News: The Twisted Wheel Club Manchester 60th Anniversary 28 September 1963

[Chapelisland]

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[Mike]

site note

text version of the pdf intro has just been added to the article

[Tykebike]

What a refreshing change to read this and putting the facts straight about when, where and why "Northern Soul" came into existence. I never noticed talc on the floor of the Wheel though.

[Roburt]

RE: There is certainly evidence to suggest that The Wheel was setting the trend. Eagle was quoted as saying that Peter Stringfellow, manager/DJ of Sheffield's well regarded R&B club, King Mojo, brought a pen and paper with him when he came to The Wheel to write down the artists' details and song titles to buy the same records to play at the Mojo.

I am not too sure that is totally correct.

Pete Stringfellow started his 1st Sheffield Beat Club (the BLACK CAT) in 1962. However, the very first 60's style music club in the city was CLUB 60 that was opened in 1960. This started out as a jazz venue but soon started hosting R&R bands on certain nights. From R&R it quickly moved on the blues + R&B music. The likes of the Yardbirds, John Mayall, Graham Bond, Zoot Money Joe Cocker, Dave Berry + R & B giants John Lee Hooker and Sonny Boy Williamson played the ESQUIRE CLUB (as it had become). This establishment was Stringers first main opposition. However, Pete booked the Beatles to play his venue just before they had their 1st big hit. He got them for a small booking fee but by the time they were due to play in his Sheffield club (which was located in St Aidan's Church Hall), the group were massive with "Please, Please Me". His venue couldn't manage the numbers of fans who wanted tickets (to their credit, the Beatles played for their original booking fee). So Stringers booked the Azena Ballroom for the night (2nd April 63) & he made a killing.  He used the cash to open a new club (the BLUE MOON -- again based in a church hall)) and started booking more nationally known pop acts. 

But he wanted his own place & so purchased a building in Pitsmoor (north Sheffield) early in 1964 and christened it the MOJO CLUB. He always had a high opinion of his abilities & so when a new TV pop show hit the screens, he approached the team running it, to volunteer his services. The TV show was READY, STEADY, GO and they took Pete on to run the studio dance floor. RSG had commenced in August 63 but by the end of that year, it was moving more into R&B music, both that made by UK groups as well as that from US soul acts. I'm unsure of when Pete first worked on the TV show but it must have been late in 63 or early in 64. When down in London for RSG, he'd go to a club called La Discotheque on Wardour St. It seems this had opened in 1961 and was a venue that just played records (no live acts). By 63/64/65 the music you could hear there included James Brown 'Night Train', Betty Everett 'Getting Mighty Crowded', The Impressions 'You Been Cheating', Otis R 'Mr.Pitiful' and Wilson Pickett's 'In The Midnight Hour'. Pete took the idea of an all-discs night back to the Mojo and ran such sessions each Tuesday. They took off and helped establish his new club & funded the booking of big acts on weekends. There was a lot of rivalry in Sheffield between the Mojo crowd & the Esquire crowd. If Pete booked a R&B , mod or soul act, the Esquire crowd would go see them play the Wheel, rather than go to the Mojo. But Pete's club was soon more popular than the Esquire, with the Small Faces playing their 1st gig outside London at the Mojo. He also booked the likes of the Who, Geno Washington, Jimmy James & Vags, He could get as many tickets for RSG as he wanted & would invite Mojo regulars to take a coach down to London to b e on the show (it was a Mojo lad who coined the show's catchphrase THE WEEKEND STARTS HERE). Pete would pick up on new 45's, new US acts while down with the RSG team and was soon booking the likes of  Wilson Pickett (backed by Reg Dwight's Bluesology), Stevie Wonder, Ike and Tina Turner, Edwin Starr's (Edwin's 1st UK gig was @ the Mojo) and Don Covay & The Goodtimers. One of Jimi Hendrix's 1st UK gigs after "Hey Joe" was released here was @ the Mojo. 

Pete would get to hear lots of new US soul releases whilst with the RSG team or when in London record shops & clubs. There were also local soul fans in Sheffield who were cultivating US contacts back in the mid 60's & would pass good US soul dance 45's onto Pete. Pete went from being a pop music fan to a soul fan, he wasn't really into blues stuff (that was more of an Esquire Club thing). I don't recall any Bobby Bland tracks being big @ the Mojo (that doesn't mean none were, just that I don't remember any being Mojo biggies).

So to say Pete Stringfellow got his musical direction from the Wheel is a bit off IMHO. He may have visited the 1st Wheel club to see what was popular there (ahead of the Mojo opening), but by 1964, his musical focus was definitely on what was popular with London clubbers.

