Wigan Casino

[ImberBoy]

Wigan Casino

Where the last days the most important?

I did two trips to Wigan Casino so I have zero experience or knowledge of the place that defined the music I love apart from pilfered memories and stolen experiences I have heard or read on the back of a CD cover.

I wanted to state this as a fact first before I ask my questions so please forgive any ignorance I may show.

It is well known and well documented that The Stafford sound changed the direction of Northernsoul to allow a more down tempo dancer and the thumpers and stompers of the Casino days where moved respectfully to a side, not forgotten but held in reserve as the music evolved?

I think that is a generalization but it is only half of the story, Richard Searling was playing loads of new fresh records at the dying ember days of the Casino and that is a fact, my question is to those who were there:

Was there an unhealthy mix of genres uneasily rubbing shoulders with each other such as the Newies boys and the oldies crowd or was it a general celebration of soul music?

Was the music Sam and Richard played totally alien to The Casino?

For example, I believe that a track like DAYBREAK - I NEED LOVE was played at The Casino? This must have sounded sooooooooo strange and different to the main stay sounds of the venue?

I wish I could find a bloody time machine to go back and see all of these things first hand!

[TOAD]

might interest you ..listen too the live casino tapes ive put in refosoul

youll get the flavour of the time

[grant]

Wigan Casino

Where the last days the most important?

I did two trips to Wigan Casino so I have zero experience or knowledge of the place that defined the music I love apart from pilfered memories and stolen experiences I have heard or read on the back of a CD cover.

I wanted to state this as a fact first before I ask my questions so please forgive any ignorance I may show.

It is well known and well documented that The Stafford sound changed the direction of Northernsoul to allow a more down tempo dancer and the thumpers and stompers of the Casino days where moved respectfully to a side, not forgotten but held in reserve as the music evolved?

I think that is a generalization but it is only half of the story, Richard Searling was playing loads of new fresh records at the dying ember days of the Casino and that is a fact, my question is to those who were there:

Was there an unhealthy mix of genres uneasily rubbing shoulders with each other such as the Newies boys and the oldies crowd or was it a general celebration of soul music?

Was the music Sam and Richard played totally alien to The Casino?

For example, I believe that a track like DAYBREAK - I NEED LOVE was played at The Casino? This must have sounded sooooooooo strange and different to the main stay sounds of the venue?

I wish I could find a bloody time machine to go back and see all of these things first hand!

fair post. from what i experienced some of the newer stuff that was being played by richard and sam, pat brady etc was fantastic and suited the time, remember hearing cody marshall (c/up as pierre hunt at the time) and thinking WOW what a fantastic tune! along with many others at the time, prince phillip mitchell etc. still i couldnt wait for the 60s newies from gary and richard to come on, as there was only so much 70's newies i wanted to listen to in a spot. As for 'oldies' well if you wanted to here just that then there was always Mr M's upstairs

But youalso have to look at the excellent Manchetser Ritz all-dayers in the 70's where the 60's boys really rubbed shoulders with the 70's funky boys, thise were great dayers whatever genre you were into.

Grant

[ImberBoy]

I find peoples taste fascinating!

One of my favorite venues is Radcliff with its three rooms of diversity including a brilliant modern room that makes me return there time and time again but who makes up the Modern crowd?

Is the Modern crowd made up of ex oldies fans from the Casino?

[Anoraks Corner]

remember hearing cody marshall (c/up as pierre hunt at the time) and thinking WOW what a fantastic tune!

[Guest Matt Male]

I think the last years of Wigan were important because they set the stage for Stafford, and all the venues of the early 80s, a lot of what Richard Searling was playing in his last spots were then carried over into what became the foundation of the Stafford sound. It's easy for some to think that there's no connection between the two, Stafford vs. Wigan etc... but early Stafford was late Wigan.

