50 Key Landmark Moments In Northern Soul History

[Mike]

lets have a go at seeing if can come up with 50 key moments in the history of northern

no dramas or reasons (or lengthy rules) just a friday may be a worthwhile thing punt

if try and do it in a one at a time, no more than two per member per day

and use a format of date, the event and reason format

then may end up with a interesting thread....

date:

event:

reason:

over to you....

[Jaco]

Date : Sometime in 1973 (vague I know)

Event : Sale Mecca Thursday night (probably) - Levines first public play of the Carstairs

Reason : Siesmic shift in the direction and sensibility of the Northern scene

[Dave Rimmer]

I'll go for an obvious one:

Sept 23rd, 1973 - Wigan Casino allnighters start.

[Guest in town Mikey]

1971 Dave Godin visits the Twisted Wheel, and writes a coulmn piece in Blues and Soul magazine.

[Guest in town Mikey]

One for the 80s. Stafford opens. And if Dave T cant remember the date, then I have an excuse for not remembering also.

Edited September 30, 2011 by in town Mikey

[Trev Thomas]

1984 the first kent album released

[Jez Jones]

I would say this wouldn't I

DECEMBER 9TH 1972,MAJOR LANCE LIVE AT THE TORCH

Not just because of the well documented atmosphere on the night --but the first time a live album had been cut from an act at a northern soul all nighter..

[Mike]

if you agree can always hit the 'like this' button

to give it some cred

if you dont... err..... could always post up a better one

[Dave Moore]

THE most important event in the History of Northern Soul:

Date: 1959

Event:: Berry Gordy borrows $800 from the Gordy Family Collective.

Reason: Just about everything else stems from this pivotal event.

Regards,

Dave

Edited September 30, 2011 by Dave Moore

[Winnie :-)]

footsee on top of the pops, early 75. Like it or not, this record introduced 1000s of people to northern and the style of dancing, a very big moment in the history

[Spacehopper]

in MY history...1978 aged 11 i bought my first northern record...hey little way out girl on grapevine (which i still have)...from a shop that now sells sandwiches!

sorry but you did say no rules

dean

[Trev Thomas]

sometime in 1941......soul sam was born

[Epic]

Wigan Casino putting on it's 1st "Oldies All Nighter" - the start of the "same old ,same old" tunes being played over & over.

[Steve L]

1978/9

Richard Searling starts playing his famous new batch of quality big sounds ( Cecil Washington etc)

Thereby steering the scene away from the pop dross that threatened to drown it in a sea of mediocrity and setting the foundations for Stafford etc that was to follow.

[Guest julesp1905]

October 3rd 2011

https://www.juno.co.uk/products/432790-01.htm?highlight=TENOSHI

the date more reggae takes on the Northern scene

[Markw]

September 1981 - Wigan Casino closes

1981 (sometime) - first 6ts all niter at the 100 Club

[Markw]

Wonder whether anyone can date the first time someone did a backdrop?

[Mark B]

not sure but was it 1971/2 when Ian levine took over at Blackpool mecca.

[Markw]

Who was the first DJ to play a record covered up and when?

[Steve L]

1995(ish)

Lots of 30 somethings start returning to the scene after 20 years away doing domestic things.

Most of these have no idea that there was a scene between 1975-95 while they were away and consequently dismiss this period totally. Only wishing to hear records that they can remember from 1975 thereby resulting in the stagnation seen at the majority of venues for evermore hereafter.

Thats not a dig by the way before anyone says, just following Mikes instruction- date, event, reason ( significance for the scene)

Not intended to start any sub-debate

[Guest gordon russell]

time 2oo8ish event burnley alnighter reason..... the birth of the defined "Burnley Sound" heralding the return to proper nighter values and dance music....plus firmly putting the brakes on the drift into dreary crossover hell

[Davenpete]

1971 Dave Godin visits the Twisted Wheel, and writes a coulmn piece in Blues and Soul magazine.

Er... it closed January 30 1971 (the boss was there).

How about theft of the Wheel collection resulting in the involvement of collectors in DJing and a resultant move towards more obscure imports etc and a rapid development in 'the sound'.

Dx

PS Russ the move to Whitworth street was 66

Edited September 30, 2011 by DaveNPete

[Russ Vickers]

1968 the move to the Whitworth Street premises of the Twisted Wheel Club & the beginning of the Rare Soul Scene as we know it. In conjunction with the events in the above post, this was to become known as Northern Soul.

The start of the Golden Torch Allnighters, Stoke.

The Highland Room, Blackpool Mecca with Levine & Curtis

Wigan Casino AllNighters commence Sept 23 1973.

'This England' documentary shown on Granada TV (date anyone, remember it dividing the scene at the time).

1981 the closure of WC & the commencement of the real sound of the soul underground, when people power kept the scene alive through out the 8ts & early 9ts & the SOUL was put back into Northern, only for us to have our beloved scene hijacked once again in the mid 9ts.........& reclaimed & rebranded by those that had deserted it & along with them the reassurgence of greedy promoters begin to squeeze the scene for every pound note.