Edited October 13, 2023 by Roburt

[Roburt]

MORE INPUT FROM ME I'M AFRAID ....

RE: One person, in particular, to take advantage of this was Brian '45' Phillips, who was responsible for introducing more rare imports to the club than any other DJ. Phil Saxe, with record collector Rob Bellars, also played a part by introducing amongst others: Jackie Lee, 'Darkest Days' (a Carl Woodroffe discovery); Sandy Sheldon, 'I'm Gonna Make You Love Me'; Gene Chandler, 'There Was a Time' (also by James Brown); Joy Lovejoy, 'In Orbit'; Larry Williams and Johnny Watson, 'Too Late' (Two For The Price Of One LP) and The Isley Brothers, 'Tell Me It's Just a Rumour' (Soul on The Rocks LP). 
Live artists were an important feature of the Wheel's format. Numerous Black artists appeared at the Whitworth Street, Saturday all-nighters ... ..... In 1967 'new' Soul acts were introduced with The Spellbinders, Alvin Cash & The Crawlers, Mary Wells, Junior Walker and the Vibrations. In 1968 Robert Parker, JJ Jackson, James and Bobby Purify, Ike and Tina Turner, The lkettes, Clyde McPhatter, Oscar Toney Junior, The Showstoppers, and Johnny Johnson and the Bandwagon. Similarly in 1969 Billy Stewart, Marv Johnson, The Platters, 

I don't recall "In Orbit" being played @ the Wheel in the mid to late 60's (doesn't mean it wasn't though). Lots of copies of that US Checker 45 (issued in America around Nov 67) came into the UK via B&S / Contempo at the start of the 1970's. My 1st visit to the Wheel was on 14th October 67 to see Jnr Walker live (the Mojo had been closed down after 8th Sept 67). My next trip to the Wheel was on 25th Nov 67 (to see Ben E King), each Saturday between being spent @ the Nite Owl's nighter in Leicester (that club closed down after 2nd December niter -- Eddie Floyd). My 1st trip to a Nite Owl niter having taken place on 27th May 67.

After 25th Nov 67, the Wheel became my niter of choice (the Mojo & Nite Owl being closed). I went over to Manchester most weekends, by car or by train (via Sheffield Victoria). The 1st record I heard at the Wheel that really hit me hard was Bobby Bland's "Call On Me" (no UK 45 release but a US 45 from late 1962). Both sides of that Duke 45 getting regular spins @ the Wheel, even in 67 & 68. Bobby Bland 45's were big at the Wheel. Lots of his bluesy stuff was played, I don't recall much (if any) Bobby Bland being played at the Mojo.  

With regard to live acts @ the Wheel (+ Mojo & Nite Owl). Alvin Cash recorded (back in Chicago) with an outfit dubbed the Registers, they were actually the One-Derful studio band. They didn't tour with Alvin, his brothers (dancers) did and they were known as the Crawlers. Alvin & the Crawlers being  primarily dancers, had a great stage show -- Alvin Cash & the Crawlers had been on @ the Mojo niter on 7th Jan 67 (think Jimi Hendrix was on @ the Wheel that night). Roy Tempest started to bring his 'fake groups' over from September 67 (Temptations, Marvelettes, Isley Brothers, etc). Saw the Vibrations (the real group) @ the Wheel on 16th Dec 67. They had a dynamic stage act, lots of great dance moves (which inspired those watching that night to imitate some of their athletic moves). Moving on to other groups that played the Wheel; the Fabulous Platters were a Roy Tempest 'fake group' who toured the UK in 68 & 69 (they played the Wheel on 15th November 1969, billed just as the Platters). This group were really the Laddins aka the Steinways (though Frankie Gearing had left the group to form the Glories ahead of their 1st trip to the UK back in April 68).  

Edited September 26, 2023 by Roburt

[Roburt]

UPDATE ON ABOVE ..... no musician has been more researched over time than Jimi Hendrix .... so I decided to check one of the many net based sites on him ...  IT STATES ...

Following their performance at the New Century Hall, Manchester, the Jimi Hendrix Experience visit the Twisted Wheel Club on Brazennose Street  .... ... Obviously the Brazenose Street address is wrong for 1967, but the rest is correct ... 

The New Century Hall must have been opposition (of sorts) to the Wheel's normal evening sessions as the venue hosted shows by the likes of the Fabulous Platters, Fabulous Temptations, Isley Brothers (fake version), Lee Dorsey, Ike & Tina Turner, Drifters, Geno Washington &RJB, Edwin Starr, Inez & Charlie Foxx, etc. That said, the NCH as a venue was a lot more like the Casino (large dance hall room) than the Wheel (a cellar club).  

