10 of my favourite FUNK tracks........the Soundtrack to my life

Good afternoon disciples....it's that time again.....time for The Soul Guru to share his experience,strength and knowledge of his favourite subject......FUNK !
So what is Funk ?
Funk is a feel....a vibe...a lifestyle...a reason to believe....but mostly it's a GROOVE that makes us MOVE ! !
FUNK ....James Brown,The JB's, Kool & The Gang ......the best party music ever...but much more importantly an evocation of the 70's.....a decade when Black Music came to symbolise and represent the rise of Black People in the US of A where racism was still rife and segregation still in effect South of the Macon - Dixie line
Funk and Soul were the music of social protest ....from James Brown's  " King Heroin " to Gil Scott-Heron's " The Bottle " ......then rappers came along and took over.....
Funk has soundtracked my life..I couldn't comprehend a life without it...I've listened to FUNK,danced to FUNK,laughed to FUNK and made love to FUNK.....FUNK is part of my SOUL...and my SOUL is ME

So here,in no particular order , are 10 of my favourite FUNK tunes.....

James Brown....Sex Machine...THE definitive FUNK track...no question
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ajzpd-ONOdo

Kool & The Gang........" Funky Stuff "...the title says it all
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=umVRh0Rpi14

James Brown... Payback.....what can I say that James can't say better ?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=istJXUJ

Lyn Collins...Rock Me Again and Again and Again and Again....one of the greatest records ever made
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wB5KgOXHcxc

Maceo Parker ...Soul Power '74....the best sax solo you will ever hear....
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1V1Pg8JfZs8

BT Express....Do It Til You're Satisfied........GENIUS......
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_FViY4--5nY

The JBs.....Giving Up food For Funk......the title says it all....
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jW7Qz59PX8w

Fred Wesley ....House Party.....Tuuuuuuuuuuuuuune
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xZlYzMehohQ

Lyn Collins...Think....this is FUNK ! ! !
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tTdOcumz0wY

Tom Browne.....Funkin For Jamaica
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uuUy2ShGLyo


These are just some my favourites but there are so many more......
Thank God for FUNK...

The Soul Guru Loves YOU
X

Music,the Music Business and the Business of Music..........Part 1

Greetings disciples........
I've been spending a lot of time thinking about Music ...as usual....the Music Business ...and the Business of Music...and how they work...or don't...today....
First of all let's make it clear...it's the MUSIC Business....with no MUSIC there is no BUSINESS...but sadly I think that in the last decade something has got lost in translation and for many people it's become the Music BUSINESS....and that's why things are so fucked-up .
 I worked for major labels for over 20 years and LOVED every minute....I left when my boss and mentor Richard Griffiths got fired from BMG as I was burnt-out and very unhappy....I started a small label that went broke because of my arrogance and stupidity......it's easy to go on about all my success but I've made a Helluva  of mistakes too !
 So....as George Best was famously asked as he lay in bed with Miss World " Where did it all go wrong ? "
I cannot think of another business that has destroyed itself as spectacularly as the business I love...the MUSIC Business.....how can it be that ,to the majority of people , music has no value ? A quantity to be downloaded for free.....artists being forced to " give " their music away to try to make a living...how does that work ? ? ?
I would like to walk into Prada and take 3 suits,3 shirts and some ties for nothing...but sadly I have to pay for them......yet U2 " give " their album away to half a billion people for free...regardless of whether they want it or not...what message does that send out to the public ? I fucking hate Bono and U2 so much....and I hate them even more now for the damage they have done to new artists ..if one of the biggest bands on the planet " give " their music away how can any young band hope to get people to buy their music ?
The more I think the angrier I get...I LOVE music....TREASURE it....I buy loads every week....it's part of my LIFE...I could not live without it....yet it has no value ? ? ?
This is going to be a long series...a polemic about how the Music BUSINESS is killing the MUSIC Business.....
The patient is in a critical condition in intensive care............but The Soul Guru can make it get up off its bed and walk......trust me....I'm a GURU after all ;-)
If you can't fight .....wear a big hat
The Soul Guru LOVES you
XX

Rag N Bone Man

Greetings friends......it's unusual for me to post on a Saturday as I'm usually on my prayer mat facing Southampton and praying for a good result......

