Random: 1981 and all that.......

A  friend and in some ways leading light of the UK Modern Soul Scene Roger Williams is going through some changes. For quite some time (years in fact) he has been a champion of New Music. He has gathered quite a following through his "Soulsorts" brand. If I was asked to describe his take on new soul I'd describe it as "melodic", he likes a  proper tune does our Roger, and he has always cast his net wide. He's broken more tracks than a Chinese Railway worker, and if truth be told upset a few people along the way, perhaps because his confidence in his own taste has been seen by some as arrogance. I've never prescribed to this view, Roger takes it all to heart, he means it. He introduced me to some awesome music over the years more than I could ever begin to thank him for. I respect him. Of course on the other hand he represents a jumping off point for me personally, back in the day on EMS I'd seek both his approval and disapproval for what I posted. He was the litmus test of just how far I could push the envelope within the confines of the Modern Soul scene. If he approved of something then a few would follow and whenever I became the selfish indulgent "look at me, I know best" beast he left me hanging out to dry. Of course now I no longer care if I represent something. The Modern Soul scene isn't something I work within or am about. I always thought that scene became crowded when Starpoint Radio began to trawl through it and I reacted accordingly by becoming more extreme. Much of what I post on this blog remains outside of it. The vast majority of my posts here (=where I take them from) would not make Starpoint let alone a modern Soul Event. Still hey that's me. I take comfort in groups like Boiler,in the electronic, in Hip Hop, in beat making.


Despite the ever increasing homogenisation of the Modern Soul Scene, RW kept true to his idea of what represented Modern Soul. His monthly Soul Sorts podcasts gained a world wide audience and he never let his angle change. Unlike myself he never seemed bitter about those in his wake who stole his thunder, it was simply all about the music.
Roger Williams recently though has taken another track. He has been re visiting the music that got him into it in the first place. What makes this change special is that he manages to bring along his new soul sensibility to the old. In doing this he is about to create a whole new market. 


I wish him well. Soulsorts will continue as a brand with new music again. I'm sure of this because he often defined the genre which these days is so vague that it needs his sort of leadership.


But for now enjoy his oldie selections here:
http://soulsorts.podomatic.com/

In order to end this post I've just done a search of my drives using the term 1981, here is what I came up with.... (one of 578 tracks)

578 and I chose that one eh readers - I'm not much good at this lark really

: )