Wigan Casino ‘Billboard’s Best Disco in the World’ 1978?

Oh no not that old chestnut again (yawn) but read on and make up your own mind.

In virtually every article you can read about this famous Lancashire club it always mentions somewhere that it was voted ‘Billboard’s Best Disco in the World’ in 1978?

Fair enough it’s such a prestigious award that any club would be over joyed to win it and probably wouldn’t stop telling anybody and everybody that they had.

And so it was that in June 2011, The Guardian (no less) repeated the Billboard award story in their series of the 50 key events in the history of dance music, which in itself is a great read if you’ve got the time.

https://www.guardian.co.uk/music/2011/jun/15/wigan-greatest-disco

A few months later in September 2011, I read an online interview with Richard Searling in which he’s asked the question ‘Did Wigan Casino deserve its title of “Billboard’s Best Disco in the World” in 1978?’

https://www.sabotagetimes.com/music/northern-soul-legend-on-25-years-of-expansion-records/

Must admit I’d often wondered about this award myself and his reply made sense. Then made me chuckle.

What a brilliant bit of marketing eh?

Are you saying Mr Pearson that if somebody makes an outrageous claim with no evidence to back it up, then eventually when it’s often repeated over a long period of time it becomes regarded as fact?

What a stroke of genius - I wonder who at Wigan Towers thought of that idea?

Bear in mind that famous quote “A lie can travel halfway round the world while the truth is putting on its shoes”.

Alright calling it a lie might be a touch too strong - remember this is marketing folks (smile).

Also in the interview Richard Searling names his top 5 Wigan Casino classics.

Phew you can’t argue with any of his choices.

I nearly burst into tears on playing the sound clip that accompanied his top choice.

In the days when records were BIG this record was absolutely massive, it was worth travelling just to hear that record on its own.

Going back to the Billboard award - not many people know that the James Bond story was modelled on me.......

derek x

with all the tapes ive got from wigan 1978 ,,it still sounds as it was the place to be,,,,,,,,,,,amazing atmosphere!

As I was a regular at Wigan 76-80 the term "disco" was a fxxkin insult

I think that most of us hardcore "soulies" couldn't give a toss about being voted the best "disco" in the world by a anyone from the music estaishment

To me disco = chicken in a basket,get thee coat that's pulled and weird people in cat suit style clothing trying to dance like John Travolta.

Now Mr M's at about 4am ?

That was No disco

with all the tapes ive got from wigan 1978 ,,it still sounds as it was the place to be,,,,,,,,,,,amazing atmosphere!

Would have to disagree there Mark. 78 was the year that the casino was at its lowest IMO. The best sounds were getting discovered & played elsewhere, certain DJs were playing some of the crap we all cringe at now & the place was full of barb heads.If I were told I could go back to 1978 for one nighter, it would NOT be Wigan I was heading for, it would probably be Yate or one of the EASC nighters........Give me 80 or 81 & i'd be in Station Rd like a shot though !

I have NEVER belived this crap about 'The Best Disco in The World'........... The trophy would have G.M. , R.W. & M.W. enscribed on its plastic base

Casino .. Billboard; 1975 ..........

https://books.google.com.cy/books?id=MREEAAAAMBAJ&pg=RA1-PA63&dq=%22Wigan+Casino%22&hl=en&sa=X&ei=pzGyUIbTLMXIswajxIDABg&ved=0CDIQ6AEwAA#v=onepage&q=%22Wigan%20Casino%22&f=false

Casino ... Billboard; 1978 ......... Casino Classics really ....

https://books.google.com.cy/books?id=hSQEAAAAMBAJ&pg=PT68&dq=%22Wigan+Casino%22&hl=en&sa=X&ei=HjKyUP6MPInxsgbY94CwAg&ved=0CDUQ6AEwAQ

The word disco is only used as to describe a place where people gathered and black music was played surely and not meant to slight Wigan.

The span of music played @ Wigan in 80 - 81 was unbelievable and nothing has touched it for me since.

