Northern Soul Research File
Rachael Vaughan
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UK led scene: 1961-1981 Came from the Mod Scene Based on black American soul music (100bpm+ heavy beat and fast tempo) Influenced from Motown Labels include AMG Records & Golden Worlds Records First venue – Twisted Wheel (Manchester) closed in 1971 The early records to be played were unheard Motown tracks that had failed to make the Singles Chart. More venues opened across the UK – Mojo Club in Sheffield. Dancing became more bubbly and frantic in early 1970’s. Began resembling break dancing and disco (Flips, spins and backdrops)
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Run-down venues, hot and sweaty due to amount of people attending. Some had over 1000 people attending More drugs than alcohol consumed (Speed) Usually open 11pm-8am Usually in built up residential areas Attendees would go early to guarantee entry due to strict capacity of clubs.
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Recording artists shocked that songs recorded years ago were so popular in UK They would often travel to the UK from US to perform at the legendary venues (Edwyn Starr, The Drifters, The Four Tops and Thelma Houston) DJ’s becoming more popular (Russ Winstanley, Kev Roberts, Richard Searling and Soul Sam) DJ’s would pay over £1000 for a record that they could double money on by selling. Scene died down in 1980’s due to people growing up but was a huge revival in 1990’s People would attend weekenders and all-nighters for northern soul events and enjoy previous made records.
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Northern Soul The phrase “Northern Soul” wasn’t coined until around 1970 by Soul City record shop owner and journalist, Dave Godin. He noticed that music fans visiting London from the North of England would seek out funkier, bigger sounding records from the smaller and lesser-known record labels. Clubs such as the Twisted Wheel in Manchester emerged from the early mod scene and spawned a host of all-nigh soul venues across the north of the country. From King Mojo in Sheffield to the Wigan Casino in Wigan, club-goers sought to slip on their dancing shoes and get on down to a fast paced soul beat. During the early 60s fashion dictated a slimmer fitting silhouette. Early northern soul fashion included classic mod style, such as button-down Ben Sherman shirts, brogues or even Garishly painted Doc Marten boots and shrink-to-fit Levi’s. Suffice to say this wasn’t quite the ticket for an emerging group of Motown-loving movers and shakers. The new sound was bigger, bolder and of course brimming with energy and soul, which encouraged dancers to loosen up. Clothing during the early 70s reflected the dancers need for movement and working class kids developed their own fashion borne out of the mod era. Enter sports vests and open shirts, wide trousers and leather soled shoes for less friction on the dance floor. Patches from the various clubs and groups would also be sewn onto bowling bag style hold-alls, used to carry those spare shirt and shoes after a long energetic night of dancing. Not forgetting a can of talcum powder to help the wooden floor stay dry and friction free! Back in the 60s and 70s sharp dressed young men and women would travel all over the UK to dance all night to rare records imported from the USA. The soul scene was especially big in the North of England, where towns and cities like Manchester, Wigan, Blackpool, and Stoke-on-Trent played host to legendary soul clubs. Manchester’s famous Twisted Wheel and then Blackpool Mecca and the Torch,were three of the hottest places for soul music in the early 70s, and soul fans would come from all over the country to dance to the best tunes, show off their sharpest clothes, and go looking for romance. And the Mecca’s Highland Room was where some of the best action took place, to the sound of legendary DJ, Ian Levine. Many of the original soul fans are now well into their middle-ages, but they’ve kept the spirit of the scene alive, and are reliving their youth at soul revival nights all over the country.
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Ten Widely Held Beliefs About Northern Soul Music 1. The term ‘Northern Soul’ was coined by London journalist Dave Godin in June 1970. 2. ‘Northern Soul’ referred to the kind of soul music which northern football fans asked for in London’s Soul City record shop. 3. The clenched raised fist symbol is inspired by the Black Power Movement. 4. The rarest Northern Soul record is “Open the Door To Your Heart” by Darrell Banks which sold for over £11,000 in December 2014. 5. The term ‘white label’ has its traditions with DJ rivalry. To ensure exclusivity, the original label was covered with a blank white one, which would be unveiled in the soul club. 6. What?, a Northern Soul classic covered by Soft Cell in 1982 was originally sung by Melinda Marx, the daughter of Groucho Marx. 7. As Lenny Gamble, BBC Radio Two presenter Tony Blackburn released a Northern Soul record entitled I’ll Do Anything (Anything She Wants Me To Do). 8. Northern Soul DJ Ian Levine, after becoming a producer, kick started the HiNRG musical genre and produced Evelyn Thomas’ UK Top Ten Hit, High Energy (1984). 9. The 23 September 1973 saw what is claimed to have been the UK’s first all-nighter, which took place at the Wigan Casino club. DJ-ing that night was Russ Winstanley. 10. The crowd noises in Wigan’s Chosen Few’s Footsie wasn’t the legendary Wigan Casino club. They came from the 1966 F.A. Cup Final between Everton and Sheffield Wednesday. Chants of ‘Wednesday’ can be heard in the background.
