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Winstanley's Disoveries?


Guest Little Anthony

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No Michael, you're not senile yet - played everywhere but like you it always reminds me of Ivesthumbup.gif

Was thinking the same as well , but after stopping Russ nicking the Baja Marimba Band thought I'd keep my head down for a while ph34r.gif

biggrin.gif

Edited by martyn
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Guest Awake 502

+ wasnt he the first to play the inst of Stronger than her love ?????

This was due to be a Destiny release, or so it said on the acetate I had, used to play it at Bradford Queens Hall many years back before instrumentals became un-popular..

Sold it via J.M. a few years back...

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Just heard The Chiffons "Sweet talking guy" on the radio, Russ used to play an instrumental version of this a lot...

Amazing how you forget some things that were played - I'd forgotten about the SWT inst until now. Always liked the Chiffons tune but the inst at Wigan had all the appeal of someone scraping the bottom of a barrell with a trowel and was the sort of tune that made my heart sink.

Cheers

Manus

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  • 2 weeks later...
Guest leesoul

three dave laugh.gif

russ did find sum good stuff mostly from simon s alot of people dont give him credit hes earned yes searling broke sum good tunes n kev roberts less said wigan had its place in time

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  • 3 years later...

Being a bit of a Casino fan, I created a spreadsheet to list all my 'live' tapes and made some 'best of DJ CDs from the tapes I had using the tunes most played by that particular DJ from 77-81

Here's a few Records that appeared to be played solely or mainly by him (Please no oh that was also played by X at Venue Y coments, its just meant to be representative:-)

21st Creation - Tailgate

Danny Wagner - I lost A True Love

Dee Dee Barnes - Do What You Wanna Do

Dutch Robinson - Can't Get Along Without You

Helen Shapiro - Stop

LJ Johnson - You Keep My Temperature Rising

Marty Lewis - I Can't Do Without You

Mary Wilson - You're The Light That Guides My Way

Master Four - Love From The Far East

Patti Labelle - Loving Rules

Peggy Scott - You Got It All

Pete Warner - I Just Want To Spend My Life

Posse - Evil

Renee Pryor - BOradway

Sergio Mendes - Love Music

Four J's - Love My Love

Bees - Where Do I Go

Camotions - Motown

Checkmates - Kissin Her and Crying For You

The Intros - Stop, Look and Listen

The Moments - Hey Boy

Pallbearers - Music With Soul

Rainbow People - Living In A Dream World

Teen Turbans - Need To Be Loved

Tommy Bush - I Don't Like It

Toni Lamar - Just In The Nick Of Time

Turley Richards - I Feel Alright

DIanne Ducanne - Better Late Than Never

Seeds - Pushing To Hard

Roger K - Give Me The Love

Lockettes - Boy Next Door

Allan Reuss - Zorba

Bobs Band - Lockes Theme

Paul Peek - Moving Uptown

Ruth Lewis - That Special Way

Outsiders - Why Don't They Leave Us ALone / Backwards Upside

Some good and bad tunes in there but compared to Dickies record over the same period a lot less tracks and a lot less quality:-)

Cheers

Steve

 

the helen shapiro was discovered by dave Rai,  an given to russ to try..it became very popular and eventually Dave rcvd a handful of very nice 45's as a swap..

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Hi Mark,

The guy helped turn an 'Underground Soul scene' into a 'Pop phenomenon' and many Soul Music fans find that hard to appreciate.

Like getting the fox to look after the chickens, he was never a 'Soul Music' lover, by his own admission.

No great sin in that in itself, but the detrimental affect that had on the 'Soul' scene in the North took years to recover.

Fortunately, some of those who were attracted to the scene, ironically because of the 'publicity' generated at Wigan, stayed around long enough to experience and enjoy some real Soul Music.

smile.png

Sean

 

much of what you say is true..however i think Levines crime was far greater..his studio 54 stuff and disco crap infested the scene..

