I've co-authored a new book "Keeping the Faith: A History of Northern Soul" which will be published by University of Manchester Press next year. I'm looking for a good quality photograph for the cover. An exterior or interior shot of the Torch, Blackpool Mecca or Wigan Casino would be ideal. All credit/acknowledgement will be given to owner/photographer, but they will need to hold the copyright for the image. Any help would be much appreciated. Contact: keith.gildart@wlv.ac.uk

 

Edited October 9, 20195 yr by keith gildart

As much as Wigan is pivotally important, it will be great to have something else on the cover for a change.

 

 

7 minutes ago, keith gildart said:

I've co-authored a new book "Keeping the Faith: A History of Northern Soul" which will be published by University of Manchester Press next year. I'm looking for a good quality photograph for the cover. An exterior or interior shot of the Torch, Blackpool Mecca or Wigan Casino would be ideal. All credit/acknowledgement will be given to owner/photographer, but they will need to hold the copyright for the image. Any help would be much appreciated. Contact: keith.gildart@wlv.ac.uk

 

Good luck with the launch.  Please keep us posted on here regarding date, price . Hardback,  paperback etc.

Steve 

3 hours ago, keith gildart said:

I've co-authored a new book "Keeping the Faith: A History of Northern Soul" which will be published by University of Manchester Press next year. I'm looking for a good quality photograph for the cover. An exterior or interior shot of the Torch, Blackpool Mecca or Wigan Casino would be ideal. All credit/acknowledgement will be given to owner/photographer, but they will need to hold the copyright for the image. Any help would be much appreciated. Contact: keith.gildart@wlv.ac.uk

 

Looking forward to buying the book. The ‘Spotlight on Wigan Casino’ photo that appeared in Blues and Soul would be a suitable contender. Not sure who owns the copyright - it might be Russ Winstanley? A collage of photos could also work with emphasis on interior shots and dancers...

Hopefully the Twisted Wheel will be mentioned in your book!

This photograph was shot inside the building and includes some of the real pioneers of our scene.

Not only that but one of our greatest dancers, Frank “Booper” New [dark blue shirt].

It is not my photograph but the owner should be easy enough to find.

Which part of the history of the scene does the book cover?

Francesco Mellina will be worth contacting, a pro photographer who did a shoot of Wigan.  You can see some of his photos in this link for a previous topic...

 

2 hours ago, David Meikle said:

Hopefully the Twisted Wheel will be mentioned in your book!

This photograph was shot inside the building and includes some of the real pioneers of our scene.

Not only that but one of our greatest dancers, Frank “Booper” New [dark blue shirt].

It is not my photograph but the owner should be easy enough to find.

 

Great photo - Is that a young Dave Price in yellow?

Great photo from the older days, does look like Dave Price, anyone know the guys name in the top left corner, (check shirt and denim jacket)

21 minutes ago, Gilly said:

Great photo from the older days, does look like Dave Price, anyone know the guys name in the top left corner, (check shirt and denim jacket)

Gilly.  It looks like Keith Brady .

Steve 

On 09/10/2019 at 19:16, David Meikle said:

Hopefully the Twisted Wheel will be mentioned in your book!

This photograph was shot inside the building and includes some of the real pioneers of our scene.

Not only that but one of our greatest dancers, Frank “Booper” New [dark blue shirt].

It is not my photograph but the owner should be easy enough to find.

Who's the chap on the mobile phone?

Dave Godin took this photograph and Dave/Keith is at the back with his favourite shirt on. We were poor but we had the time of our lives. I don’t think a day has passed without me thinking about the Twisted Wheel. I spoke to most of these guys but most names are lost in the sands of time. I’d Still love to know their names again. Francisco O’Brien is centre with moustache.

Edited October 13, 20195 yr by David Meikle

I met the guy on the right of another Godin image in London Euston. We were all sleeping rough and I noticed him and his mate carrying some imports. His preferred shirt was a pink checked effort. Never had it off his back and he’s wearing it here. His name was Mike Curtis and I think he lived in Moss-side. Worked in a Durex factory which was a bid laugh back then. His mate was Dave Hall who I met many years later at the latter day version of the Wheel. Dave said he approached Mike about coming down for Wheel reunions but he virtually slammed the door in his face LOL. Nobody was into the scene as much as Mike was and I met him in Catacombs after the Wheel closed. I guess Mike was the one who got away.

The boy with the sideburns got his pic on front of a Goldmine cd doing a backflip.

Edited October 13, 20195 yr by David Meikle

On 09/10/2019 at 15:18, keith gildart said:

I've co-authored a new book "Keeping the Faith: A History of Northern Soul" which will be published by University of Manchester Press next year. I'm looking for a good quality photograph for the cover. An exterior or interior shot of the Torch, Blackpool Mecca or Wigan Casino would be ideal. All credit/acknowledgement will be given to owner/photographer, but they will need to hold the copyright for the image. Any help would be much appreciated. Contact: keith.gildart@wlv.ac.uk

 

You don't mention the wheel, but did Godin come up with the term norvun soul whilst it was still open?