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The main Northern Soul club in Sheffield was the King Mojo Club in Pitsmoor. Opening in 1964, the club was only open for 3 years. It never had a licensed bar, just used it’s coffee bar for refreshments. Although it was only open for a few years, the club hosted hundreds of events with many being incredibly well known bands to this day and age. The club ran a records only night every Tuesday. The club was also known for its art as the walls were done up in a Pop Art style. In 1967, the club changed to focus more on psychadelic styles of music and changed its name to the Beautiful King Mojo. This is when they booked Jimi Hendrix. Unfortunately the club was closed a year later due to having its license revoked because of noise complaints and later turned into a bingo hall. Sheffield Northern Soul Moodboard
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Looking at a variety of exhibition ideas, I really wanted to incorporate real people into mine so it could really set the scene. Due to a minimal budget, I wasn’t able to have my photo’s hanging on LEDs or Unusual stands so I decided to have them free hanging from the ceiling to make it a bit different.
Mods The first mods were mostly art students or working-class teenagers in lowly clerical positions. They were narcissistic, hedonistic and avowedly consumerist. They had disposable incomes to spend and challenged class strictures through dressing, dancing and having more fun than previous generations as though style itself were a passport to upward mobility. They called themselves “Faces” and “Modernists”. Mods originally looked to Europe, affecting the “French crew” haircut, a fringe and bouffant hairstyles, and a selection of clothing that wouldn’t have looked out of place in the most bohemian of Paris café society. Latterly, they – the ones that could afford it - looked further afield, setting their sights on the more stylish Italian offerings, with made-to-measure suits, pastel shirts and ties and handmade shoes, often purchased in the then numerous and thriving Carnaby Street boutiques of London. Transport, if funds allowed, comprised Italian motor scooters, ostensibly Vespas and Lambrettas, often ridden by sharp-dressed young men – and a few women – who topped off their fashion ensembles with heavy U.S. Army parka coats to ensure their expensive and distinctive wardrobes didn’t fall victim to bad weather. Their music was a revelation too. Not for them the folk, beatnik and jazz combinations of an earlier time, their music was American R & B offerings, soul and early Tamla Motown, while on the home front, bands such as The Who, The Kinks, The Small Faces and many others provided the background sound for a new generation of teens. However, it wasn’t to last, many Mods saw the look become more mainstream and many drifted into the then growing Hippy movement and the look dissipated and evolved into what were later known as “Hard Mods”. It was around this time – 1966 - that Pete Townsend of The Who, was spotted on stage wearing what was to become a fashion staple of future generations… The Doctor Marten boot.
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Hair The Crew Cut - A short cut in which the hair is cut an even, short length (usually around 1/4 inch or less) all over. In America ‘crew cut’ is used more broadly to refer to a range of short haircuts and a traditional crew cut would be known as a Burr Cut. In general the U.S. definition refers to a cut that is tapered at the back and sides but may be up to one inch on top. The Ceasar Cut - A moderately short cut worn in the style of Julius Caesar. The hair is layered to a round 1 to 2 inches all over. The hair is brushed forward to a short bang or fringe at the front. The French Crop - Similar to a Caesar. The difference is that the French Crop is worn a little longer and may be feathered near the front, if the wearer chooses. The Fringe Cut - In Amercia known as bangs. When one has a fringe cut, the hair has been deliberately cut The Ivy League - The sides and back are cut short and tapered across the crown, and the hair gradually becomes longer and fuller toward the front. In a classic ivy league, enough hair is left in the front so that it can be neatly parted and styled, usually with pomade or gel. More contemporary ivy-league cuts may style the hair upward or forward in the front, but are still generally neat cuts that follow the shape of the head. The Layered Cut - The layered cut may be the most basic, yet most popular haircut in history. It is a type of cut that may frame any type of face frame, but especially those with longer faces. When cutting the hair in this style, the hair is actually cut in what appears to be layers. The hair is cut at different lengths and then blended together in a way that doesn’t allow you to see where one layer began and one ended. Square Backed - The square back, known as a hairstyle in which the back, at the bottom level, is cut as a defining straight line. The hair is full and the sides are not tapered. This style can range in a number of different styles, including a crew cut, an ivy league or a flat top. Back-combing - Back-combing, also known as teasing, or ratting, is a process that involves taking sections of the crown of the hair and combing it from underneath. With one hand holding your hair and the other holding a thin comb, back-comb hair in the opposite direction from its natural growth pattern.
