First Ever Known Northern Soul All Nighter

[Guest northern beats]

Hi - I am just curious if anybody knows ?

Where & when was the first ever Northern Soul All Nighter held ?

Bearing in mind that the Twisted Wheel Club preceded Northern Soul Music.

I went to Bletsoe All Nighters in the early seventies also the Cats, Leeds Central, Torch, VaVas etc

But what came before these ?

Can anybody point me to a chronological list of all nighters ?

Thanks - Scobie

Edited March 22, 2009 by northern beats

[Soulcarp]

Hi - I am just curious if anybody knows ?

Where & when was the first ever Northern Soul All Nighter held ?

Bearing in mind that the Twisted Wheel Club preceded Northern Soul Music.

I went to Bletsoe All Nighters in the early seventies also the Cats, Leeds Central, Torch, VaVas etc

But what came before these ?

Can anybody point me to a chronological list of all nighters ?

Thanks - Scobie

i think earby forgot how it is spelt was going long before as a norther soul event

[kimbo]

Hi - I am just curious if anybody knows ?

Where & when was the first ever Northern Soul All Nighter held ?

Bearing in mind that the Twisted Wheel Club preceded Northern Soul Music.

I went to Bletsoe All Nighters in the early seventies also the Cats, Leeds Central, Torch, VaVas etc

But what came before these ?

Can anybody point me to a chronological list of all nighters ?

Thanks - Scobie

Bletsoe just up the road from me. Northants has a rich vein of soul often overlooked. What about earls Barton Dog Track niter, The red house, Frollocking kneecap. Get in touch with Kevinkent or Malc Gibson aka Gibby (an original in all aspects of soul a very intresting guy and an ace face in his time), See his thread elswhere on here. also the gaff at Banbury all early niters before the term northern.

Edited March 28, 2009 by kimbo

[kevinsoulman]

ive heard of an old railway station somewhere in northants from the early days where was that.

kev

[Dave Thorley]

We've has a thread along these lines before. What was the first allnighter etc. Was interesting reading, went right back to early beat allnighters in London and Liverpool. Maybe someone can find that thread ?

[Tabs]

Was this the one Dave?

 

Dave Thorley said:

We've has a thread along these lines before. What was the first allnighter etc. Was interesting reading, went right back to early beat allnighters in London and Liverpool. Maybe someone can find that thread ?

[Guest Scobie]

Sorry guys did'nt realise the info was already on here - thanks for the link

Scobie

Tabs said:

Was this the one Dave?

[Guest brian walker]

I think the first soul niters were held at the flamingo london,a jazz niter at first which slowly turned to r@b/soul

[Guest little_pat]

I think the first soul niters were held at the flamingo london,a jazz niter at first which slowly turned to r@b/soul

could it have been the heaven an hell club on brazenose street manchester in the very early 60's then changed name to twisted wheel fore it moved to whitworth street

but like a post already mentioned it more likely alnighters started life as a jazz club like speakeasy's

so i think it would be safe to say going back before the fifties it all happened one of my uncles was playin in a band during the war years and they were takin bluey's then lol ...

but "The Wheel" cannot be touched for atmosphere and sounds the week end could nt come fast enough .....memories aaaahhhh little pat

[Guest topcatnumpty1]

could it have been the heaven an hell club on brazenose street manchester in the very early 60's then changed name to twisted wheel fore it moved to whitworth street

but like a post already mentioned it more likely alnighters started life as a jazz club like speakeasy's

so i think it would be safe to say going back before the fifties it all happened one of my uncles was playin in a band during the war years and they were takin bluey's then lol ...

but "The Wheel" cannot be touched for atmosphere and sounds the week end could nt come fast enough .....memories aaaahhhh little pat

1)The original Twisted Wheel at26,bRAZENOSE Street was originally a daytime cafe called the Left Wing frequented by Beatnick/ban the bomb type people(see the early flyers).

2)The Heaven and Hell was on the other side of central Manchester--a different type of club/music all together.

3) PLEASE CHECK YOUR FACTS!!!!!!

t.c.

[Guest brian walker]

1)The original Twisted Wheel at26,bRAZENOSE Street was originally a daytime cafe called the Left Wing frequented by Beatnick/ban the bomb type people(see the early flyers).