Would have to disagree there Mark. 78 was the year that the casino was at its lowest IMO. The best sounds were getting discovered & played elsewhere, certain DJs were playing some of the crap we all cringe at now & the place was full of barb heads.If I were told I could go back to 1978 for one nighter, it would NOT be Wigan I was heading for, it would probably be Yate or one of the EASC nighters........Give me 80 or 81 & i'd be in Station Rd like a shot though !

I have NEVER belived this crap about 'The Best Disco in The World'........... The trophy would have G.M. , R.W. & M.W. enscribed on its plastic base

In my opinion 78 was when it started to turn around again, I only went from 77 to 80, but from not only my own, but listening to others experiences 78 was when RS started to come into his own proper like & the Casino reigned supreme in these years.....certainly my memories from this time period are class !

Best Russ

In my opinion 78 was when it started to turn around again, I only went from 77 to 80, but from not only my own, but listening to others experiences 78 was when RS started to come into his own proper like & the Casino reigned supreme in these years.....certainly my memories from this time period are class !

Best Russ

Russ, from what I remember of 78 until late 79 was really not good compared to what happened there before & after. I agree with you about RS comming into his purple patch but think about what the others were playing in the main hall, especially RW. Also the majority of good newies being played at Wigan in 78 (again, apart from Richard) were nicked off of Soul Sam, Pat Brady, Ian Clarke, Ginger,Arthur Fenn, John Vincent etc playlists - none of whom were guesting at The Casino at the time.

Also there was a major shortage of decent gear in late 78, which was when the barbituate epedemic took hold at quite a few venues including Wigan - I remember seeing people I knew quite well turning into complete cabbages, falling down the stairs, upseting tables, collapsing on the floor & sometimes ending up in hospital.Don't get me wrong, this happened at other venues as well, but Yate & The Fleet didn't seem to get the same percentage of barb heads attending as Wigan.

Thats how I remember it, but I guess others will have seen things differently

I agree with you to some extent, especially about the Barbs thing, but I think 78 was when things started to improve musically again....I might be wrong (?), but wasnt 78 when RS dropped Delites, Vickie Baines, Cecil Washington, Agents....amongst others ?, could be a year out....Yate was great, never really went to Fleet....you also have to remember I was only 16 & had about a year of Nighters behind me, slightly less, so my abilty to draw comparisons is extremely limited, I just wanted to dance & it was only with hindsight that I realised how crap some things were, altho totally without realising it I always erred towards what I later realised was the classier sounds....

Best Russ

As I was a regular at Wigan 76-80 the term "disco" was a fxxkin insult

I think that most of us hardcore "soulies" couldn't give a toss about being voted the best "disco" in the world by a anyone from the music estaishment

To me disco = chicken in a basket,get thee coat that's pulled and weird people in cat suit style clothing trying to dance like John Travolta.

Now Mr M's at about 4am ?

That was No disco

Well said Spike, but note that elsewhere at the moment there is a topic entitled 'Disco' and half of them are creaming their y fronts describing how utterly fantastic disco was, me being one of the only dissenting voices saying it was utter sh*te and them telling me I know sod all about soul music.

I agree with Russ & Martyn. Think the Casino turned a corner late 78-79 with much healthier classy sounds mainly from RS.

I have tapes from 76-77 and sometimes half of the sounds played were white/uk pop shite.

I only got there once a month being from the deep south but some cracking stuff played at Yate & St. Ives as well. Also at Bisley my local.

I agree with Russ & Martyn. Think the Casino turned a corner late 78-79 with much healthier classy sounds mainly from RS.

I have tapes from 76-77 and sometimes half of the sounds played were white/uk pop shite.

I'm afraid you're mistaken. There are very few white sounds in 76-77. In fact the best music ever played there was in 76-77. In 78-79 there are loads of white sounds. 78 especially. 79-80 would be when it picked up, not 78-79.

Well said Spike, but note that elsewhere at the moment there is a topic entitled 'Disco' and half of them are creaming their y fronts describing how utterly fantastic disco was, me being one of the only dissenting voices saying it was utter sh*te and them telling me I know sod all about soul music.

