When I was in a band called Team 23, we played a raw edged Soul sound. It was around 1981 to 1982. Punk and New Wave were the big vibe a few years earlier and we were part of its musical robust nature. Playing gigs and getting spat at. Not nice! It did quell though. We adopted a more pop punk vibe. So, not hardcore enough to be spat on. Spitting was supposed to be a sign of appreciation. I never appreciated it though. The XCerts won a Battle of the Bands competition. We were covered! I think the judges, one of whom was Brian James, guitarist of a successful band called ‘The Damned’, must have taken pity on us. There were certainly a couple of bands better than us in the final.

How did the Team 23 get together. Well…..two members of the XCerts and three members of The End came together to form, as said, Team 23. A Team of 2 and 3 band members. Logical really.

We played more an Atlantic/Stax genre of Soul. Myself. I absolutely loved Northern Soul. But the Team never played that style.

I was really aware of Northern Soul because I bought a pile of ex jukebox 45’s of the music from a little secondhand shop in a place called Hillfields in Coventry, England. My Nan and Grandad lived there and I used to visit the secondhand shops and the Army and Navy store to spend my pocket money. Northern Soul had its working class starting roots firmly planted from the English Midlands and then on up to further Northern territories. But London had venues too. Hence Eddie catching a bus ride from the Edge of Stoke to London. London is known as ‘The Smoke’. I never went to any of the various club ‘soul events’, but knew of the dancing competitions. Now, I like to watch YouTube videos of the dancers.

Hence writing ‘Eddie’. A Northern Soul fan who just loves to dance. The song is in no way of that genre though.

YOUTUBE UPLOAD TODAY OF THE SONG .

WHAT IS GOOD ABOUT YOUTUBE IS THAT UPLOADS CAN BE HIGH QUALITY SOUND. SO THE MUSIC IS NEARER TO WHAT I HEAR ON MY MAC M2 HOME STUDIO RECORDING SYSTEM.

BEST HEARD THROUGH HEADPHONES, EARBUDS OR SPEAKERS THOUGH.