary left Tramp to open his own clubs after working in various other venues around the south. Starting at Maidstones Kent Hall he built up a huge membership and the proceeded to open every night at venues in Orpington, Gravesend, Ashford, Cheam, Weybridge, the Town & Country Club in London and many others. 

After meeting Noah Johnson, Gary was introduced to the recording studio and taught how to write and produce songs. His first record release was 'Young Free & Single' as Dee Gee (Disco Gary) which reached #1 on John Leech's Show. He then started Wizz Records (with the first three releases being done with Dave Morgan of Fresh Records) and at the same time running a distribution company : driving around the south creating the buzz with these records and  his own white labels. Soon other labels gave us theirs to sell, then we expanded to further vans & telesales,the problem was record shops were not paying, so we used a factor which gave us the money & as the cheques bounced, so they took the money back & soon we had no choice but to close.

After a career change in the pub and restaurant business, Gary started a page on Facebook called 'Disco, Soul, Gold' which has since grown to almost 60,000 likes and a group page to almost 20,000. Then, given the opportunity to develop an unheard duo from Newcastle, DSG Music the label started again with 'Listen' by SouLutions being the first release. He arranged for the single to be remixed from their demo started to promote the song. It achieved great success, with the Drizabone remix reaching #1 in the Soul Chart and Amazon's sales chart.

Gary now has an in-house UK radio promotions service, helping many soulful acts of the past, present and future get noticed.

The DSG Music label has achieved a lot of success in just a year with 'Listen' by SouLutions being voted by many as being the Soul Track of 2014, Ola Onabule's 'Soul Town' hitting #1 on Soul and Amazon UK Sales Charts and #2 Soul Amazon success with Samuel D Sanders 'Make You Mine'.

After attending the Camp Soul Festival and hearing 'Your Smile' by Neo, Gary contacted the composer who agreed for DSG Music to release it. This hit #2 on the Amazon Sales Chart and #4 in the UK Soul chart with new mixes to follow. McCrei the blue-eyed Soul Sisters from Kent debut single for DSG Music 'Show Me' reached #1 on the UK Amazon Sales Chart and and #2 in the UK Soul chart. 

The Samuel D Sanders cover of 'Thinking Out Loud' with a fantastic Nigel Lowis remix that takes us back to the time of classic Philly Soul. A UK Soul Chart hit, it is what Gary refers to as Modern Retro... exactly what DSG Music like to release : Soulful, modern retro tunes with a twist and a memory. 

"I love Music..."

Three Degrees - When Will I See You Again

Gary's first track was one of the most successful recordings of the Philly Soul era. In the U.S., the song reached #1 on the adult contemporary chart, #2 on the pop singles chart and #4 on the R&B chart in the autumn of 1974.

"My favourite group in my teens and I still love Sheila Ferguson's amazing vocals."

Dennis Edwards - Don't Look Any Further

Gary's second choice is this 1984 track by former Temptations lead singer Dennis Edwards, featuring Siedah Garrett.  

"Always had a lot of attention when I was one of the first to pick this track from his import album. I once supported the Foundations at the Piccadilly Theatre when Clem said ''Man, what was that track ?''

Sylvia - Pillow Talk

The third track chosen by Gary is the 1973 single whch was originally written by Sylvia Robinson for Al Green, but rejected because the risque lyrics compromised his religious beliefs.

"As a child, this was one of my first 7 inch singles and I still like it today."

Barry White - Oh Love, Well We Finally Made It

"The only track that Barry recorded as Smoke, under his own name, with Love Unlimited and with his Orchestra.  Four versions, and each one uplifts the soul."

Randy Crawford - Just To Keep You Satisfied

From Randy's 'Raw Silk' album. A perfect cover and soul music at his best from a singer who is not just a nice person I had the pleasure of meeting on a number of occasion, but someone who is undiscovered in her home country... apart from 'Street Life'."

