Part of Issue 1.5

When I started trying to interview those who were putting on regular soul nights I decided to limit it to North America, as this is the scene most familiar to me. It’s also much less documented than the ‘Northern Soul’ nights and events in the UK. It never occurred to me that there would be at least some crossover between the US and UK scenes.

Several months ago, I spotted that a new soul club had sprouted up in Chicago, happening every month or so at AJ Hudson’s on the North Side. After inquiring about an interview it became apparent that The British Northern Soul Club (Chicago) has a deep history in soul music and specifically the historical UK Northern Soul scene.

Made up of Gethro Jones and Janet O’Hare, the duo both were involved in the Northern Soul scene in the UK during the 1970s. They’ve brought that experience and understanding of the music and culture with them in BNSCC. I was able to interview Getho earlier this year.

Who is involved with putting on BNSCC and how long has it been going?

BNSCC came about by necessity. We attended Windy City Soul Club for about 7 years. Always danced on the stage at Empty Bottle, but it was a dance party that played some Northern we had some brilliant nights. Then WCSC moved to Sleeping Village, it was sometimes on or not, we had nowhere else to go. We left Chicago for a while. After chatting one day my girl Janet O’Hare and me decided to run our own club to play just Northern Soul. I have been on the Northern scene over 50 years, Jan same. We asked locals to help us find a venue but they couldn’t find anything. After 6 months, we were about to give up. Then Jan had a brain wave “I will message Jamie”. “Who’s Jamie”? ”Jamie Hale, friend of our family in Liverpool through my brother Michael, worth a shot. Jamie told us to come over to his pub at AJ Hudson’s. After a brief chat with Jamie and Michael Boyd they gave us the room at AJ Hudson’s and 100% support to run a Soul night once a month. We couldn’t believe it! At last we get to play our tunes. The British Northern Soul Club – Chicago was born with its roots from clubs we attended in the UK: The Catacombs, Wigan Casino, The Mecca and many more. We were privileged to have danced in these clubs from ‘72 onwards, now we play their tunes. The Clubs first night was on July 2, 2022

Have you been involved with the ‘soul club’ or ‘northern soul’ scene prior to BNSCC? If so, in what ways?

I am smiling at that one. My roots go way back to 1972 to my home town in the Midlands UK of Wolverhampton. A town with its heart embedded in Northern Soul. The local discos in the town center played mostly chart records which dominated the nights but some began to play odd records like ‘Stop Her On Sight” by Edwin Starr and “There Was A Time” by Gene Chandler- it’s hard to explain without going too deep. The mods had all but gone in ‘72. The new norm was skins. The fashion of that time at the discos everyone wore Ben Sherman button down shirts, boots, braces (you call them suspenders), Levis and crombies. Different youth skinhead crews ran the town, the nights always ending in big fights and turf wars all around me. That was my background, I hated it! I wanted out. 

A local disco in the town center, The Octopus, opened on  Saturday afternoons in ‘72 and started to play some different records, ones I had never heard. “Whole Lot of Shakin In My Heart” by Smokey and the Miracles and “Shing-a-ling” by the Cooperettes.I fell in love with this music but I couldn’t dance. But all that would change in time as soul music became my drive and passion. From going to the Octopus I met others who loved this music. I made new friends, moved away from the violence of the streets and joined an underground scene no one knew about.

Wolverhampton had a club called the Catacombs that had been open since 1967 playing Northern Soul. We teamed up we had to go We  found the club in Temple Street we had our own crew our little gang of five  little did we know our lives were about to change forever pushing the doors open we ascended a staircase music getting louder records we had never heard .Paying at a kiosk a bouncer open the door we  entered in to  total darkness a dark cave packed with people hardly room to move music louder drawing us in to the club .To our right two tunnels black tables and benches all that could fit exposed painted brickwork  a single  overhanging bulb   we edged  forward people introduced themselves we  shook hands  a politeness a respect we had never seen .Finally we reached the edge of the dance floor we couldn’t believe our eyes .Fluorescent light igniting dancers the music pounding Sweet Sweet Lovin the Platters  fast footwork drop backs spinners turning like ice skaters soaking bodies shimmering in light the floor packed to the rafters everywhere you looked movement at the sides of the floor. I wanted to dance for now i would watch and learn i wanted to be like them. Love respect no attitudes here  everyone came to dance  . Little did i know my journey hadn’t even started the Catacombs became our  home we fell in love with this underground scene this is how i found Northern Soul .