2)The Heaven and Hell was on the other side of central Manchester--a different type of club/music all together.

3) PLEASE CHECK YOUR FACTS!!!!!!

t.c.

HI TC I REMEMBER THE LEFT WING CAFE BUT I NEVER WENT UNTIL IT BECAME THE WHEEL BRIAN WALKER

[Guest little_pat]

HI TC I REMEMBER THE LEFT WING CAFE BUT I NEVER WENT UNTIL IT BECAME THE WHEEL BRIAN WALKER

should put my brain in gear fore i speak......huh

https://www.manchesterbeat.com/venues/manch.../heavenhell.php

[Julianb]

String of Beads - Bradford 1967?

Jazz Club ( Plebeans) - Halifax - seem to remember allnighters around 1965, but then again, my memory may be going!

Julian

[Guest topcatnumpty1]

String of Beads - Bradford 1967?

Jazz Club ( Plebeans) - Halifax - seem to remember allnighters around 1965, but then again, my memory may be going!

Julian

Hi Julian--we,ve spoken b4 on here about Plebs--but as i now live in BD12(Wyke) i have a great intrest in old 60,s and 70,s clubs---canyou tell me where these were?

L,aMBASSADOR

String of Beads

Pink pussycat(run by same lads as Plebs)

Tony Coleby

[Guest topcatnumpty1]

Hi Julian--we,ve spoken b4 on here about Plebs--but as i now live in BD12(Wyke) i have a great intrest in old 60,s and 70,s clubs---canyou tell me where these were?

L,aMBASSADOR

String of Beads

Pink pussycat(run by same lads as Plebs)

Tony Coleby

Julian--also San Remo--altho i have a gud idea where this was

Any Help appreciated

Cheers

T.C.

[Julianb]

Hi Julian--we,ve spoken b4 on here about Plebs--but as i now live in BD12(Wyke) i have a great intrest in old 60,s and 70,s clubs---canyou tell me where these were?

L,aMBASSADOR

String of Beads

Pink pussycat(run by same lads as Plebs)

Tony Coleby

Hi Tony

L'Ambassador was on Melbourne Terrace ( I think) near the University - Kegsy will probably be able to confirm the exact address as we were both there when it got 'raided' and we ended up in the cells all night!! Think this was the night that Swish played the record deck without putting a 45 on first! I wonder why?

String of Beads was on Manor Row

Julian

[Guest little_pat]

Hi Tony

L'Ambassador was on Melbourne Terrace ( I think) near the University - Kegsy will probably be able to confirm the exact address as we were both there when it got 'raided' and we ended up in the cells all night!! Think this was the night that Swish played the record deck without putting a 45 on first! I wonder why?

String of Beads was on Manor Row

Julian

L,aMBASSADOR

YES I REMEMBER THE RAID I WAS WITH GRAHAM PECKOVER ..AN A FEW OTHERS THAT NIGHT

LITTLE SUE BUSHBY USED TO GO AS WELL ...

oops caps sorry for shouting guys

pat

[dthedrug]

The first recognised allnighter was the SCENE club in Soho DJ Guy Stevens of SUE record fame DAVE KIL

[Guest topcatnumpty1]

The original topic of this thread was the first "Northern soul" all nighter.The Scene in Ham yard (off Oxford St) opened in Late 1963 about the same time as La Discotheque(17,Wardour St) and altho both very cool mod clubs--the music could no way be termed "northern --due mainly to the fact most of "all nighter music wasn,t recorded by then(if you get my drift)--likewise as i said earlier the Brazennose St. Wheel.I think you,d have to look at something like The Night Owl in Leicester--as most clubs gradually evolved to playing what we now term "Northern" between 1965--70.

Just my opinion as this history of old clubs has always intrested me

(wish i,d been born 10 yrs. earlier!!)

Tony Coleby

[Julianb]

L,aMBASSADOR

YES I REMEMBER THE RAID I WAS WITH GRAHAM PECKOVER ..AN A FEW OTHERS THAT NIGHT

LITTLE SUE BUSHBY USED TO GO AS WELL ...

oops caps sorry for shouting guys

pat

Graham Peckover - now there's a name from the past.

