Following on from the Candi Staton thread I was wondering what other records went big at the Casino before nationally charting.

Heres a few suggestions. I'm not sure if they are correct though.

Coffee by Cassanova?

Ghost In My House by R Dean Taylor

Supership by George Benson?

Col.

wasn't love ballad by george benson another?

or was that a case of big at blackpool like carwash?

wasn't love ballad by george benson another?

or was that a case of big at blackpool like carwash?

Not too sure about Love Ballad, but can remember Dave Evison pumping out 'On Broadway'

Strange choice for him, but packed the floor.

Footsee?

Tavares - Heaven must be missing an angel?

Ghost In My House by R Dean Taylor

Wasn't this a Torch record?

Following on from the Candi Staton thread I was wondering what other records went big at the Casino before nationally charting.

Heres a few suggestions. I'm not sure if they are correct though.

Coffee by Cassanova?

Ghost In My House by R Dean Taylor

Supership by George Benson?

Col.

Better use your head - Little Anthony

Get out - Harold Melvin

I'm on my way - Dean Parrish

The flasher - Mistura

The snake - Al Wilson

Goodbye nothing to say - Javells

Under my thumb - Wayne Gibson

My Guiness Book of British Hit Singles confirms that these all made the top 50, there are others and not all the above would have been discovered at Wigan but wre certainly played there. I refuse as a matter of utmost principal to include Sharonettes and the pitiful Wigans Ovation

I refuse as a matter of utmost principal to include Sharonettes and the pitiful Wigans Ovation

you just done it by mentioning them

the tams, and 'out on the floor', both charted mid-70's, as did bobby hebb 'love love love'.

i've always assumed this was on the back of the soul scene's popularity, but whether they were actually big at wigan....couldn't say.

you just done it by mentioning them

Ooops! :angry:

Wasn't this a Torch record?

Don't know.

Think it charted late 70s, but was removed/banned from from official charts as buying pattern was geographically unrepresentative ie. didn't sell enough around London & south.

what a difference a day made..esther philips..

hold back the night..trammps..

the night..frankie valli and the four seasons..

bless

jc

the messiah of northern soul

wasn't love ballad by george benson another?

or was that a case of big at blackpool like carwash?

it was the other side of the 12

On Broadway (live?)

Played whilst it was on general release

also

Dont take away the music tavares (album track) (dropped when released on 7")

Don't know.

Think it charted late 70s, but was removed/banned from from official charts as buying pattern was geographically unrepresentative ie. didn't sell enough around London & south.

R Dean charted in the early 7Ts along with the other Motown re-issues...Tears of a clown etc.

Colin, having worked in a 'diary' record shop (handwritten book of all sales) from '73 onwards as well as a record shop with a gallup machine (electronic data) in the 8Ts and 9Ts, it didn't matter about the buying patterns - records were banned from the chart if Gallup could prove that you were 'massaging' the vinyl sales figures. Take for instance Freddie Jackson 'Rock me tonight'...I sold 200 copies on UK 12" one Saturday in an independent shop that I managed in a town that preferred Bucks Fizz and Kajagoogoo. Sure enough, Gallup were down on the Tuesday and the sales figures had to match what was on the stock bag and these had to marry up with my invoices/ reps receipts etc...genuine over the counter sales were confirmed and Gallup went away happy....Jo

the tams, and 'out on the floor', both charted mid-70's, as did bobby hebb 'love love love'.

i've always assumed this was on the back of the soul scene's popularity, but whether they were actually big at wigan....couldn't say.

Out on the Floor and Love Love Love were big on the Northern scene from late 70 onwards. Wigan commenced Sept 73, however, they were both re-activated at the Casino and became huge. Bobby Hebb was re-released on the back of its popularity at the Torch.

ATB

Brian B

Commodores - Zoo. Absolute monster in the early days of the Casino. About the same time as Robert Knight Branded - not sure if that made the charts though.

As for Ghost in my house, it had ben played here and there since the Wheel days, but it didn't really take off until the Casino hammered it. Let's not forget that the flip was almost as big. In fact, many people preferred it.

Love on a mountain top

Love machine

Love on a mountain top

Love machine

....Both more "the Mecca" than anywhere else....

