Hot on the heels of the 2014 release of the film Northern Soul and its soundtrack, Demon Music Group’s Harmless Records imprint is celebrating the R&B subgenre with what’s likely its most exhaustive chronicle ever: the 8-CD/2-DVD box set The Odyssey: A Northern Soul Time Capsule. This massive set, due on February 16, has been co-compiled by Harmless’ chief and 1970s Northern Soul DJ Ian Dewhirst, and features diverse tracks from artists including The Spinners, Chuck Jackson, Gladys Knight and the Pips, Frankie Valli and the Four Seasons, Bunny Sigler, Paul Anka, The Pointer Sisters, Timi Yuro, Joanie Sommers, The Drifters, and Daryl Hall (with The Temptones).
What is northern soul? The late journalist Dave Godin is credited with coining the phrase, which he used to describe music in the mid-1960s soul vein preferred by enthusiasts in the northern part of England. Godin told Mojo in 2002 that he had first devised the term in 1968, to help employees at his Soul City record shop differentiate the rapidly-proliferating funk style of RandB from the smoother, Motown-influenced soul of just a few years earlier. (In The Soul Stylists, renowned DJ Ady Croasdell described the prototypical Northern Soul song as The Four Tops’ “I Can’t Help Myself (Sugar Pie, Honey Bunch)” although the song was too mainstream to achieve much popularity in the Northern Soul scene.) The movement championed lesser-known tracks over big hits, and it soon spread, with clubs popping up throughout the north and midlands of England. More than 45 years after Godin first coined the term, the movement has experienced a spike in popularity thanks to the success of the Northern Soul film and soundtrack.
The contributors to The Odyssey include co-compiler Tim Brown of Anglo-American, Manifesto publisher Mike Ritson, and journalist-broadcaster Simon White, who oversaw the numerous interviews included on the set’s DVDs. Richard Searling interviews John Anderson, described as “the world's longest-standing and most enigmatic record dealer,” and also pays a visit to Philadelphia International Records co-founder Kenny Gamble, who is filmed perusing Searling’s record collection and discovering many of his own U.K. releases for the first time! (Gamble is heard on the set with his 1966 single “The Joke’s on You.”)
A 150-page book designed by Glen Gunton accompanies the set; the overall package has been designed by the single-named Jaffa. Per Harmless, “the music follows the evolvement of Northern Soul, from its early beginnings at Manchester's Twisted Wheel club in 1968, through to The Golden Torch, Blackpool Mecca, Wigan Casino and Cleethorpes Pier in the 1970s, Stafford Top Of The World and The 100 Club in the 1980s and the huge dearth of Soul weekenders and the 100 Club again from the 1990s to the present day.” This story is told via 222 tracks, all of which have been licensed from current rights holder and newly remastered.
The exhaustive The Odyssey: A Northern Soul Time Capsule arrives from Demon and Harmless on February 16 in the United Kingdom. You can peruse the track listing below, with its impressive array of artists both familiar and all but unknown, but for discographical annotation, you’ll have to turn to the box set itself! You can pre-order this exciting chronicle of a still-vibrant musical scene below.
Various Artists, The Odyssey: A Northern Soul Time Capsule (Harmless, 2015) (Amazon U.S. / Amazon U.K.)
CD 1
- Open The Door To Your Heart - Darrell Banks
- Walking Up A One Way Street - Willie Tee
- I Dig Your Act - The O'Jays
- I Feel So Bad - Jackie Edwards
- 60 Minutes Of Your Love - Homer Banks
- I Spy (for the FBI) - Jamo Thomas And His Party Brothers Orchestra
- Barefootin' - Robert Parker
- She Blew A Good Thing - The Poets
- First I Look At The Purse - The Contours
- I'm Gonna Run Away From You - Tami Lynn
- (At The) Discotheque - Chubby Checker
- I'll Always Love You - The Spinners
- Looking For You - Garnet Mimms
- The Boogaloo Party - The Flamingos
- I'm Gonna Miss You - The Artistics
- There's Nothing Else To Say - The Incredibles
- Baby Do The Philly Dog - The Olympics
- That Beatin' Rhythm - Richard Temple
- Love Love Love - Bobby Hebb
- You've Been Cheatin' - The Impressions
- Investigate - Major Lance
- Just Walk In My Shoes - Gladys Knight and The Pips
- Ain't No Soul (In These Old Shoes) - Major Lance
- A 'Lil Lovin' Sometimes - Alexander Patton