[dthedrug]

The original topic of this thread was the first "Northern soul" all nighter.The Scene in Ham yard (off Oxford St) opened in Late 1963 about the same time as La Discotheque(17,Wardour St) and altho both very cool mod clubs--the music could no way be termed "northern --due mainly to the fact most of "all nighter music wasn,t recorded by then(if you get my drift)--likewise as i said earlier the Brazennose St. Wheel.I think you,d have to look at something like The Night Owl in Leicester--as most clubs gradually evolved to playing what we now term "Northern" between 1965--70.

Just my opinion as this history of old clubs has always intrested me

(wish i,d been born 10 yrs. earlier!!)

Tony Coleby

Yes you are right in saying these early clubs were MOD clubs, however there was a high amount of R%B soul and Motown plated at the also SKA and certain pop R&B and even groups like the Beach Boys got played, if my memory serves me well my visits to the Wheel in 69 the music policy was not dissimilar to the Flamingo with the exception that in London clearly thing become funky-er and at the wheel artist like the Drifters were more popular I would say the rare soul element was around this time 67/8 and that by 68/69 in London the new Jamaican rhythm of reggae was the in thing and Taylor made for the bovver boy style of youth culture that although short lived got a lot of people more interested in obscure aspects of black music and in the same way I speak for myself here that by 71/72 lead me back to the allnighter scene in the North which had blossomed into a rare soul scene and what become known as Northern soul. A statement that could only been made by someone from the south as the north in those days meant as the saying goes any were north of Watford, I personally only know very few people from the south who were at the start of what is know as the rare soul scene in those days in particular MICK SMITH who lived less than a mile from me and by the time we were first DJing together in 71/2 his records were just amazing to here and his knowledge of soul could not be challenged, I believe this is because he never got into the reggae scene that was really big in our area and his focus was firmly into the rare underground soul scene DAVE KIL

[Guest Chip]

Rumour has it that one of the first semi all nighters was at the Jazz Club (Formerly known as Plebs) in Halifax, they certainly had some early soul and British white soul artists appearing there, perhaps some of the older members could expand on this?

[Simsy]

Bearing in mind that the Twisted Wheel Club preceded Northern Soul Music.

Bearing in mind that Dave Godin coined the phrase 'northern soul' for the music that was being played at the Wheel ...

[Chalky]

Bearing in mind that Dave Godin coined the phrase 'northern soul' for the music that was being played at the Wheel ...

I thought he coined the term in 1970 for the "clubs" in the North. Was the Wheel open then? I thought the Torch was the leading all-nighter in '70? The music and the scene was actually there before the term was coined.

[Simsy]

I thought he coined the term in 1970 for the "clubs" in the North. Was the Wheel open then? I thought the Torch was the leading all-nighter in '70? The music and the scene was actually there before the term was coined.

Yep with you on the last bit. I'm trying to think where that came from now - but I'm certain it was the Wheel that DG had visited and was the inspiration behind the term.

[Professorturnups]

I heard a a slightly different theory to how Dave coined the phrase Northern Soul. In the late 60s groups of lads used to travel down to London from Manchester for the football and made a detour to his shop. They were always after the Wheel-esque records hence he set up a new section and called it "Northern Soul"

Mark C

[Guest]

I heard a a slightly different theory to how Dave coined the phrase Northern Soul. In the late 60s groups of lads used to travel down to London from Manchester for the football and made a detour to his shop. They were always after the Wheel-esque records hence he set up a new section and called it "Northern Soul"

Mark C

This was one of the first all - nighters to gain noteriety - The Metro in Wakefield ........

Malc Burton

[Guest topcatnumpty1]

This was one of the first all - nighters to gain noteriety - The Metro in Wakefield ........

Malc Burton

mALC--WASN,T THIS WHERE THEY HAD ABOUT 3 NIGHTERSjust after the Wheel closed in 1971 --brought to an end very quickly!!! When was the pic taken ,does it still stand and if so where in Wakey was/is it?

