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- Compiled, produced, mixed and arranged by MJ for SoulUnique.net
- Sunday May 17th, Sunday May 24th & Sunday May 31st 2008
 AHOY THERE ME ‘EARTIES- Pirates had landed in London from laying siege to our shores since the Sixties. Not the type, mind you, that hid out in the fog and stank of weed (seaweed, that is). Not the type that would completely gut you, as director john carpenter depicted so well in his 1980 classic and aptly named “The Fog”.
- No, the type of pirates that occupied London were far more sinister, way more threatening and much more dangerous. A real menace to society. So the government would have you believe.
- This was the 80s, and these pirates swapped their swords and muskets for vinyl and cans of Holsten Pils.
- These were the pirates of London radio, who brought to a needy public the soul music that they craved.
- To you and me, this was the most exciting of times for our music. So much so, in fact, that I firmly believe that all these brave pioneers are directly responsible for the success of our genre of music through the passing decades.
- Back then, clearly record labels cashed in on the marketing potential, and boy did they tap in: all of a sudden UK artists had a bagful of not only stateside labels, but also UK ones (10 Records anyone?).
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- All this, of course, would not have worked without some incredible publications and the right methods of distribution, both of which added much excitement to these times.
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- The publications were led by music magazines Blues and Soul, and “more feet on the street” Echoes (or as known back then, Black Echoes magazine) were must-read literature and imperative to the scene.
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- As for the distribution, London Town played host to some of the most brilliant record shops ever: Central Groove records in Greek Street, Hitman Records in Soho, Dave and Nigel at City Sounds Holborn, Red Records Brixton, to name just a few. These were frequented by so many jocks, including me, back in the very early Eighties.
- As usual, the mainstream stores cashed in too, with the Our Price franchise muscling in on the act. But instead of the expected and typical watering-down process, so often associated with corporations who at this time latched onto all things soulful, some say that this mainstream exploitation actually brought significant awareness to the soul scene. Importantly, it gave local high streets access to the vital vinyl 12”s which previously have only been accessible via London’s West End
 WAS THAT A SOUND? YES! A STREET SOUND-
- Compilation albums had been around since the 70s. Be honest, how many of you still have your old K-Tel lps? Actually, some were quite good, but many only provide nostalgia value.
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- But then a set of compilation albums came along that broke the mould.
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- “DON’T WALK; BOOGIE” was sign-of-the-times cover art: so simple, so effective, very 70’s. When StreetSounds Edition One graced our stores in 1981, it was, in my heart on par with the Death Star final scene in Star Wars. Well, nearly.
- StreetSounds 1 was Jam packed with full 12” versions, mostly imports, the likes of which were never before witnessed on any album. This gave a brand new platform for our artists to release their music, and to spread the word that soul was here.
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- These LPs were an absolute must for both collectors and jocks alike and throughout the early 80s, the Morgan Khan franchise created Street Wave records and endorsed many, many soul events: anyone remember the party of 1984 at the Hammersmith Palais? This was a big event for me, having worked with – or rather been Baggage Joey boy for - the late great Walshie [Steve Walsh] for about two years. (Actually, I had also been playing at that time, but still carried the bags).
- Tony Blackburn, Greg Edwards and Steve Walsh headlined this event which was a complete and total road-block. Back then, Lenny Henry was by far the funniest man on television. It was by no fluke that in his hit series, The Lenny Henry Show, one of his characters ran a pirate radio station from the back of his shop, each week playing the hottest soul tune. Thank you Lenny, for helping our cause.
 '“HEY MATE WHAT’S THAT MOVE HAS CALLED THE SMURF?”- Some say back in ‘82/’83 that there was a shortage of lino (the cheaper version of floor tiles), as all across the world younglings were ripping them up from their mums’ kitchens to graze, mame, and break limbs trying the latest craze out of the states: break dancing.
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- The sort of words that appear in the heading above alone were enough to compound your passions to show off, but to me and the youth the world over, it was well worth a cricked neck to look cool in front of the babe giving you the once over in the crowd.
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- Yes I admit it, I break’d for girls, at first. And second! Yes, to show off to all the “honeys on the sidelines”, but like most things you are passionate about you do get better.
- Hearing Planet Rock bellow out in Kisses nite-spot on a Saturday night in ’82, I was hooked. The Southbank, with JFM and Tim Westwood, was the place to be back then, when body-popping and lokkin were all the rage (and so was the A&E, ouch!).
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- Like Disco and Soul before, Breakin’ was yet another global success. So much in fact that Hollywood caught wind and released in Summer of ‘84 “Breakin’”, a.k.a “Breakdance The Movie”. Commercially watered down for the masses, it was a smash at the box office, but purists say that only Rufus and Chaka’s “Ain’t nobody” was its saviour. So, to put things right, next came “Beat Street”, with superior artists and tracks, much grittier and more urban, and to this very date featuring the best ten minutes of Breakin’ ever filmed.
- If you were part of this very very special time, and maybe walk with a limp, remember, you were part of something so original.
- And so unique ‘till 1986 hip hop be bop, don’t stop.
- A DANCE DECADE
- MASTER J - SOUL AM - LONDON
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