Northern Soul: Living for the Weekend
Film about the northern soul phenomenon, one of the most exciting underground British club movements of the 70s, a dynamic culture of fashions, dance moves and vinyl obsession.
The northern soul phenomenon was the most exciting underground British club movement of the 70s. At its high point, thousands of disenchanted white working class youths across the north of England danced to obscure, mid-60s Motown-inspired sounds until the sun rose. A dynamic culture of fashions, dance moves, vinyl obsession and much more grew up around this - all fuelled by the love of rare black American soul music with an express-train beat.
Through vivid first-hand accounts and rare archive footage, this film charts northern soul's dramatic rise, fall and rebirth. It reveals the scene's roots in the mod culture of the 60s and how key clubs like Manchester's Twisted Wheel and Sheffield's Mojo helped create the prototype that would blossom in the next decade.
By the early 70s a new generation of youngsters in the north were transforming the old ballrooms and dancehalls of their parents' generation into citadels of the northern soul experience, creating a genuine alternative to mainstream British pop culture. This was decades before the internet, when people had to travel great distances to enjoy the music they felt so passionate about.
Set against a rich cultural and social backdrop, the film shows how the euphoria and release that northern soul gave these clubbers provided an escape from the bleak reality of their daily lives during the turbulent 70s. After thriving in almost total isolation from the rest of the UK, northern soul was commercialised and broke nationwide in the second half of the 70s. But just as this happened, the once-healthy rivalry between the clubs in the north fell apart amidst bitter in-fighting over the direction the scene should go.
Today, northern soul is more popular than ever, but it was back in the 70s that one of the most fascinating and unique British club cultures rose to glory. Contributors include key northern soul DJs like Richard Searling, Ian Levine, Colin Curtis and Kev Roberts alongside Lisa Stansfield, Norman Jay, Pete Waterman, Marc Almond, Peter Stringfellow and others.
Last on
Clip
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Miami Haul
Duration: 01:40
Music Played
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Luther Ingram & His Orchestra
Exus Trek
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Dinnington Colliery Band
Abide With Me
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Booker T. & The M.G.'s
Green Onions
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Martha Reeves and the Vandellas
(Love is like a) Heat Wave
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The Marvelettes
I'll Keep Holding On
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Major Lance
It's the Beat
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Pink Floyd
Interstellar Overdrive
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Scott McKenzie
San Francisco (Be Sure to Wear Flowers in Your Hair)
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The Contours
Just a Little Misunderstanding
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James Brown
Say It Loud (I'm Black and I'm Proud)
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The Jades
I'm Where It's At
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Leon Haywood
Baby Reconsider
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Bob Brady
More, More, More of Your Love
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Jackie Wilson
The Who Who Song
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Ray Pollard
The Drifter
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The Flirtations
Nothing But A Heartache
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Jimmy 鈥淪oul鈥 Clarke
(Come on and Be My) Sweet Darling
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Nolan Chance
Just Like the Weather
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The Sherrys
Put Your Arms Around Me
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Lee David
Temptation is Calling My Name
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Morris Chestnut
Too Darn Soulful
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The Precisions
If This is Love
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The Dust Brothers
Sliced Tomatoes
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Al Green
Simply Beautiful
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Ramsey Lewis
Wade in the Water
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The Valentinos
Sweeter than the Day Before
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Gloria Jones
Tainted Love
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The Vel-Vets
I Got to Find Me Somebody
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Frank Wilson
Do I Love You (Indeed I Do)
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Frank Wilson
Do I Love You (Indeed I Do)
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The M.V.P.鈥檚
Turning My Heartbeat Up
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The Exciters
Blowin'Up My Mind
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The Whatnauts
Blues Fly Away
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Cerrone
Give Me Love
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Tony Blackburn
I'll Do Anything
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Harold Melvin & The Blue Notes
The Love I Lost
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The Greg Foat Group
Blues for Lila
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A Guy Called Gerald
Voodoo Ray
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Lou Pride
I'm Coming 成人快手 in the Morning
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Darrell Banks
Open the Door to Your Heart
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The Tams
Be Young, Be Foolish, Be Happy
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Pharrell Williams
Happy
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Pharrell Williams
Happy (From "Despicable Me 2")
Credit
Role | Contributor |
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Writer | James Maycock |
Broadcasts
- Fri 25 Jul 2014 21:30
- Sat 26 Jul 2014 00:30
- Mon 28 Jul 2014 00:00
- Sat 18 Oct 2014 22:55
- Christmas Eve 2014 00:25
- Fri 27 Mar 2015 21:00
- Sat 28 Mar 2015 01:00
- Mon 30 Mar 2015 03:00
- Wed 3 Jun 2015 02:00
- Sun 20 Sep 2015 00:30
- Sat 13 Feb 2016 23:40
- Thu 18 Feb 2016 23:55
- Sun 27 Nov 2016 00:30
- Sun 25 Jun 2017 00:15
- Sat 13 Jan 2018 01:15
- Sat 28 Jul 2018 01:15
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