Wigan Bashers

[Back Street Blue]

This new take on the gear thing is really strange to me....I went a lot in '77 and don't recall coach loads of straight members having a kip at 04:00.

I was earning about £15 a week then and could afford a few pills.....but seldom had enough to buy records.

Not trying to glorify being naughty but we were recreational users and unlike those who were having a dig in the bogs, none of us became hooked on anything in later life either.

The buzz was an extra bonus, the objective was to be able to dance like you wanted to when you wanted to.

Not proud of it......but not going to make out that I wasn't at it.

in my experience the majority of folk that I encountered were either blocked or looking to get some.

[Guest wigan bob]

Shifty?

oh yes and carl also about 98 or 99

[Simsy]

oh yes and carl also about 98 or 99

 

Ah right. I won't say 'back in the day', but I thought you meant 70's.

 

Top jocks those two the Bob, as you say sir.

[Guest gordon russell]

This new take on the gear thing is really strange to me....I went a lot in '77 and don't recall coach loads of straight members having a kip at 04:00.

I was earning about £15 a week then and could afford a few pills.....but seldom had enough to buy records.

Not trying to glorify being naughty but we were recreational users and unlike those who were having a dig in the bogs, none of us became hooked on anything in later life either.

The buzz was an extra bonus, the objective was to be able to dance like you wanted to when you wanted to.

Not proud of it......but not going to make out that I wasn't at it.

in my experience the majority of folk that I encountered were either blocked or looking to get some.

Afraid there was......one of the reasons l stopped going really  

[Back Street Blue]

Afraid there was......one of the reasons l stopped going really  

Sorry Terry.....not sure what you mean....there were bus loads of straight members having a kip......or you ended up with a habit?

If the former.....must have missed them when I was in M's (where I did spend a lot of my time),

If the latter....sorry to hear that mate.

[Guest wigan bob]

so stop pushing at the back over 20s only .get a grip of yourselves the 16 year old had asmuch write to be there as anybody else if there enjoying it

[Peter99]

Sorry Terry.....not sure what you mean....there were bus loads of straight members having a kip......or you ended up with a habit?

If the former.....must have missed them when I was in M's (where I did spend a lot of my time),

If the latter....sorry to hear that mate.

Terrence has a habit of being grumpy.

 

Peter

 

 

[Guest gordon russell]

Sorry Terry.....not sure what you mean....there were bus loads of straight members having a kip......or you ended up with a habit?

If the former.....must have missed them when I was in M's (where I did spend a lot of my time),

If the latter....sorry to hear that mate.

ha! ha!..........loada tourists kipping all over .........as for habit...heres a thought   couple of fellas go down the pub 3 times a week and drink  2,3 or mabye 4 pints....they do this  for over 40 years...never bother anyone,hold a job down and have 1 or 2 decent relationships/kids ect.......are they alcoholics.......no course not........same with a bit of gear.......the scene is full of folk who do this now and then  without becoming  addicts.....it,s a myth.....some do     most don,t  fact  atb

[Sooty]

ha! ha!..........loada tourists kipping all over .........as for habit...heres a thought   couple of fellas go down the pub 3 times a week and drink  2,3 or mabye 4 pints....they do this  for over 40 years...never bother anyone,hold a job down and have 1 or 2 decent relationships/kids ect.......are they alcoholics.......no course not........same with a bit of gear.......the scene is full of folk who do this now and then  without becoming  addicts.....it,s a myth.....some do     most don,t  fact  atb

 

....wise words Gordon.......use them don;t abuse them was my policy in the 90's....and I wouldn't have wanted to have done it any other way!!!x I had never had me 'teenage years'....in kids homes and stuff......so did mine in me 30's......sensibly with maturity!!!x However.....I became a football hooligan though association whilst you were all at Wigan..........and ended up in prison! I'd rather had gone to Wigan....with todays wisdom in me head....but I din;t have it then......so as said.....iI may have died happy at 17/18......on the decks somewhere!!!!x Never did anything as a follower..........lead the singing at football....and the taking of ends during the 70's as one did for fun....!.......and would have been 'full on' at Wigan.....I reckon!!x

@@

~

LUV

SOOTY

X

[SHEFFSOUL]

I went once about 75ish, thought it was shite.