[grant]

I think the last years of Wigan were important because they set the stage for Stafford, and all the venues of the early 80s, a lot of what Richard Searling was playing in his last spots were then carried over into what became the foundation of the Stafford sound. It's easy for some to think that there's no connection between the two, Stafford vs. Wigan etc... but early Stafford was late Wigan.

spot on Matt (oh enjoyed ur spot at Bradford)

[Davetay]

I find peoples taste fascinating!

One of my favorite venues is Radcliff with its three rooms of diversity including a brilliant modern room that makes me return there time and time again but who makes up the Modern crowd?

Is the Modern crowd made up of ex oldies fans from the Casino?

I was one of the ex newies crowd from late Wigan, does that count?

I hated Ms with a passion and never went to any of the Friday's Oldies Nights.

I was also at Wigan at the beginning, it is just the middle I missed.

Matt Male's post is a good, no great way of saying now important the end years where at Wigan.

[Patto]

I think the last years of Wigan were important because they set the stage for Stafford, and all the venues of the early 80s, a lot of what Richard Searling was playing in his last spots were then carried over into what became the foundation of the Stafford sound. It's easy for some to think that there's no connection between the two, Stafford vs. Wigan etc... but early Stafford was late Wigan.

Spot on Matt.Searlings late casino 60s plays were the dominant sounds of early stafford and were in my opinion the best playlist ever on the scene.Equally Richards late casino 70s plays were hugely influential on great venues such as Clifton Hall.In fact Richard Searling was God during this period

[ImberBoy]

I know this has no doubt been done to death but what where the tracks that broke the mould?

Where these accepted immediately or was there resistance on the dance floor? I am interested in this because there are a lot of people going to soul nights and nighters who cannot stand anything other than the meat and potatoes so where did this acceptance come from?

Did the crowd change at The Casino?

[Russ Vickers]

I think the last years of Wigan were important because they set the stage for Stafford, and all the venues of the early 80s, a lot of what Richard Searling was playing in his last spots were then carried over into what became the foundation of the Stafford sound. It's easy for some to think that there's no connection between the two, Stafford vs. Wigan etc... but early Stafford was late Wigan.

Dont forget that as well as the obvious WC connection at Stafford, Yate & the Southern Scene generally was very evident, & influential, it was a meeting of the two in many ways & this was why it was so different & diverse.

Best Russ

[Russ Vickers]

I know this has no doubt been done to death but what where the tracks that broke the mould?

Where these accepted immediately or was there resistance on the dance floor? I am interested in this because there are a lot of people going to soul nights and nighters who cannot stand anything other than the meat and potatoes so where did this acceptance come from?

Did the crowd change at The Casino?

I went from 77/78 until almost the end, I was only a little sprout then & my only interest was dancing, to me it just seemed like it always had been, I spent most of my time in the main room soaking up the Newies from Searling & others & to me it didnt seem that different to how it had always been, diverse play lists from 6ts through to new releases, I knew that RS was really on a roll then & remember vividly the first plays of many of his latter WC plays, it was amazing I felt then I was experiencing something special, but I dont think there was a massive feeling of it being different............although I would bow to the opinions of folk who had been going consistently from the early day's, maybe they did feel it had become different, but to me it was business as usual & it was the time of legends.........

Russ

[Davetay]

I know this has no doubt been done to death but what where the tracks that broke the mould?

Where these accepted immediately or was there resistance on the dance floor? I am interested in this because there are a lot of people going to soul nights and nighters who cannot stand anything other than the meat and potatoes so where did this acceptance come from?

Did the crowd change at The Casino?

You have to go back to the spring of 1974, for the tracks that broke the mould..

Carstairs, Montclairs Fantastic Johnny C and the like.

This opened the way for new releases,floaters (now called x-over) and even some funk to be played out.

This happened about 30 miles north west of Wigan at Blackpool Mecca, and in time the others clubs followed there lead.

When the Mecca stopped playing Northern the back end of 76 and went down the New York Disco / Jazz-Funk road, what followed was the start of the Modern Scene.

A lot of the old Mecca Crowd are still active on todays Modern scene me included.