HOWEVER...thanks to my great friend,and lifelong Tiger ( sorry about last week ) Julian Palmer I have been listening to Rag N Bone Man's album " Wolves " ( available as a free download on his site ) all week

It's brilliant,astonishing, Soulful...I've run out of superlatives.....LISTEN LISTEN LISTEN LISTEN...it will make your life better ...BELIEVE me

The Soul Guru loves YOU 

On the 6th Day God created Marvin Gaye

On the 7th God rested...and listened to " What's Going On "....and it was good
God blessed us with Marvin Gaye.....my hero...my idol...my inspiration.....

This is what The Soul Guru is listening to...Outstanding New Music That You Should Hear......

Hi Friends ...so after my EXCEPTIONAL recent posts about A&R it's time to get back to what I love the best...introducing you to GREAT new music that I think is worthy of your time
As regular readers will know my ares of expertise are : Soul,Hip-Hop,Electronic,Reggae,Dance Music
I have no knowledge ,interest or understanding of : Rubbish Urban music,EDM, Heavy Metal or Country & Western

That's not a judgment on these particular genres......I'm just not interested...so don''t write in to complain that I haven't included Dolly Parton or Skrillex ;-)

OK ,with no more ado......

The Soul Guru loves a CLARK for obvious reasons ........ so at the top of my list is :
 1) CLARK by CLARK just out on Warp Records..top quality electronic music with Soul , passion and beauty.....HIGHLY recommended !

2) Rag N Bone Man " Wolves " album...available as a free download ...signed to Columbia by Julian Palmer ( a GREAT A&R ) Rag N Bone man comes from the Brighton Hip-Hop scene...he's appearing at Komedia on November 26th...NOT to be missed
This guy is amazing,incredible,brilliant...one of the best new artists I've heard this year

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kI1-E6Bm-70........here's the video to Lay My Body Down....

3) Bloom Twins.....I was introduced to these Ukrainian twin's music following my lecture on A&R and Artist Development at westminster University as one of the students discovered them and is developing them
Their other-worldly music reminds mo Bjork.....I'm a MASSIVE fan

Here's the video to their last track " Blue "...nothing released yet but 2015 will be a BIG year for them

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EHJwGWv3C8k

4) Louise Connell....nothing released...she's demoing with Stuart McLeod but all I can say is...if you like Joni Mitchell you're gonna love this artist

5 ) Mezzowave " Who Are You " ...a fantastic album featuring Angie Brown,Alison David ( from Red Snapper ) and a host of others this album is OUTSTANDING and I urge you to listen to it ASAP

6) Raury...17 years old from Atlanta Georgia..signed to Columbia USA.....this guy is,quite simply,FUCKING AWESOME......17 ? ? ? How does he get to be so good .......

Here's the video to his first single " God's Whisper "...I am truly not worthy...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bPt0LkdM8Bc

7 ) COMPILATION of the YEAR so far ....Hyperdub 10.4

Hyperdub is one of the GREAT labels and this compilation released to celebrate 10 years of innovative,original music includes all the usual suspects :
Burial
Kode 9
Martyn
Ikonika
Kode 9 & Spaceape

Just buy it.....

FINALLY.....one from the Vaults

Smith & Mighty " Walk On By "

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Mt_G7PO093Y


The Soul Guru Loves ......YOU
X

10 things to ask any artist you are interested in signing…….BEFORE you sign them...

