Wigan Casino Playlist From The First Month

[Pete S]

I was just getting this tape ready to put up as a podcast and thought it would make interesting reading if I posted up the track list.  This tape is from October 1973, the earliest Wigan tape in existence as far as I know, just a month into the Casino's lifespan.  The playlist is pretty much as to be expected, mainly comprising records from The Cats, The Torch and places like Va Va's.  Very interesting to see LOU RAGLAND in there though, I had no idea until today that this was spun and then dropped for 3 or 4 years.

It's a fabulous tape by the way, look out for it later on, great atmosphere and the clapping during Mike Post Coalition is spinte tingling.

DJ's are cut from the tape mainly but I can definitely hear Martyn Ellis and probably Richard Searling

 

JOE HICKS - DON'T IT MAKE YOU FEEL FUNKY

SAXIE RUSSELL - PSYCHEDELIC SOUL

AUDIO ARTS STRINGS - THERE IS NOTHING ELSE TO SAY

EDDIE FOSTER - I NEVER KNEW

MIKE POST COALITION - AFTERNOON OF THE RHINO

MORRIS CHESTNUT - TOO DARN SOULFUL CUT

STANLEY MITCHELL - GET IT BABY

TONY & TYRONE - PLEASE OPERATOR

JOHNNY CASWELL - YOU DON'T LOVE ME ANYMORE

UNKNOWN INSTRUMENTAL (sounds a bit like You Want It You Got It)

NANCY AMES - I DON'T WANT TO TALK ABOUT IT

JR WALKER - I AIN'T GOIN' NOWHERE

TERRIBLE TOM - WE WERE MADE FOR EACH OTHER 

LYNNE RANDELL - STRANGER IN MY ARMS

EARL JACKSON - SOUL SELF SATISFACTION

VOLCANOS - THE LAWS OF LOVE

LEE ANDREWS - I'VE HAD IT

THE SAPPHIRES - THE SLOW FIZZ

EDDIE FOSTER - I NEVER KNEW

THE ADVENTURERS - EASY BABY

FRANK BEVERLEY - IF THAT'S WHAT YOU WANTED

CISSIE HOUSTON - BRING HIM BACK 

GLORIA JONES - TAINTED LOVE

LOU RAGLAND - I TRAVEL ALONE 

PHIL FLOWERS - DISCONTENTED 

LEON YOUNG STRINGS - GLAD ALL OVER

DETROIT SOUND - JUMPING AT THE GO GO

MIKE POST COALITION - AFTERNOON OF THE RHINO

GOLDEN WORLD STRINGS (TOTAL ECLIPSE) - SUPERTIME

THE JELLY BEANS - YOU DON'T MEAN ME NO GOOD

FREDDIE CHAVEZ - THEY'LL NEVER KNOW WHY

Edited July 27, 2013 by Pete S

[Jim G]

Lou Ragland was defo played before Casino, I heard it at Central in Leeds I think, and I some old Blues & Souls where it listed. Might dig them out to check.

 

Get the tape up Pete always good to the atmosphere from when I was a kid!

[Pete S]

Lou Ragland was defo played before Casino, I heard it at Central in Leeds I think, and I some old Blues & Souls where it listed. Might dig them out to check.

 

Get the tape up Pete always good to the atmosphere from when I was a kid!

 

It is up Jim, in audio / video section

[Guest Matt Male]

Great stuff Pete. What suprises me is those are all sounds that I was hearing six years later in 1979 when I first got into northern. Things didn't move that fast back then I expect.

[Wiganer1]

the instrumental is donald austin - you want it i got it ...lp only track

[Paul R]

Very surprised at some of the tracks. I ain't going nowhere, Freddie Chevez, Lee Andrews, Eddie Foster.  I would have put them about 6 months to a year later.  I started going about a week or two later. Great tracks though.

 

Paul

[Rich B]

eing played as

Great stuff Pete. What suprises me is those are all sounds that I was hearing six years later in 1979 when I first got into northern. Things didn't move that fast back then I expect.

 

Things moved much faster back then Matt. Sometimes records only had a 'lifespan' of just a few weeks before the boot appeared. I suspect you were hearing the majority on that list as oldies by '79.