BTW I personally doubt very much if plays at Wigan, or on the Northern scene generally, did much - if anything - to boost the national success of records like "Young Hearts..." and "Heaven Must Be Missing An Angel". Both Radio 1 and local music stations were very heavily geared towards pop-soul back in the mid 70s, and many of these records were also being played at non-specialist venues all over the country, upfront of release, by non-specialist DJs who were also buying them as imports.

I think it's fair to assume that these and most other of the then-new recordings listed elsewhere on this thread would have made the Top 40 (at least!), even if they had never had a single play as a Northern record.

Obviously this is not at all true of the 60 and early 70s oldies that were re-released as a result of Northern demand, like "Hey Girl Don't Bother Me", "I'm Gonna Run Away From You" and "Footsee", for instance...

TONE

it was the other side of the 12

On Broadway (live?)

Played whilst it was on general release

I think 'On Broadway' was the flip on the 12 of Love x Love not Love ballad, however both awesome tunes so who cares , me obviously ! ? !

R Dean charted in the early 7Ts along with the other Motown re-issues...Tears of a clown etc.

Colin, having worked in a 'diary' record shop (handwritten book of all sales) from '73 onwards as well as a record shop with a gallup machine (electronic data) in the 8Ts and 9Ts, it didn't matter about the buying patterns - records were banned from the chart if Gallup could prove that you were 'massaging' the vinyl sales figures. Take for instance Freddie Jackson 'Rock me tonight'...I sold 200 copies on UK 12" one Saturday in an independent shop that I managed in a town that preferred Bucks Fizz and Kajagoogoo. Sure enough, Gallup were down on the Tuesday and the sales figures had to match what was on the stock bag and these had to marry up with my invoices/ reps receipts etc...genuine over the counter sales were confirmed and Gallup went away happy....Jo

Hi Jo

Thanks for reply. My info said it charted 74, was then re-issued late 70s after it went big at Wigan. Was told it appeared in charts second time round, but then completely disappeared from charts following week.

But it has to be said I was very gullible in the 70s & accepted most things I was told.

Regret to say have become a little more cynical as time has progressed.

Col

Did you really carry 200 copies of Freddie Jackson in stock?

Hi Jo

Thanks for reply. My info said it charted 74, was then re-issued late 70s after it went big at Wigan. Was told it appeared in charts second time round, but then completely disappeared from charts following week.

But it has to be said I was very gullible in the 70s & accepted most things I was told.

Regret to say have become a little more cynical as time has progressed.

Col

Did you really carry 200 copies of Freddie Jackson in stock?

===========

I've become a lot less symetrical as time has progressed

Love on a mountain top

Love machine

Love Machine - Mecca

Love on a mountain top - you'd have to go back to The Torch or perhaps even earlier.

....Both more "the Mecca" than anywhere else....

BTW I personally doubt very much if plays at Wigan, or on the Northern scene generally, did much - if anything - to boost the national success of records like "Young Hearts..." and "Heaven Must Be Missing An Angel". Both Radio 1 and local music stations were very heavily geared towards pop-soul back in the mid 70s, and many of these records were also being played at non-specialist venues all over the country, upfront of release, by non-specialist DJs who were also buying them as imports.

I think it's fair to assume that these and most other of the then-new recordings listed elsewhere on this thread would have made the Top 40 (at least!), even if they had never had a single play as a Northern record.

Obviously this is not at all true of the 60 and early 70s oldies that were re-released as a result of Northern demand, like "Hey Girl Don't Bother Me", "I'm Gonna Run Away From You" and "Footsee", for instance...

TONE

wasn't Footsee a manufactured for the charts under the Guise of Northern Soul record?

wasn't Footsee a manufactured for the charts under the Guise of Northern Soul record?

Sort of - although it was actually a real record, on Roulette, by The Chosen Few - and with a vocal on one side and the instrumental (at the right speed) on the flip.

I was giving Wigan a miss by the time "Footsee" was a hit, but someone who was going will be able to confirm, for sure, that Russ, or whoever it was that popluarised it, used to play the original Roulette 45 speeded up, and the people at Pye Disco Demand fashioned a version that copied what was played at Wigan...

By the way, if you look closely at the UK Pic Sleeve you will see my long-time friend and fellow Sourcer Tony Ellis dancing away in the middle of the pic. Although not, he has always assured me, to "Footsee"...