Best

Tony

[Guest HindleyPhil]

I heard a a slightly different theory to how Dave coined the phrase Northern Soul. In the late 60s groups of lads used to travel down to London from Manchester for the football and made a detour to his shop. They were always after the Wheel-esque records hence he set up a new section and called it "Northern Soul"

Mark C

some of the Manc boys happend to be from Wigan ( i was one )

[Guest]

mALC--WASN,T THIS WHERE THEY HAD ABOUT 3 NIGHTERSjust after the Wheel closed in 1971 --brought to an end very quickly!!! When was the pic taken ,does it still stand and if so where in Wakey was/is it?

Best

Tony

You are correct Tony : organised by its' enterprising owners , The Metro held three all - nighters shortly after the closure of The Wheel - technically two and a half , as the last / third one was cut short mid way through the night ( morning ? ) by the blitzkrieg police drugs raid , which resulted in the arrest of the assembled revellers ( reported to be around 150 , one of them being a young gentleman , who became - and still is - a notable name on the scene ) .

The photograph was sent to me a while ago by an aquintance , and is part of an archive collection of Wakefield buildings and businesses . The Metro Bistro ( to give it its' correct name ) was situated in the Bullring area of Wakefield city centre : if you came up Westgate from the Unity Hall , it was on right of the Bullring , opposite The Intercon ( later Raquel's ) which was on the right .

As far as I know , the building ( as shown in the photograph ) is still there , though there are no / will be any indications it was The Metro .

Malc Burton

Edited June 3, 2009 by Malc Burton

[Kegsy]

If The Wheel is being disqualified as a "northern Soul" venue then

the first northern allnighter has to be The L'Ambassador club in Bradford which opened

very shortly after The Wheel closed.

Regular DJ's were Steve Grimshaw and Swish.

Guests included Ian Levine and probably Julian Bentley.

I cant be sure as the memories from that time are

a bit blurred due to things zipping by at a pace.

It lasted about a year and closed down when the Old Bill

arrived, arrested and locked everybody up including the owner !!!!.

We held an impromptu allnighter in the large day cell under the Town Hall

as Swish had not been relieved of his records or discotron !!!!!!!!!!!.

Happy Daze

Kegsy

[Brav]

I would say that The Wheel by a million miles has to be the first rare soul nighter followed by The Torch and then Up The Junction, Crewe. All three were running from the mid 60ts to early 70ts

Brav

[Jez Jones]

If The Wheel is being disqualified as a "northern Soul" venue then

the first northern allnighter has to be The L'Ambassador club in Bradford which opened

very shortly after The Wheel closed.

Regular DJ's were Steve Grimshaw and Swish.

Guests included Ian Levine and probably Julian Bentley.

I cant be sure as the memories from that time are

a bit blurred due to things zipping by at a pace.

It lasted about a year and closed down when the Old Bill

arrived, arrested and locked everybody up including the owner !!!!.

We held an impromptu allnighter in the large day cell under the Town Hall

as Swish had not been relieved of his records or discotron !!!!!!!!!!!.

Happy Daze

Kegsy

mmmm thats interesting did it get busted a few times then. Me and some other reprobates went once and the DS raided it (with dogs I think) and it carried on whilst they were inside and eventually they went.

But......memories are a blur as you say

[Guest]

So it was the 60s Mod scene that was the original Soul Scene then ?

Just as I had been told !

Moss

[Guest topcatnumpty1]

Mossy--as weboth said earlier on in this thread-----some guy didn,t put a poster uo on 22 May 1966 or whatever it evolved between 1085--70 across the country diu to the IN CROWD(tHE MODS/then Skins /Suedes wanting to hear something different--all clubs evolvedi.e The first Wheel from pop in 1963 to Rnb with Roger Eagle then to Motown and beyond with Brian Philips etc----Plebs in Halifax(similar club but on a lot smaller scale)was a jazz club but began all niters in 1966 a nd by it,s close in 1968 was playing full onmotown/stax/northern.

Kegsy----i believe having spoke with Swish that L,ambassador was after the Wheel closed i.e. early 1971(earlier Bradford clubs---San Remo,String of Beads.) Just like crossover soul didn,t start in one club with one D.J. 0N ONE NIGHT--word of mouth and people travelling club goers (not least holiday makers from all over the country meeting up in Scarboro.Torquay.Newquay, etc---and away football fans(when they weren,t scrapping) swapping tunes(no soul source then!!_

Best

Tony Coleby

[Julianb]

QUOTE (topcatnumpty1 @ Jun 2 09, 07:21 PM) mALC--WASN,T THIS WHERE THEY HAD ABOUT 3 NIGHTERSjust after the Wheel closed in 1971 --brought to an end very quickly!!! When was the pic taken ,does it still stand and if so where in Wakey was/is it?

