There's probably already a thread on this but I can't find it, but what sort of stuff would have been played at the Wigan Casino in the very early days, say September 1973 to June 1974?

There's probably already a thread on this but I can't find it, but what sort of stuff would have been played at the Wigan Casino in the very early days, say September 1973 to June 1974?

 

https://www.mixcloud.com/mayfairmenthol/northern-soul-the-casino-years-1973-to-1975-part-one/

 

Okay this is how it really was, warts and all.  In this next set of podcasts, I’m going to be tracing the history of Northern Soul via the Wigan casino years.  Not Wigan again you say…well it’s the only place I went, so therefore I can recreate the playlists from experience.  Obviously some records cross over to and start in other clubs, but the playlist below is what you would could have expected to hear had you been on the Northern scene between 1973 and 1975.  This is the first part of two episodes looking back at some of the scene’s biggest records of the period in a not strictly but not far off chronological order.  It doesn’t matter if I am a year or six months out on some tracks, please just enjoy the music.  I did this live from vinyl so some records show a little wear — also, the left hand deck was playing up so one or two tracks may sound a little slow in parts, only one or two though.  Hope you enjoy this, the series will be one of the best I’ve ever done.

THE SHERRYS — PUT YOUR ARMS AROUND ME

MIKE POST COALITION — AFTERNOON OF THE RHINO

PAUL ANKA — I CAN’T HELP LOVING YOU

THE COASTERS — CRAZY BABY

GWEN & RAY — BUILD YOUR HOUSE ON A STRONG FOUNDATION

LUTHER INGRAM ORCHESTRA — EXUS TREK

THE SERVICEMEN — I NEED A HELPING HAND

THE SUPERLATIVES — I STILL LOVE YOU

THE VOLCANOS — (IT’S AGAINST) THE LAWS OF LOVE

THE RIGHTEOUS BROTHERS BAND — RAT RACE

CASE OF TYME — MANIFESTO

THE VELVETS — I GOT TO FIND ME SOMEBODY

THE VELOURS — I’M GONNA CHANGE

WOMBAT — I’M GETTING’ ON LIFE

LARRY WILLIAMS & JOHNNY WATSON — TOO LATE

GLORIA JONES — TAINTED LOVE

LITTLE RICHIE — JUST ANOTHER HEARTACHE

R. DEAN TAYLOR — THERE’S A GHOST IN MY HOUSE

CHECKERBOARD SQUARES — DOUBLE COOKIN’ (STRINGS A GOGO)

FOUR PERFECTIONS — I’M NOT STRONG ENOUGH

TONY & TYRONE — PLEASE OPERATOR

THE TOMANGOES — I REALLY LOVE YOU

THE VOICES OF EAST HARLEM — CASHING IN

THE FURY’S BAND — I’M SATISFIED WITH YOU

SAM WARD — SISTER LEE

GARY LEWIS & THE PLAYBOYS — MY HEART’S SYMPHONY

THE MODERN REDCAPS — NEVER TOO YOUNG

PAUL HUMPHREY — COCHISE

EDDIE & ERNIE — I CAN’T DO IT

SIDRA ORCHESTRA — SIDRA’S THEME

DENA BARNES — IF YOU EVER WALK OUT OF MY LIFE

THE CASUALEERS — DANCE, DANCE, DANCE

RODGER COLLINS — YOU SEXY SUGAR PLUM

FRED SMITH ORCHESTRA — THE SAME OLD THING

SISTERS LOVE — I’M LEARNING TO TRUST MY MAN

THE SWEETS — SATISFY ME BABY

LAURA GREENE — MOONLIGHT MUSIC AND YOU

THE EPITOME OF SOUND — YOU DON’T LOVE ME

EARL WRIGHT & HIS ORCHESTRA — THUMB A RIDE

AL WILSON — HELP ME

THE GUYS FROM UNCLE — THE SPY

WALLY COX — THIS MAN

BETTY WRIGHT — WHERE IS THE LOVE

THE EXCITERS — REACHING FOR THE BEST

EVELYN THOMAS — WEAK SPOT

L.J. JOHNSON — YOUR MAGIC PUT A SPELL ON ME

ALICE CLARK — YOU HIT ME (RIGHT WHERE IT HURT ME)