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Gary's DSG Music has it's own website... check it out !

click on the link

And check out the DSG Music blog to keep up-to-date on all that is happening...

click on the link

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Lou Pino

Washed ashore on a lonely island in the sea is my latest guest castaway... DJ and Radio Presenter, Lou Pino.

Out of Haringey via Italy, Lou presents the sublimely anarchic 'Grand Parade' on Reel Rebels Radio : A superb mix of vintage Jamaican music, politics, football, food and general insanity.

In addition to playing in venues in and around London, Lou has also become established at the Rox DJ Reggae Alldayer.

"I feel a bit emotionally involved, genuinely interested to show up some of the moments that have maked my life special.  Since I moved my steps on this long journey, music was leading me on the right path and surely will do until my very last."

Lou Reed - Andy's Chest

"It was July 21st, 2003. 

A couple of years after Genova, Italy, we were still trying to understand why a guy like us was shot by the police during the riots. It was during that time that I’ve started to do something to improve this damned society. Along the terraces of my football team Cosenza, my anger was released and transformed into passion and viceversa. It was not just football. Scores were not a big deal and no drama if the team couldn’t make the serie A, even if we were really close. For us what really mattered was to always say something different and do something important for people who were not as lucky as others were. Providing food for the poor, helping people with disabilities, standing up for unemployment raise, supporting project in Africa. 

At the end of the 2013 season, Cosenza ended up bankrupt. As a result, the Club (at the time in Serie B) was relegated in 4th division, and actually took a very long time to get back into professional football. It was probably one of the worst news I read.  Meanwhile, someone was saying  that Lou Reed would be the main Act at the 'Invasion Festival', an international festival of music and arts held in the city of Cosenza at high level until the last decade. 

With these completely opposite feelings, bad and good, shaking hands together, it was the moment that I became LouPino, spelt lupino, aka little wolf."

Tennors - Another Scorcher

"It was July, scorchia, Ibiza, 2008

It’s quiet unusual think about Ibiza and Reggae at the same time. OK it’s not completely true that this gem in the mediterraneum is just clubs/drugs/naked sex along the beaches. In fact there is an interesting soul week-end in June every year run by top DJ’s from the UK and many other interesting things apart from classic stereotypes.

Back to my story, I use to spend 'una temporada' en la isla, working as usual from the very bottom of the bottom. A common situation, since I start to stand up, but, who cares!!! 

It was me and that lovely girl that became my wife, spending our few hours off, driving around, from coast to coast and listening reggay. Sometimes, life doesn’t give you just shit, or at least gives you a break. Since I’ve been promoted to barman, serving thousands Italians, addicted to coffee and Sambuca and addicted to everything for free.. as  that place in Cala Tarida was 'all included'

"That music so sweet for your dancing feet”

It became definitely mine. Try to imagine you, coming at the counter, in this middle class Italian Hotel, asking for a “caffe’ corretto”. Of course you will expect Jackie Bernand and The Tennors reminding you that is another scorcher. That was probably my first time entertaining people in the way that I’m doing now and forever more."

Edith Piaf – Non, Je Ne regrette Rien

"Every New Year’s Day 

How many times you were sitting and wondering, how that could be, why I did that. Maybe I would or probably I should. Should what? Should I stay or should I go? OH OH OH what a CLASH in the brain.  Then early in the morning a song came in my mind, enchanting me like a sparrow tweeting. Do you know that “piaf” in argot, the French Slang, means sparrow and that’s why Edith Giovanna Gassion has been named Edith Piaf ?

So, have you ever heard this song?  If yes…when? 

In my case it was me, completely dressed as myself, listening every New Year’s day, early in the morning. No matter whatever reason this life presents to you on that moment, it is a new start, a new beginning. Somewhere in Italy, they are still celebrating the New Year’s eve throwing old crockery out from the room's window. 

Do not worry if you walk past my house, I am just throwing out the past, enchanted by a sparrow tweeting, looking forward to a bright future. In any case, I am living on the ground floor, so your head is safe from the crockery…. "

I Ribelli – Nel Sole Nel Vento Nel Cammino e Nel Pianto

"6.9.14

Have you ever heard a guy called Demetrio Stratos… able to reach 7,000 Hz with his voice????