[Len]

The people I have met over the years that went to Wigan and carried on their ‘hobby’ since, hardly ever mention the place - they are just getting on with what they started there. Yes, it was something that had never been seen before, and Wow - I wish I’d experienced it……..but I didn’t, I was a baby…..

 

…..Over my years I have listened to ‘advise’, and many lectures off people that ‘popped’ into Wigan, thinking because of that they know better…….I now know they ‘so’ don’t.

 

Respect to the people that went and got the true spirit from such an incredible experience, but b*llox to those that never understood. My personal history (100 Club etc) is just as important to me, and I have very strong bonds with people that have the same mind set, no matter what era they started out.

 

All the best,

 

Len  

[Len]

Oh dear.

 

Looks like I had my rose-tinted Wigan Beer Goggles on again last night.

 

Shame.

 

I'd been so well behaved of late too.

 

BRILLIANT!  

 

Len  

 

P.s - I have a new hobby of reading threads backwards  

[Len]

Wigan was appaling. The management treated everyone like cash cows. The DJ's played some insulting music for a so-called Soul Club. The place was a dump and Marshall et al never spent a red cent on anything. The vast majority of teenagers were off their box on amphetamines and in later years anything else that was to hand. If you didn't keep an eye on stuff it WOULD get nicked. All this is true.

I was a Soul fan before it was called Northern, and I still am. I have travelled the UK and a lot of the world. Unfortunately, nowhere comes close as far as raw atmosphere is concerned. It was of it's time and place and it has gone, like an old dangerous mistress, fondly remembered but you wouldn't want to spend your life with her. Would you?

 

Great post.

 

Len  

[Guest Paul]

I first went in late 1974, I also went a few times in 75 and 76.

Sadly on one night Russ was playing loads of those dreadful Soussan instrumentals and it was a bit of a culture shock after being at The Mecca a few hours earlier.

It put me off but I appreciate there was a lot more to The Casino and I had some good nights there.

Nice atmosphere and a good place to buy records.





 

[Guest Dave Ward]

If it was only the 'straights' who went to All Nighter's. There would have been an average attendance of 100, a youth scene that involved most sleeping under tables, with some boring farts swapping old records which would have been good to dance to, if anybody could be arsed !

[Northern Soul Uk]

I think that most of the dissing and putting down of the Casino, is mainly from people who either never want, OR by people who had experienced different earlier venues, such as the Wheel or the Torch, and have trouble likening or comparing the Casino with those ( 'Chasing the dragon').
The usual case scenario is that the first place you went to was the best in your opinion.
I went to the Torch, that was my first, and it was AMAZING! The the Casino was next, and that was AMAZING too. In my opinion The casino was magic, I had some brilliant times there, met some life long friends, and danced for a 1000 hours, never to be forgotten as long as I live, and I am proud that I was one of the lucky ones that danced those boards.

Edited November 25, 2013 by Northern Soul UK

[Guest Dave Ward]

"Sadly on one night Russ was playing loads of those dreadful Soussan instrumentals and it was a bit of a culture shock after being at The Mecca a few hours earlier"

Yeah, and Levine wasn't in Soussans pocket, or making tailor mades from Barbara Pennington, LJ Johnson, Evelyn Thomas, etc.

Edited November 25, 2013 by Dave Ward

[Andyj]

This new take on the gear thing is really strange to me....I went a lot in '77 and don't recall coach loads of straight members having a kip at 04:00.I was earning about £15 a week then and could afford a few pills.....but seldom had enough to buy records.Not trying to glorify being naughty but we were recreational users and unlike those who were having a dig in the bogs, none of us became hooked on anything in later life either.The buzz was an extra bonus, the objective was to be able to dance like you wanted to when you wanted to.Not proud of it......but not going to make out that I wasn't at it.in my experience the majority of folk that I encountered were either blocked or looking to get some.