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Guest Dave Ward

Russ had the easiest DJ spot at an All-Nighter, 12:30 'til 2:30, so he always had a packed floor, you could throw a dustbin down the stairs and people would dance to it, after 2:30 the floor would thin out as people got tired, or started to wander towards Mr M's. I treated Russ's spot as a warm up. Predictable but danceable. He wasn't my favourite DJ, by any means and some of the stuff he's been quoted as saying is absolute rubbish. but he's not the frigging devil incarnate. let's get off the guy's back. He did once lend me my bus fare home when I lost my wallet one morning. Also, he didn't assault me like Minshull did one night as he stomped across the floor using his record box as a battle-axe.

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Guest Dave Ward

Winstanley also regularly played a version of 'Investigate' (not the Major, I'm not that thick), can't remember the artist, but it was a better dance record ... Who was it ? I apologise for the sacrilege, but then I also prefer Blue Sharks as a dance record, to the original. (in my opinion - of which I have many) !

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Steve Cee you are dam close with your gueses.. I attended from 77 till the death and always noted all the Dj's records, used to go up on stage after the record bar or if a track stood out, In the 90's did some tapes of all the DJ's  one of Russ ,Im in the process of digging the Tapes/Cd,s out Rider club stuff one you listed here is still to this day sounds good and is still hard to find Marty Lewis  will list the stuff when i get time on SS asap.  Oh Love Music, Graham Slater Halifax Tiffs Ah see my new Blob about that

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Russ Winstaney was THE MAN back in the day. He got the Casino off the ground and spun a bunch of good tunes that had not been heard at the Torch, Wheel or other venues. Russ was and still is a modest fella - the last DJ to lay claim to playing something first! Sure he played some inferior but danceable tracks but this was inevitable in the face of Mecca competition and the commercial nature of the 70's record industry. Seems it's become fashionable to criticise Russ, but if you were there at the time, it was pretty darned good. Most of us early to mid Wiganers will always be grateful for Russ' contribution to the scene.

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Guest Dave Ward

Winstanley also regularly played a version of 'Investigate' (not the Major, I'm not that thick), can't remember the artist, but it was a better dance record ... Who was it ? I apologise for the sacrilege, but then I also prefer Blue Sharks as a dance record, to the original. (in my opinion - of which I have many) !

The Investigate post is a question ? Who recorded it ?
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Russ had the easiest DJ spot at an All-Nighter, 12:30 'til 2:30, so he always had a packed floor, you could throw a dustbin down the stairs and people would dance to it, after 2:30 the floor would thin out as people got tired, or started to wander towards Mr M's. I treated Russ's spot as a warm up. Predictable but danceable. He wasn't my favourite DJ, by any means and some of the stuff he's been quoted as saying is absolute rubbish. but he's not the frigging devil incarnate. let's get off the guy's back. He did once lend me my bus fare home when I lost my wallet one morning. Also, he didn't assault me like Minshull did one night as he stomped across the floor using his record box as a battle-axe.

 

Sorry I didn't mean to press the "like" button Dave.......Your first line about throwing the dustbin down stairs and people dancing is funny though!

 

"Let's get off the guy's back"?. No way Jose! He way well be a nice modest fella to you, but I cannot find a kind word to say about the fella. As far as I am concerned Russ milked "Wigan Casino" and "Northern soul" for all it's commerical worth and still does so to this day. Casino Classics, the endless "northern soul roadshow" and "Anniversaries" in shopping centres, holiday camps and even Essex f.f.s. Promotors and collectors that I know with a passion for soul in that neck of woods struggled for years to put on a succesful night getting 50-100 in. Maybe 200 tops for the more "moddy" soul nights. It's a massive Jazz funk area, probably no more than two people in the whole of the county even went to Wigan Casino :yes:. Some bird puts Russ on in the county and there's suddenly 600 people pitch up.

 

I cannot deny he's succesful in what he does, but to me he represents the complete opposite of what an underground soul scene is all about. I agree with Sean Hampsey the whole Wigan "legacy" has damaged the soul music scene in this country.

 

As for his "plays"  - since I don't believe he really "discovered" anything much, I'll give him Sammy Lee on Promco, and Lee Mitchell "The economy" etc. but for every one like that you can add The Seeds, Isaac Hayes Connection, Price Buster all years after they'd been played elsewhere on other scenes. Not to mention the dreadful instrumentals.....

 

I do agree with you that Keith was a shocker in the late 70's.....I had a right go at him once during his set :wub:.

