Soul Died When Wigan Opened

[Chalky]

Every era had played it's fair share of turkeys. Every era has passed over and ignored quality records for what are considered less worthy.

The "northern soul" scene has never been just about soul music or even the quality, never will either.

When you are young and off your face you will dance to anything, within reason. As you mature it is fair to say your tastes mature as well.

[Mrtag]

Every era had played it's fair share of turkeys. Every era has passed over and ignored quality records for what are considered less worthy.

The "northern soul" scene has never been just about soul music or even the quality, never will either.

When you are young and off your face you will dance to anything, within reason. As you mature it is fair to say your tastes mature as well.

Well Said Chalky, As You Say We Mature And Move On!! The Other Thing Is "One Mans Meat Is Another Mans Poison" We Will Never All Like The Same Tunes Plus You Have People Coming Back To The Scene Who Just Want To Hear The Oldies They Remember !! Something About This Scene !! Why Do We Have To Analyse Everything So Much?? Just Enjoy !! :lol:

[Guest Phoenix8049]

Well Said Chalky, As You Say We Mature And Move On!! The Other Thing Is "One Mans Meat Is Another Mans Poison" We Will Never All Like The Same Tunes Plus You Have People Coming Back To The Scene Who Just Want To Hear The Oldies They Remember !! Something About This Scene !! Why Do We Have To Analyse Everything So Much?? Just Enjoy !! :lol:

This is so true what you say,about analysing everything.

For the vast majority of people in this world of ours,our younger days are always the best.

So whatever you did or wherever you went back then,nothing today can really come close.

Yes there were a lot of records played back in the day that did not even resemble soul records,

but we never had computers back then to find out some of our favorite sounds were either a pop group from Barrow,

or a Go-Go dancer from the 60s u.s. tv show Hulaballo.

As for only younger people going to Wigan later on,i did not go until 1977 at the ripe old age of 26.

Yes a lot of people thought i was the drug squad at first too lol.

I cant understand why people who were too young for Wigan say i wish i went,Cause i never say being a 50s baby i wish i was born in the 40s cause of what i missed like the second world war.

Surely you younger ones think that your best days and best music is what you heard in your youth whatever venue you went to.

Or is it just me that thinks like that.

Stu.

[Mrtag]

This is so true what you say,about analysing everything.

For the vast majority of people in this world of ours,our younger days are always the best.

So whatever you did or wherever you went back then,nothing today can really come close.

Yes there were a lot of records played back in the day that did not even resemble soul records,

but we never had computers back then to find out some of our favorite sounds were either a pop group from Barrow,

or a Go-Go dancer from the 60s u.s. tv show Hulaballo.

As for only younger people going to Wigan later on,i did not go until 1977 at the ripe old age of 26.

Yes a lot of people thought i was the drug squad at first too lol.

I cant understand why people who were too young for Wigan say i wish i went,Cause i never say being a 50s baby i wish i was born in the 40s cause of what i missed like the second world war.

Surely you younger ones think that your best days and best music is what you heard in your youth whatever venue you went to.

Or is it just me that thinks like that.

Stu.

Very True Stu ! ! Being roughly the same age as you I can relate to this Especially the Drug Squad bit lol !! :lol:

[Paul Shirley]

This is so true what you say,about analysing everything.

For the vast majority of people in this world of ours,our younger days are always the best.

So whatever you did or wherever you went back then,nothing today can really come close.

Yes there were a lot of records played back in the day that did not even resemble soul records,

but we never had computers back then to find out some of our favorite sounds were either a pop group from Barrow,

or a Go-Go dancer from the 60s u.s. tv show Hulaballo.

As for only younger people going to Wigan later on,i did not go until 1977 at the ripe old age of 26.

Yes a lot of people thought i was the drug squad at first too lol.

I cant understand why people who were too young for Wigan say i wish i went,Cause i never say being a 50s baby i wish i was born in the 40s cause of what i missed like the second world war.

Surely you younger ones think that your best days and best music is what you heard in your youth whatever venue you went to.

Or is it just me that thinks like that.

