What Happened To Alan Rhodes

[Blackpoolsoul]

20 minutes ago, The Tempest said:

 

 

[Stevecee]

20 hours ago, The Tempest said:

I now found it quite iconic having listened to early live Wigan tapes when I was a kid in Scotland early 80 ‘s - listening to his spots - purchased from Richard Domar at the time - I loved his sets - I have lived just outside York for 20 yrs - but work in it daily - attended loads of soul nights / dayers etc ... 

But alas never met the guy to tell him how much of an influence he had on me as a kid and then going to soul nights / nighters mid eighties and my ongoing attendance since then 

The guy is truly one of  the underclassed heroes of the scene 

Can anyone tell me how he got involved with Wigan at the beginning ? 
Did he already have an established reputation as a DJ at the time ? 

I can't tell you specifics, but one of the older guys in our group said he had been around for a long time and was resident in a York venue, hopefully someone knows a bit more. As you'll hear when I upload the tape, he says he had been five years at Casino, so as he left in 79, presumably he joined in 74 sometime, maybe part time initially as there seemed to be a lot more irregulars early on

Cheers

[Stevecee]

As promised before I post it to mixcloud this week, here are the records Alan spun in his last spot 7-8th July 1979 together with Russ & Richards spots to give you a flavour of the night/era.
Is worth noting that Richard was particuarly vocal on the mic with several yells of boogie and other comments (including a good windup about Cecil Washington being the Orchids on Kool Kat), not something you'd usually hear from him and the story went that it was because he was upset with Alan moving on and there was a lot of talk of did he jump or was he pushed, maybe someone on here knows the true story?
Whats also interesting is that after the handover from Richard, Alan calls him his partner in crime and dedicates a record to him sayng "This is for Richard from myself to Sep 1980 and theres a joke there somewhere" and this coupled with the endless rumours about the Casino closing led may of us to think Alan had given a heads up on the actual date, of course it went onto 1981, but it made us wonder at the time.

Russ Winstanley
Ron Grainer              When Love Grows Cold
The Night Watch      Lips To Your Heart
Moments                  Hey Boy
Esko Affair                Salt & Pepper
Don Ray                   Born A Loser
Helen Shapiro          Stop
Pallbearers               Music With Soul
Paul Newman           Ain't You Got A Heart
Holly St James         Thats Not Love
Stemmons Express   Woman Love Thief
Lockettes                 I Love The Boy Next Door
All Night Band         I Can't Seem To Hold You
Peter Jarrett             Run Run Baby Run
Candy & Kisses        Someone Out There
Intros                       Stop Look and Listen
Toni Basil                 Breakaway
Outer Limits            Just One More Chance
Short People           Why'd You Put It To Me Baby
Tamala Lewis           You Won't Say Nothing
Dee Dee Barnes      Do What You Wanna Do
Jay Traynor              Up and Over
JJ Barnes                 How Long

With a few exceptions, this was heavy on the poppier tunes, with 3 casino classic releases, and sadly many of these were being played in 1978 (which most people think was the worst year for the scene) and here we were in mid 79  and Russ was still playing them.

Richard Searling
Rita & Tiarras      Gone With The Wind
Betty Boo             Say It Isn't So
JC Mesina            Time Won't Let Me
Vickie Baines        Country Girl
De-Lites                Lover
Laura Green          Can't Help Loving That Man
Don Ray                Born A Loser
The Generation     Hold On
Cecil Washington  I Don't Like To Lose (PLayed for Poole in Dorset crowd)
Gang Band            Sound Of Boston
John Leach            Put That Woman Down
Toni Bazil               Breakaway
Peter Jarrett           Run Run Baby Run
Carol Anderson     Sad Girl
Flame N King        Ho Happy Day
Al Wilson              Earthquake (he takes it off halfway through)
Short People        Why'd Ya Put It To Me Baby
Rita & Tiarras       Gone With The Wind
Arin Demain         Silent Treatment
Agents                 Trouble
Wilbur Walton      24 Hours Of Lonliness
Al Williams           I Am Nothing
Friendly People    I Ain't Got Nothing
Kenny Gamble     Jokes On You
Herb Ward           Strange Change
Ej Chandler          I Can't Stand to Lose You
Eddie Holman     This Could Be A Night To Remember
Larry Clinton       Wanted in 3 States
Twans                  I Can't See Him Again
Cody Marshall    The Thought Of Loving You
Vickie Baines       Country Girl     
New Wanderers   This Man In Love
Eddie Daye          Guess Who Loves You
Grant Smith         Thinking Bout You
Cecil Washington  I Don't Like To Lose

Richard spot shows how he was turning things around at Wigan and getting back to some quality music and it wouldn't be long before we got those classic playlists from late 79 onwards.