Best

Tony

You are correct Tony : organised by its' enterprising owners , The Metro held three all - nighters shortly after the closure of The Wheel - technically two and a half , as the last / third one was cut short mid way through the night ( morning ? ) by the blitzkrieg police drugs raid , which resulted in the arrest of the assembled revellers ( reported to be around 150 , one of them being a young gentleman , who became - and still is - a notable name on the scene ) .

The photograph was sent to me a while ago by an aquintance , and is part of an archive collection of Wakefield buildings and businesses . The Metro Bistro ( to give it its' correct name ) was situated in the Bullring area of Wakefield city centre : if you came up Westgate from the Unity Hall , it was on right of the Bullring , opposite The Intercon ( later Raquel's ) which was on the right .

As far as I know , the building ( as shown in the photograph ) is still there , though there are no / will be any indications it was The Metro .

Malc Burton

It was the night the Metro got closed down that many of the soulies arrived at Lord Jim's in Huddersfield ( the queue stretched around the corner of the building) that the management decided to 'sack' me as the DJ as the music I and others like Les Cokell, who helped me out, were championing, was attracting the 'wrong sort' of clientele - ah well, all good things come to an end - it freed me up to be able to do the Hernies allnighters in Leeds ( before that got raided and closed as well).

Julian

[Guest Nick Harrison]

QUOTE (professorturnups @ May 28 09, 06:17 PM) I heard a a slightly different theory to how Dave coined the phrase Northern Soul. In the late 60s groups of lads used to travel down to London from Manchester for the football and made a detour to his shop. They were always after the Wheel-esque records hence he set up a new section and called it "Northern Soul"

Mark C

some of the Manc boys happend to be from Wigan ( i was one )

I would not disagree with the above post, but I am sure John Bollen and Francis O'Brien would have something to say on this take. But Frannie was also back then, and still is a "red" today..........................interesting theory.

[Guest topcatnumpty1]

It was the night the Metro got closed down that many of the soulies arrived at Lord Jim's in Huddersfield ( the queue stretched around the corner of the building) that the management decided to 'sack' me as the DJ as the music I and others like Les Cokell, who helped me out, were championing, was attracting the 'wrong sort' of clientele - ah well, all good things come to an end - it freed me up to be able to do the Hernies allnighters in Leeds ( before that got raided and closed as well).

Julian

Julian---you,re doing it again--"Hernies" was that on Roundhay Road somewhere ----Swish has mentioned this one b4

Regards

T.C.

[Guest Nick Harrison]

Bollocks....absolute Bollocks!!

I know Phil - crombie, harrington, prince of wales checked gear, staypress, loafers, monkey boots, sprayed silver or gold coloured airware boots, tank top, skinner jeans......etc, etc. I could not see The North Bank, The Shed, and those white hart lane feckers, waiting for a while, for you put down your new aquired 45's, waiting for a northern twating.

Just not possible is it Phillip..

[Julianb]

Julian---you,re doing it again--"Hernies" was that on Roundhay Road somewhere ----Swish has mentioned this one b4

Regards

T.C.

Hi there T.C.

Yes, it was one the corner of Roundhay Road and Harehills Lane - run by Dennis Billingham - I have/had a handwritten poster for this venue ( but can't bloody find it) think it was dated sometime in 1972 - there was alot of press coverage in the Yorkshire Post at the time following the 'raids' - Kim Dent ( I think that was his name) from Blackpool was always being quoted about the 'drugs'and soul scene and how they travelled the country attending different venues. I believe Kim died of an overdose not long after, but I may be wrong on this one.

Julian

[Guest]

Hi there T.C.

Yes, it was one the corner of Roundhay Road and Harehills Lane - run by Dennis Billingham - I have/had a handwritten poster for this venue ( but can't bloody find it) think it was dated sometime in 1972 - there was alot of press coverage in the Yorkshire Post at the time following the 'raids' - Kim Dent ( I think that was his name) from Blackpool was always being quoted about the 'drugs'and soul scene and how they travelled the country attending different venues. I believe Kim died of an overdose not long after, but I may be wrong on this one.