TONE

Love on a mountain top - you'd have to go back to The Torch or perhaps even earlier.

"...Mountain Top" was one of the records I remember hearing on my first visit to the Mecca, along with "I Don't Want to Lose You", "Hey Sah-Lo-Ney", "Some Day We're Gonna Love Again" etc. that would put it at earlyish '71 or thereabouts...

TONE

Following on from the Candi Staton thread I was wondering what other records went big at the Casino before nationally charting.

Heres a few suggestions. I'm not sure if they are correct though.

Coffee by Cassanova?

Ghost In My House by R Dean Taylor

Supership by George Benson?

Col.

Sexy Sugar Plum-Rodger Collins

Reachin'For The Best-Exciters

?

"...Mountain Top" was one of the records I remember hearing on my first visit to the Mecca, along with "I Don't Want to Lose You", "Hey Sah-Lo-Ney", "Some Day We're Gonna Love Again" etc. that would put it at earlyish '71 or thereabouts...

TONE

Tone

Of course you're right. I tend to forget how long Blackpool Mecca was the country's leading edge soul venue. My first visit there was in '73 when Levine and Curtis were incomparable. I guess I tend to think of "Mecca sounds" as being from that post Torch period.

Who were the DJ's back in 71? Tony Jebb?

Colin

Better use your head - Little Anthony

Get out - Harold Melvin

I'm on my way - Dean Parrish

The flasher - Mistura

The snake - Al Wilson

Goodbye nothing to say - Javells

Under my thumb - Wayne Gibson

My Guiness Book of British Hit Singles confirms that these all made the top 50, there are others and not all the above would have been discovered at Wigan but wre certainly played there. I refuse as a matter of utmost principal to include Sharonettes and the pitiful Wigans Ovation

I can remember the Javells being played at the Mecca as a C/U just before it got released.

sitting chatting to Pete Lawson looking thru his Box,he chirps up AYE this is that new thingy release what is it the JAVELLS or something on PYE.

then it later got a release on i think PYE DDemand after wigan immortalised it.

wow shock and amazement to hear its Nosmo King

5,000 Volts "I'm On Fire"

Sean

Tone

Of course you're right. I tend to forget how long Blackpool Mecca was the country's leading edge soul venue. My first visit there was in '73 when Levine and Curtis were incomparable. I guess I tend to think of "Mecca sounds" as being from that post Torch period.

Who were the DJ's back in 71? Tony Jebb?

Colin

DJs in those early Mecca days were my dear friend, the late Les Cokell, and Tony Jebb. Les also used to play a lot of records from Ian Levine's collection as well as those from his own.

One weekend Les lost his voice, and a very nervous Ian subbed for him. It went better than Ian or anyone else expected, and then i soon became Ian and Les on alternating Saturdays, with Tony Jebb every week. Eventually both Tony and Les moved on, to make way for what I guess is most people's best remembered Mecca 'Dream Team', Ian and Colin Curtis...

TONE

5,000 Volts "I'm On Fire"

Sean

Tell me Sean, who did you cover it as again ? Bettye Lavette was it ?

Tone

Of course you're right. I tend to forget how long Blackpool Mecca was the country's leading edge soul venue. My first visit there was in '73 when Levine and Curtis were incomparable. I guess I tend to think of "Mecca sounds" as being from that post Torch period.

Who were the DJ's back in 71? Tony Jebb?

Colin

Then there was an interim period between it all when Keith Minshull was appearing at the mecca,and levine was heading the other way down the m6.

who could forget that infamous night when simon soussan showed up at the mecca must of been around 1975 and Colin Curtis dived out of the DJ rostrum to attempt a Karate chop at soussan or was it Ian dewhirst one of the two..

Tell me Sean, who did you cover it as again ? Bettye Lavette was it ?

That's right mate, I always had a soft spot for "Let Me Down Easy" and though it was strikingly similar!

I remember that you were fooled for months!

Sean

Caught Colin Curtis at the recent Highland Room reunion and he played Fantasy EW&F. Also in the last hour sounds like Native New Yorker, I'll Play the fool for you and Back to my Roots were played, a bit like listening to Smooth FM for me. I think these were all played before being charted though.

Sort of - although it was actually a real record, on Roulette, by The Chosen Few - and with a vocal on one side and the instrumental (at the right speed) on the flip.