If so, it might be prevalent to have a picture of that plus a current regular norvun venue, highlighting the almost 50 year lifespan of norvun.

Also concentrate on who is going to buy the book. A history lesson, or an inspiration for young uns to get into the scene.

Ed

I did ask previously but no reply as of yet what part of the scene it covers?  There is very good historical books already, the Wheel (Central) and of course the scene up to the end of Wigan (The In Crowd).  There is one covering the period after too but some facts are inaccurate.  What depth will the book go in to, especially about the period after Wigan which covers more years than before Wigan closed.  Will it just be a rehash of what has been said already by the media?

What research was involved, who provided the factual information, venues, dates, Djs, promoters involved etc, is it an academic or a book for all.  

On 14/10/2019 at 10:16, Chalky said:

I did ask previously but no reply as of yet what part of the scene it covers?  There is very good historical books already, the Wheel (Central) and of course the scene up to the end of Wigan (The In Crowd).  There is one covering the period after too but some facts are inaccurate.  What depth will the book go in to, especially about the period after Wigan which covers more years than before Wigan closed.  Will it just be a rehash of what has been said already by the media?

What research was involved, who provided the factual information, venues, dates, Djs, promoters involved etc, is it an academic or a book for all.  

the guy is just asking for help with a cover photo for now...hopefully people continue to try to help..

I guess time will tell on the content and quality of the book, or the some of those questions may be answered when the publicity for the books emerges....

 

55 minutes ago, bigwheel said:

the guy is just asking for help with a cover photo for now...hopefully people continue to try to help..

I guess time will tell on the content and quality of the book, or the some of those questions may be answered when the publicity for the books emerges....

 

But if you state you have written or writing a book which is "A History Of Northern Soul" it is bound to cause some interest. I was curious and he might get more help. 

Edited October 15, 20195 yr by Chalky

It appears the book has already been written by two or more authors judging from the opening post. As it is to be published by my alma mater, it’s sure to be a book of considerable merit... A history of Northern Soul suggests it looks at the very beginning, the Wigan era, and maybe afterwards, but this is not clear hence the reasonable enquiry earlier. Every additional book on the topic has offered something different for readers (and browsers) so I’m looking forward to it. Let’s await further details and maybe sample pages to whet the appetite.

21 hours ago, Chalky said:

But if you state you have written or writing a book which is "A History Of Northern Soul" it is bound to cause some interest. I was curious and he might get more help. 

fair enough....just came over a bit of "who are ya?" 😉 👍

1 hour ago, bigwheel said:

fair enough....just came over a bit of "who are ya?" 😉 👍

Don’t care who they are tbh, just as long as they or anyone else does a thorough job.  I have a huge interest in the history of the scene especially post Wigan and would be glad to help in any way I can. 

On 14/10/2019 at 10:16, Chalky said:

I did ask previously but no reply as of yet what part of the scene it covers?  There is very good historical books already, the Wheel (Central) and of course the scene up to the end of Wigan (The In Crowd).  There is one covering the period after too but some facts are inaccurate.  What depth will the book go in to, especially about the period after Wigan which covers more years than before Wigan closed.  Will it just be a rehash of what has been said already by the media?

What research was involved, who provided the factual information, venues, dates, Djs, promoters involved etc, is it an academic or a book for all.  

Chalky

As Keith hasn't replied I thought I'd give you a little of what I know. Keith Gildart is an academic at Wolverhampton University and the book will be more a sociological study of northern soul rather than anecdotes of participants. He, and his co author, have been researching this for quite a long time now using contemporary printed source material such as my old Black Echoes, Blues and Soul, Fanzines as well as those provided by others. He has interviewed those who responded to his other posts on here as well as anyone else he could persuade. I don't know who they are but there will probably be some who he couldn't find or refused to take part. Regrettably, some who could have helped are no longer with us so the whole story can never be told.

I believe he had to set a cut off year around the early 80s as the book would have grown to unmanageable proportions.  This will probably upset many people but I think the idea is that it is a study of a youth culture.

As with any books of this type there is bound to be criticism of his views but I hope his research  is as accurate as it can be. 

Rick

Edited October 16, 20195 yr by Rick Cooper

24 minutes ago, Rick Cooper said:

Chalky

As Keith hasn't replied I thought I'd give you a little of what I know. Keith Gildart is an academic at Wolverhampton University and the book will be more a sociological study of northern soul rather than anecdotes of participants. He, and his co author, have been researching this for quite a long time now using contemporary printed source material such as my old Black Echoes, Blues and Soul, Fanzines as well as those provided by others. He has interviewed those who responded to his other posts on here as well as anyone else he could persuade. I don't know who they are but there will probably be some who he couldn't find or refused to take part. Regrettably, some who could have helped are no longer with us so the whole story can never be told.

