New book delves into Blackpool and Wigan's influence on Northern Soul Music

It’s influence came from America and its Motown artists were a great founding for the Northern Soul movement.

And as the pandemic continues, John Warren, whose love for Northern Soul was ignited when he discovered the music during a visit to the iconic Blackpool Mecca in 1974, decided to compile a book to bring back that feel good Northern Soul factor.

John had no idea his book, which is called Our Soul Music Journey, would resonate so well with Northern Soul fans around the world.

John had the ‘light bulb’ moment a couple of years ago.

He knew the plight of many of the artists who are now suffering ill health and are troubled financially, and his conscience was prompted to do something about it.

He also wanted to rediscover the feeling, which the fans originally enjoyed when congregating together in clandestine meetings of underground culture, so he embarked on ‘Our Soul Music Journey.’

A collection of stories, in 24 chapters, recount the fond memories of the scene and reunites Northern Soul fans through them.

Each story is uniquely different but paradoxically they all echo the same sentiments.

John was born in Rushden, Northamptonshire, in 1957, and his love for soul music really started when he came to Blackpool Mecca in 1974.

He went often, donning the mandatory tie that male fans were required to wear to gain entry, and after a visit in 1977 he was so influenced by that experience that he started his own soul night there. It ran weekly for three years.

He emigrated to Australia in 1987 where he discovered the large ex-patriot community that also went to Blackpool Mecca and also The Wigan Casino.

He said: “It’s very ironic to have shared a dance floor in Australia with the same people who went to the Mecca and Casino, back in Britain and subsequently started soul nights here in Australia.

“Some of those nights, or all-nighters as they were known, started playing music from around midnight till the early hours, and are still running today!

“The music doesn’t really age and it keeps us young,” said John, “in spirit there is no better place than on a dance floor and in the zone.

“There’s apparently something of a spiritual release, a melting of minds and movement, when hundreds of people all react the same way through dance.”

In his book, John reveals how during its day, Wigan Casino also boasted top acts to perform live there too.

None were more memorable than the breathtaking performance of Betty Wright with a nine piece soul band from the USA to perform one legendary night in 1974.

Fans who were there said the atmosphere was electric, and Betty who arrived late, soon had them in the palm of her hand.

For those curious, Northern Soul is not a real music genre, it includes music and recordings that were adopted by its fans and devotees that provided the excuse to dance the night away to its beat.

Largely comprised of an obscure catalogue of black American artists’ recordings, it was not confined to them - Gospel, Latino, Low Rider, Funk and Blue-eyed soul were absorbed, if they had the right formula - to fill a floor.

And fill floors they did, with mesmerizing acrobatic performances by the dancers.

It’s also worth noting that in that culture, dancing solo was the norm and one did not require a partner, like traditional dance venues.

The term Northern Soul also has many myths surrounding its origin, but to be plain and simple, the music that was being played in the clubs in the ‘north’ of England at that time rendered some contribution to the term.

It was fast had a steady beat and simple lyrics – boy meets girl, boy loses girl, either want each other back or an explanation of how they struggled in life. All walks of life and races and individuals enjoyed it, they all came for the music.

Our Soul Music Journey is written by fans, musicians and artists, chronicling the diverse yet strangely similar stories.

Each story walks the reader through parts of the writer’s lives to their current circumstances and reflects the love and profound appreciation for artists shunned in many cases by the pop world. Without doubt the effort to help selected artists is reflected in the book’s commitment to try to provide some aid to those artists. John Warren has committed a portion of the funds collected from the sale of the book to be given to selected artists.

“It’s hard to see struggling artists witness their work changing hands for thousands of dollars and being told how great their effort was, only to learn that they made so little from their recordings in so many cases,” said John. The impact of the initial book, though only weeks old in release, has prompted many more contributors to begin submitting stories for another book already. “The reaction by many readers also reflects in the heartwarming contents of these first 24 chapters, which does not rely on tell-all or sensational stories, but instead unifies the love of the music.” The book can be purchased from Amazon www.amazon.com/Our-Soul-Music-Journey-Collection https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B08PPJZDVH