Demetrio Efstratios a phenomenal singer from Greece, born in Egypt, moved in Italy on his 17’s to become one of the most creative artists in the whole Italian rock scene of the 70's. 

Well known for his works with a band called “Area” and for his studies on the use of the human voice, his solo albums are a great demonstration of his capabilities. 

Here Demetrio is the lead singer of a well-known Italian 70’s band, I Ribelli. The lyrics by Mogol, sung oringinally by Lucio Battisti, has been covered by the powerful rich voice of Demetrio to create an incredible soulful ballad.

This was the song that I choose for the beginning of my wedding ceremony. 

In the beautiful countryside scenario of the Abruzzo Region, here’s my wife coming accompanied by her father and then I made my promise to her, because she’s with me, nel sole, nel vento, nel cammino e nel pianto."

Queen - Father To Son

"From the beginning, to the very end.

Sometimes you realize how cruel it is live the life you live. It is cruel for the sufferers and for all their relatives. 

When I was thinking about which songs will be part of the list I never imagined of including this one. I was a Queen fan, when I was 14. I was a Queen fan even when I was 17. Probably I am still a Queen Fan now. 

For sure I will be always fan of my father. We had some difficulties, we had a troubled relationship for some time. But I will always fight on his side. My dad was diagnosed with liver metastasis and I know that this time will be harder than harder."

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You can check out podcasts of Lou's fantastic Grand Parade radio show via the link below :

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Charles Pepin

It is a pleasure to have Canadian DJ and radio producer Charles Pepin as my latest guest castaway, washed ashore on a lonely island in the sea.

After a 3 years stay in South Africa, Charles returned to Canada dedicating the majority of his free time promoting South African House music with passion and determination.

DJ'ing for many years on a purely amateur basis, Charles started a series of podcasts called TIA House Podcasts.  He then  started a blog in order to setup a central platform on which it is also possible to find exclusive interviews with South African artists from the House industry. The next step was 'This is Africa', a monthly show on Pure.FM dedicated to showcasing South African artists and DJ's, with exclusive DJ sets every month.

"I am a passionate Electronic Dance Music lover for now almost 20 years. I am 32 years old, so the kind of music has been present in my life, on a daily basis, for the vast majority of my life. I remember very well, my friends and I were sometimes looked at as some sort of Aliens from another musical dimension during our teenage years. 

After several thousands of hours listening to all types of Electronic Music, mostly in the form of Radio Shows, Mixtape and DJ sets, my passion is still as strong as in the beginning and has evolved greatly. 

My interest in music has been slightly altered by a 3 years stay in South Africa. Since then, my involvement has increased, dedicating most of my time to Afro-House and Africa's influence in general over House Music. 

TIA House Music was born!"

The Aztec Mystic - Knights of the Jaguar

"This is simply a masterpiece of Electronic Music... 'Knights of the Jaguar' is the Ravel’s Bolero of Electronic Music. The slow but steady crescendo towards a climax at the end makes it a track you can't stop in the middle once you have started it. The simplicity of the rhythms combined with the soft melodies; a beautiful piece of contemporary music easy for the ears. A track that could convince any electronic music detractor to reconsider their position. 

'Knights of the Jaguar' appeared in many of my  sets when I was starting as a DJ and kept me company so many time late at night to furnish my peaceful moments. I often woke up in the middle of the night, awoken by the sound of the needle scratching and stepping softly after another journey through this magnificent vinyl track from the Aztec Mystic."

Jeff Mills - The Bells

"Jeff Mills is a music producer and DJ who had a great influence on the direction I took as an amateur DJ and electronic music lover during my teenage years... an influence which turned out to be quite permanent, as I still tend to vibrate physically and emotionally to the a sound of Techno music. 

'The Bells' is recognized by many as one of the most iconic Techno track ever produced and I have so many good memories and emotions related to this tune !"

