Northern Soul The Theme Park!!! UPDATED

Well it just had to happen!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Northern Soul The Theme Park is on its way and will be built on the original Casino site in Wigan, this will include a total rebuild of the original building plus a whole host of special attractions within this multi million pound project..........the site will have it all such as retro nostalgia roller coasters which will transport you back to September 23rd 1973 with an audio visual blow your mind journey that you can relive again and again, soak up the commercial bullshit of how good it was then where some egos were far more important than the music and all was well in the mind of the three before eight master................. Have your photo taken dressed in authentic Northern Soul fashion with a famous celebrity of the day, record your very own Northern Soul record and visit the huge gift shop packed to the rafters with nasty cheap tacky crap which includes, clocks, mugs, t - shirts, key rings, coasters, jackets,badges,pens, action figures and tons more items which have sod all to do with the music but make the fat cats richer. The theme park will im sure be a big success and very much cement the Northern Soul scene as a branded monster, i feel however that it will be a short lived attraction as the real people of the scene would rather champion the music and keep it real. Northern Soul The Theme Park will go the way of the ill fated Mr Blobby Land in Morcambe some years ago as even the great Noel Edmonds could not save that one......... Perhaps Circus would be a better way to sum up this current trend of total commercial overkill, how much more abuse can one scene take, bootlegs, tacky crap, branded Northern Soul is killing the very core of what otherwise should be pure and about the music, collecting, playing, dancing and enjoying rare hard to find records which should be enough and not a constant diet of the same old crap and we want your money all of it and now fuck off ethic........ This scene is being fucked every which way at the present time and in time the whole sad bubble is going to burst as it did in the early 80s except this time there will be no Stafford to pick up the pieces and then where will we be. I frankly dont care of the reaction my comments will generate as for far too long nothing has been said of the way things are right now, there are many people, promoters, DJs, collectors etc. who really care about this scene with a passion and many have simply had enough of all the bull shit, why should we stand by and watch the very life blood of this scene drain away into nothing, the commercial side of Northern Soul today is killing it slowly, fuck Chicken I would sooner go for the steak, I think you will take my point. ITS A BEAUTIFUL SCENE AND WE SHOULD ALL BE PROUD OF IT, TREASURE IT AND MOVE FORWARD,DEVELOP AND GROW NOT STAND STILL IN SOME FUCKING RETRO TIME WARP AND BE SPOON FED SECOND CLASS VERSIONS OF THE GREATEST SCENE IN THE WORLD. ITS 2003 NOT 1976, RIP WIGAN CASINO, LONG LIVE THE RARE NORTHERN SOUL SCENE. see you on the big dipper.........tickets please................................................................................ Keep it real - Mark Bicknell.

 Part 2 added

Further to my recent Northern Soul The Theme Park item - please note this is not an actual review or preview of any current venue, its more an overview of the commercial abuse going on right now.......... how the hell you can brand something so beautiful and pure as rare hard to find Soul records is an insult in my book. The current overkill commercial situation on the scene is sucking it dry and I do not want to see something thats been a huge part of my life for twenty seven years totally destroyed and thrown away by people who dont have any real passion for the music and simply use it as a meal ticket and an excuse to print money and if it means going back so far underground in a sweaty small cellar club atmosphere then so be it................................. from the year dot there has always been chances on the scene who wish to exploit and profit from it so there is nothing new there, its just got totally out of control and enough is basically enough, good friends of mine have even given up attending gigs because they cant stand the bullshit anymore, its crumbling around us and we have to do something about it now before its too late. I myself take pride when im asked to DJ and as with many other people connected with the scene we do it because we care, sure I get paid for DJing and rightly so as I give it 100% everytime, I dont cheat and play bootlegs I try and keep it real. Im not pointing the finger at anyone in particular but will simply say if the shoe fits!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I will not be told whats good and whats not by someone else as I have my own mind so please dont spoon feed me sub standard retro crap and exspect me to say nothing ok. Should my comments be challenged then that in its self will prove my comments and observations right so there you have it, perhaps I wont be asked to DJ at certain venues because of my costic comments but to tell you the truth I would sooner not play those venues if Im not being booked on my reputation, collection and entertainment value so again not my loss is it? I praise everyone who does it right be it legal re issue of music, running a venue whatever so why should I be made to feel like jacking it all in under this monster commercial blanket at the present time, simply the music is far too good to let it all go and in time quality will win the day over pop - up watered down crap.

Keep it real - Mark Bicknell.

The comments are owned by the poster. We arent responsible for their content.

 Poster Thread Guest Posted: 2003/10/17 12:55 Updated: 2003/10/17 12:55

theme park

Says it all imo hits the nail right on the head

 in town Mikey Posted: 2003/10/17 14:26 Updated: 2003/10/17 14:26 Hardest Joined: 2003/1/30 From: South Wales Posts: 659

Re: theme park Is this a revue of the Cala Gran? Wondered when someone was going to say, "Northern soul"isnt a brand, and we arent mug punters! Someone was on here saying that the Togetherness events pulled in 6 thousand over a few week period, and was therefore a success, and completely ignored the fact that just about every facet of their organisation, and performance at these events had come in for critisicm. I cant comment on any of these recent events as I choose not to go, following well documented actions in the past. I have been to them in the past though, and found it odious to be repeatedly told, they are the BRAND LEADER??? What is all that about. If brand leader of Weekenders means a dancefloor that has to be rebuilt every few hours, or power failures, or whatever else, then I am happy going to the less commercial poorer relations where soul fans play soul records for soul fans to dance to on a floor that will still be there in a few minutes time.