You asked there do the modern crowd come from at Radcliffe will it is co-run by Neil who used to run The Ritz All-Dayers back in the mid 70s.

The fantastic all-dayers there have already been pointed out by Grant in a earlier post.

[Guest REVILOT]

By the time the Casino was about to close the old Mecca V Casino argument had thankfully long gone. The range of musical styles played / accepted was soooo much wider than it had ever been in the early days.

I don't believe it was all down to RS or any one individual, although he did play some great records. Many Northern Soul collectors / dancers / DJs had all widened their acceptance of slower / modern sounds and that widening of interests led to Stafford being acceptable.

It would have been difficult for any club like Stafford to survive in the early 70s Northern Soul scene. The beat and tempo was much more integral for a record to be labelled as "Northern". Yet by the time the Casino closed the range of "acceptable" sounds was incredible. The credit for that widening also belongs to The Mecca aswell

What Stafford really succeeded in doing was to preserve the ethos of the Torch / Mecca / Wigan early days. That ethos was the constant hunt for more and more obscure lesser known sounds. Without that longing and looking for and exposure of fresh sounds we would not have the great wealth of "Quality Oldies" that we have today. You can't have one without the other.

[arnie j]

Wigan Casino

Where the last days the most important?

I did two trips to Wigan Casino so I have zero experience or knowledge of the place that defined the music I love apart from pilfered memories and stolen experiences I have heard or read on the back of a CD cover.

I wanted to state this as a fact first before I ask my questions so please forgive any ignorance I may show.

It is well known and well documented that The Stafford sound changed the direction of Northernsoul to allow a more down tempo dancer and the thumpers and stompers of the Casino days where moved respectfully to a side, not forgotten but held in reserve as the music evolved?

I think that is a generalization but it is only half of the story, Richard Searling was playing loads of new fresh records at the dying ember days of the Casino and that is a fact, my question is to those who were there:

Was there an unhealthy mix of genres uneasily rubbing shoulders with each other such as the Newies boys and the oldies crowd or was it a general celebration of soul music?

Was the music Sam and Richard played totally alien to The Casino?

For example, I believe that a track like DAYBREAK - I NEED LOVE was played at The Casino? This must have sounded sooooooooo strange and different to the main stay sounds of the venue?

I wish I could find a bloody time machine to go back and see all of these things first hand!

very good question,and one i asked last week but i worded it all wrong in the thread, my point being that diane ducanne-bettwr late than never to me is a crossover record and it was played at wigan, so wigan was playing crossover records before the term was invented regards the rare soul scene,? same goes for stafford 60s newies being new to me but earlier played at wigan, were certain records called 60s newies at wigan ? imberboy i applaud the way you express yrself in words bud,well put mate

jason

[Davetay]

very good question,and one i asked last week but i worded it all wrong in the thread, my point being that diane ducanne-bettwr late than never to me is a crossover record and it was played at wigan, so wigan was playing crossover records before the term was invented regards the rare soul scene,? same goes for stafford 60s newies being new to me but earlier played at wigan, were certain records called 60s newies at wigan ? imberboy i applaud the way you express yrself in words bud,well put mate

jason

As I have said before we called x-over records floaters both 60s and 70s (eg not stompers )

The new discovery's where just that new discovery's they didn't have to be just 60s.

[Davetay]

oops

Edited December 14, 2010 by davetay

[Chalky]

Richards last ever set at WC is kicking about in print somewhere, it has been posted on here in the past. It still stands the test of time and any DJ would give their left arm for a set like that, then and now.

[Davetay]

Richards last ever set at WC is kicking about in print somewhere, it has been posted on here in the past. It still stands the test of time and any DJ would give their left arm for a set like that, then and now.

Right arm for me, I am left handed.

[Chalky]

It is well known and well documented that The Stafford sound changed the direction of Northernsoul to allow a more down tempo dancer and the thumpers and stompers of the Casino days where moved respectfully to a side, not forgotten but held in reserve as the music evolved?