Edited by Steve G
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Winstanley was an enigma.....he played things like Dee Edwards....Smokey & Fabulous Blades.....Chapter 3.....but some real shite as well.....and I genuinely think that he did know the difference between Northern Soul and Northern Dance Music.

He was a DJ....."Russ Everysound Disco".....and I assume his priority was to keep the punters happy, and that to him was a full dancefloor.

I don't think he ever pretended to be a Dave Godin or Ian Levine.....it was a business!

I remember hearing him at Burnley Rose Room in around Christmas '74 I think...it was an alldayer on a Sunday.....The Chants were on as a live act. To be frank he was good, either Curtis or Levine was on as well and his set was top notch and played things like Eula Cooper, Detroit Soul, Jeanette Williams "All Of A Sudden".

He didn't need to try too hard to acquire new sounds....people came to him with their tunes....as was the case for most DJ's in that era.

And of course he always had his "uncle" from Fort Worth who used to send him the occasional package/container full!

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Love him or hate him he "discovered" there was a venue to fit the all nighter demand after the demise of the Torch and had the foresight and balls to give it a go.

On this message board alone how many thousands of words have been written about said venue?

Could there, would there have been anywhere bigger than the Casino if he hadn't bitten the bullet and give it a go? :g:

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I used to love Russ' spots 76 to end of 77, they'd really bring you up as he'd play anything you asked him for.  Come Casino Classics etc, it got a bit silly, glad I stopped going before it ruined my memories of his really good spots, a couple of which I've posted up on Mixcloud

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I will concede that in the mid 70's Russ was part of the "pack" as far as the main DJs on the scene were concerned. I cannot deny that anymore than I can deny that he did play some good records in his sets. Didn't I read in his book that he went for the Casino because the Cricketers was so full of soul fans and the Torch had just closed so he saw a gap in the market? It worked.

 

But what did he do after the end of 77? Seems he has been living off the heyday ever since.

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Time and place were very important.

If another popular all-night venue had opened just before The Casino, things could have been very different.

Likewise, someone else could have spotted the opportunity.

Russ was in the right place at the right time, he saw the opportunity and he went for it.
 

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Time and place were very important.

If another popular all-night venue had opened just before The Casino, things could have been very different.

Likewise, someone else could have spotted the opportunity.

Russ was in the right place at the right time, he saw the opportunity and he went for it.

 

 

You could say that about any business opportunity since the beginning of time.

 

There must have been quite a few Djs/promoters knocking around then, (obviously not as many as today :yes:) but the fact remains he was the one that did.

 

 

 

But what did he do after the end of 77? Seems he has been living off the heyday ever since.

The world/telly's full of people/ex sportsmen/celebrities who had their day many moons ago and are still living off the back of it, you can hardly blame him for that?

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The world/telly's full of people/ex sportsmen/celebrities who had their day many moons ago and are still living off the back of it, you can hardly blame him for that?

 

.....well except that the ex sportsmen are expected to have something new to say / comment on what's happening now. They don't just talk about the 1977 FA Cup Final between United and Liverpool everytime they get wheeled out. Comedians don't just repeat the same few jokes everytime they do a turn for 40 years.......or do they? Anyway we're veering wildly off topic.... 

Edited by Steve G
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You could say that about any business opportunity since the beginning of time.

 

There must have been quite a few Djs/promoters knocking around then, (obviously not as many as today :yes:) but the fact remains he was the one that did.

 

 

The world/telly's full of people/ex sportsmen/celebrities who had their day many moons ago and are still living off the back of it, you can hardly blame him for that?

 

I agree, that's why I said it, Russ was the one who did it.

 

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Was it russ who played the following.Seem to think he may have,but not

totally sure.

An instrumental version of i hurt on the other side sidney barnes.

anyone know the info on that.

An alternative vocal to festival time not laura lee.

think it was called we like to party.

An instrumental version of i have faith in you.

detroit orch i think it was played under.

I presume none of these were genuine releases,but would be

interested to know the history on them.

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Winstanley was an enigma.....he played things like Dee Edwards....Smokey & Fabulous Blades.....Chapter 3.....but some real shite as well.....and I genuinely think that he did know the difference between Northern Soul and Northern Dance Music.