Nobody said there was coach loads of people kipping at 4am, I said I did it not trying to be to clever just never had the coin to be tempted to try it. When I was going to Wigan I was in what's called 6th form college nowadays and any spare cash went on just getting there plus my fags and a bottle of pop! Edited November 25, 2013 by AndyJ

[Guest Paul]

"Sadly on one night Russ was playing loads of those dreadful Soussan instrumentals and it was a bit of a culture shock after being at The Mecca a few hours earlier"

Yeah, and Levine wasn't in Soussans pocket, or making tailor mades from Barbara Pennington, LJ Johnson, Evelyn Thomas, etc.

 

Hello Dave,

It wouldn't matter if Ian had been dealing with Soussan in those days but I don't think he was "in his pocket", in my opinion that batch of Soussan instrumentals were dreadful and it just happened that on that particular night I heard a load of them (too many) in the main room.

 

I wasn't attacking Russ or defending Ian or Colin, plenty of people objected to some of the records played at The Mecca - such as 'The Trip' etc.

Some nights were better than others.

 

[Andyj]

There were loads of people having a kip during the night, some like me not on any illegal substance and some who had over indulged possibly and the the "tourists" but who is to say that we didn't love the place or love the music, and still dig it today?

[Guest Dave Ward]

 

I wasn't attacking Russ or defending Ian or Colin, plenty of people objected to some of the records played at The Mecca - such as 'The Trip' etc. Some nights were better than others

I won't ever defend Russ, not my fave DJ, but this Mecca (Good) Wigan (Bad), Isn't right, I was both Highland Room and Wigan, did the usual coach from Blackpool to Wigan loads of times. I like 'Dave Mitchell and the Screamers...the Trip' as a dance record, I like the Anderson Brothers, Dooley Silverspoon etc. Just saying, Levine and Winstanley were in it to make money and both have been sussed.

[Guest Paul]

 

I wasn't attacking Russ or defending Ian or Colin, plenty of people objected to some of the records played at The Mecca - such as 'The Trip' etc. Some nights were better than others

I won't ever defend Russ, not my fave DJ, but this Mecca (Good) Wigan (Bad), Isn't right, I was both Highland Room and Wigan, did the usual coach from Blackpool to Wigan loads of times. I like 'Dave Mitchell and the Screamers...the Trip' as a dance record, I like the Anderson Brothers, Dooley Silverspoon etc. Just saying, Levine and Winstanley were in it to make money and both have been sussed.

 

I didn't say the Mecca was good and Wigan was bad, just that on that night it was a culture shock because of the Soussan tracks.

I've had good nights at both venues.

 

[Guest Dave Ward]

I've had the odd crap night at both venues, still wouldn't swap one night, for a lifetime of memories from TOTP, or the local disco. How lucky we are !

[Back Street Blue]

Nobody said there was coach loads of people kipping at 4am, I said I did it not trying to be to clever just never had the coin to be tempted to try it. When I was going to Wigan I was in what's called 6th form college nowadays and any spare cash went on just getting there plus my fags and a bottle of pop!

Not having a pop at you or anyone else mate.

Post #98 above makes reference to there being whole coaches of people going to Wigan and says that none of them took any gear.

You also say that you never took gear and make reference to having a kip at 04:00.....so I tied the two references together.

In our misguided youth, we would probably have seen that as not really fitting with our approach to "being on the scene", just like when people danced round their handbags or wore platform shoes and jackets and ties.

We called people who didn't follow our code "divs". We were kids and arrogant, so don't take offence, I'm not calling you a div now!

Maybe it was just the people in my circle of friends that thought like that, I don't know.

That's my recollection but it seems there were either loads of people pretending to be smashed or a lot of people have now decided to deny what went on to present a cleaner image of their past.

Edited November 26, 2013 by back street blue

[Pete S]

"Sadly on one night Russ was playing loads of those dreadful Soussan instrumentals and it was a bit of a culture shock after being at The Mecca a few hours earlier"

Yeah, and Levine wasn't in Soussans pocket, or making tailor mades from Barbara Pennington, LJ Johnson, Evelyn Thomas, etc.

 

They were really good records though!  Still love "24 hours a day"

[Guest MrC]

They were really good records though!  Still love "24 hours a day"

Yeah me too, posted it on the record of the day day thread not long ago. Was far and away the best of those new Levine things IMO.