Janet, my partner was from Liverpool and had a similar experience in the youth clubs of the early 70’s, she moved onto Wigan Casino, Blackpool Mecca, The Ritz Manchester, St. Ives Cambridge and many more venues travelling miles to attend NS clubs.

 Are there any specific records where you can’t wait to unleash them on the crowd?

Over here we have a blank canvas no one has heard our music in UK its different they know all the Northern  tunes so we can play whatever we want from our backgrounds of  Casino VaVa Cats Mecca Ritz St Ives .We  remember what was played so we have a constant flow of tunes we can go to but to know them you had to be there .Having that history is a  massive advantage as a DJ also  mates from UK  send us tunes and we find tunes over here but we only buy what we will dance to and Northern has  very specific beats and tempos  .   

Have you had a chance to meet any of the artists whose records you spin? If so, what do they think about their music being played in clubs so many years later?

Yes locally in Chicago and on our travels to  Detroit we met a lot of  big names even becoming close  friends with a few .Many of them are aware now of the Northern Soul scene and actually do  live sets at venues throughout  in the UK .The artists are  always welcomed by the northern crowds there is a bond of love and respect a history for  the music they created . 

So much obscure or forgotten soul has been reissued by labels such as Numero, Kent, Soul Jazz, etc in the past two decades. Do you feel like you’ve dug into everything that’s out there or are you still stumbling upon and discovering soul you were unfamiliar with?

There is so much stuff undiscovered and Northern is ever changing as the crowds have grown older the pace of the floor has changed so records that were cast aside as to slow are now big name  tunes . 

Have you had any part in contributing to any resissues or compilations over the years?

Funny you should say that yes  I went to London in 1975 with a group of dancers from Wigan Casino appearing on a show called Top Of The Pops run by the BBC there audience at that time was 50 million for that program. We ended up on a compilation album the record go to number 4 in the charts it was from the dance floor of the casino no one could dance to it the way we could we were different .  

Have you noticed any changes in the crowd that attends since BNSCC began?

No not really on our first night we had  a mods crowd in they disappeared over time  a few inquisitive people from the bar pop in they loved the music but couldn’t dance to it .On  our last night on the 7th Jan we had a crowd who wanted a mixture of music so we played what they want not what we wanted .We have just started a mixture of  commercial soul retro with Northern soul we spin from 9pm  – 3am  in the morning doing  a 5 hour set between us  . Locals from Chicago  as well as  friends from Atlanta Florida and UK come to spin from time to time we spread our music .Twice we have had a friend fly from florida just to be with us and share the night of Northern Soul now that’s a soul girl with dedication respect Victoria .

Are you, or have you been, involved in anything else music-wise, besides BNSCC?

Loads of things I ran greyhound busses to all the big all nighters clubs that opened at midnight till eight the next day  in the 70s from my hometown . Also i gained a reputation as a dancer earned on the floors of different clubs given to me by other dancers and was in the first Anniversary dance final at wigan casino in 74 in front of 2300 people in the club .A night that went down in history on the northern scene my name travelled spoken by others not me .I wrote a book about my journey and life in the 70s some of the above is reflected in that book it’s called ” They Danced All Night ” by Gethro Jones it’s on Amazon read the reviews you may like it     

What are your goals for BNSCC in the future?

We carry on until we unlock this floor  keep going play what you believe in find the tunes and fill our little club with dancers put Chicago on the map as a Northern Soul venue .As my deceased wife told me ”Follow your music ”  that’s exactly what we do at our little club .I would politely ask you if you read the book not to publish any excerpts from it as the book is very sensitive in material to my current environment .

Respect and thanks for your time 

You can keep up with BNSCC through the following:
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Gethro has also written a book titled They Danced All Night