I believe he had to set a cut off year around the early 80s as the book would have grown to unmanageable proportions.  This will probably upset many people but I think the idea is that it is a study of a youth culture.

As with any books of this type there is bound to be criticism of his views but I hope his research  is as accurate as it can be. 

Rick

Well, that leaves plenty of scope for Volume 2. The post-Wigan period has received relatively little coverage compared to the early years, so hopefully someone will put a volume out on Stafford, 100 Club and the venues in-between.

A sociological study you say? This skews it towards the participants, but without their stories, what sort of read will it be? If it is another out-and-out academic book that downplays the music, skates over the dancers and ignores the anecdotes, the reviews will limit sales. Do we actually need another tome on youth culture when the scene has become open to all age groups who share a common liking for the music, dancing and dressing up (in some quarters)?

4 minutes ago, Frankie Crocker said:

Well, that leaves plenty of scope for Volume 2. The post-Wigan period has received relatively little coverage compared to the early years, so hopefully someone will put a volume out on Stafford, 100 Club and the venues in-between.

A sociological study you say? This skews it towards the participants, but without their stories, what sort of read will it be? If it is another out-and-out academic book that downplays the music, skates over the dancers and ignores the anecdotes, the reviews will limit sales. Do we actually need another tome on youth culture when the scene has become open to all age groups who share a common liking for the music, dancing and dressing up (in some quarters)?

I think we'll have to wait and see.

As with biographies of the rich and famous many writers will bring their own interpretation of the past but that doesn't, and shouldn't, stop other people from adding new books.

Thanks Rick.  Its actually the first I’ve heard of the book and would have been happy to help. 
 

i’ve begun researching the 80s onwards for a book but I have little free time given the hours I work (60-70 and away all week) but I am working in it. 

Just to add a little information to this , I believe Keith had originally posted a message on here back in 2015 , asking for help regarding his book project . 

As Rick rightly said , Keith Gildart is Professor of Labour and Social History at
Department of History, Politics and War Studies, at University of Wolverhampton . He has had a few books published, and also looked at the impact of youth culture within the labour movement . 

I contacted him solely as he expressed a desire to copy a lot of printed material from early Blues and Soul magazines, and I offered him the use of my first 100 copies. He duly travelled to London and sorted through all the printed matter I had available for him , which he copied. 

Ricks post is very accurate in all aspects, as   Keith tried many times in many ways to gain as much insight as he could from various sources not just this forum. And again as Rick stated, some did not wish to take part but many others did and offer him various other pieces of printed matter and information from that time , and yes sadly some of those are no longer with us . 

I know Keith travelled the country trying to gain as much insight and information as he could and I had pretty much forgotten about this until now. My understanding was / is also that the cut off date for this piece of work is around 1980 - and I had pretty much left the clubbing scene after Wigan closed its doors . 

Karl you are 100% right though in thinking there should be more focus on the post Wigan years , on all the clubs and diversity that grew after Wigan and maybe it does leave it open for a Volume 2 ... fingers crossed either way , just hope it’s a good read . 

 

 

I’ve been told Keith was part of the lecture team at Salford university when they did a lecture about the scene. Ady Croasdell spoke too.  I have all the notes and recordings somewhere. 
 

it will have to be good to come close to what is already on offer but if its aim is academic then it won’t worry too many. Either way I look forward to its publication. 

Edited October 17, 20195 yr by Chalky

Just a bit more info on the book as requested:

The book is really a social history text that looks at the origins of the rare soul scene in the 1960s, the development of Northern Soul in the 1970s, and the final section covers the period after Wigan and the scene's global reach. It draws broadly on original sources: Blues and Soul, Black Music, Black Echoes and all the fanzines that were published in the 1970s and early 1980s. The authors also interviewed over 25 individuals from DJs to men and women who attended the TW, Torch, Mecca, Wigan and Stafford. We have also been able to draw on the diaries of two people on the scene in the early 1970s. It is an academic book but a very readable one as it is more historical than sociological. I would also like to stress that it is 'a history' not 'the history'.

41 minutes ago, keith gildart said:

Just a bit more info on the book as requested:

The book is really a social history text that looks at the origins of the rare soul scene in the 1960s, the development of Northern Soul in the 1970s, and the final section covers the period after Wigan and the scene's global reach. It draws broadly on original sources: Blues and Soul, Black Music, Black Echoes and all the fanzines that were published in the 1970s and early 1980s. The authors also interviewed over 25 individuals from DJs to men and women who attended the TW, Torch, Mecca, Wigan and Stafford. We have also been able to draw on the diaries of two people on the scene in the early 1970s. It is an academic book but a very readable one as it is more historical than sociological. I would also like to stress that it is 'a history' not 'the history'.