He was a DJ....."Russ Everysound Disco".....and I assume his priority was to keep the punters happy, and that to him was a full dancefloor.

I don't think he ever pretended to be a Dave Godin or Ian Levine.....it was a business!

I remember hearing him at Burnley Rose Room in around Christmas '74 I think...it was an alldayer on a Sunday.....The Chants were on as a live act. To be frank he was good, either Curtis or Levine was on as well and his set was top notch and played things like Eula Cooper, Detroit Soul, Jeanette Williams "All Of A Sudden".

He didn't need to try too hard to acquire new sounds....people came to him with their tunes....as was the case for most DJ's in that era.

And of course he always had his "uncle" from Fort Worth who used to send him the occasional package/container full!

 

Smokey and the blades was synonymous with RW-but you are you saying that it was not shite?Or not real shite?

 

Wasn`t his uncle in Fort Lauderdale?

 

Doesn`t  do for us all to  be the same!

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Was it russ who played the following.Seem to think he may have,but not

totally sure.

An instrumental version of i hurt on the other side sidney barnes.

anyone know the info on that.

An alternative vocal to festival time not laura lee.

think it was called we like to party.

An instrumental version of i have faith in you.

detroit orch i think it was played under.

I presume none of these were genuine releases,but would be

interested to know the history on them.

detroit sound  - we're gonna party alternative vocal to festival time

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Was it russ who played the following.Seem to think he may have,but not

totally sure.

An instrumental version of i hurt on the other side sidney barnes.

anyone know the info on that.

An alternative vocal to festival time not laura lee.

think it was called we like to party.

An instrumental version of i have faith in you.

detroit orch i think it was played under.

I presume none of these were genuine releases,but would be

interested to know the history on them.

 

That top one was The Alan Lorber Orchestra, I used to have this on tape.  No idea where it came from.  The second, nobody seems to know who did that, it was issued on the other side of EVie Sands on the Slow Fizz label.  The I Have Faith In You was the original backing track Simon S managed to procure.

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That top one was The Alan Lorber Orchestra, I used to have this on tape.  No idea where it came from.  The second, nobody seems to know who did that, it was issued on the other side of EVie Sands on the Slow Fizz label.  The I Have Faith In You was the original backing track Simon S managed to procure.

 

 

Thanks for the info pete.Such a long time ago,but always remembered these.

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Guest Dave Ward

Sorry I didn't mean to press the "like" button Dave. :wub:.

I'm not really bothered about people liking what I have to say or not, Steve. No apology needed. But my post wasn't in defence of RW. As for him milking the scene, he doesn't force people to pay him for the relentless Wigan memory gigs. As for Minshull, I don't have a strong enough opinion to comment on his DJ ability, I just remember him piling into me when I was dancing, as he smashed his way across the floor with his DJ Box. thought I'd share that memory, because it really pissed me off !
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Was it russ who played the following.Seem to think he may have,but not

totally sure.

An instrumental version of i hurt on the other side sidney barnes.

anyone know the info on that.

An alternative vocal to festival time not laura lee.

think it was called we like to party.

An instrumental version of i have faith in you.

detroit orch i think it was played under.

I presume none of these were genuine releases,but would be

interested to know the history on them.

 

Simon Soussan supplied acetates with Sidney Barnes Orchestra  - I Hurt On The Other Side c/w Detroit Symphony Orchestra - I have Faith In You. I always assumed they were prospective (Soul Fox?) releases that never materialised. I Have Faith has the famous volume drop 10 seconds or so in, which is evident on all the subsequent bootlegs. The Sidney Barnes inst has what sounds like synth strings dubbed all over it.

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John Bowie, You've Gonna Miss A Good Thing was a decent Russ spin.

He played tons tons and tons of cr@p in my time though, used to go to early sessions on a Friday too, he was the resident in my time so I heard him a lot, I do remember him playing Yum Yums Big Thing, was he the first,?? Could well be, kudos if he was.

People used to tell me that in his earlier years he was much much better, but in my time, he was a stooge for Sousaan, to get a record pressed that he could go on and make some coin, he always looked bored out of his brain on the decks.