I don't think this is wholely true, yes beat ballads did gain in popularity but the up-tempo certainly didn't stand aside during the 80's. Some of the stuff Keb and Guy played just to name two of the DJ's can hardly be described as down tempo, yes they played the slower stuff but the bigger majority of spins were dancers, be them mid tempo movers or uptempo.

[Davetay]

I don't think this is wholely true, yes beat ballads did gain in popularity but the up-tempo certainly didn't stand aside during the 80's. Some of the stuff Keb and Guy played just to name two of the DJ's can hardly be described as down tempo, yes they played the slower stuff but the bigger majority of spins were dancers, be them mid tempo movers or uptempo.

At the end of the day, that's what it is all about isn't it, it doesn't matter if it's up tempo or mid tempo as long as it can be danced to.

The dance floor decides if is to go big or die.

Edited December 14, 2010 by davetay

[Guest Drewes]

Wigan Casino

Where the last days the most important?

I did two trips to Wigan Casino so I have zero experience or knowledge of the place that defined the music I love apart from pilfered memories and stolen experiences I have heard or read on the back of a CD cover.

I wanted to state this as a fact first before I ask my questions so please forgive any ignorance I may show.

It is well known and well documented that The Stafford sound changed the direction of Northernsoul to allow a more down tempo dancer and the thumpers and stompers of the Casino days where moved respectfully to a side, not forgotten but held in reserve as the music evolved?

I think that is a generalization but it is only half of the story, Richard Searling was playing loads of new fresh records at the dying ember days of the Casino and that is a fact, my question is to those who were there:

Was there an unhealthy mix of genres uneasily rubbing shoulders with each other such as the Newies boys and the oldies crowd or was it a general celebration of soul music?

Was the music Sam and Richard played totally alien to The Casino?

For example, I believe that a track like DAYBREAK - I NEED LOVE was played at The Casino? This must have sounded sooooooooo strange and different to the main stay sounds of the venue?

I wish I could find a bloody time machine to go back and see all of these things first hand!

You and me both Simon... my dad wouldnt let me out the door to such dens of eniquity .... especially when it was Kev Thomas knocking to take me!!! :thumbsup: ... feel deprived. x

[Guest Drewes]

fair post. from what i experienced some of the newer stuff that was being played by richard and sam, pat brady etc was fantastic and suited the time, remember hearing cody marshall (c/up as pierre hunt at the time) and thinking WOW what a fantastic tune! along with many others at the time, prince phillip mitchell etc. still i couldnt wait for the 60s newies from gary and richard to come on, as there was only so much 70's newies i wanted to listen to in a spot. As for 'oldies' well if you wanted to here just that then there was always Mr M's upstairs

But youalso have to look at the excellent Manchetser Ritz all-dayers in the 70's where the 60's boys really rubbed shoulders with the 70's funky boys, thise were great dayers whatever genre you were into.

Grant

You guys were lucky grant to have experienced this first hand.... wasnt so easy for us carrot crunchers (well if you'd had a dad like mine who would stand guard on the door when kev knocked! ..lol) ... just imagine if you'd still been up in fifeland!! x

[Guest Matt Male]

Richards last ever set at WC is kicking about in print somewhere, it has been posted on here in the past. It still stands the test of time and any DJ would give their left arm for a set like that, then and now.

I listened to it in Mark's car on the way back from Radcliffe the other week. I agree, phenomenal stuff.

[Guest soulmaguk]

I know this has no doubt been done to death but what where the tracks that broke the mould?

Where these accepted immediately or was there resistance on the dance floor? I am interested in this because there are a lot of people going to soul nights and nighters who cannot stand anything other than the meat and potatoes so where did this acceptance come from?

Did the crowd change at The Casino?