[SHEFFSOUL]

in my experience..i was into northern well before (71/72) i actually attended an allniter (74)  personally i was against using drugs at first..and often ended up fast asleep on the casino floor at 4am..crossing the gulf to become a drug user was a big deal for me, and to make the usual connections..i was into northern not drugs..BUT..i took them to keep awake..simple as..not to be cool, or think they would make me dance better, or embrace something that was expected as a northern fan..it was to sustain me from 2-8am.And after a slog from Skegness to Wigan or a prev niter on a Friday..i needed it.I took what i needed..sometimes less.Drugs were something that a lot of northern fans were slow to accept for the same reasons as mine..music first..if i could have maintained that lifestyle without them..i would have...Some, unfortunately were mindless pill heads...

[Steve S 60]

I attended Wigan between 78 and 81, and didn't do gear.  This was not only to do with me being in the Armed Forces at the time, and being made acutely aware of the consequences should I be caught, but also the fact that I just wasn't interested in drugs.  Knew plenty of people who took them, and was offered them more times than I can remember, but I was young and fit at the time, so had no problem with an allnighter, although I was ready for my bed by the time I got home.  Loved the Casino, the only real trouble I had was a few scuffles with the locals on the way up Station Road.  Looking back, it was a dump, but it was "our" dump, and it was the music and atmosphere that kept me going back for more.

[Barry]

.Loved the Casino, the only real trouble I had was a few scuffles with the locals on the way up Station Road. 

 

That'll have been China and his boys, used to do me for me cash or summat else every now and then too

[Steve S 60]

That'll have been China and his boys, used to do me for me cash or summat else every now and then too

 

Luckily my mate and me could run pretty fast in those days, and by the time we got to the Casino, there was more than a few outside to even up the numbers.

[Barry]

Luckily my mate and me could run pretty fast in those days, and by the time we got to the Casino, there was more than a few outside to even up the numbers.

 

Placcie Scouser types - I found that I never got much help when I got outside, had me pockets emptied on a number of occassions sat on the little wall amongst bundles of other Soulies.

[Steve S 60]

Placcie Scouser types - I found that I never got much help when I got outside, had me pockets emptied on a number of occassions sat on the little wall amongst bundles of other Soulies.

 

Didn't have much in my pockets in those days.  Because I stopped off at Wigan on my way home from Portsmouth, I'd leave my weekend bag and most of my valuables in the left luggage at the station (this is after the local plod had searched through my dirty washing) and only had enough funds for a pint in the Bees Knees, admission in and a bottle of pop.

Edited November 26, 2013 by Steve S 60

[Barry]

Didn't have much in my pockets in those days.  Because I stopped off at Wigan on my way home from Portsmouth, I'd leave my weekend bag and most of my valuables in the left luggage at the station (this is after the local plod had searched through my dirty washing) and only had enough funds for a pint in the Bees Knees, admission in and a bottle of pop.

 

You know, I never once had a pint in Wigan beforehand - I looked too young, so after a couple of attempts gave up - used to get the 11.03pm 640 from Warrington which got us to the bottom of Station Rd for 11.45.

Edited November 26, 2013 by Barry

[Steve S 60]

You know, I never once had a pint in Wigan beforehand - I looked too young, so after a couple of attempts gave up - used to get the 11.03pm 640 from Warrington which got us to the bottom of Station Rd for 11.45.

 

I was 17 when I started going, and I'd meet my mate off the train as he'd be travelling down from the north.  I think we used to have a couple of hours to kill, so we'd catch last orders in the Bees Knees, before getting chased up Station Road.  Can always remember being towards the front of the queue.

[jocko]

 

Didn't have much in my pockets in those days.  Because I stopped off at Wigan on my way home from Portsmouth, I'd leave my weekend bag and most of my valuables in the left luggage at the station (this is after the local plod had searched through my dirty washing) and only had enough funds for a pint in the Bees Knees, admission in and a bottle of pop.

 

Only went in once, and got chased right out! It was a quiet night and the rest of the lads had just gone straight there. I got chased outm then got picked up by PC Plod, who proceeded to tell me I was obviously a nice boy, based on my job, who should tell on any bad lads in the Casino trying to sell me bad things, having picked me off from my 2 other mates, the posse who had chased me out now circled me on my own, so I asked for a lift to the Casino to get away from the bad boys, the other PC plod not so nice, drove me about 200 yards up the road and then said I could run the rest, I did. And thankfully arrived to find good old Scots boys life Fox and his mates there to send the possee back to think again!