Stu.

very true mate .and them older boys didnt wast any time in pretending to be the squad now and again buggers

[Citizen P]

very true mate .and them older boys didnt wast any time in pretending to be the squad now and again buggers

So I've heard

Tony

[Petedillon]

It was a natural progression also there was a dropping off of people too , compensated by the addition of new blood.. I went from Wheel to Wigan via the Metro, Hernies, The Torch, Catacombs and the Central...other mates who attended dropped off after the Torch, others joined...so yes the Casino stopped some attending but not all. I always maintain the best clubs for atmosphere were dirty little cellars downstairs..So would prefer that type of club..Wheel,Central,Metro,.. then came the Torch and Casino to fuck that theory up..they were dirty, big clubs upstairs.!! but still great atmospheres..

.

To be perfectly honest most old Wheelies still around that I knew were by that time getting so far off their heads, fuck knows what was getting played. There was some pop played everywhere.even the Wheel! Round Robin-Kick That Little Foot and Eagle-Kickin It Back To You are just two that spring to mind..Paul Mauriat and PJ Proby at the Torch..Enchanted Forest courtesy of Tony Banks at the Central..so Wigan didnt have the monopoly on 'pop' tunes.. just more of them..I still believe a lot of my favourite Csaino tunes, I actually heard first at VaVa..so that tells a story.

[Paul Shirley]

So I've heard

Tony

:lol: penny droped the first time when i wasant arested ,

anyway tony dont tell me you was creeping around in the later years pretending to be one of the other firm

[Paul Shirley]

It was a natural progression also there was a dropping off of people too , compensated by the addition of new blood.. I went from Wheel to Wigan via the Metro, Hernies, The Torch, Catacombs and the Central...other mates who attended dropped off after the Torch, others joined...so yes the Casino stopped some attending but not all. I always maintain the best clubs for atmosphere were dirty little cellars downstairs..So would prefer that type of club..Wheel,Central,Metro,.. then came the Torch and Casino to fuck that theory up..they were dirty, big clubs upstairs.!! but still great atmospheres..

.

To be perfectly honest most old Wheelies still around that I knew were by that time getting so far off their heads, fuck knows what was getting played. There was some pop played everywhere.even the Wheel! Round Robin-Kick That Little Foot and Eagle-Kickin It Back To You are just two that spring to mind..Paul Mauriat and PJ Proby at the Torch..Enchanted Forest courtesy of Tony Banks at the Central..so Wigan didnt have the monopoly on 'pop' tunes.. just more of them..I still believe a lot of my favourite Csaino tunes, I actually heard first at VaVa..so that tells a story.

you forgot georgie fame and spencer davis

[Citizen P]

:lol: penny droped the first time when i wasant arested ,

anyway tony dont tell me you was creeping around in the later years pretending to be one of the other firm

Certainly Not !!

But I might know one or three..........

And it wasn't only in the later years either.

Tony

[Mrtag]

very true mate .and them older boys didnt wast any time in pretending to be the squad now and again buggers

[Mrtag]

you forgot georgie fame and spencer davis

Yeah!! Who Could Forget Them

[Guest topcatnumpty1]

It was a natural progression also there was a dropping off of people too , compensated by the addition of new blood.. I went from Wheel to Wigan via the Metro, Hernies, The Torch, Catacombs and the Central...other mates who attended dropped off after the Torch, others joined...so yes the Casino stopped some attending but not all. I always maintain the best clubs for atmosphere were dirty little cellars downstairs..So would prefer that type of club..Wheel,Central,Metro,.. then came the Torch and Casino to fuck that theory up..they were dirty, big clubs upstairs.!! but still great atmospheres..

.

To be perfectly honest most old Wheelies still around that I knew were by that time getting so far off their heads, fuck knows what was getting played. There was some pop played everywhere.even the Wheel! Round Robin-Kick That Little Foot and Eagle-Kickin It Back To You are just two that spring to mind..Paul Mauriat and PJ Proby at the Torch..Enchanted Forest courtesy of Tony Banks at the Central..so Wigan didnt have the monopoly on 'pop' tunes.. just more of them..I still believe a lot of my favourite Csaino tunes, I actually heard first at VaVa..so that tells a story.

Well said ,Pete----i agree people always remember there formative years wiith affection(rose coloured glasses??) pop tunes have always been played in amongst all the soul ,if they fitted the dance beat--it.s still happening,Soul didn,t die when The Casino opened it just went "overground".

