SOUL FOOD – THE BROAD CHURCH OF NORTHERN SOUL
This podcast accompanies a blog piece ‘Northern Renaissance’, which simultaneously went online. Below is an excerpt; you can read the full piece here: 
https://blog.gregwilson.co.uk/2013/11/northern-renaissance/

As I hope this piece will illustrate, Northern Soul back in the 70’s was a much broader church than many might imagine. Whilst the stompers were central to the scene, especially when Wigan Casino was at its peak, not everything ran at breakneck pace as is often suggested, the movement encompassed a whole spectrum of styles and tempos. The scene was notoriously very snobbish about its music, dropping a previously loved record like a hot potato because it had subsequently achieved commercial success, although it was this fervent elitism that played a major part in its success and longevity. It’s also the reason why a track many might consider to be as Northern as they come, like Jackie Wilson’s ‘(Your Love Keeps Lifting Me) Higher And Higher’ (a Detroit artist doing an uptempo dance track with Funk Brothers backing) isn’t Northern Soul according to those at the cutting-edge of the scene, despite the fact it was a big favourite in the Soul clubs following its 1967 release. It’s sin was that it became a UK hit in 1969, just before the Northern scene got into its stride, so, along with a whole heap of Tamla Motown tunes that are Northern in everything bar their success in connecting with the masses, it was banished to the realm of pop. This is why another famous Jackie Wilson track, ‘I Get The Sweetest Feeling’, this time a 1968 recording, which, on the surface, given it’s much mellower vibe, is far less stereotypically Northern than ‘Higher And Higher’, is, in contrast, considered a bone fide Northern classic – the reason being that ‘I Get The Sweetest Feeling’ didn’t become a hit until 1972, having broken out of the Northern scene, then in full swing.

So, with the various aspects considered, I’ve put together an epic 3 hour 20 minute podcast selection of records that I hope will reflect Northern Soul in its wider context, from the nailed on classics to those with more nominal status. What can’t be disputed is that each and every track included has been played, at least somewhere at one point or another, under the Northern Soul banner. There are 70 tracks in all, with just 2 artists with more than 1 inclusion, the aforementioned Jackie Wilson and the great, but tragic songstress Linda Jones (3, if you count Frankie Valli, here both solo and with the Four Seasons). The idea to put this together grew out of a CD compilation I made for myself back in the 00’s to listen to whilst I was driving, which I called ‘Soul Food’, and the intention is for it to act as solid introduction for those wanting to hear what Northern Soul was all about, in all its diverse glory, whilst I’d like to think it will also evoke fond memories for those who were there at the time. The fact I wasn’t a part of the scene has hopefully allowed me to approach this selection in a more objective way than someone embroiled within it, who may not be able to resist the inclination to pack it with tracks nobody else, apart from other ultra-obsessives may know, or who might want to brush a few of the inclusions under the ‘you had to be there at the time’, carpet. Consider this, if you will, a beginners guide, of which I love all of the selections, each in its own way - just wonderful wonderful uplifting music.

Greg Wilson – November 2013

SOUL FOOD - THE BROAD CHURCH OF NORTHERN SOUL (greg wilson selection)

Tracklist 43 tracks
Drum beat Jim Ingram
James Shinra Gritti
Dyke and the Blazers Broadway
Jex Opolis Earth Boy
Kollektiv Turmstrasse (T)Error
Anthony Rother Stellarator
Orbital Are we here
C'hantal The realm
Versalife Axion
A number of names Shari vari
Claro Intelecto Peace of mind
Fracture Sam Binga
Mathew Johnson Sub-atomic
Brothers of Funk and Green flamez Gladiator
Electric pandemic The advent
Detroit in effect Detroit technobass
Brandoid Grain Capacity
Kraftwerk Numbers
Jacob Domino Ryges have dub
Straight from the heart
Plant 43  GJ 1214b
Beltran Smack yo
Lalo Schifrin Danube incident
Harfloor The trill acid theme
Hatori Hanso  Deep Burnt
73 si fi not 4 nothin' 
Rainer werner bassfinder Minimal scarf fuckers drown!
Random Xs Give your body 
Richard Vission Feel it
Daft punk Burnin
Zuckerwatte
Marcel Dettmann Landscape
Daft Punk Revolution 909
Hack the system
Yo!
Tiga Pleasure from the bass
Its yours
La Samba
Samm Body language
Paris in the Sky
Ciber Disco
Really that simple
Aspect of rhythm

Decoded Magazine Mix of the Month August Submission Finn Snor

Please Follow me for more mixes and remixes