The first specialist soul records shop in Europe opened here in Deptford of all places, in autumn 1966, the brainchild of “Esperanto-speaking vegan-anarchist” Dave Godin and his pals, David Nathan and Robert Blackmore. Soul City – this was the name of the shop – was very successful and attracted music fans from all over Britain but later in 1967, apparently after a burglary, it unfortunately moved to Monmouth Street in Covent Garden.
To give the dimension of the importance of Dave Godin in the history of modern music, I have to add that he has not only been credited with introducing Mick Jagger to soul music at Dartford Grammar School, but also with coining the term ‘northern soul‘.
Address: 21 Deptford High St, New Cross, SE8 4AD
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