All IMHO

T,C

[Mrtag]

Well said ,Pete----i agree people always remember there formative years wiith affection(rose coloured glasses??) pop tunes have always been played in amongst all the soul ,if they fitted the dance beat--it.s still happening,Soul didn,t die when The Casino opened it just went "overground".

All IMHO

T,C

True!! Overground Indeed And Upstairs (Twice If You Where Like Paul And Liked M's)

Edited December 11, 2010 by mrtag

[Petedillon]

I was talking more about the lack of soul..ie pop, rather than the colour of the singers skin to honest..I'd put both Fame & Stevie Winwood up among the soul singers rather than in with the pop singers..its just that they had 'pop' hits ..having a hit single in the pop charts doesnt stop you being a 'soul' singer..

you forgot georgie fame and spencer davis

[Guest in town Mikey]

Wigan wasn't open in 1969 was it..................

Its been a long time since I've laughed so much at a post.

[Ged Parker]

There's never been a place like the Casino for atmosphere in my mind anyway. The uniformity of the clapping said a lot about how you could feel part of something big. Looking back the quality of the music was patchey at times but how we define quality changes over time and what each of us thinks is 'quality' will be different anyway. Dodgy records will always be a part of any scene where rarity is valued, because some people just get it wrong thats all - Joey Delorenzo anybody?

If I could have one night back though It'd be at Stafford with what (little bit) I know now and a current months wages in my pocket.

Did soul die when Wigan opened? - Not a bit of it.

[Guest suehey]

Reading through this thread has been really interesting. Is it not just a case of evolution? Wigan wouldn't have happened in the way it did if there hadn't have been the Wheel, Torch Cats, VaVas and all the others. That was what made it like it was. I don't miss the places that I didn't go to and neither should anyone else, everyone has their own time and places.

Sue

oh forgot I was 21 on that first night at Wigan and certainly didn't feel in a minority I think that the people must have come from somewhere and for most of us that was Torch VaVas etc.

and I don't feel in the minority now I'm 58!

[Harry Crosby]

Reading through this thread has been really interesting. Is it not just a case of evolution? Wigan wouldn't have happened in the way it did if there hadn't have been the Wheel, Torch Cats, VaVas and all the others. That was what made it like it was. I don't miss the places that I didn't go to and neither should anyone else, everyone has their own time and places.

Sue

oh forgot I was 21 on that first night at Wigan and certainly didn't feel in a minority I think that the people must have come from somewhere and for most of us that was Torch VaVas etc.

and I don't feel in the minority now I'm 58!

Nice one sue, 58 You can shake a leg flower, was watching you at the recent Torch re-union, TRIUMPHS-COMIN TO YOUR RESCUE

KNACKERED JUST WATCHING

[Guest]

Reading through this thread has been really interesting. Is it not just a case of evolution? Wigan wouldn't have happened in the way it did if there hadn't have been the Wheel, Torch Cats, VaVas and all the others. That was what made it like it was. I don't miss the places that I didn't go to and neither should anyone else, everyone has their own time and places.

Sue

oh forgot I was 21 on that first night at Wigan and certainly didn't feel in a minority I think that the people must have come from somewhere and for most of us that was Torch VaVas etc.

and I don't feel in the minority now I'm 58!

I was 23 , and liike you Sue felt part of the crowd on that opening night ...... and you know where I had come from six months earlier .

Malc

[Guest POTTERIESPECK]

I was 23 , and liike you Sue felt part of the crowd on that opening night ...... and you know where I had come from six months earlier .

Malc

oh how i wish i had been old enough for the Torch with coming from STOKE , but the Casino was my era.Before attending the Casino in July 1974 i'd heard a limited amount of pre Casino sounds mainly Torch ones from my elders who encoraged me to go the Casino. They were only to willing to pass on their knowledge all aspects of the scene they loved before i fell in love with it aswell. There was no be-littiing of their youngers or boasting of their pre- Casino days or the first 10 months of attending Wigan before i ventured there with them to . if a sound was played and i did'nt know what it was and i asked them was it was . The reply was given without the, i know it all. KNOWLEDGE WAS SHARED and embraced by all. Now Iit seems a different proposition.You only have to see the comments of some new members who enroll on this board. It sems they're hesitant about asking questions in case somebody slates them instead of encouraging them. Is this one of the reasons why the scene dose'nt seem to get a steady prodution of younger people taking to the scene like most of us first did. I WILL ALWAYS TRY AND SHOW + HELP YOUNGER FOLLOWERS just as my elder TORCH LADS mates helped and guided me, which i am eternally grateful for.