The Soul Guru is back……I'm a GREAT A&R…I've signed the bands and sold the albums to prove it……so how come I'm so good ?
Here are 10 questions that I asked all artists before signing them :

1) Tell me about your self…you hopes,dreams and aspirations
2) Who are you artistically …what are the things that inspire you ?
3) Can you take constructive criticism ?
4) Do you trust me to do my best for you ?
5 ) Will you be prepared to make concessions and compromises ? If so I don't want to work with you ..NO CONCESSIONS NO COMPROMISES….
6) Which football team do you support ? If the answer was " Portsmouth " then we had a major problem…thankfully it never was !
7) What's your favourite album ?
8 ) What's your favourite movie ?
9 ) What do you want to sign to me ?
10 Where are we having dinner ?

Before signing an artist it's vital to get to know them…and their manager ……are they potential nightmares ? ? ? Will the lead singer being calling at 3 am when he has a minor problem that he thinks is " urgent " ?
Can I work with them and will it be enjoyable ?
Are they just interested in being famous or do they want to make GREAT music ?

There are more questions than answers……that's a great song !

The Soul Guru loves YOU

X

What is " good taste " ?

On Thursday I had the honour and privilege to lecture on"  A&R and Artist Development " to students at University of Westminster studying for MA in Music Business .
 I really enjoyed the evening....especially the questions after my talk.
 Towards the end of the discussion I put my last post " 10 things you need to be a great A&R " on screen and went through all the points
Point 1 is...." Great Taste "......and a student asked me to define " great taste "...a great question which I have pondered ever since
After due consideration I have decided that :

Great Taste is impossible to define.....I love Curtis Mayfield and loathe Status Quo....you may love Status Quo and loathe Curtis Mayfield.....neither of us is right nor wrong....our taste in music is entirely subjective

HOWEVER...there's always a however with the Soul Guru ...I believe that great taste is linked to :

LOVE of music...I fell in LOVE with SOUL music aged 11 when I bought " Just My Imagination " by The Temptations
STUDY of music ...once I fell in love with SOUL it became an obsession....I grew to know great music from mediocre
COMMITMENT to music....it became my obsession,my life ,my LOVE
SELF-BELIEF........for example on Thursday after a discussion about whether a Soul artist could ever be the biggest artist in the world a student said he thought Emeli Sande could be... I disagreed as I think she's bland and MOR..I prefer Laura Mvulu...it was a great conversation...I took his opinion on board ...

I've been called arrogant,opinionated and much worse......I've never cared what anyone thought about me....talk is cheap and actions speak louder than words.....my love of, and commitment to ,British Black Music,Dance Music  and Electronic Music can never be doubted...I talked the talk and walked the walk............I always will....I AM The Soul Guru...

10 most important things you need to be a GREAT A&R

So what do you need to be a GREAT A&R like me ?
1) GREAT taste...obvious but lacking nowadays at most labels
2) Commitment to your artists before the label...once trust between A&R and artist is broken it's all over....for both parties
3) Understanding of your artists....every artist I've ever worked with is insecure...some pretend they're not but believe me they are...their worst nightmare is failing
4) Passion....but not BLIND passion
5 ) A genuine love of.....MUSIC
6) An understanding of the audience
7 ) Realistic expectations
8 ) An ability to stay up late
9 ) A sense of humour
10 ) The  SECRET of A&R....if you want to know it then come to my A&R Lecture at University of Westminster tomorrow......

You can't succeed without knowing it.....

The Soul Guru

Major label " A&R " today…where are we ?

The Soul Guru is back in Brighton where it all started for me 40 years ago….so where are we now compared to then I ask myself ?
Back in the 70's being a SOUL boy or girl was like being part of a secret society…..amazing record shops selling records that only we knew about…Robbie Vincent and Greg edwards on the radio on a Saturday…The Goldmine,Crackers,The Papillon,The Hilltop……
Last Saturday I drove back to London from Brighton and listened to Radio 1's Chart run-down for the first time in years….I was appalled ….what the FUCK has happened ? ?
I'm aware that I'm 58 so not the target audience of this shit…and that to many label people I'm an anachronism…past-it….no longer relevant…..I still have great ears and good taste -the new Flying Lotus,2 Bears and New Build albums are excellent…..
 Major label A&R is a fucking joke…these idiots don't return calls or answer emails ..they're too busy asking Pharrell to appear on their latest lame track…or asking the same bunch of Producer or Writers to create a track that sounds like everything else out there…no wonder no one cares about these talentless vacuous shameless fools masquerading as " artists " …don't make me fucking laugh….