DJ Mujava - Mugwanti

"When I listen to 'Mugwanti' it unravels an immense quantity of souvenirs from my stay in South Africa. Good time with friends, spectacular road trips, parties and parties again. I have been introduced to the very singular sound of House music from South Africa with the rhythms and lyrics of  'Mugwanti'."

Black Motion (Feat. Candy) - Manghoro

"Simply, the best House music tune from South Africa in my opinion. 

The rhytmic elements and vocals of 'Manghoro' really contains the essence of the African culture... an irresistible piece of Afro-House music. 

Simply the best !"

Stephan Bodzin & Marc Romboy – Phobos

"My love for electronic music is strong and steady. It is a genuine passion. I consume it on a daily basis, several hours a day, in all its various forms. A love continuously renewed as the music evolves with the years passing by. The power of the repetitions and the creativity behind the organized noise. 

Tracks like 'Phobos' are icons of electronic music. 

Tracks like 'Phobos' are, in my opinion, symbols of electronic music to which I will always refer to as milestones in the evolution of the kind."

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If you have enjoyed the tracks chosen by Charles, then you will enjoy listening to the latest tracks from South African artists and DJ's on This Is Africa

click on the link below

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Madam Scorcher

My latest guest to be washed ashore on a lonely island in the sea is one of Europe's top reggae DJ's, the fabulous Madam Scorcher.

Madam Scorcher (AKA Kathy McGrath) is unique in the fact that she plays female vocal only ska and reggae on vinyl. She has DJ'd at many events, as you will learn :

"Its funny when you think about it, on speaking to my mother about their musical tastes, as some bits I knew but wanted to delve a bit more, I can now see where I’ve got mine from, cleverly 'amalgamated' from the pair of them : 

My father being keen on bands such as Jethro Tull, The Pogues and Ian Dury & the Blockheads. He was also quite good at playing the saxophone, especially The Muppets theme tune. My mother on the other hand would be enjoying the fluffiness of Motown, 70’s disco and singers such as Crystal Gale, Barbara Dickson and Gloria Gaynor.

I can see now why at 7 years old my first two albums I bought were Blondie’s 'Parallel Lines' and Abba’s 'Super Trouper'... yeah, I know, not doing my creditability any favours!!!

All through my life growing up I’ve strangely always swayed towards female singers, apart from a couple of teenage years where I crossed over to the dark side of heavy metal! but singers like Aretha Franklin, Annie Lennox, Alison Moyet, Bjork, Amy Winehouse and Madonna were certainly a big part of my musical life. 

So Madam Scorcher is born and it was inevitable that I would play out female only vocals and I think I’m the only DJ that is doing this in the Ska, Rock steady and Reggae genre internationally.  

I’ve been very fortunate over the last few years playing at many events such as Madness Minehead Weekender, Cambersands Scooter Rally, Isle of Wight Reggae Train, Phil Bush’s Sound & Pressure Weekender, Up the Junction, KlubSkank, Skamouth, Specialized, Folkestone Skafest, Music Mania, Skinhead Reunion, BWM @Santa pod to name a few.

I've also been lucky enought to play for such artists such as Rhoda Dakar, Lee Thompson’s Ska Orchestra, The Skatalites and The Selecter. Recently I have been branching out into Europe thanks to Soulboys Vs Rudeboys, which is very exciting!!! 

So, five songs that I would take onto a desert island to musically mesmerise me and turn my stomach into a flutter or just give me goose bumps and  make me want to get up and dance are…. "

Edwin Starr - Contact

"I couldn’t choose a reggae song to describe my passion for dancing, like maybe I would be expected to, as there’s far to many that give me the same feeling that I’m about to describe.

I am partial to a bit of 70’s disco and this takes me back to when I was about 13, a keen disco dancer in my sparkly lilac leotard, prancing and skipping about and hopefully impressing the panel of judges??? 

And if any song can get you moving where it grabs you from your feet and your stomach goes all weird, you know, the same way as when you go over a bridge in a fast car, I feel that this song does it for me!!! 