- The Right Track - Billy Butler
- Baby Reconsider - Leon Haywood
- Cigarette Ashes - Jimmy Conwell
- Wear It On Our Face - The Dells
- Seven Days Too Long - Chuck Wood
- These Chains Of Love (Are Breaking Me Down) - Chuck Jackson
- Long After Tonight Is All Over - Jimmy Radcliffe
CD 2
- Here I Go Again - Archie Bell and The Drells
- You're Gonna Make Me Love You - Sandi Sheldon
- The Same Old Thing - The Olympics
- Hit and Run - Rose Batiste
- Quick Change Artist - The Soul Twins
- You Just Don't Know - Chubby Checker
- You Get Your Kicks - Mitch Ryder and The Detroit Wheels
- Sliced Tomatoes - The Just Brothers
- Keep On Keeping On - N.F. Porter
- Exus Trek - The Luther Ingram Orchestra
- Psychedelic Soul Pt 1 - Saxie Russell
- 'Cause You're Mine - The Vibrations
- Honest To Goodness - Herb Ward
- My Dear Heart - Shawn Robinson
- Festival Time - The San Remo Golden Strings
- Groovin' At The Go - Go
- Cracking Up Over You - Roy Hamilton
- Love On A Mountain Top - Robert Knight
- I'm Satisfied With You - The Furys
- I Can't Get Away - Bobby Garrett
- Head and Shoulders (Above The Rest) - Patti Young
- Somebody (Somewhere) Needs You - Darrell Banks
- You Don't Want Me No More - Major Lance
- What Would I Do - The Tymes
- Shing - A
- This Beautiful Day - Levi Jackson
- Everything's Gonna Be Alright - P.P. Arnold
- Baby Boy - Fred Hughes
- Purple Haze - Johnny Jones and The King Casuals
- Thumb A Ride - Earl Wright and His Orchestra
CD 3
- If You Ask Me (Because I Love You) - Jerry Williams
- Skiing In The Snow - The Invitations
- The Girl Across The Street - Moses Smith
- Blowing My Mind To Pieces - Bob Relf
- Our Love Is In The Pocket - J.J. Barnes
- I Got To Find Me Somebody - The Vel
- I Hurt On The Other Side - Jerry Cook
- I'm Gonna Love You - Edward Hamilton
- Let Her Go - Otis Smith
- She's Puttin' You On - United Four
- Psychedelic Soul Pt 2 - Saxie Russell
- Breakaway Pt 2 - The Steve Karmen Big Band
- Get It Baby - Stanley Mitchell
- Please Operator - Tony and Tyrone
- I Really Love You - The Tomangoes
- Crazy Baby - The Coasters
- Stick By Me Baby - The Salvadors
- You Hit Me (Right Where It Hurt Me) - Alice Clark
- Baby Don't You Weep - Edward Hamilton and The Arabians
- I Can't Hold On - Lorraine Chandler
- Satisfied - Ben Aitken
- There's A Ghost In My House - R. Dean Taylor
- They'll Never Know Why - Freddie Chavez
- I Just Can't Live My Life (Without You Babe) - Linda Jones
- Can't Help Loving That Man Of Mine - Ila Vann
- Seven Day Lover - James Fountain
- She'll Come Running Back - Mel Britt
- It Really Hurts Me Girl - The Carstairs
- California Montage - Young Holt Unlimited
CD 4
- Breakaway Pt 1 - The Steve Karmen Big Band ft Jimmy Radcliffe
- You Don't Know Where Your Interest Lies - Dana Valery
- Night Owl - Bobby Paris
- Help Me - Al Wilson
- Afternoon Of The Rhino - The Mike Post Coalition
- Tainted Love - Gloria Jones
- I'll Always Need You - Dean Courtney
- Serving A Sentence Of Life - Carl Douglas
- Dance Dance Dance - The Casualeers
- The Night - Frankie Valli And The Four Seasons
- You've Got Your Mind On Other Things - Beverly Ann
- Interplay - Derek and Ray
- Born A Loser - Don Ray
- When We Get There - Paul Anka
- As Long As You Love Me (I'll Stay) - Ronnie and Robin
- Bari Track - Doni Burdick
- (It's Against) The Laws Of Love - The Volcanoes
- Heartaches Away My Boy - Christine Cooper
- Don't Take It Out On This World - Adam's Apples
- All Of My Life - Detroit Soul
- You Didn't Say A Word - Yvonne Baker
- Baby Hit And Run - The Contours
- Do I Love You (Indeed I Do) - Frank Wilson
- Double Cookin' - The Checkerboard Squares
- Country Girl - Vickie Baines
- Girl, Don't Make Me Wait - Bunny Sigler
- You Don't Love Me Anymore - Johnny Caswell
- I'm On My Way - Dean Parrish
CD 5
- Turning My Heartbeat Up - The MVP's
- You Don't Love Me - Epitome Of Sound
- Burning Sensation - Robby Lawson
- Baby Without You - Danny Monday
- I Was Born To Love You - Herbert Hunter
- I Lost A True Love - Danny Wagner and The Kindred Soul
- I Wanna Know - John E Paul
- Tear Stained Face - Don Varner
- She's Wanted (In Three States) - Larry Clinton
- Where I'm Not Wanted - Eddie Holman
- This Gets To Me - Pookie Hudson
- I Don't Like To Lose - The Group featuring Cecil Washington
- It's Better To Cry - The Appreciations
- Please Stay - The Ivorys
- Happiness Is Here - Tobi Lark