Lou Ragland and Joe Hick escaped the bootleggers for a fair old time though.

 

Off to listen to the recording now though - thanks Pete!

[Agentsmith]

the instrumental is donald austin - you want it i got it ...lp only track

correct mark, colin covered it up as the new york city strings..not been heard for decades!

[Guest Matt Male]

Things moved much faster back then Matt. Sometimes records only had a 'lifespan' of just a few weeks before the boot appeared. I suspect you were hearing the majority on that list as oldies by '79.

Lou Ragland and Joe Hick escaped the bootleggers for a fair old time though.

 

Off to listen to the recording now though - thanks Pete!

 

 

I think you're right mate, thinking about it a lot were played at local youthclubs so had probably 'had their day' on the wider scene and once I got to Wigan (in 1980) I did spend a lot of time in Mr Ms, so that's probably where the memories come from.

Edited July 27, 2013 by Matt Male

[Agentsmith]

Very surprised at some of the tracks. I ain't going nowhere, Freddie Chevez, Lee Andrews, Eddie Foster.  I would have put them about 6 months to a year later.  I started going about a week or two later. Great tracks though.

 

Paul

as pete said, many of these were played at the catacombs & vava's in 73, probably getting booted throughout 74, though jnr walker got a legit u.k. motown release at the same time.

[kevinsoulman]

AFTERNOON OF THE RHINO TWICE HAPPENED THEN STILL HAPPENING NOW

 

KEV

[Soulfulhound]

Brilliant tape Pete, although some of the sounds I thought were played a bit later.Memory must play tricks.

I would definately have put Freddie Chevez as around 74 when Kev came back from Simon Soussans in L A,

Also I thought Richard first played Stella Starr long before Cissie Houston as he had my mates copy on Piccadilly and Thelma Houstons I aint going nowhere must have been played a good 6 months before Junior Walkers was released.

Anyhow, lovely nostalgia Pete, I must have been there that night as I went for about 70 consequetive weeks from night 1.

Cheers

Chris

Edited July 28, 2013 by SOULFULHOUND

[Jim G]

Junior Walker was getting played off the Peace And Understanding Is Hard To Find album, then had UK release. There were many big Wigan sounds getting played way before it opened

Edited July 27, 2013 by jim g

[Cheltsoulnights]

What is the story on total eclipse? Their single is a vocal?

[Cheltsoulnights]

It is up Jim, in audio / video section

Call me thick, where is this section?

[Premium Stuff]

Call me thick, where is this section?

 

 

Here you go mate 

 

Richard

[Eddie Hubbard]

Haven't heard the tape yet ,but didn't Richard join the Wigan rosta of DJ's some months after it opened , and not as soon as a month after opening ? If I'm wrong then happy to be corrected , that was my take on it .Cheers ,Eddie

[dthedrug]

I was just getting this tape ready to put up as a podcast and thought it would make interesting reading if I posted up the track list.  This tape is from October 1973, the earliest Wigan tape in existence as far as I know, just a month into the Casino's lifespan.  The playlist is pretty much as to be expected, mainly comprising records from The Cats, The Torch and places like Va Va's.  Very interesting to see LOU RAGLAND in there though, I had no idea until today that this was spun and then dropped for 3 or 4 years.

It's a fabulous tape by the way, look out for it later on, great atmosphere and the clapping during Mike Post Coalition is spinte tingling.

DJ's are cut from the tape mainly but I can definitely hear Martyn Ellis and probably Richard Searling

 

JOE HICKS - DON'T IT MAKE YOU FEEL FUNKY

SAXIE RUSSELL - PSYCHEDELIC SOUL

AUDIO ARTS STRINGS - THERE IS NOTHING ELSE TO SAY

EDDIE FOSTER - I NEVER KNEW

MIKE POST COALITION - AFTERNOON OF THE RHINO

MORRIS CHESTNUT - TOO DARN SOULFUL CUT

STANLEY MITCHELL - GET IT BABY

TONY & TYRONE - PLEASE OPERATOR

JOHNNY CASWELL - YOU DON'T LOVE ME ANYMORE

UNKNOWN INSTRUMENTAL (sounds a bit like You Want It You Got It)