1981 First 100 Club Allnighter

1984 First Stafford Allnighter (?)

Keb playing (was it) Girl across the street (or maybe it was Darrel Banks) 3 times in a row & then asking if you'd had a f*ckin enough.....& going on with Guy & others to prove beyond reproach that not all the good 6ts sounds had been discovered, turned the scene on its head & revitalised the NS sound with '6ts Newies'.

First NS Weekender (date anyone ?)

Thers a few to be getting on with.......

Russ

Edited September 30, 2011 by Russ Vickers

[Chalky]

1968 the move to the Whitworth Street premises of the Twisted Wheel Club & the beginning of the Rare Soul Scene as we know it. In conjunction with the events in the above post, this was to become known as Northern Soul.

1984 First Stafford Allnighter (?)

First NS Weekender (date anyone ?)

Thers a few to be getting on with.......

Russ

Stafford was '81 or '82 under Minsh and Dave Thorley I think Russ....could have been earlier.

The first weekenders as we know them would be the TAC weekenders at Yarmouth (there was others before but don;t think they were Motown/Northern), 1989 I think...first Northern one was '90. I can dig the flyers out later to check the dates.

[Russ Vickers]

Stafford was '81 or '82 under Minsh and Dave Thorley I think Russ....could have been earlier.

The first weekenders as we know them would be the TAC weekenders at Yarmouth (there was others before but don;t think they were Motown/Northern), 1989 I think...first Northern one was '90. I can dig the flyers out later to check the dates.

Cheers Chalky......

Best Russ

[Russ Vickers]

Great thread BTW Mike.

Russ

[Chalky]

Friday 20th October 1st TAC Motown/Northern Soul Weekender (actually my birthday) top line up of acts.

First Northern Soul Weekender at Yarmouth under TAC was 23/24/25 March, great line up too.

[Gilly]

1968 the move to the Whitworth Street premises of the Twisted Wheel Club & the beginning of the Rare Soul Scene as we know it. In conjunction with the events in the above post, this was to become known as Northern Soul.

The start of the Golden Torch Allnighters, Stoke.

The Highland Room, Blackpool Mecca with Levine & Curtis

Wigan Casino AllNighters commence Sept 23 1973.

'This England' documentary shown on Granada TV (date anyone, remember it dividing the scene at the time).

1981 the closure of WC & the commencement of the real sound of the soul underground, when people power kept the scene alive through out the 8ts & early 9ts & the SOUL was put back into Northern, only for us to have our beloved scene hijacked once again in the mid 9ts.........& reclaimed & rebranded by those that had deserted it & along with them the reassurgence of greedy promoters begin to squeeze the scene for every pound note.

1981 First 100 Club Allnighter

1984 First Stafford Allnighter (?)

Keb playing (was it) Girl across the street (or maybe it was Darrel Banks) 3 times in a row & then asking if you'd had a f*ckin enough.....& going on with Guy & others to prove beyond reproach that not all the good 6ts sounds had been discovered, turned the scene on its head & revitalised the NS sound with '6ts Newies'.

First NS Weekender (date anyone ?)

Thers a few to be getting on with.......

Russ

Your bang on with that lot Russ and ill add one if you dont mind.Chris King putting that Ric Tic revue on some people turned up just to prove it was bollocks and they found to their delight it really was happening.Who would have the balls to chance that lot and in doing so paved a way for other promoters to follow suite and arnt we so lucky to have seen these obscure artists grace our stages to say something that America forgot to do and thats THANK-YOU you fine foxy things.

[Wiganer1]

Stafford was '81 or '82 under Minsh and Dave Thorley I think Russ....could have been earlier.

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

it was april 1982...opened up in the bottom room.............fab days

[Harry Crosby]

1978/9

Richard Searling starts playing his famous new batch of quality big sounds ( Cecil Washington etc)

Thereby steering the scene away from the pop dross that threatened to drown it in a sea of mediocrity and setting the foundations for Stafford etc that was to follow.

Thats the one i would have put, this was the time i started collecting, putting together things from searlings playlist. Remember at the time being slated by the older crowd in york & being told. " your an idiot, these records will just get pressed up and come down in price, like everything else" now what are those people drooling over now eh

[Wiggyflat]

Stafford was '81 or '82 under Minsh and Dave Thorley I think Russ....could have been earlier.

The first weekenders as we know them would be the TAC weekenders at Yarmouth (there was others before but don;t think they were Motown/Northern), 1989 I think...first Northern one was '90. I can dig the flyers out later to check the dates.

I recorded this at Yarmouth from the radio......some tracks from Butch as well

[Mark Bicknell]

A moment in northern soul history.

[Chalky]

I recorded this at Yarmouth from the radio......some tracks from Butch as well

I once saw a video clip yonks ago but not a peep of it since. It had Keb dancing to Temptations - Forever In My Heart, fantastic who of dancing.