Edited December 11, 2010 by POTTERIESPECK

[Paul Shirley]

Well said ,Pete----i agree people always remember there formative years wiith affection(rose coloured glasses??) pop tunes have always been played in amongst all the soul ,if they fitted the dance beat--it.s still happening,Soul didn,t die when The Casino opened it just went "overground".

All IMHO

T,C

yes it is, and a good example is the latin tunes that are filling dance floors all over the place , got to admit i dont like most of them ,

Edited December 10, 2010 by steptoe

[Mrtag]

There's never been a place like the Casino for atmosphere in my mind anyway. The uniformity of the clapping said a lot about how you could feel part of something big. Looking back the quality of the music was patchey at times but how we define quality changes over time and what each of us thinks is 'quality' will be different anyway. Dodgy records will always be a part of any scene where rarity is valued, because some people just get it wrong thats all - Joey Delorenzo anybody?

If I could have one night back though It'd be at Stafford with what (little bit) I know now and a current months wages in my pocket.

Did soul die when Wigan opened? - Not a bit of it.

Never Went To Stafford Ged But Must Agree With The Cornflakes Tune

[Mrtag]

Well said ,Pete----i agree people always remember there formative years wiith affection(rose coloured glasses??) pop tunes have always been played in amongst all the soul ,if they fitted the dance beat--it.s still happening,Soul didn,t die when The Casino opened it just went "overground".

All IMHO

T,C

yes it is, and a good example is the latin american tunes that are filling dance floors all over the place , got to admit i dont like most of them ,

I'm With You On This One Paul Seems To Be A Stafford Thing?

[Godzilla]

I think that the theme of the thread is right though - all that Soul music certainly was responsible for the death of Wiigan

Oh - hang on a minute. Maybe I should read that title again...

[Guest Ollie Lailey]

I was born in 1980 and did not get into the Northern/Rare Soul thing until about ten years ago. I make the most of what happening today, and I'm not knocking about in a 70's time-warp.

But it's strange because I do seem to get a sense of nostalgia from classic "Northern Soul" records and seeing footage of the casino and other venues from the 70's and 80's. It's strange because I get the sense of nostalgia, but I was barely a twinkle in my old mans eye.

I think it's sort of like Steve says -

"people can have a sense of missing out on Wigan just like missing out on seeing certain footballers or band.. Many people have been fed great stories of the past and can feel they have missed out on what sounds like fantastic times..."

But then I don't feel I missed out on Wigan or Stafford or early years of the 100 club, I was just born too late...... and I feel the same way about Acid House, Acid Jazz and the Early 90's Rave thing.

I was just born too late, so for me it don't really make any difference when Wigan opened, shut or whatever. I'm enjoying the scene for what it really all boils down to, and thats great bloody records and having a fucking good time.

Edited December 10, 2010 by Ollie Lailey

[Mrtag]

I was born in 1980 and did not get into the Northern/Rare Soul thing until about ten years ago. I make the most of what happening today, and I'm not knocking about in a 70's time-warp.

But it's strange because I do seem to get a sense of nostalgia from classic "Northern Soul" records and seeing footage of the casino and other venues from the 70's and 80's. It's strange because I get the sense of nostalgia, but I was barely a twinkle in my old mans eye.

I think it's sort of like Steve says -

"people can have a sense of missing out on Wigan just like missing out on seeing certain footballers or band.. Many people have been fed great stories of the past and can feel they have missed out on what sounds like fantastic times..."

But then I don't feel I missed out on Wigan or Stafford or early years of the 100 club, I was just born too late...... and I feel the same way about Acid House, Acid Jazz and the Early 90's Rave thing.

I was just born too late, so for me it don't really make any difference when Wigan opened, shut or whatever. I'm enjoying the scene for what it really all boils down to, and thats great bloody records and having a fucking good time.