NANCY AMES - I DON'T WANT TO TALK ABOUT IT

JR WALKER - I AIN'T GOIN' NOWHERE

TERRIBLE TOM - WE WERE MADE FOR EACH OTHER 

LYNNE RANDELL - STRANGER IN MY ARMS

EARL JACKSON - SOUL SELF SATISFACTION

VOLCANOS - THE LAWS OF LOVE

LEE ANDREWS - I'VE HAD IT

THE SAPPHIRES - THE SLOW FIZZ

EDDIE FOSTER - I NEVER KNEW

THE ADVENTURERS - EASY BABY

FRANK BEVERLEY - IF THAT'S WHAT YOU WANTED

CISSIE HOUSTON - BRING HIM BACK 

GLORIA JONES - TAINTED LOVE

LOU RAGLAND - I TRAVEL ALONE 

PHIL FLOWERS - DISCONTENTED 

LEON YOUNG STRINGS - GLAD ALL OVER

DETROIT SOUND - JUMPING AT THE GO GO

MIKE POST COALITION - AFTERNOON OF THE RHINO

GOLDEN WORLD STRINGS (TOTAL ECLIPSE) - SUPERTIME

THE JELLY BEANS - YOU DON'T MEAN ME NO GOOD

FREDDIE CHAVEZ - THEY'LL NEVER KNOW WHY

 HI ALL...PETE As you are aware I am a big fan of your love of the history of the rare soul scene, and many of your writings would make good documentary's

One day we will have a public tv network, which this info that you give freely will reach a bigger market, ,

October 73 was my first visit to the Casino, as your list shows and proves, that the success of the CASINO was in it's playlist, at a time when apart from some local clubs, the scene was starved of a top all-nighter sadly the VAVA got overlooked by most, all but the locals, even the great adverts did not capture the attention of most.

For 6 months a rapid fall off of brothers & sisters who packed out the TORCH & JUNCTION fell of the scene only for a short period of time, but in that time the WIGAN DJ took on the very best tunes from clubs that had closed or only attracted locals, the playlist proves this, as for example many of the tunes on the list were played by Tony Dellerat the MALLET or PEP in the MIDLANDS and even purchased from Ian at the MECCA, As I say your list was played to many fresh ears the fact that the unfamiliar tunes were of the same class as the familiar, made the CASINO the best place to go in the UK, to me this success was also it's downfall as within a year some of the DJ at Wigan helped start new venues using the CASINO formula and slosh by finding the original DJ who discovered the records in the first place, To this day I could not tell you a RUSS record that was truly his find, can you, but I can tell you many from other DJ that are overlooked or get slagged off like IAN got, well maybe not as bad as IAN got, shame on some of you,  

A great list Pete and again freely given, RIGHT ON  DAVE K AS ALWAYS

[Stevie]

Interesting to see Jelly Beans in that list.

I didn't go every week, but went pretty often for the first three years and don't recall hearing this. Was a 'new' tune for me when I got back into things in the early 90's.

Did it get many plays during that time?

[Steve G]

Some great stuff there for sure,.....

[grant]

Interesting to see Jelly Beans in that list.

I didn't go every week, but went pretty often for the first three years and don't recall hearing this. Was a 'new' tune for me when I got back into things in the early 90's.

Did it get many plays during that time?

was thinking the same Steve

[dthedrug]

Interesting to see Jelly Beans in that list.

I didn't go every week, but went pretty often for the first three years and don't recall hearing this. Was a 'new' tune for me when I got back into things in the early 90's.

Did it get many plays during that time?

 Hi All  Not quite sure if the Jelly Beans come from the MECCA or VAVA's it is the type of stomper Richard would of played I am sure someone will tell us.

However it is and was played in the first 6 months my 1st copy was on a black label boot, got my 1st real copy from John Anderson £5 it was a hard to get record for sure pre 76, as the bootleg records of the time prove, I still rate the record and is a great one to have in your box,  Also all the records were played in 73, and that's the point PETE was making when he started the post, it's amazing how many records from the WHEEL TORCH YEARS, Got played to new ears and become WIGAN TUNES, this is why I it amazes me at some of the 3rd rate records that get played today over & over, when there are so many quality 45's out there & cheaper, however that's nothing to do with your question, "I mean you no good"  DAVE K 

[Pete S]

Brilliant tape Pete, although some of the sounds I thought were played a bit later.Memory must play tricks.