Ed Sheeran is a fucking Tory…appearing at private parties paid millions …what a wanker…none of the artists I signed would cross the road to piss on a Tory if they were on fire…neither would I
Every " Dance act "  is upper-middle-class posh boys…Hi Disclosure etc…I've heard all of them interviewed by Rob da Bank….they're the only people who can afford Apple products
The female " artists" are all identical….talentless…brainless…hoping to be the next Cheryl Cole…what an ambition…

I signed :

Loose Ends
Maxi Priest
Soul II Soul
Inner City
Working Week
Mantronix
I-Level
LeftField
Grooverider
DJ Rap
Pressure Drop

I KNOW and LOVE great British Black Music and great British Electronic Music

I pity the sad A&R beagles of today…locked in their offices,headphones on,desperately hoping to sign another talentless fuckwit to keep them in a job for another year…i NEVER wore headphones…I played music LOUD LOUD LOUD all day …it's a record label for fuck's sake ! ! !

Best Wishes to all A&Rs out there…may you sign artists with your heart…not your calculator

The Soul Guru

X

What Makes A great A&R ?….Part 6…...

Ok guys so now it's time for me to come clean….I know it's hard to believe but I'm not perfect !
I A&R'd from my heart and my passion for music still burns brightly……it will never die .
I must be honest…I was not easy to work with……I know my colleagues at Virgin,Sony and BMG will concur…in fact I was pretty unpopular with most of them……why ? Because I never cared what anyone else thought of the bands I signed and the music they recorded…sorry if that sounds arrogant but once you start asking people their opinion of a track everyone becomes an expert " the vocal isn't right ".. " the guitar is too loud "…" the mix isn't right "…etc etc…..I AM THE A&R MAN…ONLY MY OPINION MATTERS ...Simon Draper told me that
 I was very difficult to work with …I know that and I regret a lot of things I did and the way I behaved at times  ( you will read all about it the book I'm writing ) …but you must understand that I came from a record shop ,never had any expectations of working for a record label….I'm entirely self-taught at A&R…I've got  GREAT ears….the only person I owe anything to is the late great  Erskine Thompson..I owe him everything.

 A&R is the heartbeat of any label…without great A&R then what does have a label have ?
 I was always prepared to put the interests of my artists first…..that's why me and my artists were so tight….they knew they could TRUST me…..TRUST is the most important thing between A&R man and artist..once that breaks down it's all over…..bar the dropping
 My attitude and general demeanour did not endear me to my bosses ,the only one I respected was Simon Draper because he was a GENIUS A&R man….again I regret some of my behaviour but I didn't like anyone telling me what to do if they don't know what they are talking about....most MD's and Chairman think they are A&R men...they're not,they're executives.....you don't tell me how to A&R and I won't tell you how to run the company was my attitude.
 Through my years in the business I have encountered a lot of people whose sole priority was keeping their job…they sat on the fence,never made a decision and were happy to maintain the status quo of bland mediocrity…..I couldn't live like that…I don't do mediocre/ordinary/average……



Sorry ,I digress ,……where was I …where am I ? I'm back in Brighton where it all started for me 40 years ago
I say I've retired …..but I tell lies all the time…..I AM The Soul Guru and I WILL be back

The Soul Guru LOVES you x

PS.....And now I AM back...better than ever......

What Makes A GREAT A&R ?….Part 5

Ok guys so what DOES  make a great A&R ?


