ELAINE CONSTANTINE Northern Soul 1993-1996

Description

ELAINE CONSTANTINE Northern Soul 1993-1996

ELAINE CONSTANTINE Northern Soul 1993-1996 is a Café Royal Books publication.

Northern Soul 1993-1996 is 14cm x 20cm and has 36 colour pages.

Saturday Night

It was Saturday night, the year was 1993, and I had recently moved to London to try to push my photography career along when I went down to the 100 club where they play rare American 60’s and 70’s soul music.

I had been on that scene up until a few years before and was curious to see where it had gone in the meantime, so I took my camera along with me. Going down those stairs into that dark basement, seeing those shadowy figures moving energetically in sync with each other made me hesitant.

The scene had gone further underground, the crowd older, little new blood, the records more obscure and the attitude on the dancefloor was as fierce as ever. Could I really take pictures in this place? As I suspected, the blast from my first flash altered the atmosphere. I braved it to shoot a few more from different angles but things felt worse with each blinding shot.

The relief I felt when I heard the familiar opening bars of ‘This Won’t Change’ by Lester Tipton. A fast, raw, jerky, but tender sound. I pushed the camera bag under a chair and got lost in the shadows until morning.

I very soon became a regular again, travelling to different venues around the country but I’d often wait till morning when the lights came on before taking any pictures. Mostly though I went to dance and enjoy the music with friends, leaving my camera at home.

Elaine Constantine 2023

Pictures were taken in varied venues including the Manchester’s Ritz, London’s 100 club and in a lad called Steve’s kitchen, plus other places too numerous to remember.

Café Royal Books

Café Royal Books is an independent publishing house set up by Craig Atkinson in 2005. He is based in Southport, England. CRB has released regular publications with the broad subject of British Documentary Photography since 1960. This includes international photographers who work within the British Isles. Alongside photographers from the British Isles who work internationally. There are a few exceptions, with titles that sit alongside this general theme.

This type of work has historically been neglected by both photographers and institutions. Café Royal Books aim is to source, gather, and re/present this work as a collective whole. And, thus, give it a wider audience. CRB publish at least one title every week, presenting, generally, one series by one photographer.

The books combine elements of zines, photobooks, artist books and educational resource. The books are affordable, democratic, utilitarian and useful. They come out regularly and in small editions. So, great to collect.

Have a look at the selection of Café Royal Books we have in stock.