I would definately have put Freddie Chevez as around 74 when Kev came back from Simon Soussans in L A,

Also I thought Richard first played Stella Starr long before Cissie Houston as he had my mates copy on Piccadilly and Thelma Houstons I aint going nowhere must have been played a good 6 months before Junior Walkers was released.

Anyhow, lovely nostalgia Pete, I must have been there that night as I went for about 70 consequetive weeks from night 1.

Cheers

Chris

 

Chris, it may well have been Stella Starr, I just presumed it was Cissie Houston.  Whoever sent the original tape wrote the date on it, so I just went by that. I'm not going to question the memory of the person who recorded it. 

By the time I was 'on the scene' which was about 12 to 18  months after this tape was recorded, most of these were being played at our youth club, so had obviously all been pressed.

As someone said, Joe Hicks managed to avoid the bootleggers until 1976, Lou Ragland until 1977.

 

And everyone - as for the 'real' date - it doesn't really matter does it?  You're getting some priceless nostalgia, and it's free.

Edited July 28, 2013 by Pete S

[Soulfulhound]

Chris, it may well have been Stella Starr, I just presumed it was Cissie Houston.  Whoever sent the original tape wrote the date on it, so I just went by that. I'm not going to question the memory of the person who recorded it. 

By the time I was 'on the scene' which was about 12 to 18  months after this tape was recorded, most of these were being played at our youth club, so had obviously all been pressed.

As someone said, Joe Hicks managed to avoid the bootleggers until 1976, Lou Ragland until 1977.

 

And everyone - as for the 'real' date - it doesn't really matter does it?  You're getting some priceless nostalgia, and it's free.

Hi Pete, it is a brilliant piece of nostalgia and many thanks for sharing it with us mate.

Another one which escaped the bootlegger for years was Saxie Russell......Simon Soussan just couldnt find one to copy.

Cheers, Chris

[Pete S]

I'm losing my marbles here, there was a post from Kev Roberts which I can't see now, and my reply to him which I also can't see now, where did they go?

* oops they are on the actual tape topic, ignore this

Edited July 28, 2013 by Pete S

[Dave Thorley]

Haven't heard the tape yet ,but didn't Richard join the Wigan rosta of DJ's some months after it opened , and not as soon as a month after opening ? If I'm wrong then happy to be corrected , that was my take on it .Cheers ,Eddie

 

 

I know things chopped and changed a lot then, but I'm with Eddie, if Richard is on there and looking at some of the titles, would have thought this recording was a little later than the first month of opening.

[Pete S]

I know things chopped and changed a lot then, but I'm with Eddie, if Richard is on there and looking at some of the titles, would have thought this recording was a little later than the first month of opening.

 

Have a listen and see if you can make out the voice - Martyn Ellis is definitely on there - I wouldn't have recognised Kev Roberts or Ian Fishwick's voices so it may be one of them.  Or not - I don't know, I didn't record it.

And to Eddie, by the same token as some of those titles being 'later' - others are positively ancient and well known from other venues, Nancy Ames, Frank Beverly etc

Edited July 28, 2013 by Pete S

[Chalky]

Reading Tim Brown's book it was Russ and Ian Fishwick to begin with. Kev joining within a month and Richard within two months.

[Guest]

correct mark, colin covered it up as the new york city strings..not been heard for decades!

One that ive played out recently.......although I cant ever remember it being played at Wigan.....and I was around at the time of this tape.

[Pete S]

One that ive played out recently.......although I cant ever remember it being played at Wigan.....and I was around at the time of this tape.

 

So do you mean that the people who identified it have got the wrong track Steve?

[Guest]

So do you mean that the people who identified it have got the wrong track Steve?

Not got to it yet so far Pete but if it is the Donald Austin (crazy legs) its one that ive spun a couple of times recently.

[Guest]

I do know it was played at Wigan but I don't ever remember hearing it there.....