Guest Posted: 2003/10/17 15:55 Updated: 2003/10/17 15:55

Re: theme park hang on a minute mark - whats all this about projections of l;abels scans, old footage etc being projected on walls at the nEW mANCHESTER aLL-nITER - JUST GET THEM TO LET YOU DO WHAT YOU KNOW BEST - DJ, AND LET US DANCE - FUCK THE SLIDE SHOW!!!! P.S. HOPE 1ST ONE GOES O.K.

Guest Posted: 2003/10/18 15:03 Updated: 2003/10/18 15:03 Re: theme park

 ITS A BEAUTIFUL SCENE AND WE SHOULD ALL BE PROUD OF IT, TREASURE IT AND MOVE FORWARD,DEVELOP AND GROW NOT STAND STILL IN SOME FUCKING RETRO TIME WARP AND BE SPOON FED SECOND CLASS VERSIONS OF THE GREATEST SCENE IN THE WORLD. ITS 2003 NOT 1976, RIP WIGAN CASINO, LONG LIVE THE RARE NORTHERN SOUL SCENE

jazzyjas Posted: 2003/10/21 18:21 Updated: 2003/10/21 18:21 Joined: 2002/10/16 From: Baltimore, MD USA Posts: 25

The Northern Soul Theme Park You know, it took me a second read to figure out that what you said was a fantasy. This further proves your point about how something like this could actually happen. Commercialization is the enemy of anything pure or righteous. I do think that it would have been nice for an exact replica of the Casino Club to have been rebuilt, but the sad part about that is--nobody would even consider doing that unless there was money to be made. They should have done it years ago, even when northern soul wasnt extremely popular like it is now. Something like that should also be done for love of the music, not because of opportunity to make money. Im 31 and from the USA and a only a serious fan of northern soul since 1991 and I never been to the UK and got to experience the Wigan Casino, so Id like to be able to walk in there and have my own point of reference. But you know what? Life goes on, as does the scene, and I actually dont feel cheated out of anything. As long as there is a dancefloor, and a sound system with good soul sounds, Im there. From what Ive gathered from reading, talking to people and from my own experiences, northern soul has survived because of smaller local venues, people turning on others to the music, availability of legitimate reissues and so on. The true soul fans uphold the strong sense of comraderie and stick true to the music. I had the pleasure of playing northern soul at a scooter rally in Las Vegas back February to mostly people from the UK, and they showed me immense respect and treated me as one of their own. This furthered my beliefs in how pure it can be. This situation could have happened anywhere; the music and the people kept it real and pure. I think anybody who considers him/herself a true northern soul fan will support me in saying he/she would rather spend the evening at an ill attended local soul event with a small group of close friends with a quality sound system, rather than go to a large event with lots of people that dont respect what theyre experiencing. I should know this because I DJ soul nights in Baltimore, MD(USA) and make little to no money and sometimes Im the only one on the dancefloor, and thats still not a complete failure to me. Ill continue to do it whenever I want, even knowing that people may not come. True soul fans will agree. With all of that said, I would hate to see a good and positive thing like this destroyed by commercialism and put into the wrong hands. As far as the KFC ads, they do the same kind of shit in the US with even more common pieces of music. At least a better song comes on the TV, but by the same token it must hurt even more when it does come on, so I really understand your point. Ill be coming to Cleethorpes in June of 04 for the first time. It will also be my first time in the UK. As much as Im filled with anticipation and excitement about coming to a large scale proper UK soul event, Im sure that my most meaningful moments will be meeting some great people who love this stuff just as much as me. Im on your side, Mark. Well put about everything you said. Best, Jason (Jazzy Jas) KTF

jason.thornton9@verizon.net

Guest Posted: 2003/10/21 23:16 Updated: 2003/10/21 23:16

nfortunately worse things can happen. you can only enter the u.k. if you can dance right, unfortunately you will be deported,uness you can do a quick credibility dance for the customs guys. your friend nigel(betts that is from baltimore--err i mean norwich uk). i agree upon the lowness of the main subject matter though,i wonder if they will also have the floor grime,nicotine running down the walls,& bathrooms flooded with urine --just so you know you had the real experience.

Guest Posted: 2003/10/23 12:45 Updated: 2003/10/23 12:45

Re: The Northern Soul Theme Park Jason..if your coming to Cleethorpes in 04, you will really enjoy it. It is one of the best weekenders around. Guest Posted: 2003/10/23 12:47 Updated: 2003/10/23 12:47 Re: theme park Mark you made a few great points.......put your money where your mouth is and reduce the price for the Allnighter at the CIS, £10 otd and £8.00 for a ticket!!!!