It is obvious Spike isn't talking about the same type of disco as being discussed in the other topic.

I'm sure there is another topic on here where "The best disco in the world" was discussed at length. it was said there was no trophy or presentation, just some comment in Billboard and carried on in B&S.

I'm afraid you're mistaken. There are very few white sounds in 76-77. In fact the best music ever played there was in 76-77. In 78-79 there are loads of white sounds. 78 especially. 79-80 would be when it picked up, not 78-79.

You're right Pete. I was a year out.

Edited November 25, 201212 yr by Mister Fish

It is obvious Spike isn't talking about the same type of disco as being discussed in the other topic.

Oh how stupid of me.

I didn't realise that there were different types of disco music.

Shit and shittier by any chance?

But then I witnessed some of the best sounds played at the Stars and Stripes and Wigan surviving on bags of French back street and speckled blues, dexies and tomb stone chalkies - thanks to Hills Pharmaceuticals in Burnley and Barrowford throughout 1978/79. And witnessing the introduction of wrapped sulphate powder from late 1979 onwards.

Not a shortage of gear - but a shortage of decent gear - yes!

Edited November 26, 201212 yr by Nick Harrison

This Billboard "Best disco in the world" stuff is horse s**t. There would have been so much pressure from the NY clubs etc. in fact clubs all over. They wouldn't have dared!

I agree with you to some extent, especially about the Barbs thing, but I think 78 was when things started to improve musically again....I might be wrong (?), but wasnt 78 when RS dropped Delites, Vickie Baines, Cecil Washington, Agents....amongst others ?, could be a year out....Yate was great, never really went to Fleet....you also have to remember I was only 16 & had about a year of Nighters behind me, slightly less, so my abilty to draw comparisons is extremely limited, I just wanted to dance & it was only with hindsight that I realised how crap some things were, altho totally without realising it I always erred towards what I later realised was the classier sounds....

Best Russ

Didnt personaly hear the sounds you mention until 79 except perhaps Vicky Bains covered as Christeen Cooper. Could be because by the middle of 78 I'd all but given up on Wigan & was doing Yate & The Fleet. In fact it wasnt really untill late 79 early 80 I started going back to Wigan on a regular basis after Tony Warot convinced me "its changed" & gave me a lift up in a car he'd borrowed....Boy was he right ! Richards set blew me away & then when Sam, Pat Brady & Gary Rushbrook joined the line up it would have taken wild horses to drag me away. Its just a shame that by that time attendances were poor for Saturday nights (remember the pyramids !), but the records being played were IMO the best ever

Cheers

Martyn

last time i went would have been 79 so vicky baines, cecil washington, rita & the tiaras fits the bill though the latter may have been played a bit earlier, either way, these would have been top plays for richard.. i suppose stuff like william powell, the nurons, ike strong, rosie jones & mr.soul must have come just after. his 79 sets must also included a lot of new releases, such as tyrone barclay & roy dawson, though i honestly cant remember. one thing is for certain which im surw most of you will agree with, and with the greatest of repect to the other names mentioned, richard was at the helm of the thinking mans kind of tune whilst rw was just making up the numbers.

This Billboard "Best disco in the world" stuff is horse s**t. There would have been so much pressure from the NY clubs etc. in fact clubs all over. They wouldn't have dared!

Couldn't agree more, the earliest mention I've ever found is in Bill Brewster's "Last Night A DJ Saved My Life", which dates from 1999.

The Billboard from Aug 11, 1979 reports on the Disco Forum with a whole load of awards, not one for Best Disco though.

Also, Blues and Soul mentions nothing about it, and the Casino ads from the time say nothing, which is probably most telling.

Maybe its a bit like the rumour that travolta was seen at the casino, practising and learning moves.

think I would of sooner been at the gallery, warehouse or reade street personally.

Maybe its a bit like the rumour that travolta was seen at the casino, practising and learning moves.

Went from 73 onwards and to be honest cant remember a great deal other than i had one hell of a good time

I heard it said a few times in the 8ts, before you could sniff out the bullshit with the aid of the net. Mind you I span I few good ones myself.