I love this typical SS thread, now all about Wigan and peoples personal habits, when for me Barrys brilliant original post was all about the people at tail end of Casino, the young guns who stuck with it through tough times, many now liking all sorts of Black dance music, a new breed and a new way of thinking. Not anything about Wigan on its own.

Not complaining, turning into an interesting thread with actually minimum of bashing, apart from the expected!

And of course, I agree.

Edited November 26, 2013 by jocko

[Orotava]

Not having a pop at you or anyone else mate.

Post #98 above makes reference to there being whole coaches of people going to Wigan and says that none of them took any gear.

You also say that you never took gear and make reference to having a kip at 04:00.....so I tied the two references together.

In our misguided youth, we would probably have seen that as not really fitting with our approach to "being on the scene", just like when people danced round their handbags or wore platform shoes and jackets and ties.

We called people who didn't follow our code "divs". We were kids and arrogant, so don't take offence, I'm not calling you a div now!

Maybe it was just the people in my circle of friends that thought like that, I don't know.

That's my recollection but it seems there were either loads of people pretending to be smashed or a lot of people have now decided to deny what went on to present a cleaner image of their past.

 

I`m not in denial personally - I never, ever did drugs and still maintain that the coach I occasionally went on was drug free too, however I accept that I/we were probably in the minority. I guess the majority of those on gear would have been on the dancefloor, whereas I was a crap dancer and limited myself to shuffling at the back of the main room. 

[Barry]

 
 
 

 

 
 
Only went in once, and got chased right out! It was a quiet night and the rest of the lads had just gone straight there. I got chased outm then got picked up by PC Plod, who proceeded to tell me I was obviously a nice boy, based on my job, who should tell on any bad lads in the Casino trying to sell me bad things, having picked me off from my 2 other mates, the posse who had chased me out now circled me on my own, so I asked for a lift to the Casino to get away from the bad boys, the other PC plod not so nice, drove me about 200 yards up the road and then said I could run the rest, I did. And thankfully arrived to find good old Scots boys life Fox and his mates there to send the possee back to think again!

I love this typical SS thread, now all about Wigan and peoples personal habits, when for me Barrys brilliant original post was all about the people at tail end of Casino, the young guns who stuck with it through tough times, many now liking all sorts of Black dance music, a new breed and a new way of thinking. Not anything about Wigan on its own.

Not complaining, turning into an interesting thread with actually minimum of bashing, apart from the expected!

And of course, I agree.

 

That's the thing that always gets overlooked - it was that diverse in the end, it was unreal what was getting thrown on (start you're own thread with that one  ).

 

There was a definately a new breed born then, one that grew up on the Nighter scene that didn't see NS just as Classic Oldies, Footsee, Joe 90 - we saw it as Cecil Washington, Velvet Hammer, The Phantom Janitor (Deadbeats), ZZ & Co (Quality Soul, Disco, Garage, Southern drawl) etc etc, all kinds of stuff.

 

That new breed had the breadth musically to take it on a step further.

 

Exciting 'new' underground music played to young unstained minds - in reality Wigan couldn't have finished at a better time for Northern Soul.

 

But it laid real strong foundations for the future... always grateful to it (them - the DJ's) for that.

 

[Guest Byrney]

I`m not in denial personally - I never, ever did drugs and still maintain that the coach I occasionally went on was drug free too, however I accept that I/we were probably in the minority. I guess the majority of those on gear would have been on the dancefloor, whereas I was a crap dancer and limited myself to shuffling at the back of the main room. 

I don't know about Wgan having only visited the once, but things must have significantly changed when it closed, I'd estimate 80% were off there naper at nighters in the 80s. Not big or clever but that's how it was.

[Guest manusf3a]

If it was only the 'straights' who went to All Nighter's. There would have been an average attendance of 100, a youth scene that involved most sleeping under tables, with some boring farts swapping old records which would have been good to dance to, if anybody could be arsed !