Thats What It's All About

[Jim G]

In the original post there are 5 questions so this topic could run and run

Many posters have made some very valid points, but the main statement "Soul Died When Wigan Opened" is not true.

So in attempt to answer that statement, soul music and "soul sounding" music were played long before Wigan opened its doors. One of the forgotten words from those great days is that a recorc was called a "sound". DJ' s were always looking for new "sounds" to play. We all used the words to describe records we found in junk shops, "this could be a sound".

So soul was always our (is) love but some records go played because they were a "sound". Many of these sounds had nothing to do with soul (one could argue) but they were great and were played yeas before Wigan. The Casino just carried on that "model" (but did lose its way a bit), but many others venues were playing "sounds" not soul. So to lay any blame at Wigans doors is misguided prejudice. (IMO)

The list of records played in venues before Wigan illustrate that the scene already had an eclectic mix of music. To round off here are some pre Wigan exmaples

Wayne Gibson - Under My Thumb

Julian Covey - A Little Bit Hurt

Shakers - One Wonderful Moment

Virginia Wolves - Stay

Frankie Valli - Your Ready Now

The Vogues - That's The Tune

Mickey Lee Lane - Hey Sa Loney

Bob Brady - More More of Your Love

Fathers Angels - Bak to Bach

The O'Kaysions - Girl Watcher

Mike Post - Bubblegum Breakthrough

Spiral Staircase - More Today than Yesterday

etc

[Kev Moore]

As a young Soul fan in in his early 20s in the 1980s

I could and did not personally give a shit about the 70s or Wigan or any other old Soul club for that matter.

People used to say things to me when the likes of Cecil Washington was played at the 100 club "this was massive at wigan in the 70s"

that was how I learned the history of a particular 45,

but don't expect me me to get sentimental about a club i never attended

but when the 100 club closes I may have a few memories and a quiet moment

[Ian Dewhirst]

I was born in 1980 and did not get into the Northern/Rare Soul thing until about ten years ago. I make the most of what happening today, and I'm not knocking about in a 70's time-warp.

But it's strange because I do seem to get a sense of nostalgia from classic "Northern Soul" records and seeing footage of the casino and other venues from the 70's and 80's. It's strange because I get the sense of nostalgia, but I was barely a twinkle in my old mans eye.

I think it's sort of like Steve says -

"people can have a sense of missing out on Wigan just like missing out on seeing certain footballers or band.. Many people have been fed great stories of the past and can feel they have missed out on what sounds like fantastic times..."

But then I don't feel I missed out on Wigan or Stafford or early years of the 100 club, I was just born too late...... and I feel the same way about Acid House, Acid Jazz and the Early 90's Rave thing.

I was just born too late, so for me it don't really make any difference when Wigan opened, shut or whatever. I'm enjoying the scene for what it really all boils down to, and thats great bloody records and having a fucking good time.

I wouldn't worry too much SE19SOUL.

I was born in 1955 and always considered that I was born 10 years too late.

Fact of the matter is that it's all relative. I perfectly fitted the point I came into it all anyway, as I suspect everyone after me did.

It's just evolution. Whilst I'm slightly frustrated that I could never witness the Mojo, the Wheel, the Scene, the Bag O' Nails or the Scotch Of St James first hand in the 60's, I still lived through an incredible period in cultural history at the point where I came in and luckily I'm still alive to document it.

I just wanna make sure that everything is stitched together properly. The UK has always been a supporter of US Black Music but the Northern Soul scene took things to a whole different level entirely and that tradition has carried through to this day.

So, if anything, Wigan Casino arguably did more to spread rare and obscure Soul Music to the masses then most other factors in the mid 70's. It put Northern Soul on the world map and in my opinion that should be applauded.

Ian D

[Guest Ollie Lailey]

Absoultley Ian,

My time was the early/ mid 90's jungle/drum and bass scene. Now it is kind of marginalised but I think was probably one of the most important home grown music scenes to come out of the uk, even more so than punk in the 70's .

Having a chuckle to myself about this because I love early jungle for it's energy and excitement but can't stand drum & bass, which is what jungle progressed into. Very similar in fact to me only like 60's and soul and not what it progressed into.

