- Compiled, produced, mixed and arranged by MJ for SoulUnique.net
- Sunday 20th April, Sunday 27th April & Sunday May 4th 2008
 - "Now I can join in", I hear some of you say to yourselves, over the course of these many many soulful years on this quite incredible journey, and love affair with soul music, I have had the pleasure of meeting so many patrons of the groove. But I must say honestly that there are a few among you I have encountered that have what I call, “self-destruction of the soul”, when they talk it sounds like they are embarrassed about their age and feel that they would be uncomfortable coming out and dancing the night away, just like they used to.
- But there are the others among you, who when we merely utter the words THE EIGHTIES, their enthusiasm for all things soulful is unbound like they have been part of the coolest thing to ever happen to music!
- Well, GUESS WHAT!
- You have been part of the best thing to happen to not only music but Soul Music, Our Music.
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- Continuing our celebration, the Dance Decade breaks new ground leaving behind the hardship and recession of the late 70s and enters the age of positive thinking - 1980.
- In the decades I have love through, none have been greeted with such enthusiasm and colours. On both sides of the Atlantic, things in the soul community were happening.
- Stateside, having licked their wounds over the death of disco (or more like assassination!) the big bands were again in the recording studios, experimenting and forging new sounds. To add to the already present origins of 70s funk grooves and once vibrant and hypnotic disco scene, the synth was reborn - as invented in the 50s by Harry Olsen and Hebert Belar, who were employed at RCA's Princeton labs. This peace of tech genius was adopted in the mid 70s by Mr Herbie Hancock, who single-handily made the instrument his signature sound, and for almost every other band to follow in the Fantastic 80s.
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- Over here in the not so United Kingdom, London was not as diverse as it is today (let’s not go there !), the Thatcherites saw to that. But, something strange was happening in club-land. More and more nightclubs were opening, which some say was to cash in on what had been bubbling under the surface of London’s Underground warehouse party scene. People like (the now “Sir”) Norman Jay of Good times had been filling up disused factory’s for years before, and the mainstream was now calling.
- Unlike the US, where soul was dubbed black music only, here it was different. Soul music was the driving force of any good club. Don’t get me wrong though, to most others outside this scene soul music was black music. But to me, soul music has no colour, I simply know and respect its origin! Our music has evolved so much and embraces all who feels its power, and having a soul would help.
 MODERN DAY PIRATES- In the 60s and 70s the UK coast lay siege to pirate ship Radio Caroline, broadcasting off our coasts, bellowing out then controversial music to all. Yes, you guessed it, Soul had a platform aboard this vessel too, courtesy of Mr Tony Monson.
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- It wasn’t until 1981 that these modern day heroes would reach land when Radio Invicita and Horizon’s first broadcasts were heard, airing twice weekly. They dazzled us all – finally, we had another platform for our music other than club world.
- Most importantly, they were not alone (note later changing to Solar Radio in 1984).
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- JFM, standing for “Jazz Funk Music”, launched in London with some truly first-rate club dj’s, each with his (or her) own unique but professional presenting skills. This made these stations both a joy and a must to listen to. Later on came KISS FM, again absolutely wicked when a pirate station, way back then! (More to follow when we reach 1985).
- T.K.O. (“total knock out”), Rock to Rock, Reggie and Rare Groove – and so many more, all filled the airwaves.
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- The artists benefitted the most from the surge in stations, with so much air play of soul, funk and boogie, the mainstream could not ignore the record sales any more.
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- Then Top of the Pops came calling.
- The British soul artists were hard at work in the studios also and again pioneering new with old, out came Jazz Funk music from the likes of Beggar & Co, Atmosphere, Confunction, Freeze, Central line, The Real Thing and Hi Tension, all playing an important part. As did the fashion industry, since soul boy attire was very smart: spats shoes, white shirts, Gallini tops, Gabbichis, Farah trousers and of course Waffles, while sporting one earring in the left lobe! And not forgetting the soul belt in thirty different colours (big smile to that one!) and that’s without even mentioning all the fanstatic sportswear. To name just a few: Fila, Adidas, Sergio Tacchini, Lyle N Scott and Pringle. Or was it golf wear….. How cool did we look?
 1982-
- 1982 was when it all happened for me, having seen top djs every weekend live at Kisses nightspot, such as Gordon Mac of JFM/KISS fame. And yes, I was underage! Well underage, in fact.
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- One Sunday eve I was able to witness something than helped forge my path as a Jock to this date. This on the Tube (TV music programme rather than Northern Line variety) and was a first - a brit dj named Froggy, real name Steve Hewlett was, guesting on the show. He had been in America for 3 years working with New York dj Larry Levin, of Studio 54 fame, and a young Judge Jules was trying his hardest with dry wit to put reason to Froggy having 2 decks.
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- I was blown away! Even more ironic was he had two copies of the unreleased David Joseph’s (ex-lead of Hi tension), You Can’t Hide Your Love.
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- The rest is history.
- For me personally I love the 80s for so many great reasons.
- Be proud if you lived trough this magical era. My timeline through is but from one perspective on the dance-floor, and I for one am so proud to have witnessed such changes for the better.
- A DANCE DECADE
- MASTER J - SOUL AM - LONDON
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