DONI BURDICK — BARI TRACK

DAVE MITCHELL & THE SCREAMERS — THE TRIP

Edited December 25, 201410 yr by Pete S

Take Away The Pain Stain-,Patti Austin

I'm Gonna Change- 4 Seasons

World Without Sunshine- Sandra Philips

Aint Nobody's Business - Ernie Marbray

Shawn Robinson- My Dear Heart

Carl Douglas- Serving A Sentence of Life

Vernon Greene- Look At Me, Look At Me

Seven Souls- I Still Love You

Casualeers - Dance Dance Dance

Jive Five- You're A Puzzle

The Tomangoes- I Really Love You

The Professionals- That's Why I Love You

Lee Andrews- Nevertheless

The Magnificents- My Heart Is Calling

Chosen Few- Footsee

R Dean Taylor- There's A Ghost In My House

Debbie Dean- Why Am I Lovin You

Linda Jones-,I Just Can't Live My Life

Paul Anka-,I Cant Help Loving You

Dean Courtney- I'll Always Need You

Eddie Foster- I Never Knew

Willie Hutch- The Duck

Rubin - You've Been Away

Samantha Jones- Ray of Sunshine

Poppies- There's A Pain In My Heart

Shane Martin- I Need You

There's a few to get the thread going.......

Edited December 26, 201410 yr by The Golden 101

Well, thank you gentlemen!

just a copy of this..

 

 

Vernon Greene- Look At Me, Look At Me

Seven Souls- I Still Love You

The Professionals- That's Why I Love You

There's a few to get the thread going.......

 

Of course I stand to be corrected as I wasn't there and I bow deferentially to those that were, especially someone who was actually shaping the playlists of the time, but I really did think that these 3 were a lot, lot later than 73-75? I always thought these 3 were late Wigan/Stafford era biggies? At least in terms of being played (I can well imagine they would have been in the playbox back in 73-75)?

Max was playing the a Professionals at the Cats

Of course I stand to be corrected as I wasn't there and I bow deferentially to those that were, especially someone who was actually shaping the playlists of the time, but I really did think that these 3 were a lot, lot later than 73-75? I always thought these 3 were late Wigan/Stafford era biggies? At least in terms of being played (I can well imagine they would have been in the playbox back in 73-75)?

Professionals got played in the early days, but did not take off till much much later.

I think it was Kev who played it on a tape from March 74 l have or had at one time.

Max was playing the a Professionals at the Cats

I never got down to the Cats, but it would fit in with the time fame from when l 1st knew the record.

Edited December 25, 201410 yr by davetay

Richard mentions later at the casino that professionals was a reactivated oldie from the early days as was the twans 

Cheers guys. What about Seven Souls and Vernon Greene?

 

 

one of russ s early newies 

Cheers guys. What about Seven Souls and Vernon Greene?

March 1974 was a critical turn musically for the Casino. Many of the really good soul records like Vernon Greene, Seven Souls, Ernie Marbray, Eugene Jefferson got canned pretty quickly due to appetite for The Javells, Gary Lewis, Keith etc that were reaking out at the same time.

Cheers guys. What about Seven Souls and Vernon Greene?

Can't remember if l heard them at Wigan or not, but got my 1st copy of Seven Souls in the summer of 74.

Vernon Greene l heard on a tape (not live) l got off someone in 75.

March 1974 was a critical turn musically for the Casino. Many of the really good soul records like Vernon Greene, Seven Souls, Ernie Marbray, Eugene Jefferson got canned pretty quickly due to appetite for The Javells, Gary Lewis, Keith etc that were reaking out at the same time.

