WHEN I WAS GROWING UP, OUR LOCAL YOUTH CLUB WAS ABSOLUTELY CRUCIAL IN INTRODUCING ME TO SOUL MUSIC. I ACTUALLY LOVED REGGAE BUT THE TUESDAY NIGHT DISCOS WERE THE FIRST PLACE I HEARD RECORDS LIKE 'THE HORSE', BROOKS & JERRY, "TRAMPOLINE" ALONGSIDE THE THEN CURRENT DISCO RELEASES. I FIRST ATTENDED AS A 12 YEAR OLD IN 1972 AND BY 1976 WAS ACTUALLY SUPPLYING A LOT OF THE NORTHERN RECORDS THAT WERE PLAYED. OUR YOUTH CLUB EVEN HELD A COUPLE OF SUCCESSFUL ALL NIGHTERS. THIS PODCAST AND IT'S UPCOMING PART 2 CELEBRATE RECORDS THAT WE ALL DANCED TO BACK IN THE EARLY 70's. I WOULD SAY THAT "THE CHAMPION" WAS POSSIBLY THE BIGGEST RECORD EVER AT OUR YOUTH CLUB BUT THIS ISN'T JUST A NORTHERN COMPILATION, THERE ARE ALSO SOME OF THE MOST MEMORABLE COMMERCIAL SOUL TRACKS FROM THE TIME AS WELL. IT WAS A BRILLIANT TIME FOR MUSIC - SOUL MUSIC ANYWAY - AND THE MUSIC ON THESE TWO PODCASTS IS NOTHING SHORT OF GLORIOUS. DEDICATED TO WOMBOURNE YOUTH CLUB AND OUR DJ HERO TIM NIGHTINGALE (Photo - me 1976)