Edited December 11, 2010 by Ollie Lailey

[Mrtag]

Absoultley Ian,

My time was the early/ mid 90's jungle/drum and bass scene. Now it is kind of marginalised but I think was probably one of the most important home grown music scenes to come out of the uk, even more so than punk in the 70's .

All night partys, drugs and "black music"

is this sounding familiar?

Though today I find myself only intrested in 60's and 70's Soul, Funk and Jazz from America.

Its weird.

Sounds Like The Bug Got Ya !

[Little-stevie]

Sounds Like The Bug Got Ya !

good call mate....

Sometimes this bug gets you straight away and other times its a slow burner... Its a tough strain of bug thats hard to fight off...

Some great feedback on this thread and posts from a good cross section of members...

Some great in-sights and food for thought

[Guest POTTERIESPECK]

mrtag

Sounds Like The Bug Got Ya

And when IT'S GOT YOU it never lets go. - GOOD LITLE YOU.

[Colouredman]

WIGAN WAS THE 'DOGS DANGLIES'!! I went virtually weekly from 1975 to the night it closed, and I challenge anyone to tell me of a Northern club before or after it, which generated more publicity, or which was as well attended, more talked about, more influential, and more massive than Wigan was!!! No disrespect to the Torch or The Wheel, but at Wigan you had all those sounds to enjoy PLUS all the newer Wigan discoveries, and you could say that for those clubs like Stafford etc which followed, EXCEPT that those post- Wigan clubs were poor and ill-attended compared to Wigan. Wigan was the biggest and the best and historically bang smack in the middle of all the clubs we know and respect. Additionally as eras go Wigan played a massive part in giving us 'non-mainstream' types some alternative to football violence, crap 70s discos,fighting, drinking, and some other pretty sad nightlife choices.

Funny too, how anyone, (including celebrities!) who wants or seeks street cred or northern 'badge of honour' these days tries to lay claim to having gone to where????? Torch, Wheel, Stafford......................??????? NOOOOO. They lay claim to having gone to the Casino!! Coz on the northern soul map there is no other comparable reference point!!! Yes it played some shit, yes there were some less-than-memorable nights there, but I for one would do it all again and more..........Give me one more night of liquid nicotine drippin off the ceilings, meeting your mates outside in the queue in long leather black coats, Mrs Woods pretending not to allow you in, the smell of Brut in the toilets, Hearing Eddie Parker Im gone, Servicemen Sweet Magic, or Frank Wilson for first time!!!

Its easy to slag Wigan off in retrospect, and diminish its importance to the music we love, but at the time it was HUGE, and significant, meaningful, and important, and the ONLY place to be on a saturday night between 12.30 and 8 in the shitty 70's if you wanted to be 'where its at' and you loved northern! There wasnt anywhere like it before, and there wont be again.............mores the pity! For me it will always be the best northern venue of all time..........BAR NONE!!

[Russ Vickers]

WIGAN WAS THE 'DOGS DANGLIES'!! I went virtually weekly from 1975 to the night it closed, and I challenge anyone to tell me of a Northern club before or after it, which generated more publicity, or which was as well attended, more talked about, more influential, and more massive than Wigan was!!! No disrespect to the Torch or The Wheel, but at Wigan you had all those sounds to enjoy PLUS all the newer Wigan discoveries, and you could say that for those clubs like Stafford etc which followed, EXCEPT that those post- Wigan clubs were poor and ill-attended compared to Wigan. Wigan was the biggest and the best and historically bang smack in the middle of all the clubs we know and respect. Additionally as eras go Wigan played a massive part in giving us 'non-mainstream' types some alternative to football violence, crap 70s discos,fighting, drinking, and some other pretty sad nightlife choices.

Funny too, how anyone, (including celebrities!) who wants or seeks street cred or northern 'badge of honour' these days tries to lay claim to having gone to where????? Torch, Wheel, Stafford......................??????? NOOOOO. They lay claim to having gone to the Casino!! Coz on the northern soul map there is no other comparable reference point!!! Yes it played some shit, yes there were some less-than-memorable nights there, but I for one would do it all again and more..........Give me one more night of liquid nicotine drippin off the ceilings, meeting your mates outside in the queue in long leather black coats, Mrs Woods pretending not to allow you in, the smell of Brut in the toilets, Hearing Eddie Parker Im gone, Servicemen Sweet Magic, or Frank Wilson for first time!!!

