About

Welcome to Blues and Soul Unplugged, an independent soul news and reviews website compiled by Charles Waring and Bill Buckley, two of the UK's most experienced and respected Soul music writers.

Both Charles and Bill have written for Blues and Soul magazine for over 10 years and their contributions and album reviews have always been accepted as fair, sound and accurate.

At the same time Charles and Bill have contributed to a number of other magazines - Melody Maker, Sounds, (Black) Echoes, MOJO and Record Collector.

Between them, they have compiled dozens of albums for major and independent Soul labels and written hundreds of sleeve notes. Their work has allowed them to interview countless Soul artists and they remain in regular contact with many of them.

Blues and Soul Unplugged is not allied to any particular Soul 'tribe' or faction!

This is not a classic Soul site, a northern Soul site, a modern Soul site, a rare Soul site, a retro Soul site, a nu-soul site or indeed a site devoted to any sub-shading of Soul music. Blues and Soul Unplugged is about Soul in all it's wonderful hues, and it's this diversity that makes this website so essential for anyone who really cares about the music, emotions and the passions that it can fire.

Whilst hip hop won't be covered, you can expect to see some coverage of the soulful ends of R&B, House and Jazz, where it offers a soulful groove.

Charles and Bill do not have a record label; they're not in the business of making sales; they're not promoting books or pushing gigs for their own end. They're two independent writers, and with Blues and Soul Unplugged they just want to share their life long passion and experience of Soul music...they hope you enjoy the journey as much as they do.

Website Authors

Bill Buckley

My soul crusade began in the mid sixties when I started to track down the original American versions of the songs covered by my beloved Merseybeat groups. Soon the cellar clubs of Liverpool became mod havens where sweet soul music was the order of the day.

At Manchester University, living across the road from the Whitworth Street Wheel, my soul fires remained well-fuelled with a visit by Little Stevie Wonder to the Students Union being particularly memorable.

A career as a teacher doubled with freelance journalism and I found my words in journals as diverse as the Times Education Supplement, Melody Maker, Sounds and the UK's first soul newspaper – Black Echoes. Eventually my musings found a home at Blues & Soul – the world's longest running soul music magazine.

Post teaching I've worked as a chauffeur (Lisa Stansfield and Georgie Fame were clients) and as a tour guide throughout France, but soul music and writing about it was always a constant. I even get to play the sounds every Saturday at Liverpool's acclaimed Hope Street Hotel.

Highspots so far? Well, seeing artists like Stevie, Luther, Curtis and Marvin live, interviewing legends like Bobby Womack and The 4 Tops and having my own critically-acclaimed Motown compilation released by Universal... hope you have a copy?

Charles Waring

Long-time soul and jazz fan, Charles Waring, was born in Evesham, Worcestershire. He studied English and music at Leeds University and left there with aspirations of becoming a professional musician. Stints in several local funk groups followed during the '80s, which eventually led to the role of keyboard player in backing band of singer/songwriter, Simon Warner, then signed to E.G. Records.

In the late '90s, Waring gave up playing music and began writing about it, initially for Blues & Soul and then later Crime Time (where he is the TV/music editor).

In 2002 he began contributing regularly to the UK's premiere rock/pop music magazine, MOJO and in 2004 he joined Record Collector as their monthly jazz columnist. He has also written articles for Cotswold Life and the Sunday Express.

In early 2007, Waring was appointed soul section editor for Blues & Soul. He is also a contributor to the forthcoming reference book, 'British Crime Writing: An Encyclopaedia', and has just finished collaborating with US soul/funk singer, Marva Whitney, on her autobiography, 'God, The Devil & James Brown – Memoirs Of A Funky Diva'.

Waring has put together countless compilations for record companies and his liner notes have graced many soul and jazz reissues, including the critically acclaimed 10-CD box set, 'Back To Black'.