1) Good taste….can't be taught
2 Loyalty to the artists….vital
3) The only thing that matters is the music
4) No concessions,no compromises
5) Be a leader not a follower….the artists I signed changed music
6) Stay up late
7)Don't care what people say …especially pluggers…they tell lies all the time
8) Never doubt yourself
9) Appreciate just how lucky you are to have such a great job
10 )……the secret of GREAT A&R…..do you think I'm gonna tell you for free ? ? ? ? ?

I AM The Soul Guru….and I am back in the business.....working with artists,planning,plotting,thinking every day about how to achieve my goals for my artists......

The Soul Guru loves YOU
xx

What Makes a Great A&R ? ….Part 4

OK so what makes me qualified to tell you what makes a GREAt A&R ? ….Simple I AM A GREAT A&R…I signed :

Loose Ends
Maxi Priest
Inner City
Soul II Soul
LeftField
MN8
Grooverider
DJ Rap
Mantronix
Pressure Drop

and sadly quite a few that weren't successful……………..but that's part of an A&R's life….no A&R has anything better than a 20% success rate…..the music business is a business based on failure and rejection so it's important to enjoy your successes and accept the failures with dignity…..that may sound harsh,especially for the artists who,for whatever reason,didn't achieve the success that hoped and dreamed they would have….

I signed 3 artists who I signed that I still listen to and simply can't understand why they weren't huge…it causes me great pain even to this day…they are

Temper Temper
Floy Joy
Johnson

all 3 made brilliant albums….Temper Temper ( Melanie Williams and Eric Gooden ) made what I think is the greatest British Soul album ever….beg,borrow or steal a copy !
I was the first A&R to ask Don Was to produce any artist other than Was Not Was…he produced 2 Floy Joy albums for me ,including " Weak In The Presence of Beauty " that was a huge hit for Alison Moyet….and in so doing he met Gemma ..they've been married for over 20 years..A&R isn't just about the music…it's alchemy…putting great people together…
Johnson…Noah and Raine recorded a BRILLIANT album Produced by Andrew Hale from Sade…it's a wonderful collection of great songs…how it wash't HUGE is beyond me….again beg,borrow or steal a  copy …the album is called " Hard Mouth To Feed "…



So next post will be about how and why I became the GREAT A&R I am……..

I AM The Soul Guru…...

What Makes A great A&R ? …Part 3

January 11th 1981…my 25th birthday…I join Virgin Records as the first A&R man employed to specifically sign British Black Music…….I had no idea what I was supposed to do……my office was a converted broom-cupboard ( literally ) on the first-floor off Jon Webster's sales floor…I'd been working in City Sounds for 3 years and was a Soul Mafia DJ…DJ-ing regularly with Pete Tong at my club,Papillon,in Brighton and Pete's club,The Hill Top , in Kent….as well as the first 4 Caister Weekenders where me and Pete were bottom of the bill below Chris Hill,Robbie Vincent etc…..
 At City Sounds I never had a lunch - hour so at 1 pm when everyone left the office on my first day  I didn't know what to do so I had lunch on my own at Mick's Fish & Chip Bar in Portobello Rd…….

I had a telephone book ….but no numbers in it
The second afternoon Gemma's ( now Mrs Don Was thanks to me …I'll tell that story later ) dog came on pissed on the carpet
The third afternoon it rained heavily and the roof caved in……True ( ALL my anecdotes are true )

Simon Draper was MD and without the GREATEST A&R I've ever met…he taught me everything I know about A&R …….I didn't have a clue what I was supposed to do..everyone just seemed to assume I did

A&R Meeting were every Friday morning at 9.30 am in Simon's office …those present :

Simon Draper
Richard Griffiths ( now MD Modest Management..stupidOne Direction's Manager )
Danny Goodwin
Rob Collins
Steve Lewis
Jumbo Vanrennen
Jeremy Lascelles

Keith Bourton would pop in every week with some gem " Enter fool " we would say…..

