My GS

While clearing out a load of old books yesterday I found the above picture of my Vespa Grand Sportique I had when I was 17. Not the best of pictures but I don't tend to keep photos so it's probably the only one I still have.

When I got this scooter it came with front crash barriers with 12 mirrors attached and a whip ariel, which were quickly binned. I loved the chrome panels and the King and Queen seat on that scooter and it used to make this lovely distinctive ring ding ding noise when you revved up the throttle.

The Who - I've Had Enough

It's Friday . . . Let's Dance

I take you back to my formative years, when ox blood Docs, Levi 501's and flat tops were the order of the day and you just couldn't get rid of the smell of 2-stroke oil.

I've posted before of the joys of the testosterone and brown ale fuelled events known as Scooter dances and how they always ended up one of 2 ways for our club, either embroiled in a battle or heading home in the mini bus sans at least one or two of our mob. Once we forgot one mate who phoned us up later saying that he was penniless and couldn't get home. He was told not to worry, get a taxi and one of us would pay for it once he got to the friend's house where we were crashing that night. We proceeded to empty the coppers jar and count out the 10 quid or so, left it on the coffee table for him and all went to bed pissing ourselves laughing. The next morning we were confronted by the moodiest bastard in the world but still couldn't stop laughing.

Back to the scooter nights and the strict music policy, it had to be punk, psychobilly and soul no deviation, no Smiths here or any other what was termed student music apart from probably the Wedding Present who were deemed thrashy enough.

Spear of Destiny's Liberator was a definite floor filler and also a stick on for the odd bloody nose or black eye from an over enthusiastic slammer. If slamming is dancing then this must be the slam dancer's anthem. Being a bit of a pussy I stayed well clear of the dancefloor during this track but loved it none the less.

Spear Of Destiny - Liberator (extended mix)

Funnily it seems a bit tame now!

It's Friday . . . Let's Dance

We are back in northern soul territory this week.

First up we have Millie Jackson with a track which was actually a hit in the US in 1972 it is also # 100 in the Northern Soul Top 500, blowing another myth that all northern soul classics are rare.

Millie Jackson - My Man Is A Sweet Man.

Secondly we have Sissie Houston, yip Whitney's mom with an absolute belter of a track.

Sissie Houston - Bring Him Back

and finally Melba Moore, with a track from 1967 which lay unreleased until it was discovered on a master and became an anthem in the '80s. I remember hearing it a lot at dances and runs during 87/88.

Melba Moore - The Magic Touch

It's Friday . . . Let's Dance

As I mentioned before during the late 80's I had a few scooters and was part of a scooter club. At that time there were 5 or six clubs within a twenty mile radius of where we lived with numbers ranging from 7 to 8 (our club) to some with more than 20 members.

Every so often clubs would organise dances if they could find a venue willing to host one of these nights. Not as easy as you would think , as these functions fuelled by testosterone and beer frequently ended up in violence between rival clubs, NF skins or more often than not locals looking for a rammy to end the night and scooterists being what they were, only too happy to oblige.

I was in Aberdeen at the time when a friend called and asked if I fancied coming down for the weekend as our club was organising a dance, oh and could I bring some records as I would be djing.

I had been to a few scooterist nights and knew enough of their tastes to know that I had the soul, punk and 80's indie records covered but would have to borrow some psychobilly to keep the nutters happy.

The night was going well I had dropped the relevant northern stompers, punk classics and a couple of Meteors and Cramps tunes. I decided it was time to delve into the box of the latest things I had been buying, which I had been played at the Pelican Club in Aberdeen and educate the scooterists. Bad move. Within a minute of the song that I am posting today starting I had cleared the dance floor and was being pinned against the wall by a particularly upset Globetrotter (an infamous scooter club from Glasgow who prided themselves on their thuggish reputation) who told me in no uncertain terms what would happen to me if I didn't get "that gay pish" off.

Needless to say no more House music was played that night or at any other scooter nights I attended until about 18 months later when the Madchester hype began and the nights were full of baggy anthems and selected House tracks.

Marshall Jefferson - Move Your Body (House Music Anthem)