Alan Rhodes
Flaming King     Ho Happy Day
Jackie Forrest   Show Me How To Love
Jimmy Briscoe   Invitation To The World
Walter Wilbur   24 Hours Of Lonliness
Ronnie Davie    What Does it Matter To Me Now  
john Drevar      Closer She Gets
Kelly St Claire   Hear That Beat
Peter Jarrett     Run Run, Baby Run
Legends          Deep Inside
Tamala Lewis   You Won't Say Nothing
Toni Bazil        Breakaway cuts
Bay Ridge       Can't Get You Out Of My Mind
Joanie Summers  Don't Pity Me
Larry Barnes    Rags Is Rags
Frank WIlson    Do I Love You
Jimmy Mack      World Is On Fire
Bobby Paris     I Walked Away
Inspirations    Your Wish Is My Command
Larry Clinton   Wanted In 3 States
Roger Pace      Hey Hey My Babys Gone
Ray Dahrouge    I Can See Him Making Love To You
Tojo                   Broken Hearted Lover  
Betty Boo         Say It Isn't So
Millie Jackson  House For Sale
Says farewell - round of applause

Alans set always seemed to contain something different and sounds like Tojo, Kelly St Claire, Legends, Ronnie Davie and Inspirations were at that time unique spins for him at Wigan, certainly out of all the tapes I have, none of the other Djs seemed to play them.

As you will hear, he got a great send off from the crowd so was clearly a popular DJ.   

Will update once I have uploaded to Mixcloud.

Cheers

 

[Stevecee]

Long overdue, but here it is Alan Rhodes last DJ at Wigan, last record of Richard Searling spot leading into it.

https://www.mixcloud.com/stevecarter161214/wigan-casino-alan-rhodes-last-ever-dj-appearance-8th-july-1979/
 

 

Edited April 2, 2020 by Stevecee

[The Tempest]

[Mach]

Thanks for posting that incredible podcast steve, for me, one, if not thee best to surface .. i was there that night and to be able to relive it, is priceless .. Superb mate

[Jamie Walker]

Picked this up in a record shop in York today - I’m assuming that the Alan Rhodes on the stamp is the  Dj Alan Rhodes 

[The Tempest]

1 hour ago, Jamie Walker said:

Picked this up in a record shop in York today - I’m assuming that the Alan Rhodes on the stamp is the  Dj Alan Rhodes 

A great 50p worth of nostalgia right there !

[Eddie Hubbard]

I got on well with Alan at Wigan ,always a warm hearted friendly person .His records all had A.R on the labels in felt pen .He sold me Debbie Dean on a WD VIP with those markings .He also DJ’d at The Oval Ball in York at the same time as Wigan .Not sure how true it is ,but I heard an interview with Chris King who said Alan asked him how much money he had on him ,and then said “ you’ve just bought my collection ,I’m off “ How true that is I’m not sure ,but Chris took over from Alan at Wigan .

[Rushden Boy]

Last saw him about 10 years ago , he was working in Halfords in York. Still lives in York as far as I know , I will ask Ron pedley or Chris Holmes as I,m seeing them on Sunday

[Brunswick 58]

Very good friends with Hovis who those around at the time had high regard for him

[Leicester Boy]

10 hours ago, Rushden Boy said:

Last saw him about 10 years ago , he was working in Halfords in York. Still lives in York as far as I know , I will ask Ron pedley or Chris Holmes as I,m seeing them on Sunday

If your going the corner pin lucky you, we had a fabulous afternoon there, hearing some wonderful stuff.

[Geoff B]

5 hours ago, Leicester Boy said:

If your going the corner pin lucky you, we had a fabulous afternoon there, hearing some wonderful stuff.

Corner pin on youtube (Sunday soul at the corner pin york)