I LOVED these meetings….after a few nervous months I started to give as good as I got….and I got PLENTY ! !

After a few weeks I started to get demos and take them to Simon….he was brilliant because although he didn't agree with me he never made me feel bad….
Eventually after a few weeks of this he taught me possibly the most important lesson I ever learnt :

Simon : Why do you want to sign this ?
Me : because it's a great record
Simon : It's not enough to just have a great record…the artist has to be special….

I never forgot that ….I signed

Loose Ends
I-Level
Maxi Priest
Soul II Soul
Mantronix
Inner City
Floy Joy
Working week

I was taught by the greatest…I like to think I did well too

Next Week…signing my first band,Loose Ends,and changing the face of British Black Music

The Soul Guru

What Makes A Great A&R ? Part 2

Ok…so where was I ?
Oh yes..spending all my time in Sound Unlimited in Brighton spending my student grant on records by War,Marvin Gaye,Earth Wind & Fire…..I was in LOVe with Soul Music when I arrived in Brighton but having access to so many American imports was Heaven….
I failed my " mocks " in December 1976 and was told that I had no chance of graduating and that it would be better for all concerned if I left University then and there……my Mum and Dad had worked all their lives and saved hard for me to go to University so I knew it would break their hearts if they knew I'd been asked to leave so I resolved to stay and work as hard as I could in the faint hope I'd get a degree….after 5 months of serious study I got a 2.2 ( a Tutu as it's known ) Honours Degree in Biochemistry …so I'm officially Michael Clark B.Sc ( Hons Biochemistry  ) …TRUE ! !
Anyway I digress…from 1977 until 1981 I worked in record shops in Brighton and London ..latterly from 1978-1980 in the legendary City Sounds owned by Johnny Wright….to those of you reading this who remember City Sounds you'll know it was a tough place to shop if you didn't know what you were talking about…me and Johnny were the two most arrogant guys you ever met in a record shop..if you made a mistake in asking for a record we would make your life Hell…our customers ,all the top jocks…Chris Hill,Robbie Vincent etc LOVED us….we had the best music and I had the best taste…I still do !
 I spent 6 years selling Soul Imports,driving a van to Heathrow at 5 am to pick up consignments of records from Miami and New York…I'd open the boxes at the airport…drive all round London to Record Corner in Balham ,Groove Records in Soho ,All Ears in Harlesden  etc selling the records before getting to the shop and get on the phone to Spin Inn, Arcade Records etc to sell …at the end of the day I'd have to drive to all the train stations to red-star parcels to our customers….getting home around midnight usually unless I was DJ-ing …..
So what's my point ?
Simple….
I know why a guy or girl who worked all week to bring home £ 100 chooses to spend £ 10 of their hard-earned money on an album……I know that the customer is always right…they want great music…by real artists…they want value and they want to feel special
The major labels have always taken their customers for granted and that,my friends, is why the music business is in the shit
I joined Virgin Records on January 11th 1981 ,my 25th birthday ,as the first guy employed by a label specifically to sign British Black Music…..I'll tell you about that in Part 3
The Soul Guru loves YOU
x

What Makes A GREAT A&R ? Pt 1

A&R…the heart beat of any record label…without great A&R then you don't have anything…..
A&R ..Artist & Repertoire…an old-fashioned term but still used today……..A&R's are the "Gods " of the music business….the guys and girls who can make or break a career ……
So how did I become a GREAT A&R ?
I fell in love with Soul music aged 11 or 12 in rural Gloucestershire in the early 1970's……to this day Marvin Gaye is my hero…my idol…my inspiration….
I bought singles by The Temptations,The Isley Brothers,Isaac Hayes, Al Green……I still listen to them all the time
In 1974 I moved to Brighton to study Biochemistry at Sussex University…I hated Biochemistry with a passion ( though I have an Honours Degree ) but went to Brighton as it was the SOUL capital of England……
I didn't know anyone but I started attending student nights promoted by Brighton Soul Society and soon learned that the place to hang out was Sound Unlimited Records owned by Tony Monson but run by the legendary " King Jerry "…the most important DJ in town ….I soon stopped going to lectures and just hung around the shop all day spending my student grant on Earth Wind & Fire, Marvin Gaye, Ohio Players etc……some of the happiest days of my life……..