[davidwapples]

Who was the first DJ to play a record covered up and when?

covering up records was going on on the reggae ska / jamacian sound systems long before northern soul

[Chalky]

Your bang on with that lot Russ and ill add one if you dont mind.Chris King putting that Ric Tic revue on some people turned up just to prove it was bollocks and they found to their delight it really was happening.Who would have the balls to chance that lot and in doing so paved a way for other promoters to follow suite and arnt we so lucky to have seen these obscure artists grace our stages to say something that America forgot to do and thats THANK-YOU you fine foxy things.

[Gilly]

You must have an excellent filing system Mr Chalky (smile)

[Chalky]

You must have an excellent filing system Mr Chalky (smile)

It's not bad Mr Gilly

[Britmusicsoulfan]

THE most important event in the History of Northern Soul:

Date: 1959

Event:: Berry Gordy borrows $800 from the Gordy Family Collective.

Dave,

Nice one!

Tim

Reason: Just about everything else stems from this pivotal event.

Regards,

Dave

[Wrongcrowd]

time 2oo8ish event burnley alnighter reason..... the birth of the defined "Burnley Sound" heralding the return to proper nighter values and dance music....plus firmly putting the brakes on the drift into dreary crossover hell

September 2011 Tes makes a relevant comment on a thread.... hang on, wait a minute, no, that hasn't happened yet...

[Pete S]

Who was the first DJ to play a record covered up and when?

Rob Bellars covered up Bobby Patterson 'what a wonderful night for love' (UK Pama) at the Twisted Wheel and this is believed to have been the first - so that would be 1969 I think

[scunnyjack]

7th February 1975

The first Cleethorpes Pier All-Nighter

3rd February 2007

The final All-Dayer before the demolition of Cleethorpes Winter Gardens

The first a momentous occasion, the second a truly fantastic night to mark the end of an era, and as much as I enjoyed the Casino and Mecca, Cleethorpes Pier and Winter Gardens were my favourite venues, and for that I cannot thank Colin and Mary Chapman enough for making this all happen, and Payo deserves a thank you for bringing everyone together including Colin and Mary for that final all dayer.

Steve

[Guest Byrney]

1986 /87? (Help us out Alan Walls, Jocko, Chalky, Joan)

Allanton (Shotts) Allnighters.

It pulled together the cream of Scotland's and England's DJs, big ticket items played next to £10-ers, 60s and some modern in one room and a dedicated coningent from England (including the south).traveling to every nighter.

On a personal note this was the key catalyst - in pulling the mob I knock around with together, moreso than Stafford, 100 Club etc IMO

[Chalky]

1986 /87? (Help us out Alan Walls, Jocko, Chalky, Joan) Allanton (Shotts) Allnighters. It pulled together the cream of Scotland's and England's DJs, big ticket items played next to £10-ers, 60s and some modern in one room and a dedicated coningent from England (including the south).traveling to every nighter. On a personal note this was the key catalyst - in pulling the mob I knock around with together, moreso than Stafford, 100 Club etc IMO

1988 I think Bryney, just over 4 years I think it ran for?

whilst we're talking about the Scots Scene....

[Guest Ollie Lailey]

First Soul Revolution in Shoreditch 24th Febuary 2007 (I Think) one of the best nights of music (not including 100 club) in London i've attended. Subsequent do's were alright but the first night was magic.

[spike1]

August 2000

The twisted wheel re~opens on whitworth street

39 years after it was closed

Still going strong

[Guest]

Who was the first DJ to play a record covered up and when?

The venue was The Wheel , and I think Bri Phillips was involved if not the actual DJ .

[Guest BIG H]

1986 /87? (Help us out Alan Walls, Jocko, Chalky, Joan) Allanton (Shotts) Allnighters. It pulled together the cream of Scotland's and England's DJs, big ticket items played next to £10-ers, 60s and some modern in one room and a dedicated coningent from England (including the south).traveling to every nighter. On a personal note this was the key catalyst - in pulling the mob I knock around with together, moreso than Stafford, 100 Club etc IMO

1987 i think Byrney, totally agree with what you said mate, the tunes first played at Allanton was the building blocks for todays upfront soul scene.........music for purists not tourists

[Chalky]

1987 i think Byrney, totally agree with what you said mate, the tunes first played at Allanton was the building blocks for todays upfront soul scene.........music for purists not tourists

1988 according to Alan Walls. Post number 92 in the following topic. Says it was definitely 1988, he remembers it so well as Celtics Centenary year.

[Guest]

lets have a go at seeing if can come up with 50 key moments in the history of northern

no dramas or reasons (or lengthy rules) just a friday may be a worthwhile thing punt

if try and do it in a one at a time, no more than two per member per day

and use a format of date, the event and reason format

then may end up with a interesting thread....

date:

event:

reason:

over to you....

Not an event, and having long ago sold my collection of Blues and Soul mags to Manship (Yeah I was a plumb), anyway the Godin column in which he asked the readership to tell him their favorite record.

Had a field day, my collection grew in leaps and bounds as I bought things like the Invitations,(Whats Wrong), the Incredibles, Homer Banks, etc etc......all bought on spec, not having heard them previously.

[Theothertosspot]

Soul Sam at his 70th at Hinckley and at Skeggy weekender still as enthusiastic as ever