What inspired your journey into DJing, particularly in the soul genre?
Music has always been a massive part of my life; I was lucky that way. My mam was big into Leonard Cohen, Dylan, Neil Young, etc., and my older brother was into his bands and played guitar. With my dad being Portuguese and brought up in Angola, I also got to listen to lots of different music, like Cesária Évora, for example. I was really spoilt in that way.
Being big into music, I always bought tapes and CDs but only started buying vinyl when I got into soul in my late teens/early twenties. I was always quite into Motown, even though it wasn’t really my mam’s taste—it would always be blasting through the radio in the house growing up. I remember when I was about 17, I got really into The Jam, which became a gateway into Mod sounds. Motown was back on the agenda, which led me to classic Northern Soul, often in the form of compilation CDs purchased from Vinyl Exchange on Oldham Street, Manchester. Then I started going to Soul Nights and eventually got the opportunity to play the records I’d been buying. Now, 20 years on, here I am, still hooked!
What’s the most memorable set you’ve ever played, and why?
That’s a tough one—there have been some real standout moments, like playing before The Charlatans at Delamere Forest. They were one of my favourite bands growing up, so getting to play records before they came on stage and then being stage-side for their gig was incredible.
My favourite though, would have to be the first Home Run. During lockdown, we had the idea of creating a soul night again. We’d sit on our sofas, have a beer, share records, and reminisce about all the great nights we’d been to over the years. We said to ourselves, “When all this is over, we’re going to start a soul night again.” The first set I played there, in front of a packed dance floor surrounded by friends and like-minded soulies... it became a reality. I just remember cherishing that so much.
Who are some of your greatest influences as a DJ and soul enthusiast?
Soul music is unique in that the biggest DJ influences aren’t always the biggest names—it’s the people you meet along the way who have an incredible impact on the music you listen to, the records you buy, and the people you meet. With that in mind, these people spring to mind:
Rob and Paul McKeever on the Barrow soul scene. I often went back to Barrow to watch the football, and after a game one time I attended my first Northern Soul night. That’s where I really caught the bug, and from then on, I made sure any trip back tied in with a soul night. Rob and Paul ran those nights and had amazing record collections. I learned so much from them, and they gave me my first chance to play. I owe it all to them and the wonderful people on that scene.
Liam Quinn. I met Liam randomly while watching Celtic in O’Sheas, Manchester. After chatting about football, we soon got onto music and we’ve been like brothers ever since. Liam’s taste in soul was far more advanced than mine, and he also ran the Beat Boutique which then became a big part of my life. It took my love for soul on a whole new journey, across the country and continents and then arriving at its latest destination: Home Run Soul Club!!
How does the soul scene differ between the UK and other European countries you’ve played in?
What I love about these two similar but vastly different scenes is the glimpse they offer into two versions of soul culture. Here in the UK, we represent the tradition and heritage of the soul scene. I love that—how even today, on any given weekend I can head to a function room in a working men’s club and listen/dance to great soul music, surrounded by people who’ve been dedicated to this music long before I was born.
The European scene represents something else for me—how soul music will continue to survive for decades, with a fresh variety of soul sounds in contemporary spaces and a younger audiences.
Both these elements really speak to us, and Home Run is definitely a reflection of that.
What do you think makes the soul community so unique and enduring?
When I had my first child, I didn’t go out for a while, and not long after, COVID came along. It felt like I was away from the scene for quite some time. When lockdown ended, the first thing I did was find out what night was on and head out to it. It was like I’d never been away—hearing those familiar sounds, seeing those familiar faces. It gave me such joy, and that, for me, is what makes it so special.
There are people I’ve met just a handful of times at nights in the UK or on the continent. You might not see them for years, but when you do, you always feel that connection. It’s something we all value so much, and the music at the heart of it makes this community wonderfully unique.
Are there particular cities or venues that stand out for their passion for soul music?
Manchester. Call me biased, but soul music is always about a personal journey, and it’s here and in the surrounding areas where I feel that passion the most. From my younger years going to the Beat Boutique, Greatstones, and even the Twisted Wheel Sunday All-Dayers at Legends, to the present day where there’s always somewhere close by on any given weekend to go to and listen to amazing soul music.
What do you listen to when you’re not playing soul tracks?
I love my bands—I’m mad for The Smiths, New Order, and The Style Council, to name a few. I listen to so much though, it would take an essay to answer properly!
Why do you think soul music continues to resonate with audiences today?
It’s hard to pin down, especially with soul being such a broad church of sounds. But soul music is, of course, soulful. People really feel it as well as listen to and enjoy it, and for that reason, it seems to stand the test of time.
And Finally... If you had to describe yourself using only the title of a soul record, what would it be?
The Feeling Is Real by Geroge Pepp - I’ve always been driven by my passions. If I don’t feel it, I don’t do it (outside the 9 to 5, of course). That’s led me to a life of music and football which have given me everything—the best times, the best friends... and of course, the best sounds!
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