This is just the beginning of my journey to become one of the GREAT British Black Music A&Rs
I signed :

Loose Ends
Maxi Priest
I-Level
Inner City
Mantronix
Soul II Soul
MN8
LeftField
Grooverider
Pressure Drop
DJ Rap


Oh yeah….and some that weren't successful

Pt 2 tomorrow

The Soul Guru

Music For The Soul: Music For The Soul…..10 of My Favourite Albums Of ...

Music For The Soul: Music For The Soul…..10 of My Favourite Albums Of ...: Good evening friends and welcome to this weeks's blog which features some of the best albums of 2014 so far…it was going to me y "...

Music For The Soul…..10 of My Favourite Albums Of 2014 So Far

Good evening friends and welcome to this weeks's blog which features some of the best albums of 2014 so far…it was going to me my " Top 10 " but that concept is as old as I am.
 Before I proceed it's important to say that this blog " Music For The Soul " is NOT exclusively about SOUL music,tho that is a passion….but about music that moves my SOUL  .
 Music reflects my mood…when I'm feeling low I don't listen to " happy " music,I listen to music that complements my  feelings,that I empathise with and consequently feel soothed and healed….
I don't think my opinion is more valid than anyone else's or in any way definitive..I just enjoy sharing my passion for good music and if anyone hears  something that I recommend and enjoy it then this blog has served it's purpose.
Similarly I love it when someone recommends something I've never heard that I really like…so feel free to recommend new artists to me…..
Ok here are 10 of my favourite albums of the year so far in no particular order …due to copyright issues I can't post music on this site…but it's up to you my droogies to go seek 'em out ,they're on Youtube,Spotify etc….I won't do all the work for you !
All these albums have moved my Soul in various ways at various times :

Hundred Waters : The Moon Rang Like A Bell " …indie/electronic/art-rock outta Florida….I find very beautiful,original and compelling

Beck : " Morning Phase "…complete GENIUS from start to finish

First Aid Kit :" The Lion's Roar " Sisters Johanna and Klara Soderberg from Stockholm…..great songs,incredible songs..lie a modern day Mammas and Pappas…without the Pappas ;-)

Hercules & Love Affair : " The Feast Of The Broken Heart "…glorious, uplifting DANCE music ..great songs…John Grant is incredible on his 2 tracks…the soundtrack to summer in SW 6

HTRK :" Psychic 9-5 Club "…this is deep and pretty dark modern electronic music….I think it's a marvellous body of work

Lana Del Ray : " Ultraviolence "…..the femme fatale's femme fatale….she gets a lot of criticism but I think this a brilliant album…great songs ( albeit predictable subject matter ) and BRILLIANT production and arrangements

Tensnake : " Glow "…probably my favourite dance album of the year

Rokysopp & Robyn : " Do It Again "……INCREDIBLE,AMAZING,BRILLIANT,AWESOME

Gregory Porter ; " Liquid Spirit " ( Deluxe Version ) ….the mos-played album in SW6 on aSunday morning

Album 10  : I'd like to hear what YOU think….

I hope that some of you find something new hear to enjoy….

It's been a pleasure

Thank you ALL for the recent " likes "….I'm aiming for 200 soon….any help gratefully received

The Soul Guru Loves YOU

What's Going On ?