Julian

Hernie's address was 2 Harehills Road - telephone number 621208 .......

As far as I know , Hernie's was still operating late 1971 , but cannot be sure it was still going in 1972 .

You are right - it was Kim Dent , and he did die of an overdose .

Do you remember The Three Coins on Albion Walks Julian ?

Malc Burton

[Guest topcatnumpty1]

removed

[Julianb]

Pretty sure it was an Irish bar then ( although the soul 'do' was upstairs) remember when it got 'busted' - I was DJing at the time and the DJ area was behind wooden poles ( you had to lift up the left hand poles to remove them to gain entry) the cops couldn't figure this out, so whilst the 'raid' was going on, I kept playing tunes - they were seriously pissed off at the time. Seem to remember I finished with Bob Brady's Goodbye Baby on Chariot ( green label) before they finally decided how to get at me!!

Great days.

Julian

[Ian Dewhirst]

Pretty sure it was an Irish bar then ( although the soul 'do' was upstairs) remember when it got 'busted' - I was DJing at the time and the DJ area was behind wooden poles ( you had to lift up the left hand poles to remove them to gain entry) the cops couldn't figure this out, so whilst the 'raid' was going on, I kept playing tunes - they were seriously pissed off at the time. Seem to remember I finished with Bob Brady's Goodbye Baby on Chariot ( green label) before they finally decided how to get at me!!

Great days.

Julian

Trust you to remember the colour of the label!

Ian D

[Paul Shirley]

there where loads of littleclubs around that didant have all night licences in fact most didant .but lots of them just carried on well in to the morning playing soul music so there is no proper answer to this question but i would also like to point out that long before the casino emerged as an alnighter in wigan there was a little club in wigan called the room at the top near what used to be the old market . and i know a lot of well known soul fans from preston used to go there long before the casino including my brother who is ten years older than me so that may give you some idear on how far back these clubs date back and i would imagine they where in lots of towns all over the uk .

[Paul Shirley]

I would say that The Wheel by a million miles has to be the first rare soul nighter followed by The Torch and then Up The Junction, Crewe. All three were running from the mid 60ts to early 70ts

Brav

wrong by a million miles , loads of little clubs playing soul music well in to the morning in them days you did not advertise it as you wouldent last very long as they where all ilegal and just for the record the sink club in liverpool was playing the same tunes as the wheel and was running at the same time but yet each one didant know of the others existance .diferent world in them days was all down to word of mouth .............but hey its just an opinion

Edited June 15, 2009 by steptoe

[Guest]

Pretty sure it was an Irish bar then ( although the soul 'do' was upstairs) remember when it got 'busted' - I was DJing at the time and the DJ area was behind wooden poles ( you had to lift up the left hand poles to remove them to gain entry) the cops couldn't figure this out, so whilst the 'raid' was going on, I kept playing tunes - they were seriously pissed off at the time. Seem to remember I finished with Bob Brady's Goodbye Baby on Chariot ( green label) before they finally decided how to get at me!!

Great days.

Julian

Ever since we mentioned " Hernie's " , it gas been bugging me what its' real / correct name was , and the name of the place it was above .....

Hernando's

Mike Brash's cafe

I can rest now

Malc Burton

[Guest topcatnumpty1]

Phil------Steve Fox ---i believein the early days(1968--70) with Malc Matthews,Dave Parker and a few others

Best

Tony Coleby

[Guest topcatnumpty1]

Would be Fergy(Paul Ferguson) then ex Marine lived in fire station houses-----i went to Wigan with him 1976--81,later lived in Reeth Road---last saw him at Whitby a couple of yers ago.

Tony

[Kegsy]

It was the night the Metro got closed down that many of the soulies arrived at Lord Jim's in Huddersfield ( the queue stretched around the corner of the building) that the management decided to 'sack' me as the DJ as the music I and others like Les Cokell, who helped me out, were championing, was attracting the 'wrong sort' of clientele

Julian

As opposed to now when you Dj and dont

attract any clientele AT ALL !!!!!

Cheers

Kegsy