Wigan Casino 1972

[Guest Yank]

Brian Jolley, Paul McLester (Yank), and Terry Hastings.

Edited July 18, 2011 by Yank

[Guest]

blimey, how cool is that ....a year before it opened its doors to the soul fraternity

[Paul R]

Brian Jolley, Paul McLester (Yank), and Terry Hastings.

Whatever happened to Terry Hastings?

Paul

[Guest Yank]

I mistakenly put Terry Hastings. That is his brother Tony. I have been told they both are still in Wigan, just not part of the scene anymore.

[Guest Brian J]

You were right first time Paul. It is Terry.

Looks like a bat flew onto my neck!

[Guest Yank]

Brian

Style was and still is you. I was a Bowie fan too and always thought your Bowie cut was great. You set the standard for looking cool. I laugh at the mac's and the pointed shirt collars (very important to have them out over the mac). I never got a long leather coat, but do remember you and Terry and others getting them.

[Chris L]

Brian Jolley, Paul McLester (Yank), and Terry Hastings.

Brian Jolley is still kicking around somewhere (the flash g*t, bow tie ;-)

Edited July 20, 2011 by Chris L

[Guest Brian J]

Brian

Style was and still is you. I was a Bowie fan too and always thought your Bowie cut was great. You set the standard for looking cool. I laugh at the mac's and the pointed shirt collars (very important to have them out over the mac). I never got a long leather coat, but do remember you and Terry and others getting them.

Yes, always liked style as opposed to fashion.

I never had a long leather, I had a full length fur jacket made at the Lafayette Fur Company on King Street in Manchester.

I remember the first time I wore it accompanied with a beige Fedora. I walked straight across the Casino dancefloor and looked like a pimp.

[Guest dave nowell]

blimey, how cool is that ....a year before it opened its doors to the soul fraternity

My missus Karen Seddon (kegsy) is from Wigan and bores me endlessly with tales of the Casino pre the allnighters. She went from about 1970ish, and maintains it was always a soul venue in the main. Loads of motown, and odd records like Wade in The Water etc which older blokes would dance strangely to. Probably wheel goers. She saw Jiimmy Ruffin, Chuck Berry, Desmond Decker ! etc and it was always a lock out, Gradually the N Soul crept in, and the dancing in couples stopped. Suddenly it was in a circle, and best N Soul dancers would gravitate to the middle. When the niters started, the locals resented their Emp (Casino) being invaded to some extent. It didn't happen by accident......

[Billywhizz]

My missus Karen Seddon (kegsy) is from Wigan and bores me endlessly with tales of the Casino pre the allnighters. She went from about 1970ish, and maintains it was always a soul venue in the main. Loads of motown, and odd records like Wade in The Water etc which older blokes would dance strangely to. Probably wheel goers. She saw Jiimmy Ruffin, Chuck Berry, Desmond Decker ! etc and it was always a lock out, Gradually the N Soul crept in, and the dancing in couples stopped. Suddenly it was in a circle, and best N Soul dancers would gravitate to the middle. When the niters started, the locals resented their Emp (Casino) being invaded to some extent. It didn't happen by accident......

very true dave and when mr m's open, all the good dancers were at the back cheers billy

[Guest Yank]

Dave

She is right! We used to go to the Casino during the week and on Sat nights. Mike Rolo and others Dj'd and played a lot of Motown and some early Northern Soul. The really good dancers all danced near the stage and we would always get the tables near the front sides. The circles died out as more and more people were there to dance to the music.....not just because we were dancing with a girlfriend, etc. When Mike Walker asked some of us local Wiganers to remodel the Beachcomber so he could use it for the All Nighter crowd, we knew things were changing. The resentment probably comes about from the fact that the people who went to the casino during the week and on Sat nights were the reason the casino was even open to have an all nighter, and yet after the all nighter began Mike and Gerry turned all of the attention to the all nighter and basically forgot about the weekday crowd. It was also a little intimidating in some ways to see people suddenly show up from all over the country to come to the Casino. Different clothes, dancing, etc. I thought it was incredible and still do.

[Guest dave nowell]

Dave

She is right! We used to go to the Casino during the week and on Sat nights. Mike Rolo and others Dj'd and played a lot of Motown and some early Northern Soul. The really good dancers all danced near the stage and we would always get the tables near the front sides. The circles died out as more and more people were there to dance to the music.....not just because we were dancing with a girlfriend, etc. When Mike Walker asked some of us local Wiganers to remodel the Beachcomber so he could use it for the All Nighter crowd, we knew things were changing. The resentment probably comes about from the fact that the people who went to the casino during the week and on Sat nights were the reason the casino was even open to have an all nighter, and yet after the all nighter began Mike and Gerry turned all of the attention to the all nighter and basically forgot about the weekday crowd. It was also a little intimidating in some ways to see people suddenly show up from all over the country to come to the Casino. Different clothes, dancing, etc. I thought it was incredible and still do.

I was one of the tourists I'm afraid. I stayed seven years! Sorry bout that......

Edited July 25, 2011 by dave nowell