Thank you for clarifying Keith.  I look forward to its release. 

On 13/10/2019 at 20:34, David Meikle said:

I met the guy on the right of another Godin image in London Euston. We were all sleeping rough and I noticed him and his mate carrying some imports. His preferred shirt was a pink checked effort. Never had it off his back and he’s wearing it here. His name was Mike Curtis and I think he lived in Moss-side. Worked in a Durex factory which was a bid laugh back then. His mate was Dave Hall who I met many years later at the latter day version of the Wheel. Dave said he approached Mike about coming down for Wheel reunions but he virtually slammed the door in his face LOL. Nobody was into the scene as much as Mike was and I met him in Catacombs after the Wheel closed. I guess Mike was the one who got away.

The boy with the sideburns got his pic on front of a Goldmine cd doing a backflip.

Mike Curtis ( Joe 90 ) Djd " In TOWN " M/c , on Thursday Nights At " TAKIS " Recall Him Playing " The Moving Finger Writes- & Searching -The Four Kent " on Brunswick ! , Right Centre Back Is " LIGHTNING " Terry Partington ( Droylsden ) , Front Centre  Might Be " Billy Ball " ?

On 13/10/2019 at 20:15, David Meikle said:

Dave Godin took this photograph and Dave/Keith is at the back with his favourite shirt on. We were poor but we had the time of our lives. I don’t think a day has passed without me thinking about the Twisted Wheel. I spoke to most of these guys but most names are lost in the sands of time. I’d Still love to know their names again. Francisco O’Brien is centre with moustache.

We Nicknamed Him " Fran Francisco " as he was First Person to Wear " Penny Rounds " ( Shirt Collars ) in the WHEEL Isn't His Mate John Bollen Next To Him ? , For Certain Second Right Is " BILLY WHIZZ ( Regular At TOP TWENTY Holinwood/Oldham - Wheel ) Busted At LEEDS METRO !

On 09/10/2019 at 19:16, David Meikle said:

Hopefully the Twisted Wheel will be mentioned in your book!

This photograph was shot inside the building and includes some of the real pioneers of our scene.

Not only that but one of our greatest dancers, Frank “Booper” New [dark blue shirt].

It is not my photograph but the owner should be easy enough to find.

Yep BOOPER - DAVE PRICE ( You can just see the Edge of his Left Hand DRIVING GLOVE )Behind Him GORDON THOMPSON Then Row Behind Is  VINNIE SWALLOW (Reddish-DEBDALE PARK ) ! 

On 13/10/2019 at 20:09, Simon T said:

Who's the chap on the mobile phone?

VINNIE SWALLOW ( He Was Usually With BILLY WHIZZ ) !

Hi Keith. If you’ve not yet decided on a cover photograph yet, could I suggest you opt for a collage of membership cards, patches and record labels. I do not think a single cover photograph would do justice to your project - a range of photos would certainly enhance the contents, but many of the high quality ones out there have been used in earlier publications. Is the publication date known yet? Looking forward to seeing the book on sale.

On 13/10/2019 at 21:15, David Meikle said:

Dave Godin took this photograph and Dave/Keith is at the back with his favourite shirt on. We were poor but we had the time of our lives. I don’t think a day has passed without me thinking about the Twisted Wheel. I spoke to most of these guys but most names are lost in the sands of time. I’d Still love to know their names again. Francisco O’Brien is centre with moustache.

Hi David

The guy on the left at the front (as you look) is Phil Davies from Burnley.

He"s on FB

Cheers Paul

On 03/01/2021 at 13:35, earlvandykes6 said:

VINNIE SWALLOW ( He Was Usually With BILLY WHIZZ ) !

Before the WHEEL started it’s SUNDAY  Afternoon Sessions ,many would go up to Oldham for the  Afternoon “ Top Twenty Session “ at Hollinwood , If “ Scotch Joe “ did not take a disliking to you ! , It was a  TOP Session .

I Spoke with David Meikel About His wall Poster ( NICE ) This One Has Had A HARD LIFE !

1 minute ago, earlvandykes6 said:

I Spoke with David Meikel About His wall Poster ( NICE ) This One Has Had A HARD LIFE !

This One Was Originally Owned By " ZAN ( Ian Sneddon ) Who Then Gave It To " Dave Hall " ( Gorton ) Then Onto Myself ! 

1 hour ago, earlvandykes6 said:

This One Was Originally Owned By " ZAN ( Ian Sneddon ) Who Then Gave It To " Dave Hall " ( Gorton ) Then Onto Myself ! 

Oppps  IAN is ZAN's Brother - SORRY .

 

Carolyn Crawford - { Ready Or Not Here Comes Love } .

Edited November 4, 20213 yr by earlvandykes6
Mistaken Post !