It certainly worked for me then, getting me a nice shiny gold medal and a certificate with top marks.  To this day whenever I hear this song it still gives me that same feeling... and I still remember that dance routine."

Pat Kelly - Twelfth of Never

"This beautiful song can only remind me of my partner Darren, who’s love and support has been unconditional, or “until the twelfth of never”

Without meeting him there would be no Madam Scorcher simple as that.

The fact is that before I met him I was just a normal working mother.  I had lost my identity after 15 years of marriage and going through a divorce. If someone had of said to me back then “Oh by the way you’re going to become a skinhead and DJ all over the place” I would of laughed my backside off!!! 

Me???  Wear ankle swingers, braces and men’s shoes. I don’t think so... standing there in my long hair, make up and high heels!!!"

Claudette - Boss Cocky

"As my collection of 45’s was starting to grow and my list was getting bigger, this tune was the turning point.

Most of my small box of records at that time were either given to me by Darren, (he had a vast collection and I’m happy to say that male DJ’s were overlooking female songs, so he felt no desire to have them) or I was spending under £20, as surely I should not be paying out more then that!!!

Then this record came up and I really wanted it, I loved it!!!

But hold on, its going to cost me FIFTY POUNDS!!!

And that’s when I realised I had become a vinyl addict.

I bought it."

Madness - On The Town featuring Rhoda Dhakar

"Okay I’m going to cheat a bit here as I can’t choose a song each for Madness and Rhoda as I’ll run out of tunes. This song is quite appropriate for my past life and “The Liberty of Norton Folgate” is just such a superb album, and the first Madness one I’ve ever bought!!! 

Madness had not really interested me. I never took much notice of them in the 80’s, in fact I completely missed all the 2tone stuff that was going on, I was far too busy being a material girl. Now they are part of my life, privileged to know them, play for them in one way or another and being proposed to on their stage in front of thousands of people will always be a cherished memory. 

Then there’s Rhoda. Certainly a woman that inspires me, a strong and intelligent lady and all I can say is the day she messaged to ask me to DJ for her Album launch in 2014 is still something I’m extremely chuffed and proud to have done. 

My first gig where it was all women entertainers, so it meant so much to me to be part of that."

King Cannon - Soul Scorcher

"This song is the pinnacle of what I think musically describes who I am and what I’m about. 

A song I want to hear when I’m getting ready to go out, polishing my shoes, making sure everything is pressed and just looking smart.

A song I want to hear blasting out loud in a dimly lit room with wooden flooring and skinheads dancing tall and proud…

This is the song that says it all for me, deep, strong and passionate and this is my passion, its my way of life….. "

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Among the many events where you can hear Madam Scorcher playing her unique sounds on vinyl is the Music Mania Festival in July :

Not forgetting Skamouth in November :

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Hans Diepstraten

Washed ashore on a lonely island in the sea is my latest guest, DJ and radio presenter Hans Diepstraten.

Since 1993, Hans (with co-presenter Harry Van Vliet) has run the weekly soul radio show Fingerpoppin' Soul out of Amsterdam with a guest list that reads like a complete "Who's Who" of soul music.

Over to you Hans...

Starting Out

"I was raised in a middle-class family in the college town Tilburg in the South of Holland. My parents were not into music at all, and neither were my brother and sister both younger than me, but I was hooked from an early age. The first record I ever bought was Gilbert O’Sullivan’s 'Nothing Rhymed' which I bought when I was about ten years old. Or rather, I bought the picture sleeve cover because inside was Dave Edmunds 'I Hear You Knocking', another hit at the time. It was as if someone was pointing me towards R&B from the start. 

After that I started buying the lead 45s in the hit parade. LPs were beyond us financially at that time. Then when I entered secondary school it was time to get serious: Deep Purple 'Live in Japan', Pink Floyd 'Umma Gumma' as well as Tom Waits with 'Closing Time' and some of the country rock records by Poco, the Eagles and CSNY. 

