News: BBC Radio 6 Music celebrates the 50th anniversary of Wigan Casino with a 'Northern Soul All-Nighter'

[Agentsmith]

On 04/09/2023 at 17:34, mick said:

Totally agree.  Wigan was good but post Wigan the diversity of niters and new sounds from Stafford, winter Gardens, oddfellows, queen's Hall, morecambe, Leighton buzzard,  and 100 club to name a few, opened my ears to the best music and the best years of my life . And if you stay away from oldies only niters you can still discover new sounds. IT DIDN'T STOP IN 81 IT WAS BORN AGAIN and kept the scene going for the people who came back 20 plus years later

A little less than 20 i think...great renaissance mid to late 90's, folks sabaticles over, doing whatever they did...the scene really did explode globally....the past 20 years has seen a calendar overload, regardless of the fact a good many are now collecting their pensions...including me,very soon! personally, ive witnessed Brighouse Ritz, Lowton Civic, Tsop Prestwich, Winsford, Kgh, Kings Hall, 100 Club, Lea Manor...and great stuff now such as Ashton Uky club. Enthusiasm isnt dimming even if the body is slowing up.

Not listened to 6 or watched the proms, but i guess its obvious opinion was always gonna be divided on their tributes and media involvement.

We just keep doing what we do, get out there, enjoy the scene and live for today.

[Chalky]

The beeb finally get it right letting those who were there and involved tell the story of some of the iconic all-nighters. We also learn that there was a scene before and after the Casino The only one that let it down was the one that featured the venue that we are celebrating, Russ and the Casino.  Not just his choice of music but his constant rewriting of history and bollox.  I get the grudge between Richard and Russ but to airbrush the venues greatest Dj out altogether was simply criminal.  Some of the scene most iconic records were first played there and we get Ghost in My House ffs.  More cobblers about the records he “discovered” plus the DILY saga. 
 

Would have been nice to hear some modern soul and show the scene wasn’t all about 60s stompers. 

[Owd Codger]

The Casino must have had wide doors...

The various sections on the bbc6 show were about the venue and the records....The Casino bit was all about RW

Edited September 10, 2023 by Owd Codger

[Agentsmith]

I mean...50 years for the media to come to terms with this thing, they'll never truly understand, get to grips, sit easy with it...they still want to gloss it like some Hollywood show...it isnt Wrexham fc ( though, very best of luck to those boys, make hay whilst the sun shines ) 

It has been said to me, only a day ago, that if youre going to do a 50th anni at the WG, its a bit remiss not to include Winstanley, Brady & Vincent...the rift will always be...i wonder if Charles or Maconie are planning to attend that and if theyll ask that question?

[Chalky]

Finally found Richards contribution which was on the nose and much more pertinent with regards to the Casino.  Had suffer some rubbish from Charles and some of his guests to find it mind.

Hopefully, once this is all over Marconie and Charles will not be allowed anywhere near the subject again. 

[Owd Codger]

Charles credited RS with being a Wheel DJ I think....will that go down in ( BBC folklore?)

[Chalky]

27 minutes ago, Owd Codger said:

Charles credited RS with being a Wheel DJ I think....will that go down in ( BBC folklore?)

Full of inaccuracies, Signatures have played with all the major soul acts.  Said it not once but twice  

[Hooker1951]

What Russ w never discovered was his wallet to pay people that he owed, there has been 42 years of much better Soul since the Casino closed its doors and I’m from Wigan 

ML

[Guest]

The BBC play ten hours straight of music from the golden years of the NS scene and still it’s not enough for some people who prefer to concentrate on negative comments. It’s obvious there is no definitive’right’ or ‘wrong’ about the history of the scene. It’s open to interpretation and fifty years on memories are set and for many unyielding.

I stayed awake most of the night listening to BBC six music and thoroughly enjoyed the music. The guest DJs were a nice idea that was only partially a success. The music was a total success. Well done the BBC. 
 