 Unforgivable crime, where's the soul police when you need them.   

vernon greene - ace tune 

March 1974 was a critical turn musically for the Casino. Many of the really good soul records like Vernon Greene, Seven Souls, Ernie Marbray, Eugene Jefferson got canned pretty quickly due to appetite for The Javells, Gary Lewis, Keith etc that were reaking out at the same time.

Thanks for clarifying Kev. That is genuinely interesting.

There's probably already a thread on this but I can't find it, but what sort of stuff would have been played at the Wigan Casino in the very early days, say September 1973 to June 1974?

I went twice in March 1974 and have a live tape with many of the sounds that Pete and Kev have listed namely Gwen and Ray, Lee Andrews, Tony and Tyrone, Casualeers, Tomangoes, Shawn Robinson, Mike Post, Furys Band, Velvets, Gloria Jones and Al Wilson. Add to this The Fuzz, Saxie Russell, Olympics, Robert Knight, Terrible Tom, Ventures, Lord Thunder and Junior Walker, Biggest tunes were Dana Valery and Butch Baker, both played about six times in the main room. Sheer quality all the way (if you ignore the Ventures) without the more commercial chart sounds that soon followed.

Edited December 26, 201410 yr by FRANKIE CROCKER

March 1974 was a critical turn musically for the Casino. Many of the really good soul records like Vernon Greene, Seven Souls, Ernie Marbray, Eugene Jefferson got canned pretty quickly due to appetite for The Javells, Gary Lewis, Keith etc that were reaking out at the same time.

 

Kev one of my all times was played first by you Thelma Lindsey "Prepared to Love You" but you didn't list it! Great record and one of the best double siders ever. 

There's plenty I haven't listed, but thanks for the Thelma reminder. Both sides superb.

As I stated before, the Casino really had its own top notch discoveries in its first year.

As a DJ though, it all got messy with the Javells etc suddenly exploding around our ears, while the Mecca ploughed their own furrow with Cochise, Bobby Franklin, RB Freeman etc.

 

Either way, the likes of the Inticers, Internationl GTO's, Vernon Greene and others simply suffered 'bad timing'........

Willie hutch - the SUCK

Nice typo kev.... Made me smile

Dazz

Willie hutch - the SUCK

Nice typo kev.... Made me smile

Dazz

Ha! IPhone 5 predictive text eh! Thank heavens the F wasn't included instead. Heeeeee

Couldn't think of a better place to ask then on this thread.

Having bought both of these ages ago,I've been told they were both played in the early days of the Casino?

Can anyone confirm please?

Fred Paris-I Just Can't Satisfy Green Sea

The Barons-Since You're Gone RCA

Cheers

Martyn

Edited December 26, 201410 yr by hullsoul

Fred Paris-I Just Can't Satisfy Green Sea

 

I wonder whether some enterprising soul saw the label, and off the back of Pearlean Grey this Must have been played... begs the question, was Pearlean Grey an early Wigan spin also?

 

Mal.C

Edited December 26, 201410 yr by Mal C

I thought Pearlean Grey was a Torch oldie? Certainly one of the pre-Wigan clubs.

Couldn't think of a better place to ask then on this thread.

Having bought both of these ages ago,I've been told they were both played in the early days of the Casino?

Can anyone confirm please?

Fred Paris-I Just Can't Satisfy Green Sea

The Barons-Since You're Gone RCA

Cheers

Martyn

Martyn Barons get played mid 70's, without really being noticed by the masses. 

I thought Pearlean Grey was a Torch oldie? Certainly one of the pre-Wigan clubs.

Yes, it was pre Wigan.

There's plenty I haven't listed, but thanks for the Thelma reminder. Both sides superb.

As I stated before, the Casino really had its own top notch discoveries in its first year.

As a DJ though, it all got messy with the Javells etc suddenly exploding around our ears, while the Mecca ploughed their own furrow with Cochise, Bobby Franklin, RB Freeman etc.

 

Either way, the likes of the Inticers, Internationl GTO's, Vernon Greene and others simply suffered 'bad timing'........