- Love Slipped Through My Fingers - Sam Williams
- Cool Off - Detroit Executives
- Love Factory - Eloise Laws
- Sad Girl - Carol Anderson
- Strange Change - Herb Ward
- I Am Nothing - Al Williams
- The Jokes On You - Kenny Gamble
- I Really Love You - Jimmy Burns
- That's No Way To Treat A Girl - Marie Knight
- A Changed Man - The Rotations
- This Won't Change - Lester Tipton
- Gone With The Wind Is My Love - Rita and The Tiaras
CD 6
- Elijah Rockin' With Soul - Hank Jacobs
- I Can't Change - Lorraine Chandler
- They're Talking About Me - Johnny Bragg
- My Heart Cries For You - Porgy and The Monarchs
- You're Never Too Young (To Fall In Love) - The Modern Redcaps
- Send Him Back - The Pointer Sisters
- Do The Pearl Girl Pt 2 - The Matta Baby
- All The Way Home - Dee Edwards
- Look At Me Now - Terry Callier
- So Is The Sun - World Column
- The Gig - Raw Soul
- Wrong Crowd - Prince George
- Hung Up On Your Love - The Montclairs
- Ton Of Dynamite - Frankie 'Loveman' Crocker
- Lady Lady Lady (Are You Crazy For Me) - Boogie Man Orchestra
- I Don't Know What Foot To Dance On - Kim Tolliver
- I Wanna Be (Your Everything) - The Pretenders
- Cuz It's You Girl - James Walsh Gypsy Band
- You Sexy Sugar Plum (But I Like It) - Rodger Collins
- Cut Your Motor Off - Black Nasty feat Herbie Thompson
- I Got The Vibes - Joshie Jo Armstead
- Have Love Will Travel - Rosey Jones
- Do What You Feel Pt 1 - The Rimshots
- Wash And Wear Love - Lynn Varnado
- Elusive - Babe Ruth
- Are You Ready For This - The Brothers
- I've Got The Need - The Moments
CD 7
- Please Don't Go - Willie Tee
- Since I Found My Baby - The Metros
- I Need My Baby - Jackey Beavers
- I Still Love You - The Seven Souls
- Suspicion - The Originals
- Let's Talk It Over - Spencer Wiggins
- I'll Never Stop Loving You - Carla Thomas
- Talkin' Woman - Lowell Fulson
- You Just Cheat And Lie - Z Z Hill
- Oh How I Love You - Little Johnny Hamilton
- Too Much For You - Bobby Angelle
- Naughty Boy - Jackie Day
- Losing Control - Mary Saxton
- You Really Made It Good To Me - Ty Karim
- Girl I Love You - The Temptones
- Wrapped Tied and Tangled - Lavern Baker
- Try Me For Your New Love - Junior McCants
- The Magic Touch - Melba Moore
- Dearly Beloved - Jack Montgomery
- Packing Up - Damon Fox
- Because Of My Heart - Frankie Beverly
- You Shook Me Up - Roy Hamilton
- My Love Gets Stronger - Tommy Ridgley
- I'm Steppin' Out Of The Picture - Johnny Maestro and The Crests
- Rat Race - Gino Washington
- I Don't Do This (To Every Girl I Meet) - Sidney Joe Qualls
- I'm Having So Much Fun - Willie Tee
- Deep Dark Secret - Dee Dee Sharp
- What Should I Do - Little Ann
- Such Misery - The Precisions
CD 8
- If I Could Only Be Sure - Nolan Porter
- Home Is Where The Heart Is - Bobby Womack
- Something New To Do - Bobby Sheen
- Too Late - Mandrill
- The Game Is Over (What's The Matter With You) - Brown Sugar
- Because Of You - Jackie Wilson
- Pour Your Little Heart Out - The Drifters
- Think It Over (And Be Sure) - Liz Verdi
- What's That On Your Finger - Kenny Carter
- Baby - A
- I Can't Break The News To Myself - Ben E King
- The Stars - Barbara Lewis
- Something's Wrong - Chris Clark
- Don't Pity Me - Joanie Sommers
- Here Are The Pieces Of My Broken Heart - Gladys Knight and The Pips
- In Love - Tony Galla
- Tune Up - Junior Walker and The All Stars
- Beggin' - Timebox
- Stolen Hours - Patrice Holloway
- Call On Me - The Dynells
- How - The Masqueraders
- Talkin' 'Bout My Baby - Dottie and Millie
- (Just A Little) Faith And Understanding - The Magicians
- Dynamite Exploded - Honey and The Bees
- I'm Slowly Moulding - Cody Black
- What's With This Loneliness - Chuck Jackson
- If This Is Love (I'd Rather Be Lonely) - The Precisions
- It'll Never Be Over For Me - Timi Yuro
Zubb says
What an amazing collection. Some real gems here including Dana Valery's stellar version of Paul Simon's "You Don't Know Where Your Interest Lies"
Rob Lett says
Wow, I'm in for this.
Mark says
A pedant writes...
Just a small point.
Since when have we reverted to calling The Detroit Spinners The Spinners?
They had to add the Detroit bit as there was a successful folk group called The Spinners in the UK.
Surely, for a UK label they should be shown as The (Detroit) Spinners at the very least? That's what their records said on the label.
The other way round The Beat are still called The English Beat in the US.