Re-imagining Northern Soul History

[Paul-s]

Reading lots of academic discourses on Northern Soul and some of the delusional rubbish that interviewees have given to past interviewers is beyond arrogance. Anyway here  is an example where RW claims that a Northern Soul revival happened due to his book 'Soul Survivors' (which we all read as a fictitious load of guff!). Revival? It never went away, unless of course you have based your life around Wigan Casino and its commercial branding power. Here is the quote from the chapter for which she interviewed the man in question:

"By the mid-1990s, Northern Soul had experienced a rebirth. DJ Russ Winstanley considers this rebirth a response to the release of his 1996 book, Soul Survivors." (Smith, 2009)

 

 

This is what RW told her in an interview. Fortunately she sussed him out and counters the claim with an informed perspective.

 

 

[Professorturnups]

RW should be ashamed of himself. A group of us from Norwich/Norfolk have been supporting the all-nighters since the late 70s/early 80s (even further back for people like Billy). Who could forget magical nights at Bradford Queens Hall (with Fortnum & Parker double decking), Warrington Parr Hall, the amazing 1.30 til 8am 100 Club Niters etc etc. 

I would like to have a face to face conversation with RW and tell him of my solo journey to Shotts, Allenton Miners Welfare, epic train journeys to Morecambe Pier and Leicester Oddfellows, Hinckley and the really memorable one when I turned up at Coalville with the niter being cancelled and waiting at Peterborough station in the early hours to catch a train home... 

Mark C

Edited October 31, 2016 by professorturnups

[Paul-s]

22 minutes ago, professorturnups said:

RW should be ashamed of himself. A group of us from Norwich/Norfolk have been supporting the all-nighters since the late 70s/early 80s (even further back for people like Billy). Who could forget magical nights at Bradford Queens Hall (with Fortnum & Parker double decking), Warrington Parr Hall, the amazing 1.30 til 8am 100 Club Niters etc etc. 

I would like to have a face to face conversation with RW and tell him of my solo journey to Shotts, Allenton Miners Welfare, epic train journeys to Morecambe Pier and Leicester Oddfellows, Hinckley and the really memorable one when I turned up at Coalville with the niter being cancelled and waiting at Peterborough station in the early hours to catch a train home... 

Mark C

spot on!

[Chatty]

Yea i remember it well RW started the rebirth about the same time Richard Keys and Andy Gray invented football.

On a serious note would anyone credit the advent of the internet for fueling it?

 

[Geeselad]

2 hours ago, professorturnups said:

RW should be ashamed of himself. A group of us from Norwich/Norfolk have been supporting the all-nighters since the late 70s/early 80s (even further back for people like Billy). Who could forget magical nights at Bradford Queens Hall (with Fortnum & Parker double decking), Warrington Parr Hall, the amazing 1.30 til 8am 100 Club Niters etc etc. 

I would like to have a face to face conversation with RW and tell him of my solo journey to Shotts, Allenton Miners Welfare, epic train journeys to Morecambe Pier and Leicester Oddfellows, Hinckley and the really memorable one when I turned up at Coalville with the niter being cancelled and waiting at Peterborough station in the early hours to catch a train home... 

Mark C

i slept under a bench in loughbourgh once, because igot the date wrong for a nighter, missed the last train back to London.

[Geeselad]

41 minutes ago, chatty said:

Yea i remember it well RW started the rebirth about the same time Richard Keys and Andy Gray invented football.

On a serious note would anyone credit the advent of the internet for fueling it?

 

some major revival nights like the kings hall, Blackburn and the ritz were flourishing before everybody had the net at home.

[Winsford Soul]

40 minutes ago, geeselad said:

some major revival nights like the kings hall, Blackburn and the ritz were flourishing before everybody had the net at home.

Ive always had the net at home. keep Net, landing Net. cant fish without them

Steve

[Paul-s]

15 hours ago, Winsford Soul said:

Ive always had the net at home. keep Net, landing Net. cant fish without them

Steve

RW has only ever been interested in Net Profit.....

[Rob Wigley]

Sadly delusional as ever, probably uttered in the same sentences as "There were no drugs at Wigan casino" and "I have an original copy of Frank Wilson"

Rob 

[Slim Jim]

And there's me thinking it was down to the cereal and cat food commercials  

[Mickjay33]

28 minutes ago, Slim Jim said:

And there's me thinking it was down to the cereal and cat food commercials  

i thought is was the KFC add mind had a lot of sleeps since 

[Len]

I find it amazing that no matter how loud all those people that 'did it' through the 80s and 90s shout about the many quality nights they had, it still doesn't make a blind bit of difference to what is perceived. I.e, 'The Wigan Years' being the most important / or only time - Don't get me wrong, of course that era has a very important place as 'part' of the scene, but come on - Let's hear it for The 100 Club for instance, nearly 40 years of a monthly All-nighter shows it never went away!

It's not about what was best, it's about showing that there is so much more to this scene than 'way back then' 

All the best,

Len 

P.s - Keep shouting guys 

[Dean]

On the theme of re-imagining, particularly Wigan, I think the greatest way forward for the Casino was to close. The way it closed was a mess, so many final last nights! In my mind many regulars had already become disillusioned with the Casino in the run up to closure. Saturday nights were attended mostly to hear Searling's spot and were frequently half empty. The oldies Fridays and other interval Oldies revisited nights were popular, perhaps a taste of what was to come regarding standard fancy dress oldies nights/rooms V's rare nights / rooms. Most people I knew couldn't be bothered to go to the 'definitely the last one' nights. Perhaps Wigan would have faded and not been so fondly remembered if it had lingered. I'm not Casino bashing, had some of the best nights of life in that hall, but by the end it was only Searling that kept interest alive for me. 

[Guest Mike Gott]

Bless him, he'll be claiming to have discovered the Frank Wilson record next. Oh...............

[Spow]

Which came first, F.W. - DILYIID, or the egg?

 

[Soul Shrews]

4 hours ago, Dean said:

On the theme of re-imagining, particularly Wigan, I think the greatest way forward for the Casino was to close. The way it closed was a mess, so many final last nights! In my mind many regulars had already become disillusioned with the Casino in the run up to closure. Saturday nights were attended mostly to hear Searling's spot and were frequently half empty. The oldies Fridays and other interval Oldies revisited nights were popular, perhaps a taste of what was to come regarding standard fancy dress oldies nights/rooms V's rare nights / rooms. Most people I knew couldn't be bothered to go to the 'definitely the last one' nights. Perhaps Wigan would have faded and not been so fondly remembered if it had lingered. I'm not Casino bashing, had some of the best nights of life in that hall, but by the end it was only Searling that kept interest alive for me. 

Agree with most of what you say Dean. Richard Searling was number one for sure when I attended (78-81, and yes all  the "last nights""  !! ) but Gary Rushbrooke, Pat Brady and Soul Sam kept me coming back for more.

Cheers Paul

[Dean]

6 hours ago, soul shrews said:

Agree with most of what you say Dean. Richard Searling was number one for sure when I attended (78-81, and yes all  the "last nights""  !! ) but Gary Rushbrooke, Pat Brady and Soul Sam kept me coming back for more.

Cheers Paul

You're right Paul, probably guilty of over stated simplicity for the point of the topic. 

I'm sure I recall some Saturday nighters towards the end when Ms didn't open because of low attendance. 

Well done for attending all the last nights. My ridiculous snobbery has been a millstone. I now wish I'd have gone to the last, just didn't believe it was. Also wish I'd gone when the cameras were in but I stupidly 'boycotted' , as if that had any impact!