[Pete S]

I have that LP here and am playing it now and can confirm it is an instrumental version of The Detroit Emeralds song You Want It You Got It so I think I should get a prize for guessing the title seeing as I haven't heard that Detroit Emeralds record since 1973!  

Edited July 28, 2013 by Pete S

[Chatty]

HI ALL...PETE As you are aware I am a big fan of your love of the history of the rare soul scene, and many of your writings would make good documentary's

One day we will have a public tv network, which this info that you give freely will reach a bigger market, ,

October 73 was my first visit to the Casino, as your list shows and proves, that the success of the CASINO was in it's playlist, at a time when apart from some local clubs, the scene was starved of a top all-nighter sadly the VAVA got overlooked by most, all but the locals, even the great adverts did not capture the attention of most.

For 6 months a rapid fall off of brothers & sisters who packed out the TORCH & JUNCTION fell of the scene only for a short period of time, but in that time the WIGAN DJ took on the very best tunes from clubs that had closed or only attracted locals, the playlist proves this, as for example many of the tunes on the list were played by Tony Dellerat the MALLET or PEP in the MIDLANDS and even purchased from Ian at the MECCA, As I say your list was played to many fresh ears the fact that the unfamiliar tunes were of the same class as the familiar, made the CASINO the best place to go in the UK, to me this success was also it's downfall as within a year some of the DJ at Wigan helped start new venues using the CASINO formula and slosh by finding the original DJ who discovered the records in the first place, To this day I could not tell you a RUSS record that was truly his find, can you, but I can tell you many from other DJ that are overlooked or get slagged off like IAN got, well maybe not as bad as IAN got, shame on some of you,

A great list Pete and again freely given, RIGHT ON DAVE K AS ALWAYS

[Chatty]

Intrigued by that statement,

does anybody know a Russ record that was truely his?

[Pete S]

Intrigued by that statement,

does anybody know a Russ record that was truely his?

 

Tommy Bush - I Don't LIke It

give me ten minutes and I could tell you tons of records Russ played first, from Love Music to Ten To One

[Goldsoul]

Reading Tim Brown's book it was Russ and Ian Fishwick to begin with. Kev joining within a month and Richard within two months.

I joined on Sept 30th(the 2nd week in).

Pete has truly found a great piece of history. If anyone wants a accurate report of the early days feel free to ask.

[Stevie]

DAVE K - Thanks for reply re Jelly Beans.

Can anyone help with how often it was played during early years?

[Chalky]

I joined on Sept 30th(the 2nd week in).

Pete has truly found a great piece of history. If anyone wants a accurate report of the early days feel free to ask.

Post your report here Kev, would make fascinating reading I am sure. I for one would like to read it.

[Goldsoul]

Apologies.....I will re-phrase to answering questions as a report might be a little too daunting to write while the TV is on!

Happy to clear up any 73/74 queries though.

[Steve L]

Apologies.....I will re-phrase to answering questions as a report might be a little too daunting to write while the TV is on!

Happy to clear up any 73/74 queries though.

Shame Kev, I too would like to hear any reminisces about those times - cant think of any specific questions though.

Maybe you should write a book  

[Eddie Hubbard]

I know some of the records like The Adventurers and Gloria Jones were considered Richard's Va Va records .I know there was a practise of sharing the sounds around from Va Va's and The Cat's  for instance , via acetates , so could it be possible that these particular records made their way to this early Wigan playlist by this way ? Look forward to playing the tape , well done to Pete for unearthing a piece of history .

[Davetay]

Interesting to see Jelly Beans in that list.

I didn't go every week, but went pretty often for the first three years and don't recall hearing this. Was a 'new' tune for me when I got back into things in the early 90's.

Did it get many plays during that time?

It got pressed early 74, but yeah it was played alot.

[Davetay]

One that ive played out recently.......although I cant ever remember it being played at Wigan.....and I was around at the time of this tape.

Donald Austin was deffo covered up as The New York Strings.

[Goldsoul]

Donald Austin was deffo covered up as The New York Strings.

Yep

It sure was. It was me that gave it that name. I had NY in the brain and wasn't very original! Marboo's What About Love as the NY Generation for instance.

[Jaco]

It got pressed early 74, but yeah it was played alot.

I remember it as a Mecca spin so maybe late 73?

