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Posted (edited)

As I understand it, the major venues of the first decade of the northern scene - Wheel ,  Mecca , Torch , Catacombs  -  never had more than two or three DJs handling the record duties for the whole night. 

 

Early days at Wigan it was Winstanley, Searling and Roberts .

 

So at what point in its life did Wigan   -  and other allnighters for that matter  -   evolve into having seven or eight or more DJs playing an hour each over the course of the night ?

Edited by sunnysoul
  • Helpful 2
Posted

I cannot answer you question definitively, but by the summer of 1974 the line up consisted of Russ, Kev, Richard, Keith Minshull, John Vincent and Martyn Ellis playing "oldies" in the main room.

Mr. M's wasn't open then, just The Beachcomber downstairs in the building complex, before and after the main event....and the allnighter didn't start until 2 a.m.

I hope this is helpful, sorry if it isn't.....all the best.

Posted

Early on did Winstanley and Searling do alternate sets of one hour each  or did they just play it by ear as the night went on ?

 

And did Winstanley suddenly decide in mid '74 to put more DJs on  ... or did he just add one here and there to the roster as the year progressed?

Posted

Ian fish wick djed the early weeks..got him on a few tapes..

Sadly he has passed away now..

As a huge Wigan casino seeing those few more months grow and grow how exciting must it have been

Guest Dave Ward
Posted (edited)

Early on did Winstanley and Searling do alternate sets of one hour each  or did they just play it by ear as the night went on ?

 

And did Winstanley suddenly decide in mid '74 to put more DJs on  ... or did he just add one here and there to the roster as the year progressed?

1973 Russ and Ian Fishwick, then Kev Roberts, 1974 Martyn Ellis. then Searling joined and guest DJ's began to appear: Levine, Curtis, Ian Dewhirst. John Vincent. From about '75 Roberts left, and Levine and Curtis decided to stick with Blackpool HR. So it was Russ, Searling, Evison, then pick from Rhodes, Brady, Minshull, Rae, Barnfather, Vincent and Ellis, depending on who was available. From memory I'd guess for the most part, that Russ opened for 2 hours, then Searling did 2 hours and the rest did an hour each. I think Russ re-appeared for the last 3 records, or left it to Evison.

Edited by Dave Ward
Posted (edited)

1973 Russ and Ian Fishwick, then Kev Roberts, 1974 Martyn Ellis. then Searling joined and guest DJ's began to appear: Levine, Curtis, Ian Dewhirst. John Vincent. From about '75 Roberts left, and Levine and Curtis decided to stick with Blackpool HR. So it was Russ, Searling, Evison, then pick from Rhodes, Brady, Minshull, Rae, Barnfather, Vincent and Ellis, depending on who was available. From memory I'd guess for the most part, that Russ opened for 2 hours, then Searling did 2 hours and the rest did an hour each. I think Russ re-appeared for the last 3 records, or left it to Evison.

plus Gary rushbrooke and ginger in the main room Edited by TOAD
Posted (edited)

the late kenny spence and  ste whtittle in mm's also one or two other wigan lads did spots in the early days along with the late mike rollo as well but mike died of a brain hemorrhage  around 75 i think may have been sooner cant remember 

Edited by steptoe
Posted

Was I dreaming but didn't you do it Dave, I seem to remember you playing MM & Peanuts for some reason, or did I imagine it

 

Des

Yes that was in the last year on a few occasions when Richard couldn't do it, so he asked me. 

  • Helpful 1
Posted

Alan Caine and Bri Rigby local Wigan lads started the Beachcomber off and did Ms

There was also the Soul Twins from Horwich.. Neil and Stuart Brackenridge

Ian Wills from Aspull was a Mr Ms DJ as well

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