Its easy to slag Wigan off in retrospect, and diminish its importance to the music we love, but at the time it was HUGE, and significant, meaningful, and important, and the ONLY place to be on a saturday night between 12.30 and 8 in the shitty 70's if you wanted to be 'where its at' and you loved northern! There wasnt anywhere like it before, and there wont be again.............mores the pity! For me it will always be the best northern venue of all time..........BAR NONE!!

[Wiganer1]

i only went wigan 3 times but have spent 29 years of collecting Wigan Sounds (amongst others),,,,,very rarely disappionted ,,,,,,,,,

100s and 100s of gr8 tunes...some not so good

Wigan forever!! lol

[Mrtag]

WIGAN WAS THE 'DOGS DANGLIES'!! I went virtually weekly from 1975 to the night it closed, and I challenge anyone to tell me of a Northern club before or after it, which generated more publicity, or which was as well attended, more talked about, more influential, and more massive than Wigan was!!! No disrespect to the Torch or The Wheel, but at Wigan you had all those sounds to enjoy PLUS all the newer Wigan discoveries, and you could say that for those clubs like Stafford etc which followed, EXCEPT that those post- Wigan clubs were poor and ill-attended compared to Wigan. Wigan was the biggest and the best and historically bang smack in the middle of all the clubs we know and respect. Additionally as eras go Wigan played a massive part in giving us 'non-mainstream' types some alternative to football violence, crap 70s discos,fighting, drinking, and some other pretty sad nightlife choices.

Funny too, how anyone, (including celebrities!) who wants or seeks street cred or northern 'badge of honour' these days tries to lay claim to having gone to where????? Torch, Wheel, Stafford......................??????? NOOOOO. They lay claim to having gone to the Casino!! Coz on the northern soul map there is no other comparable reference point!!! Yes it played some shit, yes there were some less-than-memorable nights there, but I for one would do it all again and more..........Give me one more night of liquid nicotine drippin off the ceilings, meeting your mates outside in the queue in long leather black coats, Mrs Woods pretending not to allow you in, the smell of Brut in the toilets, Hearing Eddie Parker Im gone, Servicemen Sweet Magic, or Frank Wilson for first time!!!

Its easy to slag Wigan off in retrospect, and diminish its importance to the music we love, but at the time it was HUGE, and significant, meaningful, and important, and the ONLY place to be on a saturday night between 12.30 and 8 in the shitty 70's if you wanted to be 'where its at' and you loved northern! There wasnt anywhere like it before, and there wont be again.............mores the pity! For me it will always be the best northern venue of all time..........BAR NONE!!

[Guest Matt Male]

As a 12 year old in 1978 the only venue mentioned by the older crowd was Wigan (sometimes Yate) and until i got to go it was a mythical place at the end of a train line somewhere up north. The music played at local youthclubs that got me into northern soul in the first place was Babe Ruth, Kiki Dee, Peggy March, Barnaby Bye... hardly soul music but just fantastic dancable northern soul.

Confession time: for the first few months of listening to northern at youth clubs i honestly thought it was produced mainly by white artists and didn't have much to do with the sounds of black America.

So whatever the soul merits of Wigan (and other places probably were more soulful) for me it was and will always be a northern soul venue second to none. Funnily enough rare nights thesedays that play funk and RnB, garage, soul etc... probably have more in common with the mix of sounds at late Wigan than they do with any venue that came later. Anything goes, as long as it's uptempo quality dancable music with that certain something.

[Campagnolo 1]

Cue,,,, Kev Roberts,,,, Dont think Kev did the first night but HE cerainly has a good insite to records that were broke there during his short time,,, and believe me theres some sounds that are massive to this day that were Wigan Floor emptiers too!!

The original statement the geezers may have been quoted out of context or is a complete igneranus!!

If ya young back then,,, Wigan was an exciting natural obvious progression from the Wheel, Blackpool Meca Rare Soul 71, Catacombs, Torch , Va va,,, then Wigan and so son!,,, Plus all the satalite smaller venues!!

Sure nearly all these classic clubs have played some shite records st somepoint ,,, but SURLEY alll the crap that may have been played was surpassed by some of the most fantastic Soul Records found and spun by collectors and Rare Soul DJs on this scene of ours!!

