The Spirit and the Feeling

I carry the spirit of Northern soul

Of skinhead reggae, rap, psych, ravers, and tunes that roll... 

You don't believe me? Look into my eyes and dive.

I can rock a party with folk songs or so they used to say...

The bits and sometimes bobs of those uniformed days and now in the closet, something to remember on yet another rainy, Vancouver day

Or even to reassemble in a twisted fashion when occasionally off to play

Catch me on the floor

I still dance, and move, and shake

But really, it's my work now that shares this tale and the tales of many who gave their everything in the pre-digital age with blessing

The benefit of experience

Stories literally jumping out of circular grooves, record after record, and read aloud on yellowing pieces of paper

Today, the line is drawn, but not always visible

I can only pray that I am not left behind when my gris-gris is weak, for to run with the pack can be rewarding

Crystal clear vision and booze soaked floors are a thing of the past for many crews and bands long since dismantled

We used to congregate in bars and clubs no longer here and pick up the pieces whenever and wherever we could

This energy remains in youth and while many have passed by and on since then, their memories still burn deep within our hearts

As we get older, old gangs fragment, new ones combine, families sprout blossoms, and life never ceases to push straight ahead, even in the face of the inevitable

I can never stop believing in all of these things

The feeling remains far too strong

Catch me in the woods or on the road

Always learning, 

VIN