A diamond in the greyness

1975 What the hell is Northern Soul, anyway?

To this day, I still don't know. I had been sent off to the North for the first time. It was hugely enjoyable, but no-one seemed to like rock music. Nor could I listen to any. London had a new commercial radio station, Capital Radio, but I could not pick it up in Grimsby, nor could I pick up RNI, which was still playing but too far south. Disco, disco, disco. The mysterious Northern soul they all raved about went right over my head. Sometimes you might get a track from the Eagles' album. Wow.

When I returned to Portsmouth there still wasn't much happening. Until one day, I heard this most extraordinary track,  presented by Capital's Roger Scott. It sounded like it was too big for  the radio speakers. It had the most extraordinary musical dynamics. And I had never heard of the artist before. His name was Bruce Springsteen.  

(this clip is a brilliantly edited montage of the famous song, played  live in concerts spanning 37 years)