Nige B

Was quoted well out of context.!!!did put on a reply ,but it's been deleted for some reason.???

[Guest miss nancy]

well the quote makes no sense to me whatsoever, it was the first nighter I ever went to and I had best and the worst of nights at Wigan ... I know memories are tainted because of nostalgia ... but it was amazing to see so many people so into the music

[Mike]

Was quoted well out of context.!!!did put on a reply ,but it's been deleted for some reason.???

what this one ?

[MrsWoodsrules]

As a young Soul fan in in his early 20s in the 1980s

I could and did not personally give a shit about the 70s or Wigan or any other old Soul club for that matter.

People used to say things to me when the likes of Cecil Washington was played at the 100 club "this was massive at wigan in the 70s"

that was how I learned the history of a particular 45,

but don't expect me me to get sentimental about a club i never attended

but when the 100 club closes I may have a few memories and a quiet moment

I understand, being younger, that it doesn't really bother you what went on in the old days, but I was too young for Blackpool/Stoke/wolves etc, but I fully respect the roll it played in my love of soul music today.

Wigan kept the scene alive not killed it. I dont think you are getting the vast scale of this venue's influence on the culture & we are talking packed to the rafters every single Saturday night, not once a month & it's reach was truly national, which in turn layed the ground work for pretty much everything else that has happened on the scene since, good & bad & with out which, you can bet your bottom dollar the scene could almost have been lost. It cleared the way for everything else, Just like Blackpool & Wolverhampton did for Wigan. It wasn't even a sub culture anymore, it became almost mainstream (which turned a lot off I know).

You also have to take into account that over its eight years or so, there were different era's within that too.

As for the music, yeah, once the money men sniffed a buck, they/some sold its soul, especially in the later years, but great soul was dicovered later on too.

It's Wigan's influence that makes it so important, you could write a book alone, just on the fantastic soul that has been forgotten never mind that we all know. Thats the thing that strikes me, even through the most commercial years, going to an allnighter, you'd come home in the morning hearing some of the best soul ever at some point during the night.

Aid.

[spike1]

;)

Edited November 3, 2011 by spike1

[Guest giant]

Every now and then you get someone trying to be controversial making f*cking ridiculous statements like that.

It's pathetic.

well said Pete

[Guest Andy Kempster]

aaah club uk....happy days

[Guest lambrettanik]

due to my age i only went to wigan 3 times before it shut,and the first time was only out of curiosity,so for me my soul scene really only started with tiffanys in wigan (post casino),but the venue and its legend is still what i judge other venues by,i never went to the mecca,ritz or the wheel(in there heyday),but attended the revival nites at these venues.other venues have come and gone some added to the scenes longevity ie stafford,morecambe,100 club,keele.parr hall,bradford,etc.some in my opinion detracted from it,but no northern soul venue will ( my again opinion )ever be held in such asteem as wigan.some may say its because it was my first experience of a soul venue?. some djs lost credibility with the dross they played (some are still playing it!)and wigan did break some awful records(white poppy stuff) but saying that other venues since have and are playing some real shite they dress up as northern soul and is nothing more than doo wop,hi nrg,country and western tunes,nothing has changed there.but wigan had something that other venues will never have(stoke comes close to the atmosphere as did keele and warrington).do i feel a slaggin comin on? yep!

[SHEFFSOUL]

What sounds did Wigan make big in its early days?. I attended the first night as a naive spotty 17 year old,and of course heard the Sherrys, Velours Thelma Houston, Patti Austin Wayne Gibson but these all came from other venues. What big records did Wigan create exclusively in the early months?. I went there as a soul fan and didn't feel short changed by the records I heard.

Anybody got a 1st night playlist?

good question..think it was a while before Wigan claimed exclusives or first plays..Kev Roberts obviously had some influence later Richard Searling..

[Stevie T]

dont care when or where it was played , as long as its played !! its not the venues , its the music for me !!

yes i did go to wigan , but that was my age group , other older than me look back and say the wheel or plebs others younger

will say , middleton , stoke many other venues , its only ever about the music !...... isnt it ?

Edited May 24, 2012 by Stevie.T

[Peter99]

I have only read the title of the thread.

But my initial response is .......................cobblers.