A few others off the top of my head I know for sure that he played regular, and were regarded as his spins.

The Point Of No Return, Dusk. cr@p

Bobby Diamond, Stop. (which I think is a great record).

Joey Heatherton When You Call Me Baby.

And he deffo make James Coit, Black Power massive at the Casino, not my cup of tea, but that was a very big record in it's day.

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He was the first DJ I heard play the great "Need A Replacement" - The Winstons in Wigan Casino!

 

All the dj's were playing Great, good and bad records back then.  So many new records every week, and the dust had not had the time to settle down!

 

Remember hindsight has 20/20 vision! 

Edited by Guest
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He was the first DJ I heard play the great "Need A Replacement" - The Winstons in Wigan Casino!

 

All the dj's were playing Great, good and bad records back then.  So many new records every week, and the dust had not had the time to settled down!

 

Remember hindsight has got 20/20 vision! 

 

Good point that solidsoul.

Although, my time at WC was later on and did seem like Russ had lost the passion by then, I always got the impression it was 'just a job', I never felt the love coming from his decks.

May have been different earlier on, I'm sure it was, others on here would know better about his earlier years.

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Guest Dave Ward

And he deffo make James Coit, Black Power massive at the Casino, not my cup of tea, but that was a very big record in it's day.

I'm not having James Coit as RW. Because I was there, I first heard this in the Morecambe/Lancaster area. bought it cheap and at the time I did a couple of spots in Mr M's in the early session before the all-nighter, played it, Searling came over and asked if he could 'borrow' it. I said he could, if he played it. in the event he didn't, but gave it to the DJ following him, who did. That's the first play at WC. I remember people singing the hookline as they flooded out in the morning. what an awful recording !
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I'm not having James Coit as RW. Because I was there, I first heard this in the Morecambe/Lancaster area. bought it cheap and at the time I did a couple of spots in Mr M's in the early session before the all-nighter, played it, Searling came over and asked if he could 'borrow' it. I said he could, if he played it. in the event he didn't, but gave it to the DJ following him, who did. That's the first play at WC. I remember people singing the hookline as they flooded out in the morning. what an awful recording !

 

Won't argue with that Dave, I could well be wrong, I very often am, if Richard wasn't aware of it at that time, then Russ may not have been the first to spin it, it may have been mainstream by the time Russ was spinning it regular, but Russ WAS certainly flogging it to death there no doubt about that, maybe he & SS has the Phoof pressing in mind.

I always hated it anyway to be honest.

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Guest Dave Ward

I'm sure Richard had heard it before, because he had done gigs at the Pier in Morecambe, I think the lad who played it there was Sean Gibbons ? I think Searling heard me play it in M's and it was an easy no-risk 'borrow' on the night. It's not the sort of record that Searling would have played anyway, but I remember the record collectors coming out of the back bar to listen. A couple of hours later, Searling gave me my copy back, saying he'd checked, it wasn't rare, or worth much, so I took his advice and sold it quick before word got around ! I apologise to all Northern Soul fans for my small involvement in this debacle!

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Paul Peek - Moving Uptown

I like that tune and always have and have had it since 1994........but never played it once in me time in any set?!!!x Always felt it neeeearly there......but missing 1% of summink! I played the other side at party's at every opportunity tho and as recent as Halloween night just gone'!!x

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SMbZ-JK7QqU

 

Was it played at Wigan? I can imagine it would have rocked if it had been...slinky dancer for defo....?!x

@@
~
LUV
SOOTY
X

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Guest Dave Ward

I was there in '79, can't remember 'My Generation' being played, or a massive influx of revival Mods, I think a lot of existing NS fans reverted to Mod clothes, because it was the fashion. But then I can't recall coachloads of Slade fans accompanied by Pan's People tipping up at 'nighters just because Footsie was in the pop charts. I also love an Urban Myth.

Edited by Dave Ward
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Now is it true that he once played 'My Generation' when the Mod revival crowd started turning up in '79?

Never heard that played, seriously doubt it.

Worse record I heard him play was possibly that god awful vocal to Hawaii 5.0 by Sammi Davies Jr.

Id be interested to know about Russ in the early years though, when he had some credibility.

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