Bobby Paris - Night Owl

In October 2008, we released a tremendously exciting new DVD Documentary "The Strange World Of Northern Soul", with Wienerworld, a major music DVD company. Then we released a five disc set of 200 performances called "Northern Soul's Greatest 200 Floorfillers". Which used some songs from "The Strange World Of Northern Soul" which were completely re-edited, so they looked fresh and sparkling new. All the previous video effects done in the 1990s are gone forever, consigned to history. Plus loads and loads of never before seen videos, many of which have sat in the can untouched for many many years. Plus some newly recorded tributes to the classics. If you ever went to Blackpool Mecca or Wigan Casino, this is the must-have purchase of the year. This is the enigmatic and charismatic Bobby Paris singing "Night Owl", which was so popular on the Cameo label as far back as the early days of Blackpool Mecca and The Highland Room. Bobby Paris had three monster Northern Soul floorfillers over the years. "Night Owl" of course being the biggest, in fact, next to "Out On The Floor", possibly the biggest Northern Soul anthem of all time, but then "I Walked Away" has always been one of the most beloved classics synonymous with Wigan Casino. For those readers unfamiliar with the concept of 'Northern' Soul, the explanation is very simple. It is American soul music which is popular in the north of England. The term was coined in the early seventies by soul journalist Dave Godin. Whilst the South of England was following the latest 'Disco' trends', in which Funk was becoming increasingly popular, the North remained loyal to the more Earthy R&B music of the sixties. Early Motown is probably the most common expression of 'Northern' soul, but this only tells part of the story. DJ's and record collectors began scouring the States for more esoteric releases, some of which might have been big flops, others which might have only seen local release. Thus England assumed the guardianship of those soul treasures which America had rejected. Given these circumstances it will come as no surprise that many of these records were released by one-hit wonders, or more accurately one-flop wonders. Most of these original artists remain obscure even to this day. One name which refused to go away however was that of Bobby Paris and for two very good reasons. Firstly he performed on three records which became anthemic to the scene (Per-so-nal-ly, Night Owl and I Walked Away) and secondly he was white. If this sixties recording artist was an enigma to the Northern soul scene the converse was also true. He only became aware that his records, which had bombed in the states, were very popular on the other side of the Atlantic when I contacted him in 1999. Until that time he had been wholly unaware of the 'Northern' soul scene and his cult status within it. I was undertaking a massive project of producing a film entitled 'The Strange World Of Northern Soul' and wanted Bobby to appear on it. Not only did Bobby agree to appear in the film but he was also invited to sing at its premier. The launch took place at the King George's Hall in Blackburn on 31st. July 1999 and became the first time Bobby had ever performed the songs live. His singing is so authentically soulful that it was not only his English fans who had been fooled into thinking he was black. In an interview with Manifesto magazine (October 1999) he revealed, "I hit number 1 locally in the R&B charts, but it was plucked out man as soon as they found out I was white".