No soul records entered my universe until at least 1975. Actually the first soul records I acquired were Motown records: the compilation LP 'The Big Wheels of Motown' and (incredibly) Marvin Gaye’s 'What’s Going On' which I received as a birthday present and which went way over my head at the time."

Punk and Reggae
"Then came Punk, which changed my whole musical frame of reference. The Ramones first LP on Philips, Blondie on Private Stock, The Modern Lovers on Beserkley, The Damned on Stiff… I really was a punk before you were a punk. 

With that territory came (Punky) Reggae, and records by Culture, Steel Pulse, Burning Spear, Israel Vibration, Pablo Moses and the Heptones. At that time I was still not truly bitten by the Soul bug. There was no (Northern) Soul scene in Holland, and there was no access to this music in the Dutch media, or at least I was not aware of anything. However, UK music magazines such as NME and ZigZag did mention soul music and I started investigating here and there. I would like to be able to say there was some sort of revelatory moment where I saw the light but I must admit that my immersion in Soul Music was a gradual affair that took maybe some five years. By that time it was the 80s, possibly the worst era in soul music so it was a small miracle that I ventured that way at all."

Clubbing and Pirate Radio
"When I seriously started clubbing it was the 80s (I was late to the game) and at the time soul and funk were the main styles played in clubs, together with the post wave sounds of things like PigBag and Tears For Fears. You could always count on Marvin Gaye’s 'Sexual Healing', Chaka Khan’s 'Ain’t Nobody' or the live version of Maze’s 'Joy and Pain'. Those really were the records that drew me in. They made me start looking for similar records as well as other styles of soul music I had ignored before, or which maybe had not really clicked in my head. I discovered Kent records and before long I was buying mainly soul music LPs and the occasional 45.

In the mean time I had taken an interest in (pirate) radio and the station I was always listening to (RVZ) was advertising for new DJ’s. This station was a superb quality non-commercial affair run by a close group of music addicts much like New York’s WFMU. Anything was possible there, as long as it was real. I applied and after a shaky and nervous few try-outs I was accepted, mainly because I chanced on the tune 'Heaven Must Have Sent You' by the Elgins, a Northern Soul classic and a favourite of one of the leading DJs at the station. 

So that was the start of my radio “career” which has now lasted for nigh on thirty years. Initially I played anything that fit in the broad format of the station (from alternative rock to African music, Black music and Reggae) but at some point I started a shared show “The Soul Squad” with the soul-oriented guys and then my collecting passion fast became black music only."

From TeenBeat to Fingerpoppin’ Soul
"After a few years the pirate station RVZ was raided by police and that was the end of that. The core group of DJs started a legal local station and after some changes I was asked if I wanted to take over a specialized show with a focus on early sixties pop music called TeenBeat. This show played a lot of late fifties and early sixties pop music, with a focus on girl groups, Phil Spector type sounds and early soul like Barbara Lewis. 

I did that weekly show for about a year and then a watershed event happened that actually changed my life in multiple ways. We had the great idea to start a nightly show called Vinyl Junkies and invited listeners to apply for a spot. A number of interesting characters applied (people specializing in Indian Ragas, obscure psych, dark wave etc) plus one guy who just wanted to play soul music. That guy turned out to be Harry Van Vliet, and he became a lifelong friend and my fellow DJ for what later became the Fingerpoppin’ Soul radio show, which we still run today. After about 4 weeks of Harry doing his Vinyl Junkies hour and my TeenBeat hour we decided to merge the show into a two hour TeenBeat. Then after a little more time we changed the moniker of the show, to better align with the actual music played on the show. And so Fingerpoppin’ Soul was born.

It was 1993."

Expanding the collection
"Once Fingerpoppin’ Soul was underway we initially had to fight constantly to keep it on the air. At that time the legal radio station was run by a set of decidedly “hip” people, without a clue about history or classic soul. Only the latest new imports should be played, and what we were doing was considered old hat and “music for old people”. That is why we had to attend every management meeting just to make sure we weren’t cut out of the schedule. In the mean time we had to feed the weekly radio show with interesting records to play. That meant that rather than just buying records at a relaxed pace there had to be new sounds to play every week. We could not play the same record twice of course. So over time, when the Fingerpoppin’ Soul format got established this led to an acceleration in the acquiring of soul records, and mainly LPs. In that period eBay started as well, giving unlimited access to a wealth of records I never knew existed before. I started a fanatical search for obscure records.