[Roburt]

A QUESTION ..... Roger Eagle quit DJing at the Wheel in 66. With him gone, his R&B influence began to slip away. 

But my 1st visit to the Wheel wasn't until September 67, long after he'd left. The 1st WHEEL SOUND (a record I hadn't heard being played in Donny, Hull, Brid, Cleggy soul clubs or @ the Mojo or Nite Owl) was Bobby Bland's "Call On Me" (+ the tuva side of that 45). Roger Eagle had been the guy to push Bobby Bland tracks @ the Wheel ....

so was "CALL ON ME" too popular to drop from the playlist even after he'd quit ?? (I recall it being played a lot @ the Wheel in 67 & 68 -- it prompted me to chase a copy. I soon realised it wasn't on 45 in the UK, so ordered a copy from Randy's Records).

With him gone, which DJ kept spinning the track ?

[bri phill]

After Roger had left Call On Me was played of the album which a guy called Mafia Dave brought in later I obtained a Duke 45 copy.Not sure what your obsession is with Call On Me.

Many Bobby Bland tracks were popular at the Wheel Good Time Charlie, Back In The Same Old Bag, Shoes and With These hands all of which were still played in 1969 and 1970.

Tracks such as Turn On Your Lovelight, Yield not To Temptation and Aint nothing You Can Do that were popular n the early days but didn't tend to get played after 66.

 

[Roburt]

My obsession with Call On Me is due to the fact it's the only real TWISTED WHEEL ONLY track that stuck with me on my first few visits to the club between mid October 67 & early 68 (apart from 30th December when we arrived too late to get in & had to go to the Majestic).

It struck me as odd that Bobby Bland was a major artist at the Wheel (play wise) & not at too many other 65 yo 68 UK soul clubs ... YET he's not mentioned once in the quoted section of the '6 Whitworth St Manchester' book that commenced this thread.

In addition, CALL ON ME is my fave Bobby Bland track. Is that OK with you or do you have more to say on the matter.

Edited September 28, 2023 by Roburt

[Roburt]

RE: Ultimately, due to perceived? drug abuse, there was an air of inevitability about the club's closure.

Lots of Motown played @ the club ... BUT THEN, Motown had been in on the scene since early 64 ... 

(think Kegsy designed the ad for BG) .... 

[Roburt]

Bobby was never BLAND ... 

[Chapelisland]

thanks for the input guys remember it's only a few pages from the book with scant details. Regarding Bobby Bland this is a quote from the book 

According to Brian Phillips, who DJ’d at The Wheel in the late 1960s:

“Roger played a lot of imports, probably more than we did at first until the ‘Soul’ element took over.  He had contacts with some of the artists at Chess Records and had a thing going with Don Robey of Duke Records in Memphis [later relocated to Houston)].  This included the Duke subsidiaries Peacock, Sure Shot and Back Beat”. 

Duke Records’ leading R&B artist was Bobby Bland, also a favourite of Eagle’s, so there is no doubt why a lot of his records were played at The Wheel.  Perhaps the link was continued with Bud Harper, ‘Mr Soul’ (Peacock); and Bobby Williams, ‘I’ve Only Got Myself to Blame’ (Sure Shot), etc.

Edited October 2, 2023 by Chapelisland
typos

[Tykebike]

Nice to see Stringy getting his fair share of praise for playing the type of soul records that we now regard as Northern. One I remember hearing at the King Mojo (or was it the Beautiful Mojo) and then at The Wheel was Boogaloo Party by the Flamingos there were quite a few others but that one sticks in my mind as being played in both clubs and a fast dancing beat. The main difference between Stringfellow and others is that he didn't just stick records on, being an extrovert he introduced them, danced and sang to them and demonstrated the latest dances.

Being an astute business man, aided and abetted by his brother Geoff, he spotted a trend and followed it witness flower power (guilty) and progressive music (not guilty) so he contributed in the latter years to me going to the Wheel instead of The Penthouse (except to see Garnett Mimms).

This link may be of interest as to the tracks played at the Mojo https://www.kingmojostory.com/mojo-playlist

I used to pass Club 60 on Shalesmoor on my way to school but I never realised that it became the Esquire albeit at a diffreent venue.

Edited October 2, 2023 by Tykebike

[Alleyoop]

Talking about Bland and the Mojo, Robert  I definitely remember “Don’t  cry no more”and  “Turn on your Lovelight” being played in my early days there ( I first went in Match ‘65). Stuck them on my first soul wants list on the back page of one of my school exercise books. 