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Doc Martens and their Iconic Status Doctor Martens’ boots were originally designed and constructed in 1947 by a German doctor, Klaus Martens, who, following a skiing accident, endeavoured to find a comfortable alternative to traditional boots. The first Dr. Martens boots in the United Kingdom came out on 1 April 1960 (known as style 1460 and still in production today), with an eight-eyelet oxblood coloured smooth leather design. Dr. Martens boots were made in their Cobbs Lane factory in Wollaston, Northamptonshire (which is still operating today). In addition, a number of shoe manufacturers in the Northamptonshire area produced the boots under licence, as long as they passed quality standards. The boots were popular among workers such as postmen, police officers and factory workers. By the late 1960s, skinheads started to wear them, “DMs” being the usual naming, and by the late 1970s, they were popular
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The Skinhead Phenomenon The skinhead subculture first emerged in London in the mid-1960s, when a split developed among “mod” music fans. And though the schism was amiable it was noticeable to those around at the time. While more affluent mods could afford the fashionable Italian and Ivy League clothes, scooters and amphetamines that typified the subculture, working-class mods had to make due with more functional attire. These so-called “hard mods” often lived in the same poor neighbourhoods as Caribbean immigrants, exposing them to the fashions and sounds of soul, ska and reggae. Finding more interest in black culture and music than the more effete mod subculture, the hard mods adopted a uniform of work boots, short jeans or pants, simple shirts, braces and close-cropped hair. (Long hair was a liability in factory work and street fights.) They soon began referring to themselves as “skinheads.” Original skinhead clothing also comprised of several staples, ostensibly, Ben Sherman, Jaytex or Brutus button down collar shirts; Levi, Wrangler and Lee Ryder Jeans, Harrington jackets, braces and heavy workboots – often with steel toecaps. These original skinheads would hang out together usually bound by a kindred spirit of either being raised in the same locale or often, the following of a particular football team. Doctor Marten boots were a later addition, as they were, for the time, relatively expensive. So the traditional Tuf boot and often, for the skinhead girls, of which there were many, lighter monkey boots were the height of fashion for the younger followers of the trend. For dressing up to go to clubs and bars, the fashion comprised of Levi Sta-Prest trousers, Fred Perry or Slazenger polo shirts and heavy brogues which were also extremely useful in case of any ‘rumble’ that often occurred at the end of an evening of boozing and dancing. Skinhead culture faded in the early ‘70s, but revived as a response to the commercialization of punk at the end of the decade. At the same time, many skinheads became involved in far-right and racist politics. Some factions of skinheads had previously been known to attack immigrants and gay people in addition to their usual brawling; now many were openly sporting swastikas and giving Nazi salutes. By the mid-1980s, the term “skinhead” had become synonymous with neo-Nazism, fascism and xenophobia. Though today, the followers of the sub-culture can even be found in gay clubs and bars so the trend has largely evolved into more of a fashion statement - although in some other countries, the Far Right still attracts a following of what could be described as ‘skinheads”.
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Ben Sherman Campaign
Northern Soul make up was left incredibly minimal due to how upbeat the dancing was. This would mean the make up would usually sweat off. Lips were usually left natural or the complete opposite – painted over with foundation or white lipstick. The focus would then be on the eyes. Thick clumpy lashes and eyeliner applied all around the eye with eyeshadow would make the eye look larger and more dramatic. Fragrances such as Chanel and Avon were also incredibly popular during this time.
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For my photoshoot, I was influenced by Fred Perry and Blondey McCoy’s brand Thames. I really liked the casual daily lifestyle setting that their campaign gave off. I decided to take my pictures in a variety of settings. Outside Leadmill the nightclub was one of them due to the Indie style music and subculture that the venue draws in. I also used everyday locations such as libraries and alleyways to contribute how Northern Soul was a part of everyday working class life.
Chelsea FC Away Kit 2019 Campaign Chelsea released their 2019/2020 Kit in July 2019. THE Nike collection is inspired from the 1960’s MOD culture which was once a major culture near Stamford Bridge itself. The shirt is a polo with red white and blue. The two buttons are known as ”The Pride of London”. The kit is finished with a blue swoosh on the right of the chest and the clubs crest on the left. The concept came from the mods sharp style.
