Equal parts archaeological digs and Bacchanalian rites of passage, allnighters are absolutely intrinsic to the Northern Soul experience -- originated by amphetamine-fueled Mods during the late 1960s and popularized by the sprawling Wigan Casino crowds of the 1970s, these after-hours dance parties virtually defined club culture as we know it, bringing together patrons of all colors, classes and sexual orientations to dance until sunrise to the irresistible sound of impossibly rare soul grooves. The fifth volume in the Goldmine label's
Allnighter series brings together 18 bits ideal for nocturnal play lists, all of them rare and all of them undeniably propulsive -- this is Northern Soul at its most dynamic and rough-edged, rendering amphetamines unnecessary (but never unwelcome). Highlights include the Commands' "No Time for You,"
Richard 'Popcorn' Wylie's "Hanky Panky," Robin Rice's "I've Had It" and
Billy Miranda's "Count Your Teardrops."