Tonight its all about mis -spent youth ,my first meeting at a coffee bar that led to me being introduced to Northern Soul

The year was 1969 and this is the story of my first night at The Birdcage ,which I later discovered has an important family connection

The Birdcage is more than just a club for me its the place where my journey began in Northern Soul .It was the place to be and I didn't realise it also had a family connection

The Birdcage in Ashton under Lyne was where it all really began for me , we used to go there regularly it was the place to go...

So Where does Northern Soul go from here ?

The Future looks brighter than ever ....

Northern soul began as the sound of working class kids escaping grind of factory life .Fifty years later its a Global community united by Rhythm ,sweat and the thrill of discovery ....

For me Modern Soul isn't just a label...its proof that the scene has never stood still .It evolves it re invents and it keeps surprising us

This is the first episode of "This is Modern Soul "

Final episode in the series........ What really set Cleethorpes apart was the music ,unlike Wigan which focused on stomping mid-60s floor fillers

Cleethorpes embraced a more diverse blend of of sounds

From 1964-1967 The Mojo Club wasn't just a nightclub it was a cultural Volcano erupting every weekend with American artists ,Imports and 60s authentic British Soul

In the mid 70s Northern Soul was at a Crossroads, Manchesters Twisted Wheel and Stoke's The Golden Torch had closed ,a new divide was opening in the Northern Scene ..... Out of the tension a new chapter began ..............."The All -Dayer "

The Catacombs may have been small in size it was known as "The greatest little soul club in Britain"

opened in 1968 and closed in 1974

When I first walked through the Mecca Doors I identified with the clubs shift towards disco and Modern Soul .....

but now looking back I find myself drawn more and more back to that pure 60s Northern Soul Sound .........