I managed to slip away from Scarborough at 15 years old onto the Wigan coach that used to leave here, there was talk among my friends of the Casino closing so I managed to convince my Dad that I would go only the once before it closed down. I only knew a couple of records all night, 'There's a Ghost In My House' was one of them, think everyone exited the floor when that came on so I just danced to the tunes at the back of the hall then left the dancefloor as was the order if you did not know much. I managed to get there for the Farewell Oldies and End Of An Era also. The acceptance for me comes from people higher up on their record knowledge nowadays, and the diversity of the rarities, i sometimes enjoy a good Oldies night. I feel the level of acceptance of music diversity with some punters on the scene is of low quality, and are played usually at Oldies nights. If you were 15/17 and visited a popular soul night or weekender for the first time today, you would accept that's what the Northern Soul scene is, it's a shame really because they are probably not aware about the real cutting edge nights around, and will probably not get into the real all-nighters until the Oldies scene goes tits-up soon and begin look for more inspiring all-nighters to visit. Went to Clifton Hall, really enjoyed the new 70s/80s stuff being played, also did a few Top Of The World's that was more recent discoverd 60s, now i don't like hardly any newies that have hit the Oldies scene and am really not into under-played stuff, but am into recently discovered and unreleased 60s/70s on the Newies scene, hope this helps Imberboy.

[Paul Shirley]

I find peoples taste fascinating!

One of my favorite venues is Radcliff with its three rooms of diversity including a brilliant modern room that makes me return there time and time again but who makes up the Modern crowd?

Is the Modern crowd made up of ex oldies fans from the Casino?

yes i think you could be right regarding the modern crowd applies to me anyway , oh and just for the record in the very early days mrms was just another room playing all sorts as well as oldies but that was.very early days , i hated the big room i prefared the atmosphere of mms ,but that was then!!

Edited December 14, 2010 by steptoe

[Guest REVILOT]

Dont forget that as well as the obvious WC connection at Stafford, Yate & the Southern Scene generally was very evident, & influential, it was a meeting of the two in many ways & this was why it was so different & diverse.

Best Russ

Very true -

In fact across the scene there was an openess to the "new"

[Guest REVILOT]

fair post. from what i experienced some of the newer stuff that was being played by richard and sam, pat brady etc was fantastic and suited the time, remember hearing cody marshall (c/up as pierre hunt at the time) and thinking WOW what a fantastic tune! along with many others at the time, prince phillip mitchell etc. still i couldnt wait for the 60s newies from gary and richard to come on, as there was only so much 70's newies i wanted to listen to in a spot. As for 'oldies' well if you wanted to here just that then there was always Mr M's upstairs

But youalso have to look at the excellent Manchetser Ritz all-dayers in the 70's where the 60's boys really rubbed shoulders with the 70's funky boys, thise were great dayers whatever genre you were into.

Grant

Totally agree

The Ritz All Dayers were unique. You could hear obscure sixties Detroit mixed with brand new releases et al.

Chris Savory and his record stall, happy days......

[Guest REVILOT]

I listened to it in Mark's car on the way back from Radcliffe the other week. I agree, phenomenal stuff.

I agree he was in top form then. He was on the ball back at VaVa as well.

What was good about the period of the end of the Casino and the Stafford era was that the vast majorit of "Northern Soul" fans were thirsty for new, and more across the board, sounds..Richard was, and is a REAL across the board DJ.

[Guest nubes]

Well i still go goosepimply thinking about them final 2 years at the Casino ...when Richard Searling ruled the dancefloors..the early modern soul sounds...Cecil Washington for the first time....wonderful....Delxxxx

[Guest mickeyb]

Wigan Casino

Where the last days the most important?

I did two trips to Wigan Casino so I have zero experience or knowledge of the place that defined the music I love apart from pilfered memories and stolen experiences I have heard or read on the back of a CD cover.

I wanted to state this as a fact first before I ask my questions so please forgive any ignorance I may show.

It is well known and well documented that The Stafford sound changed the direction of Northernsoul to allow a more down tempo dancer and the thumpers and stompers of the Casino days where moved respectfully to a side, not forgotten but held in reserve as the music evolved?

I think that is a generalization but it is only half of the story, Richard Searling was playing loads of new fresh records at the dying ember days of the Casino and that is a fact, my question is to those who were there:

Was there an unhealthy mix of genres uneasily rubbing shoulders with each other such as the Newies boys and the oldies crowd or was it a general celebration of soul music?