Bloody hell Kev. Bobby Franklin is a 100 times better than Gary Lewis, Keith, Nosmo King etc and Cochise got played at Wigan as well as the Mecca.

Can't remember if l heard them at Wigan or not, but got my 1st copy of Seven Souls in the summer of 74.

Vernon Greene l heard on a tape (not live) l got off someone in 75.

 

I was told Seven Souls was played at Torch and Wigan but didn't take off till getting on a decade later?? 

Edited December 26, 201410 yr by chalky

Chalks- The Seven Souls was played twice in March 74 at the Casino only.

It bombed out so I promptly sold it for £6 to one of the Coke bar hounds(Dewhirst, Withers,Shard)

If it was you step forward.

As far as I'm concerned, I discovered it at Ray Avery's Rare Records, Glendale, CA that same month.

Chalks- The Seven Souls was played twice in March 74 at the Casino only.

It bombed out so I promptly sold it for £6 to one of the Coke bar hounds(Dewhirst, Withers,Shard)

If it was you step forward.

As far as I'm concerned, I discovered it at Ray Avery's Rare Records, Glendale, CA that same month.

 

Cheers Kev,  nice to know who and when etc.  I know Minsh was playing it early 80's.

 

Why did it bomb btw?  Tempo too slow?

Edited December 26, 201410 yr by chalky

Hi there Dave Evison included the 7 souls in his set mid 1977 and continued to include it but then it faded and majestic and Howard Guyton then took over again these might have been reactivations for Dave and co and remember Richard given Shawn Robinson outing from late 77 into 78.Bobby Franklin ladies choice one of the fresh and new sound superb bort Pats copy off him in 78, so good.do keep popping in my box might try it at radders tonight poss.

Cheers Kev, nice to know who and when etc. I know Minsh was playing it early 80's.

Why did it bomb btw? Tempo too slow?

As previously stated on another thread, so many classy traditional Northern unknowns failed due to the Javells, Gary Lewis influence, which dancers lapped up. Remember the venue was the largest ever seen for a regular niter. To see Goodbye Nothing To Say rocking the aisles, it seriously hampered the progress of many in 1974.

Plus of course the Mecca was changing too. Lots of new sounds were filtering through to the Casino.

All of a sudden there would be musical casualties. Still many came back to get recognition as the scene evolved.

The scene in my opinion is no different today

Sure you don't hear anything as a crass as Brian Hyland's Joker Went Wild, but Pow Wow, Tribute are two examples of floor fillers while the poor Inticers is still suffering from lack of interest apart from collectors.

As previously stated on another thread, so many classy traditional Northern unknowns failed due to the Javells, Gary Lewis influence, which dancers lapped up. Remember the venue was the largest ever seen for a regular niter. To see Goodbye Nothing To Say rocking the aisles, it seriously hampered the progress of many in 1974.

Plus of course the Mecca was changing too. Lots of new sounds were filtering through to the Casino.

All of a sudden there would be musical casualties. Still many came back to get recognition as the scene evolved.

The scene in my opinion is no different today

Sure you don't hear anything as a crass as Brian Hyland's Joker Went Wild, but Pow Wow, Tribute are two examples of floor fillers while the poor Inticers is still suffering from lack of interest apart from collectors.

 

Can't disagree, every era has its share of casualties and turkey's that succeeded despite, in retrospect being very poor or even worse.  Like you say, one good thing about this scene is always someone willing to dig that little bit deeper and dig out that one, two spin wonders and give them another go.

 

Incites extremely rare though and suffers maybe because of its obscurity, as do many records.

Anne Perry. Ritchie Adams. Great times early Wigan.

Hi there Dave Evison included the 7 souls in his set mid 1977 and continued to include it but then it faded and majestic and Howard Guyton then took over again these might have been reactivations for Dave and co and remember Richard given Shawn Robinson outing from late 77 into 78.Bobby Franklin ladies choice one of the fresh and new sound superb bort Pats copy off him in 78, so good.do keep popping in my box might try it at radders tonight poss.