I think that might be about right,certainly knew no more than a handffull myself,someone wrote in the book"Soul Stylists",that without the gear there would have been no all nighters,like Terry says most who did indulge were recreational usersj,if some comtinue to be so then fair enough.Personaly I never went to an all nighter straight,did it mean I wouldnt jump up and get into it when hearing records during  the week when not on gear ,specially at Wilkys house as he had a brilliant collection,course it didnt,,like most of us who did indulge the music was there blowing up your mind as much as the gear  .However without the gear there would still have been a soul scene but in my opinion not a soul all nighter scene that introduced people with the same passion to each other from all over the land,which it did in a way that then soul nights even if on till 2 am could not have done..I will admit of course that I did have the odd midweek block up or two either at a soul night and round someones house after for more verbal and music,at times probably necked more gear than needed but loved doing it and wouldnt change it especially as now I can look at a lot of my peers (non soulie)who are well and truely phooked ,body and whats left of a soap addled brain(tv soap) Peer in age only!.IIts true that nerve cells die and unlike others do not get replaced but its also true that the neurons you have grow new connections with new experience so although you may have grown exploding forests of dendrites axons connecting back then its important not to let that growth stagnate you must add to it ,build on that bank of memory with new sounds causing new connection growth,I had a big gap away,a very big one but I am really pleased that there is so much stuff that might have been around for a while as well as new to grow my mind in its music centre lobes memory section,parrallel distibuted representational areas.Wonder what I can use as "Bio grow",ahem.

[Winsford Soul]

 But I'd give away all of my possessions to have one night back there,.

I'd choose maybe February 1977.

[Pete S]

 

 

What Teenager would travel the country just for the music?...don`t believe 

 

I did for exactly 2 years since my first allnighter - didn't need gear, the music was enough - then I did it, didn't need to, just fancied seeing what it was all about.  

[Orotava]

 

 

What Teenager would travel the country just for the music?...don`t believe it 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Some mates and I did for 4 years...

[Guest Dave Ward]

"That'll have been China and his boys, used to do me for me cash or summat else every now and then"

Thought this thread was about those who bash Wigan Casino, not about being bashed at Wigan Casino. I was often at the Casino on my own, walked to and from Wigan bus station on my Billy, nobody ever bothered me. I had a couple of moments with local divvies while waiting at the bus stop in my own shit little town, but that's about it. Usually found most people left NS lads alone, even on trains full of football casuals.

[Barry]

"That'll have been China and his boys, used to do me for me cash or summat else every now and then"Thought this thread was about those who bash Wigan Casino, not about being bashed at Wigan Casino. I was often at the Casino on my own, walked to and from Wigan bus station on my Billy, nobody ever bothered me. I had a couple of moments with local divvies while waiting at the bus stop in my own shit little town, but that's about it. Usually found most people left NS lads alone, even on trains full of football casuals.

You were lucky then, loads a Soulie Bashing went on in the town.

[Barry]

I did for exactly 2 years since my first allnighter - didn't need gear, the music was enough - then I did it, didn't need to, just fancied seeing what it was all about.

....the hard way too no doubt.

Trains, buses, Shanks Pony and yer thumb were the 80's way.

None of this poncey car stuff you get nowadays ;0)

[Guest Dave Ward]

You were lucky then, loads a Soulie Bashing went on in the town.

I can only report it like I experienced it, I was never 'Soulie Bashed'

[Barry]

I can only report it like I experienced it, I was never 'Soulie Bashed'

Usually found most people left NS lads alone....

 

....I was just telling you that they didn't

Edited November 28, 2013 by Barry

[Drewtg]

....I was just telling you that they didn't

On the whole we were tough, working-class kids. No worries about being "bashed"

[Julie Moore]

Brilliant thread Barry    been reading with a nastolgic smile on my face  . Did`nt get to Wigan till 1980 myself  but went most weekends till it closed  Loved it at the time, total sh*thole but like someone said "it was my Sh*thole...............It certainly put me on my Soul journey through life, glad to report still going strong too.................Drug free I may add these days  Memories, as long as we got them nothing else matters but the debate will still go on 

 

 

Regards

 

Julie 

[Julie Moore]

On the whole we were tough, working-class kids. No worries about being "bashed"

Yes and I had 5 Brothers to take care of me there