01Profile
A Deptford Northern Soul Club Photo
Deptford Northern Soul Club
DJs — Deptford
03Interview
Name, where are you from?
Deptford Northern Soul Club, Deptford (SE London).
Describe your style in three words?
Deptford market chic.
What’s the best gig you’ve ever been to?
I guess where it all started - James Brown in Hyde Park. Our Dad’s took both of us to see him when we were kids. I’m not sure if we really knew what was going on too much but something must of filtered through!
James Brown - People, Get Up and Drive Your Funky Soul
If you could DJ the afterparty for a show with any two artists in history?
Wow, that’s a big one! I guess we’d love to be in the presence of Nina Simone, that would have been monumental. For us, she’s on another planet. The other would have to be Alice Clark. We try to end every set with a number of hers.
Nina Simone - Sinnerman
Alice Clark - Don’t You Care?
Which subcultures have influenced you?
This one’s a bit of a no brainer - Northern Soul. But we love punk, lo-fi and dance music culture too.
If you could spend an hour with anyone from history?
It’s got to be the queen of soul - Nina Simone.
Of all the venues you’ve been to or played, which is your favourite?
We’ve been lucky enough to play some big venues like The Roundhouse, Camden, Williams Green, Glastonbury Festival, The Walled Garden, Green Man Festival and Bunker, Deptford. But for us The Menagerie, Belfast is always special. Belfast has the most open-minded, friendly crowd - who know how to party and love to dance all night. Every time we play there it feels special.
Your greatest unsung hero or heroine in music?
Tommy Neal. A bit of a more obscure Northern Soul act who should be at the tip of everyone's tongue.
Deptford Northern Soul Club will be touring the UK throughout November. Find out more at deptfordnorthernsoulclub.co.uk.
DNSC have also announced the launch of their own record label in association with PIAS. Their debut release will be a reissue of Lester Tipton’s 1966 single 'This Won’t Change'. You can pre-order it at bit.ly/2MBfMjc.
02Playlist
04Playlist Notes
The first track you played on repeat?
We used to do air guitar with tennis rackets to Nirvana’s 'Smells Like Teen Spirit' - as I’m sure most kids did growing up in the ’90s.
A song that defines the teenage you?
We grew up together and Lewis’ Dad had an amazing Jukebox in the hallway under the stairs. It was filled with all sorts of punk and soul records but as teenagers, we were always drawn to the Northern tracks. A song that always stood out for us was 'Get Ready' by Ella Fitzgerald. I remember rolling the rug back and skidding around in our socks to it - classic!
One record you would keep forever?
'I'm Com'un Home In The Morn'un' by Lou Pride. Every time we hear it, it still moves us to dance!
A song lyric that has inspired you?
A bit ahead of its time - 'Save The World' by Charles Simmons. A true revolutionary song about coming together.
The song that would get you straight on the dance floor?
'I’m Gone' by Eddie Parker. It’s that driving beat with the organ filling in on the chorus that really gets us!
A song you wished you had written?
'Baby Don't You Weep' by Edward Hamilton & The Arabians. We are both a sucker for a great strings arrangement and Edward Hamilton And The Arabians smashed it with this one!
Best song to turn up loud?
'This Won’t Change' by Lester Tipton. Big Northern number that we are bringing out as our debut reissue on our label Deptford Northern Soul Club Records!
A song people wouldn’t expect you to like?
Lewis - A bit of a departure from soul, but Kyla’s 'Do You Mind' (especially the Crazy Cousin remix) always makes my night!
Will - I’m obsessed with Lana Del Rey’s 'Mariners Apartment Complex'. On the surface, a simple pop song but they depths within it mean you can hear something different every time you listen. The slow-building chorus is genius. Jack Antanoff produced it, he’s produced all my favourite pop songs.
Best song to end an all-nighter on?
'Stay With Me' by Lorraine Ellison. We played this to close Green Man Festival this year and ended up crowd surfing whilst everyone was screaming the chorus. Highlight of the year.
Any new music you are listening to right now?
'Poor Fake' by Kelsey Lu.