 

Edited September 10, 2023 by Dukeofburgundy

[Chalky]

45 minutes ago, Dukeofburgundy said:

The BBC play ten hours straight of music from the golden years of the NS scene and still it’s not enough for some people who prefer to concentrate on negative comments. It’s obvious there is no definitive’right’ or ‘wrong’ about the history of the scene. It’s open to interpretation and fifty years on memories are set and for many unyielding.

I stayed awake most of the night listening to BBC six music and thoroughly enjoyed the music. The guest DJs were a nice idea that was only partially a success. The music was a total success. Well done the BBC. 
 

 

It’s because we want it done right.  I found the Torch, Wheel and 100 Club enjoyable, Richards contribution too.  Russ was all about him again.  It’s not just about the music though, the history and getting it right is also very important IMO. 

[Owd Codger]

 

The Music was very good.

 however,If they don't get the facts right, the piece loses credibility.

Daily Mail did a recent s**t raking story on Man United Director of Football John Murtough ( Fair enough, however the photo attached to the piece was the CEO Richard Arnold. So if they can't get that right, you take the story with a ton of salt.

 

Edited September 10, 2023 by Owd Codger

[Kenb]

Any promoter or plugger will tell you that a soon as the very word "soul" is mentioned in connection with a new release then the BBC is going to classify it as "specialised". It is shaming to think how hard "soul" records and artists have to struggle in order to get equal air-time from the BBC.

Sadly (or luckily) "soul" music has never become sufficiently trendy or chic to gather much of a middle class following and so it remains unknown amongst the mass public.

No, not me

 

Dave Godin letters extract, The Guardian 1975.

Oh how he would have gone to task with this lot now!

[Guest]

16 hours ago, Owd Codger said:

 

The Music was very good.

 however,If they don't get the facts right, the piece loses credibility.

Daily Mail did a recent s**t raking story on Man United Director of Football John Murtough ( Fair enough, however the photo attached to the piece was the CEO Richard Arnold. So if they can't get that right, you take the story with a ton of salt.

 

I do agree Owd Roger but unfortunately a pioneer to one person is often an irritant to someone else. We live in an age when the truth is often obscured because it doesn't fit what many want to believe. There are now dozens of memoirs about northern soul and indeed other genres of soul. A number are excellent and a number are dismal but having read a few they do not express a uniformity on what happened and how it happened.

I avoided any direct criticism of individuals when I posted. I was a tad frustrated by the overall negativity but also I'm not qualified to comment as I don't know enough about how the scene was back in the day. There are some esteemed contributors to this site whose knowledge continues to impress me and it's to them I give way.

To avoid being totally anodyne in my criticism about the programme I'll express the layman's opinion that RW was the weak link. Thoroughly enjoyed the musical content though.

 

[Owd Codger]

Dukeofburgundy,

That's a fair summing up.

I think what frustrates some , is the fact that the BBC ( having made a big splash about NS) didn't use some qualified people to explain the history of Soul Music both here and the USA, and how that translated into 1,000s of 45s being introduced to the UK and building upon an underground club scene, rather than things like interviewing " Northern Soul LEGEND"  Lorraine Silver.

But the music was enjoyable.

[Modernsoulsucks]

2 hours ago, Kenb said:

Any promoter or plugger will tell you that a soon as the very word "soul" is mentioned in connection with a new release then the BBC is going to classify it as "specialised". It is shaming to think how hard "soul" records and artists have to struggle in order to get equal air-time from the BBC.

Sadly (or luckily) "soul" music has never become sufficiently trendy or chic to gather much of a middle class following and so it remains unknown amongst the mass public.

No, not me

 

Dave Godin letters extract, The Guardian 1975.

Oh how he would have gone to task with this lot now!

I think it was the early 70's when Godin asked readers of his B&S column to write to BBC to ask for more soul music coverage.

I did, and to the best of my recollection, the answer was that the demographic didn't warrant more exposure.

At the time I assumed the demographic referred to was based on colour rather than class.