I was giving Wigan a miss by the time "Footsee" was a hit, but someone who was going will be able to confirm, for sure, that Russ, or whoever it was that popluarised it, used to play the original Roulette 45 speeded up, and the people at Pye Disco Demand fashioned a version that copied what was played at Wigan...

By the way, if you look closely at the UK Pic Sleeve you will see my long-time friend and fellow Sourcer Tony Ellis dancing away in the middle of the pic. Although not, he has always assured me, to "Footsee"...

TONE

On that note how is Tony

have left several messages by telephone with no reply

PM if personal

Caught Colin Curtis at the recent Highland Room reunion and he played Fantasy EW&F. Also in the last hour sounds like Native New Yorker, I'll Play the fool for you and Back to my Roots were played, a bit like listening to Smooth FM for me. I think these were all played before being charted though.

Don,t know if anyone else noticed but it wasn' t the charted version of Native New Yorker which was played . It was either the Queens or Bronx mix off the 12 inch B side

Steve Mc

O'Jays - I Love Music

Emotions - Best of My Love (Mecca)

Goerge Benson - World is a Ghetto (Mecca)

Archie Bell - Soul City Walking

Rimshots - Do What You Feel (Mecca)

Roberta Kelly - Troublemaker

Footstompin Music - Hamilton Bohannan

Just a few

Following on from the Candi Staton thread I was wondering what other records went big at the Casino before nationally charting.

Col.

Phyllis Hyman / "You know how to love me"

O'Jays - I Love Music

Emotions - Best of My Love (Mecca)

Goerge Benson - World is a Ghetto (Mecca)

Archie Bell - Soul City Walking

Rimshots - Do What You Feel (Mecca)

Roberta Kelly - Troublemaker

Footstompin Music - Hamilton Bohannan

Just a few

...ah, but these didn't all chart, which is kind of not the point of this thread, is it? George Benson's "World Is A Ghetto" was not even released as a UK single, as far as I'm aware...

TONE

Don,t know if anyone else noticed but it wasn' t the charted version of Native New Yorker which was played . It was either the Queens or Bronx mix off the 12 inch B side

Steve Mc

Ooh, more info on this pleeze Steve...I didn't know there was a different mix !

Caught Colin Curtis at the recent Highland Room reunion and he played Fantasy EW&F. Also in the last hour sounds like Native New Yorker, I'll Play the fool for you and Back to my Roots were played, a bit like listening to Smooth FM for me. I think these were all played before being charted though.

=============

if that was the mecca playlist of the day,,im glad i didnt go..how can anyone slag wigan off is beyond me..fantasy - oh pllleeasee

but each to their own..

now wheres me footsee 45?

and then i soon became Ian and Les on alternating Saturdays

So you're an impersonator as well then Tone, a man of many talents!

So you're an impersonator as well then Tone, a man of many talents!

Not being as svelte as I used to be, I can do a pretty fair physical impersonation of Ian these days, but any other resemblance very definitely stops there

Caught Colin Curtis at the recent Highland Room reunion and he played Fantasy EW&F. Also in the last hour sounds like Native New Yorker, I'll Play the fool for you and Back to my Roots were played, a bit like listening to Smooth FM for me. I think these were all played before being charted though.

How can it have been like listening to Smooth FM? It wasn't invented then.

That's a pointless 'after the event' statement which suggests these records were 'middle of the road' at the time. They weren't.

If it's like listenening to Smooth NOW , then that's because there kind of records have become well known SINCE.

You never heard stuff like that on mainstream staions...Odyessy and EWF maybe, but finding records like these on the radio wasn't that easy then beacuse the mainstream didn't take Black music and therefore dance music seriously at all.

It must have been great to go to wigan and blackpool mecca ,some people were so lucky

Phyllis Hyman / "You know how to love me"

and big as well

nice one

and big as well

nice one

Strange how many people thought it was called "measure for measure"...

No one going to mention R.B. Freeman

Ooh, more info on this pleeze Steve...I didn't know there was a different mix !

Hi Simon

Just dug out the odyssey greatest hit LP from 1987 , It contained a free remix album including 2 new mixes of Native New Yorker , one called " Bronx Street Mix " and the other " Queens Power Mix "

Steve Mc