Gucci Pre-Fall 2017 Campaign Gucci Pre-Fall 2017 Campaign
Gucci used the Northern Soul music scene to portray their Pre-Fall 2017 campaign.
In April 2017, Gucci launched its’ Pre-Fall 2017 campaign, called Soul Scene, making a stand against diversity by showcasing an all-black cast of models and dancers; Nicole Atieno, Elibeidy, Bakay Diaby and Keiron Berton Caynes — and more than 20 dancers. Alessandro Michelle, Gucci’s designer, who had previously worked for Fendi and Tom Ford, was inspired by the photographs of artist Malick Sidibé who died in 2016, whose portrait work is mainly of the youth culture and nightlife of his hometown Bamako, Mali, in West Africa and was featured in the ‘Made You Look’ exhibition. The campaign was initially influenced by the ‘Made You Look” photographic exhibition at The Photographers’ Gallery in London, portraying Dandyism and Black Masculinity’ both in studio and street photography, celebrating dandies from Bamako to London. Michelle used the Northern Soul movement of the 60s and 70s, which emerged from the mod scene of the late 60s, exploring the freedom of expression, energy and excitement in music and dance to create a dynamic and spontaneous video and images. Shot in dancehalls and bright, make-shift studios, the photography and video captures a group of black models and dancers dancing passionately and posing for photographs in Gucci’s luxurious, pattern-heavy Pre-Fall collection. The campaign explored the freedom of expression found in music and dance, and was also used to showcase diversity and raise awareness about social issues in advertisements, following the disastrous advertising campaigns by Pepsi and Nivea who produced adverts which were branded as racist.
Ben Sherman Campaign In 2018 in a collaboration with Henry Holland, renowned for his 1980s-inspired t-shirts displaying catchphrases such as, “I’ll tell you who’s boss, Kate Moss, Ben Sherman produced a chic collection inspired by the Northern Soul culture, using a 70s kitsch twist and mixing in contemporary street attitudes. In this collection Ben Sherman paid homage to the glories of Northern Soul without harking back to the past. Featuring 29 looks including short Harrington jackets, as worn by the actor Steve McQueen to striped track pants, fishtail parkas and some very stylish Mod suits. Holland’s graphics were used on the I Night Owl t-shirts where the owl is an embroidered bird, referring to the all-night Northern Soul sessions in famous venues such as The Twisted Wheel in Manchester and Wigan Casino. The owl represented the followers who attended the all night clubs which closed at 6am. The collection was launched in a 100-meter-long gallery under brick arches inside Somerset House along the Thames, featuring acclaimed Northern soul soundtracks which included “I Really Love You” by the The Tomangoes. Northern Soul dancers entertaining the fashion conscious followed by the models. The brand’s tagline ‘Ben Sherman 1963 Heart of Soul’, refers to its roots in the Northern Soul dance club movement where young people in the 60s and 70s danced to American soul classics and was at the heart of British youth culture. Ben Sherman has been worn by rock stars from the Who to Oasis. Ben Sherman was acquired by American fashion investment business, Marquee Brands in the summer of 2015 for $41 million. In February 2016 Ben Sherman was placed into administration before being acquired by BMB, as part of the pre-packaged deal which wiped out the companies debts.
BSGL 1963, the UK license holder for Ben Sherman was bought by Leeds-based menswear supplier BMB Clothing Limited. Marquee Brands will continue to own the brand, but BMB Clothing will operate the stores through the pre-package agreement. BMB also acquired the e-commerce and wholesale operations of the business and will oversee the brand’s concession in House of Fraser The company told Drapers magazine “The future of the Ben Sherman brand in the UK and greater Europe has been ensured with the announcement of a strategic partnership between Marquee brands and BMB Clothing,” Ben Sherman is returning to growth and has been appointed the official supporter for Team GB at the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games. The lifestyle brand has signed a multi-year agreement and will create exclusive looks to be worn by British athletes during the official opening ceremony, as well as a capsule collection for retail. Ben Sherman, born in Brighton in 1925 left war-torn Britain at the age of 20 for a better life in America, the land of hope and promise. Once married he worked in his father-in-law’s shirt factory until his mother became ill and he returned to Brighton. Unemployed, he decided to rent a factory and make shirts for other people. Ben Sherman had a creative flair and started designing his own shirts, launching the first Ben Sherman shirt in 1963. Ben Sherman has been worn by youth culture over the past 50 years and is still worn today by bands and style icons. He remained in charge of the Ben Sherman shirt brand until he became ill in the mid 70’s when he sold the company and retired to Australia, where he died at the age of 62 in 1987.