[Guest]

I joined on Sept 30th(the 2nd week in).

Pete has truly found a great piece of history. If anyone wants a accurate report of the early days feel free to ask.

And I always said......"If you can remember all about it...  .. you weren't really there" 

[spot]

I was just getting this tape ready to put up as a podcast and thought it would make interesting reading if I posted up the track list.  This tape is from October 1973, the earliest Wigan tape in existence as far as I know, just a month into the Casino's lifespan.  The playlist is pretty much as to be expected, mainly comprising records from The Cats, The Torch and places like Va Va's.  Very interesting to see LOU RAGLAND in there though, I had no idea until today that this was spun and then dropped for 3 or 4 years.

It's a fabulous tape by the way, look out for it later on, great atmosphere and the clapping during Mike Post Coalition is spinte tingling.

DJ's are cut from the tape mainly but I can definitely hear Martyn Ellis and probably Richard Searling

 

JOE HICKS - DON'T IT MAKE YOU FEEL FUNKY

SAXIE RUSSELL - PSYCHEDELIC SOUL

AUDIO ARTS STRINGS - THERE IS NOTHING ELSE TO SAY

EDDIE FOSTER - I NEVER KNEW

MIKE POST COALITION - AFTERNOON OF THE RHINO

MORRIS CHESTNUT - TOO DARN SOULFUL CUT

STANLEY MITCHELL - GET IT BABY

TONY & TYRONE - PLEASE OPERATOR

JOHNNY CASWELL - YOU DON'T LOVE ME ANYMORE

UNKNOWN INSTRUMENTAL (sounds a bit like You Want It You Got It)

NANCY AMES - I DON'T WANT TO TALK ABOUT IT

JR WALKER - I AIN'T GOIN' NOWHERE

TERRIBLE TOM - WE WERE MADE FOR EACH OTHER 

LYNNE RANDELL - STRANGER IN MY ARMS

EARL JACKSON - SOUL SELF SATISFACTION

VOLCANOS - THE LAWS OF LOVE

LEE ANDREWS - I'VE HAD IT

THE SAPPHIRES - THE SLOW FIZZ

EDDIE FOSTER - I NEVER KNEW

THE ADVENTURERS - EASY BABY

FRANK BEVERLEY - IF THAT'S WHAT YOU WANTED

CISSIE HOUSTON - BRING HIM BACK 

GLORIA JONES - TAINTED LOVE

LOU RAGLAND - I TRAVEL ALONE 

PHIL FLOWERS - DISCONTENTED 

LEON YOUNG STRINGS - GLAD ALL OVER

DETROIT SOUND - JUMPING AT THE GO GO

MIKE POST COALITION - AFTERNOON OF THE RHINO

GOLDEN WORLD STRINGS (TOTAL ECLIPSE) - SUPERTIME

THE JELLY BEANS - YOU DON'T MEAN ME NO GOOD

FREDDIE CHAVEZ - THEY'LL NEVER KNOW WHY

 

Now that's how I remember Wigan, if I close my eye's I can feel the heat, hear the clapping & remember the ear straining to hear what the Dj was announcing next, memories so sweet you could spread it on toast, then there was the toilets to break the dream.

Spot.

 

[Pete S]

Now that's how I remember Wigan, if I close my eye's I can feel the heat, hear the clapping & remember the ear straining to hear what the Dj was announcing next, memories so sweet you could spread it on toast, then there was the toilets to break the dream.

Spot.

 

 

There's some fantastic clapping on Get It Baby, Saxie Russell and Rhino, it really does give you goosepimples.  Whatever happened to clapping, died out in the 80's, I loved it when everyone knew how to do that clap on a particular beat as if it were done by telepathy.

[Agentsmith]

There's some fantastic clapping on Get It Baby, Saxie Russell and Rhino, it really does give you goosepimples.  Whatever happened to clapping, died out in the 80's, I loved it when everyone knew how to do that clap on a particular beat as if it were done by telepathy.

completely right pete, folk were right in the groove back then, an innate appreciation, complimenting the effortless dancing...think now only the supremely busy all-nighters bear any semblence of that mannerism  and it has to be the right record...back then everything got the treatment.