Was the music Sam and Richard played totally alien to The Casino?

For example, I believe that a track like DAYBREAK - I NEED LOVE was played at The Casino? This must have sounded sooooooooo strange and different to the main stay sounds of the venue?

I wish I could find a bloody time machine to go back and see all of these things first hand!

Yes

[Mrtag]

Never Went At The End, But I Was Told It Was Full Of Kids Kicking Balloons Around!! wtf

[Guest aintgotit]

I find peoples taste fascinating!

One of my favorite venues is Radcliff with its three rooms of diversity including a brilliant modern room that makes me return there time and time again but who makes up the Modern crowd?

Is the Modern crowd made up of ex oldies fans from the Casino?

thats an interesting question, some people are a little ahead of their time and got into modern or newies as i remember them being called as they were played. people like pat played all sorts of music be it seventies or rare sixties, and i might be wrong as usual but i tend to think if you were sat with your mates and they were slating the playing of janice or charles drain or whatever you might sit there nodding sagely but if you liked it when you heard it it was every man for himself to get on the dancefloor , . I suppose some people move with the times and yet there are people who steadfastly refuse to . I love hearing new stuff from whatever year , yet i used to push me tits up ( les dawsonesque) at the mention of newies, or r&b or house , or techno,now im just a sad old raver who whose as likely creaking round the floor to bearcat or throwing weird grandad shapes during a ben sims set at sankeys.Yet at stoke ill dance in the main room as long as its something i like .i had me first dance ever to bob relf, yet ive never yet stayed for more than one tune in the back room at radcliffe. people do keep telling me what im missing, but ive always been a bit er backward i guess.

[Guest REVILOT]

Never Went At The End, But I Was Told It Was Full Of Kids Kicking Balloons Around!! wtf

Not quite John

Didn't see any balloons

Although some people were poping a few..........

I was there on 30th November 1973 for the second All Nighter and alot for the first few years.

There was a spell when some dire/embarrasing records were played under the guise of Northern Soul and like many others I went less and less often.

I returned for the last 3 months, including the -"last" All Nighter on September 19th 1981, and the "last" All Nighter on 2nd October and the actual "last" All Nighter on the 6th December.

It had changed alot and the most noticeable change was the wide variety of Soul musical styles being played and enjoyed.

Oh and the carpet was even stickier LOL.

[Ernie Andrews]

I gave up Wigan in Early 1980  for various reasons.

Mr Ms did predominantly play oldies but played relativenew ones as well

I remember Spaceark - Do what you can do played in there 3 times in 0ne night.

I loved the Ritz in the 70s - Hearing a set with stompers followed by East coast Connection etc

The dance floor just was like a springboard - you didnt have to dance you just stood there and the floor did for you.

[Davetay]

I gave up Wigan in Early 1980 for various reasons.

Mr Ms did predominantly play oldies but played relativenew ones as well

I remember Spaceark - Do what you can do played in there 3 times in 0ne night.

I loved the Ritz in the 70s - Hearing a set with stompers followed by East coast Connection etc

The dance floor just was like a springboard - you didnt have to dance you just stood there and the floor did for you.

The Ritz dance floor was magical, going back years later to the Rarest of the Rare all-nighters being very disappointed that the dance floor had changed.

I had told my wife Louise about the Ritz dance floor over and over again.

She was too young to go in the 70s, and when she finally got to go the raised dance floor wasn't there anymore.

[Guest REVILOT]

I gave up Wigan in Early 1980 for various reasons.

Mr Ms did predominantly play oldies but played relativenew ones as well

I remember Spaceark - Do what you can do played in there 3 times in 0ne night.

I loved the Ritz in the 70s - Hearing a set with stompers followed by East coast Connection etc

The dance floor just was like a springboard - you didnt have to dance you just stood there and the floor did for you.

Gave me vertigo.....

Music was indeed right across the springboard.