One thing to recognize as well is that, mainly through listening to other people’s great radio shows I developed an eclectic taste and broad view on music. This also fed into our radio show, where we play many different types of black music. This resulted in an orientation quite at odds with the mainstream of the UK soul scene, and this difference is still very clear today.

The arrival of on line forums on the web, such as Essential Modern Soul, the Southern Soul email group, Soul Source and Soul Strut made it possible to hook into other people’s knowledge and to grow the record collection through their posts and information. Especially the early Essential Modern Soul forum, blossoming around the year 2000, I believe, was a treasure trove of information as well as a collection of highly knowledgeable and opinionated soul collectors and DJs. I learned an immense amount from the people on that forum."

Today

"Over the last few years I have also been buying Latin, Brazilian and Jazz records. By and large, this is because there are fewer and fewer soul albums still “out there” for me to find, with the exception of the occasional major Grail for which I have to fork out significant money. 

To feed my collector’s habit, I have had to expand into other genres like the ones mentioned. Currently for every soul album I find there are at least three other "non-purist" albums flowing into the collection. I do believe however that it ultimately all comes from the same well. My radio experience has shown me that these genres naturally flow together and form a cohesive whole.

...which leads me to the five discs that play and played an important role in my life."

The Modern Lovers - Pablo Picasso

"This record is the first one that really grabbed me from the start and never let me go again. Simple music, almost stark, heart felt, real, soulful without being soul, and resonating with the insecure teen I was at the time mainly because of the angst in Jonathan Richman's delivery. This was before his conversion to nursery rhymes, and produced by John Cale it remains a monument of expressive rock music."

Phil Flowers - The Mirror Cried

"When our friend Tom de Jong played 'The Mirror Cries' by Phil Flowers off his album 'Our Man In Washington'. It blew our minds. 

Phil Flowers was the ultimate “journeyman soul singer” and his discography is wider than the Amazon river. Beat ballads, Northern Soul, Heavy Psychedelic Funk, Two Step, Gospel, he did everything and did everything very well. We met him in Washington DC too which was great."

The Impressions - I'm So Proud

"I met my future wife at a friend’s party and on our second date we ended up at my place and slow danced to the Impressions. At our wedding party the first record played was this one. Nuff said.

The Impressions will be played at my funeral, although to be honest I probably will not care at that point… "

Eric & The Vikings - It's Too Much For One Man To Take Too Long

 

"This is another all time classic for me. I first heard it played by Brian Goucher on a UK radio station and the lyrics and delivery are breath taking. This song also represents the richness of the Vocal Group seam in soul music."

Tim Maia – I Love You, Girl

"Brazilian soul singer Tim Maia is an enigma. He should have been a superstar. He made this after he left the Racional sect in the mid-seventies and recorded a full album in English, tried to get it released and when he failed threw the test pressings away, making this by far the rarest Tim Maia LP in existence. Thankfully it is on Youtube in full and it was reissued (albeit badly mastered) on CD in Brazil. Almost all of his records are magic."

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"I could have easily picked a hundred other songs, and I see there is no Gospel, no Rocksteady or Lover’s Rock, no Bobby Bland and no Dells, no Neo Soul, no Doo Wop, no Latin Soul. 

Basically this list sucks big time.  ;0)"

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As Hans mentioned above, the Fingerpoppin' Soul radio show has a different orientation to the UK mainstream soul scene and I urge you to give it a try as I'm sure you will not be disappointed.

Here's a link to the Fingerpoppin' Soul  facebook site :  

click on the picture

Hans & Harry also produce a podcast of their show and this is available on Mixcloud :

click on the picture

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