'1000 Speedboats' by Great Dad.
03Interview
Name, where are you from?
Deptford Northern Soul Club, Deptford (SE London).
Describe your style in three words?
Deptford market chic.
What’s the best gig you’ve ever been to?
I guess where it all started - James Brown in Hyde Park. Our Dad’s took both of us to see him when we were kids. I’m not sure if we really knew what was going on too much but something must of filtered through!
James Brown - People, Get Up and Drive Your Funky Soul
If you could DJ the afterparty for a show with any two artists in history?
Wow, that’s a big one! I guess we’d love to be in the presence of Nina Simone, that would have been monumental. For us, she’s on another planet. The other would have to be Alice Clark. We try to end every set with a number of hers.
Nina Simone - Sinnerman
Alice Clark - Don’t You Care?
Which subcultures have influenced you?
This one’s a bit of a no brainer - Northern Soul. But we love punk, lo-fi and dance music culture too.
If you could spend an hour with anyone from history?
It’s got to be the queen of soul - Nina Simone.
Of all the venues you’ve been to or played, which is your favourite?
We’ve been lucky enough to play some big venues like The Roundhouse, Camden, Williams Green, Glastonbury Festival, The Walled Garden, Green Man Festival and Bunker, Deptford. But for us The Menagerie, Belfast is always special. Belfast has the most open-minded, friendly crowd - who know how to party and love to dance all night. Every time we play there it feels special.
Your greatest unsung hero or heroine in music?
Tommy Neal. A bit of a more obscure Northern Soul act who should be at the tip of everyone's tongue.
Deptford Northern Soul Club will be touring the UK throughout November. Find out more at deptfordnorthernsoulclub.co.uk.
DNSC have also announced the launch of their own record label in association with PIAS. Their debut release will be a reissue of Lester Tipton’s 1966 single 'This Won’t Change'. You can pre-order it at bit.ly/2MBfMjc.
04Playlist Notes
The first track you played on repeat?
We used to do air guitar with tennis rackets to Nirvana’s 'Smells Like Teen Spirit' - as I’m sure most kids did growing up in the ’90s.
A song that defines the teenage you?
We grew up together and Lewis’ Dad had an amazing Jukebox in the hallway under the stairs. It was filled with all sorts of punk and soul records but as teenagers, we were always drawn to the Northern tracks. A song that always stood out for us was 'Get Ready' by Ella Fitzgerald. I remember rolling the rug back and skidding around in our socks to it - classic!
One record you would keep forever?
'I'm Com'un Home In The Morn'un' by Lou Pride. Every time we hear it, it still moves us to dance!
A song lyric that has inspired you?
A bit ahead of its time - 'Save The World' by Charles Simmons. A true revolutionary song about coming together.
The song that would get you straight on the dance floor?
'I’m Gone' by Eddie Parker. It’s that driving beat with the organ filling in on the chorus that really gets us!
A song you wished you had written?
'Baby Don't You Weep' by Edward Hamilton & The Arabians. We are both a sucker for a great strings arrangement and Edward Hamilton And The Arabians smashed it with this one!
Best song to turn up loud?
'This Won’t Change' by Lester Tipton. Big Northern number that we are bringing out as our debut reissue on our label Deptford Northern Soul Club Records!
A song people wouldn’t expect you to like?
Lewis - A bit of a departure from soul, but Kyla’s 'Do You Mind' (especially the Crazy Cousin remix) always makes my night!
Will - I’m obsessed with Lana Del Rey’s 'Mariners Apartment Complex'. On the surface, a simple pop song but they depths within it mean you can hear something different every time you listen. The slow-building chorus is genius. Jack Antanoff produced it, he’s produced all my favourite pop songs.
Best song to end an all-nighter on?
'Stay With Me' by Lorraine Ellison. We played this to close Green Man Festival this year and ended up crowd surfing whilst everyone was screaming the chorus. Highlight of the year.
Any new music you are listening to right now?
'Poor Fake' by Kelsey Lu.
'1000 Speedboats' by Great Dad.