[Mrtag]

Not quite John

Didn't see any balloons

Although some people were poping a few..........

I was there on 30th November 1973 for the second All Nighter and alot for the first few years.

There was a spell when some dire/embarrasing records were played under the guise of Northern Soul and like many others I went less and less often.

I returned for the last 3 months, including the -"last" All Nighter on September 19th 1981, and the "last" All Nighter on 2nd October and the actual "last" All Nighter on the 6th December.

It had changed alot and the most noticeable change was the wide variety of Soul musical styles being played and enjoyed.

***Oh and the carpet was even stickier LOL.

***

Some Things Never Change Eh??

[Guest SOULBOY45]

================================================================================================

Hi

This is indeed a good thread.

However, there is an impression from some posts (including this one) on Soul Source that Wigan Casino was full of the same crowd every single week from 1973 to 1981 and that some form of collective consciousness existed.

I worked in Kidderminster during the mid 70's and went home to North Shropshire at weekends. I was paid monthly and, still being in my teens, this was not a huge amount. My trips to Wigan were usually on my 'payday weekend'. Like me, many people would travel from all over the country to attend the Casino.......bearing in mind the age group....how many could afford that every single weekend? I couldn't and neither could the majority of my mates.

Another factor which seems lost in modern days......attending these venues was the only way you could hear this music. No internet, no youtube, no searchable databases. (Bootlegs available for a minority of sounds via mail order....yes....but a very small minority)

I'd hear a 'hook' (at the Casino) that grabbed me and then be desperate to identify the artist, the name of the tune, the label. This could take several visits and several listens due to unintelligible DJ drawl and being surrounded by the equally ill-informed. It's also true that many tunes can be an 'acquired taste' so it could be months (i.e. 2 or 3 plays )before 'the penny dropped' and you found yourself interested.

Given the rationale contained in the previous paragraph then it would take some considerable time for a tune you liked to become 'played to death'.......would hearing a really great tune once or twice a month (in the midst of an 8 hour All-Nighter) for a year make it 'played to death' in your mind? I seriously doubt it.

The only people who would even come close to being aware of a 'mix of genres' at the time would be those who attended the Casino every week, year after year. Seriously, how many people did that? Some yes but such people would only make up a small percentage of all that entered up that hallowed staircase. There was certainly no 'group think' in existence across the dancefloor - well not for the majority anyway.

I attended with my 'once a month regularity' from beginning of 1976 to late 1978. I then met my wife (now of 30+ years). I took her to a couple of All-Dayers at Newcastle-u-Lyme. She didn't like the music....game over! It was then 30 years before I set foot on a dancefloor at a Northern venue. I suspect that the majority of Casino attendees have a story similar to mine. Wigan Casino lasted 8 years.....how many people do exactly the same thing every weekend for 8 of their most formative years......hopefully not too many!!!

I understand your (Imberboy) 'Time Machine' reference but think that those who attended the Casino were less complicated than you imagine. The majority of us were just young kids latching onto something we perceived as underground and therefore exclusive and cool - there was no 'political dimension' as far as most of us were aware. It could all have ended at any time as most fashions, music included, generally did.

Some stayed for a year or two and moved on. Some stayed for several years...ate too much chocolate i.e. attended every week for years and became bored and moved on. Others ate too much chocolate and because they ate so much that they made themselves sick but did not want to leave, they decided that the flavour of the chocolate had to be changed for everybody.....even those who were still enjoying the original flavour.

As for the rest, they either rode nicked Vespa's (with lots of mirrors) off Beachy Head or started buying Crossover!!! :lol:

Just the ramblings of a middle-aged man.

Best and Merry Christmas to All!

dogstoat

and indeed a good post i couldn't fault a word

[Guest little glyn]

this is an excellent post summing up so many points that are and were relevant . the only small difference being i attended with my then girlfriend who became my wife which enabled us still keep in touch with the scene and now the children have grown up we are able to make OCCASIONAL visits.especially local events Edited January 15, 2011 by little glyn