Soulbot - The Soul Encyclopedia

Welcome to Soulbot, probably the largest Soul Music Information Database on the web. This site is a labour of love - of Soul and the Blues and formative bands of the sixties. There are recollections of seeing wonderful stars such as Sonny Boy Williamson II, Jimmy Reed, Alexis Korner and Edwin Starr who regularly appeared in backstreet clubs and cellars in cities such as Manchester and London and gave us an experience that has never been forgotten.

Many of these stars were seen in the legendary Manchester Soul and Blues club The Twisted Wheel run by the Abadi brothers, Ivor and pipe smoking Jack. Rare American imports were played both at the Wheel and the now virtually forgotten Blue Note Club, Manchester which was run by possibly the coolest club manager ever, John Fogel. Both these clubs became the birthplace of what later became known as Northern Soul. One of the recurring themes of Soulbot is the debt that is owed to the DJ Roger Eagle who worked at both the Twisted Wheel and The Blue Note Club in Manchester. His influence on the popularity of black music in the UK is often unsung but should never be underestimated. Years before it became known, Roger was importing American blues, R and B and Soul singles and albums and playing them in Manchester for the first time. Many of these tracks were subsequently rediscovered and claimed by later soul movements as their own.

The Manchester Wheelers

There is a new book out which tells much of the story of the Manchester Soul explosion of the sixties - click the image for more details.

It is our aim to have entries on every single artist whose music was played during the early to mid sixties at the soul clubs which began the movement now known as Northern Soul.

Some of the stars of this soul and blues database have now passed away, some tragically and others peacefully. Some still survive and perform, often recapturing the magic that drew us to them in the first place - William Bell for instance and even Little Richard (`I'm 72 years old and I'm still beauuuuutiful!').

Soulbot is idiosyncratic, partial and sometimes might be annoying - but there we are. We hope it gives you a taste of the blues and a love of soul and an insight into the formative years of the soul movement. If it only gives you the desire to discover more before these memories fade away then it will be a job well done...

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