 

Shawn Robinson was played way further back, it was reviewed by Dave Godin in Black Music in 1974, it was played at Wigan not long after by all the dj's, until it got booted in mid 1977.

Can't remember if l heard them at Wigan or not, but got my 1st copy of Seven Souls in the summer of 74.

Vernon Greene l heard on a tape (not live) l got off someone in 75.

Vernon Greene was featured on a UK album 20 minutes of Minit (or something similar) I picked one up in a junk shop round about that time

I can remember putting it on tape back then,

I preferred Clydie Kings I'll never stop loving you

33 MINITS OF BLUES AND SOUL released in 1968

Thelma Houston- I ain't going nowhere

Baby Washington I've got it bad

Fantastic Johnny C - Don't depend on me

Drifters - You gotta pay your dues

Herb Ward - Honest to Goodness

Teen Turbans - We need to be loved

Montclairs - I need you more than ever

Pointer Sisters - Send him back

Donald Austin - You want it you got it

Just some of the less regular ones that were played in the early years to my recollection.

Shawn Robinson was played way further back, it was reviewed by Dave Godin in Black Music in 1974, it was played at Wigan not long after by all the dj's, until it got booted in mid 1977.

 

Shawn Robinson was a Torch biggie.....

 

Ian D 

Lada Edmund Jr - The Larue

 

Jades - I'm where it's at

 

Capreez - How to make a sad man glad

Shawn Robinson was a Torch biggie.....

Ian D

Sorry Ian No way.

Shawn Robinson was never played at the Torch.

Edited December 28, 201410 yr by The Golden 101

Thelma Houston- I ain't going nowhere

Baby Washington I've got it bad

Fantastic Johnny C - Don't depend on me

Drifters - You gotta pay your dues

Herb Ward - Honest to Goodness

Teen Turbans - We need to be loved

Montclairs - I need you more than ever

Pointer Sisters - Send him back

Donald Austin - You want it you got it

Just some of the less regular ones that were played in the early years to my recollection.

Very accurate indeed.

Mr Manship in his latest auction write up, rambles on about Sam Moultrie "I'll Always Love You" being a Cleethorpes record.

I was talking to an early Wigan Casino member the other day and he said it was played early days in Wigan before 1975!?

Edited December 29, 201410 yr by Guest

Mr Manship rambles on in his latest auction write up, about Sam Moultrie "I'll Always Love You" being a Cleethorpes record.

I was talking to an early Wigan Casino member the other day and he said it was played early days in Wigan before 1975!?

 

It was certainly played at Wigan in 75, I'll check some tapes for 74, a lot of these records were big in two or three venues at the same time though.  

It was certainly played at Wigan in 75, I'll check some tapes for 74, a lot of these records were big in two or three venues at the same time though.  

 

I seem to remember Levine writing about Sam Moultrie in Echoes circa '74/'75ish....

 

Ian D

Hi there Dave Evison included the 7 souls in his set mid 1977 and continued to include it but then it faded and majestic and Howard Guyton then took over again these might have been reactivations for Dave and co and remember Richard given Shawn Robinson outing from late 77 into 78.Bobby Franklin ladies choice one of the fresh and new sound superb bort Pats copy off him in 78, so good.do keep popping in my box might try it at radders tonight poss.

Pretty sure Shawn Robinson was much earlier Gibby...73/74...I take my hat off to those who can date when and where..

Shawn Robinson was played way further back, it was reviewed by Dave Godin in Black Music in 1974, it was played at Wigan not long after by all the dj's, until it got booted in mid 1977.

You're right Pete. I would say 74'

 

Kev

when was John E Paul first played then ??

 

I have it on a few live tapes but can't seem to narrow the year down by what's played with it

Sorry Ian No way.

Shawn Robinson was never played at the Torch.

 

Are you sure Kev? I seem to remember this being an oldie long before Wigan. Plus I can remember the Cleckheaton lads singing it's praises after a Saturday at the Torch. Just had a quick search around and I'm not the only one who had this down as the Torch. Who had it first I wonder......?

 

Ian D