[STEFAN BURLAK]

I was 15 when the Mojo closed,  me and my School friend Russell Davy used to go to other Soul clubs in Sheffield, Highway 61 at Heeley, The Ark at Crookes.  We made plans to go to the King Mojo but unfortunately it shut before our plans materialised.  However not to long after, Mr Stringfellow opened an incredible little club in Sheffield city centre, High Street, called DOWN BROADWAY. Billy 'Fat Boy' Stewart being one of the great live acts to appear. Pete DJ'd introducing the records he played, Brothers Two 'Here I am In Love Again', was one of my favourites.

I first went to the WHEEL in 1970,  'Call On Me' Bobby Bland, was a Wheel favourite , as soon as the intro came on the dance floor filled before  "Love and Affection" was heard .

[Roburt]

1964 and UK R&B was still to the fore .... as can be seen from this group's booking's schedule ... 

it's amazing how many of their gigs were local fan organised events in local council / public buildings. Very few were in Mecca / Top Rank ballroom type venues.

Edited October 2, 2023 by Roburt

[Alleyoop]

I saw Billy Stewart at Down  Broadway too. Absolutely fantastic. Not long after saw Bandwagon there on their first tour.  It had a short life but was a great club. Didn’t bother with the progressive nights but remember John Peel doing a few spots on the progressive record only night there ( Monday I think). And also remember hearing Pete playing the Dells “Stay in my Corner” there the week it came out in one of his famous  slow spots that were a feature of the Mojo. 
And talking about Bland again remember Pete playing his “Rockin  in the same old boat”  on Action week it came out. 

[Tykebike]

Hard to say which one was best Stevie Wonder at the Mojo or Billy Fat Boy Stewart at Down Broadway, probably the latter due to his unique style and presence. Having said that seeing Stevie in such a small venue and such a young age (both of us) was a rare privilege especially having to to stand aside to let him through to get on stage. Compare and contrast Stevie's red jacket vs Billy's sky blue suit.

[Alleyoop]

Funny enough yesterday I was putting my flyer from the Billy Stewart Down Broadway gig in a new frame after 50 odd years !

[Tykebike]

It's only now that I realise why it says "At Last He Returns" I didn't realise that he had played the Mojo in 1967.

[Alleyoop]

he had played the Mojo already yes. I didnt go to that night. Only saw him at Down Broadway.

[STEFAN BURLAK]

Brilliant , what a coincidence !!!!!!    That day was an amazing experience, narrow stairs from outside going down to a small basement one room club, small stage and packed out.  He had a big white/cream piano with a small backing group,  Billy wore a light blue Mohair suit, soaked in sweat by the end of his performance.  The atmosphere was electric, silence, except for the sound of Billy's classic music.                                                                                                                                          The crescendo for me was when he sang 'EXODUS' ,  incredible.      I think he did about 3 encores .               I often think about that day and glad I mentioned it . One thing I always thought about was,  how the hell they got the piano down there ? 

Edited October 3, 2023 by STEFAN BURLAK

[Tykebike]

If you could get Billy Stewart down there then the piano will follow.....

What about when he swung the microphone out into the audience and then there was the spining round to catch it.

All this makes me want to dig my Summertime and Teaches Old Standard New Tricks LP's out and play them.

[Roburt]

Billy singing a Mojo anthem ...

 

[Tykebike]

Well that's saved me getting the LP out!

Oh yes those were the days (nights) when you actually danced with girls and actually held them when dancing to this and I'm Gonna Miss You.

Are you going to post the 1812 overture as part of the Mojo theme?

[Funky 4 Corners]

Hopefully to complement this great thread, here's some Wheel fliers from the Whitworth Street era. Some advertise acts that never materialised or were replaced after the flyer had gone to print. Friday's Manchester Evening News would give the most accurate info as the fliers were mainly put out well in advance. This batch go from the opening session to summer 1968. On Saturday 14th August the M E N advertised Clyde McPhatter to appear who may well have replaced Jr Walker. Can anyone confirm this?

[Funky 4 Corners]

The next batch run from September '68 into February ''69. The 5th October was just an all-nighter. Oscar Toney Jr appeared on 16th November, the 30th was an all-nighter. The Original Drifters replaced the Showstoppers on 14th December and the Ferris Wheel performed on 4th January '69.

[Roburt]

Many US acts were booked to do UK tours but pulled out at the last minute (in the 60's / 70's I'm talkin about) -- UK clubs would have been invited to book the acts weeks before they were due to fly over the pond. So they'd advertise the act & have to reschedule the live show attraction if the US artist/s pulled out at the last minute.

Joe Tex was booked to tour the UK at least 3 times in the 60's but always got cold feet & stayed in America (don't know if it coz he was scared of flying or coz he had a new hit 45 and could get more money / extra gigs by staying in the US).

