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 July 16, 201410 yr by sunnysoul

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.

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?

There are very few DJs who could manage a 8 hour Night Shift these days !   

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

  On 16/07/2014 at 10:23, sunnysoul said:

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 July 16, 201410 yr by Dave Ward

  On 16/07/2014 at 19:46, Dave Ward said:

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 July 16, 201410 yr by TOAD

Also Pep from time to time in the main room

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

Mike Rollo is name I remember from the posters... He's no longer with us either, I believe...

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 July 16, 201410 yr by steptoe

  On 16/07/2014 at 21:24, SOUL INC said:

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. 

Think Dave Langley and possibly Rod Looker from Runcorn played Mr M,s a few times along with recently departed legend  Keith Brady

 

Steve

Edited July 16, 201410 yr by Winsford Soul

I`m a little shocked at the number of DJs who are no longer with us, they can`t have made old bones

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

Didn't Chris King also DJ at Wigan?