First of all thank you for all the " Likes " yesterday…I really appreciate every one of them .
So " What's Going on ? "…the greatest album ever made by Marvin ..my hero..my idol…my inspiration……
Also a  question I find myself asking more and more when I ponder the state of the music business…a business I love so much that has been reduced to a parody of what it once was … idiotic manufactured "stars " making music by numbers that no-one cares about ….have you seen the sales recently ?
It's easy to blame the internet…I was A&R Director of Columbia  - the label not the country ;-) - in the mid-nineties when Napster first appeared and every one was panicking about how to " deal " with this new-fangled internet but to me it was obvious…the customer is always right  …..before I joined Virgin in 1981 I worked in record shops so I'm  one of the few people in the industry who actually knows what makes someone part with their hard-earned money for  …if more people knew then the industry wouldn't be in Intensive Care on life-support .
So what makes someone want to buy an album ?
In my opinion it's a combination…..obviously the music has to be GREAT…but I also think that people want their favourite to be STARS….like Marvin,Stevie,Bowie etc…not boring charisma-free people….Hi Emile Sande and Sam Smith..with no personality just boring boring boring !
I'm 58 and my life has been music…I still love it and BUY loads of it..sadly mostly from i-tunes ….I love electronic music,Soul,Hip-Hop,House,Dance ( NOT that EDM shit ) ….I spend a long time reading about music and checking it out…..then,if I like what I hear I will buy it .
I'm not " anti " the music business , in fact it the exact opposite,I LOVE the music business…..but sadly I think that too many people put the BUSINESS before the MUSIC….hence we find ourselves in the situation we are today
The Soul Guru is not a grumpy old man …..those of you who know me know I'm a cheerful,happy and optimistic Soul…….who loves SOUL music .
My next post will be all about the best 10 albums I've bought this year…..this SO much good music out there if you look hard enough
Love to you all

I AM The Soul Guru x

Heard you missed me….well I'm back…what ever happened to BRITISH Black Music

So after a long sabbatical The Soul Guru is back…why did I go quiet ? It's a long story…..but as the state of British " Urban/Soul/Black Music " sank to lower depths I found it hard to summon the enthusiasm to continue…….
Now British Black/Urban whatever has sunk so low that Ed Sheeran has just been named the most important artist in British Black and Urban by 1xtra ( as if they have any taste ) it's time for some to stand up and be counted and ask this question …….what the FUCK is going on with music in this country .
I have nothing against Ed Sheeran…being ginger and from Suffolk apart ...that's a joke ok .
When I fell in LOVE with SOUL in the 70's I loved Boz Scaggs, Average White Band,Frankie Miller,Kokomo,Hall & Oates etc..they were called " Blue-Eyed Soul "….their colour was irrelevant..they made great SOUL music .
 So what's my problem ?
My problem is that apart from a very few artists such as Laura Mvulu no-one is making SOUL music here anymore..maybe Michael Kiwanuka
 Without wishing to sound arrogant and boring ( I'm both incidentally ) I signed Soul II Soul, Maxi Priest ,Loose Ends ,I-Level so I'm qualified to comment…to anyone who say " who is this old  fart " ? I've got a simple answer….I sold 30 million albums…what have you sold ?
 I'm weary of A&R guys  who work for major labels telling me how hard their jobs are…my Dad worked in a factory all his life…THAT'S hard work so stop complaining and do something about it .
 Re Ed Sheeran…guess who's on his first single ? Pharrell of course …cut to major label A&R meeting :
A&R Man " artist X isn't really any good "
MD " call Pharrell then you moron and pay him $ 200,000 for a verse of mind-numbing stupidity

Trust me ,it's true

SOUL music has been my life since 1974….I'm NOT going down without a fight…it's too important to me ……
Marvin Gaye is my hero…my idol…my inspiration…….
So how about this ?
For me it's always been about the artist NOT the Songwriters….I NEVER signed an artist that didn't write their own songs ( apart from MN8 and they were great )
If you keep using the same Producers ( all ALL A&R guys do ) guess what the tracks will sound like ?

I've just started a new indie label dedicated to great BRITISH SOUL music…I promise you great music because I AM The Soul Guru

July 2014