We always wanted to bring the O'Jays over here to play a UK weekender (in the 2000's) but they insisted that their fee had to be what they could earn for 3 US shows as with the travelling time / jet lag / rehearsal time coming over to do 1 UK show took up as much time as 3 US shows.  

It wasn't just the Wheel that was let down by acts back in the day who were booked to play the venue.

[Funky 4 Corners]

The New Year of '69 was many last minute changes; February 1st  saw Root & Jenny Jackson replace Edwin Starr, Johnny Johnson & Bandwagon replaced Carla Thomas on the 8th. The New Vibrations appeared on the 15th and the US Flat-Top Road Show on the 22nd. The G-Clefs performed on 22nd March and Ben E King on the 29th. Jamo Thomas was originally billed to appeared on May 24th but Bob & Earl stepped in at the last minute with Jamo re-booked for a month later.

[Kathryn Magson]

Thanks for an interesting read! Oh how I wish I'd kept all my old flyers.............

[Funky 4 Corners]

The Summer of '69 continue but August saw more mayhem; the 2nd saw the Crystals booked, the 9th Root & Jenny Jackson, the 23rd Ronettes, 30th, the Bandwagon. September wasn't much better - 6th, Jimmy James, 13th Jimmy Ruffin, 20th, the Drifters and 27th Coasters.

[Roburt]

AS I REMEMBER IT ... Lots of northern mods / soulies would head south in the summer months (July, August, early Sept), to holiday in places such as Gt Yarmouth (64/65) and then Newquay (66/67/68/69. So the Wheel would book cheaper UK acts or host record only nights over those periods. They could make these cheaper admission & still make a profit  -- and hopefully still attract the lads who were 'saving up' to go away on holiday. The big 'package tour era' of Spanish holidays started to kick in around the mid 60's but the 20-somethings of the time mainly took UK holidays with their mates still. 

[Funky 4 Corners]

1970 was the last full year of the club's existence, it saw lots of imports being played which were slowly being imported from various sources, John Anderson in Glasgow, Martin Koppel on his trips to Canada, in Manchester, Barry Ancill's Record Rendezvous and Ralph's Records. F L Moore in Leighton Buzzard and Jeff King would visit the club from Leicester with a box of goodies. There were of course many other places that imported records, especially in London. 

Regarding the Wheel, as with the previous summer there were many 11th hour changes; July 25th saw Major Lance cancelled, August 29th was an all-nighter, September 5th, Horatio Soul & Pavements, 12th Sweet Inspirations and Johnny Johnson and 26th Fantastics and October saw the Hightimers. 

I've just found a flyer from autumn '69 which I've included at the end.

These small flyers were gradually replaced in the final year by large A4 size black & white photos, I'll upload some soon.

[Funky 4 Corners]

As you will know Roburt has vast first hand experience of the Wheel and it's era and I fully agree with his views about acts not materialising. Also, from around '68 fake groups started to tour, a topic well covered elsewhere. As an unwashed teenager from a pit village near Wakefield, how would I know the difference? All I did know was that they were invariably awesome and thrilling to watch!

[Roburt]

A very minor correction ... Roy Tempest's 'fake groups' first played UK tours from September 67 ... a couple at first, followed from 68 by a flood. All were groups at first as we had little knowledge of the make-up of such groups (who their members were) but later (from around early 70), he got more blatant & started advertising solo artists (Chuck Jackson, Carla Thomas & the like). Lots of the groups who appear on the above posted handbills were 'fakes' -- the Platters actually being the Laddins aka the Steinways.

Although F4C says I have VAST 1ST HAND EXPERIENCE, I'd say many more soulies who frequented the Wheel in 68 / 69 / 70 would remember more than me. I was fortunate to get my first full-time job in late 1966 (November-ish), I was 'gifted' a pocket diary in Dec 66 and kept detailed records for all of 67. I attended  many more WHEEL NITERS in 68 but (not having kept a diary that year) couldn't tell you who I saw that year ... the ravages of time since & intake of substances back then making my memory almost none existent of that period.

He was an unwashed teenager from a pit village near Wakefield at the time WHEREAS I was a new school leaver from Donny who got a job working for the WRCC in Wakefield at the time. I was buying my records back in Donny at the weekend but in Wakefield on weekdays (remember a decent record stall on market days & a top record shop down the hill not far from Westgate rail stn  -- they had a great back-catalogue tucked away out of sight -- but if you asked for the right 45 you could get lucky). SO our paths may well have crossed all those years ago. 

Edited October 9, 2023 by Roburt