NORTHERN, MODERN & CROSSOVER SOUL EXPLAINED.

Northern Soul is uptempo soul music from the 1960's or from the 70's where it continues the mainly Motown derived sound from the previous decade. However, a track has to be discovered by the scene before it will be accepted as a genuine Northern Soul sound.   As Northern Soul's roots are UK Mod music up to about 1967, the sound can take in latin, some uptempo pop, R&B, soul-jazz and garage. Over the years, the definition of Northern Soul has broadened to include some uptempo pure R&B, much big city soul and a slower beat ballad sound reflecting the maturing tastes of the listeners and the increase in home listening. Typically the production sound of uptempo soul started to shift towards early disco about 1973 and with many notable exceptions, most records after this time are now considered modern soul. However, Northern Soul is not about hard and fast rules, the music is Motown derived but much of the non-pop hit Motown catalogue is considered Northern Soul, indeed much of it is considered by many to be the best Northern Soul. While Motown is the main influence to the sound, many fast Stax records or records derived from the sound are also considered to be Northern Soul. Really you could simplify the definition to "uptempo soul music from the 60s and 70s which was accepted by the Northern Soul scene".

Different Northern Soul clubs have had different musical policies and during the 1970's there was believed to be musical rivalry between the two main clubs, Wigan Casino and Blackpool Mecca. This rivalry was much over hyped by can be summed up in musical terms.  Wigan Casino had come directly from a 60s uptempo soul basis and stuck to this sound quite rigidly for a long
time.  Over the years, music that was not strictly soul but did have the right sound and tempo was accepted at Wigan and many such examples became classics of the scene.   Black Pool Mecca (or more accurate The Highland Rooms) considered itself a soul club before a Northern Soul club and stuck to the black soul sound of the 60s while Wigan allowed the sound to broaden. Eventually, the Mecca started to play recent or newly released uptempo soul records, sometimes unknowingly and later deliberately.  Over a couple of years the musical policy there shifted to the new sounds and then fragmented allowing pure disco and funk.  However, both clubs wide musical policy enhanced the scene.  Some of the records played at each have fallen out of favour these days and would not be played.  The Cleethorpes Pier allnighters and the Manchester Ritzy allnighters of the time also played modern releases of the day and Cleethorpes musical policy would include disco and funk records not heard elsewhere.  However do not think that any of the clubs were really purist about their sound.  Wigan did discover and play 70s records and the Mecca certainly had it's fair share of mindless stomp records.

Ultimately Northern Soul is as much about people and how they view the sound as it is about music.Defining it while interesting and helpful can never hope to encapsulate over thirty years of discussion about uptempo dance soul.

Crossover soul is the point where modern production techniques for the time and the influence of funk started to change the sound in some records about 1968. The tempo became slower to mid-tempo and the rhythm sections more complex with a mid tempo light funk backing, often with a shuffle feel to the beat. Crossover also saw the influence of two-step, soul with a
different emphasis on the beat. However Crossover is an artificial term and is often used without a common understanding. It can be applied to original Northern Soul plays from the 60's which crossover to the Modern soul scene or simply by some as reject Northern Soul warmed over once more.  So Crossover Soul includes records that are clearly good Northern Soul and records that are clearly bad modern soul.  It is hard to see how Crossover will establish itself long term as it is under constant pressure from Northern Soul and Modern Soul.

Modern Soul is uptempo soul music from the 1970s or later where the 60s Motown root of the sound has been lost and the dominant influence to the sound is disco.  The beat has become simpler, bass drum driven and driven by hi-hat patterns.  The sound is influenced by the Philly sound of the 70s and can include strings and synths.  Modern soul started to appear about 1973 and was clearly different in sound to the more raw 60s sound that been prevalent up to that point.  The Modern Soul scene has never ignited in the way that Northern Soul has.  In the south of the UK, a more funk based Stax derived soul sound was always dominant and it has always had a scene that ran alongside Northern Soul.  However, Modern Soul being in effect, late Northern Soul music was not part of this scene.  Modern Soul has run alongside Northern Soul, sometimes sharing venues and fans. The best Modern Soul, or the tracks that most sound like Northern Soul are often incorporated back into Northern Soul over time. Recently Modern Soul has started to evolve to take in late 80s and 90's records, often from the house or garage scenes.  In truth there is little difference except production techniques and the length of the tracks. At the moment, acceptable track lengths in Modern Soul are growing and often rare-remixes are sought out in the same way as other modern dance scenes.

Cheers  Mark