I have been trying to locate a song I used to hear around the Wigan area early 80s . It is definitely a Northern Soul classic/ derivative/ obscurity. It is an INSTRUMENTAL- very much a stomper/ handclap track and seems largely based on The Hesitations That’s What Love Is backing track or Eddie Parker I”m Gone.

Any clues?

Thanks

22 hours ago, Jessie Pinkman said:

Tim I'd stopped going to the Casino when this was being played so I can only imagine the effect on the dancefloor. Some of these instrumentals you had to be there to get it. I still have a soft spot for Fathers Angels "Bok to Bach".

It sounded absolutely fantastic in there with those ballroom accoustics. Yre right about being there; no one cares about instrumentals anymore, but as you know they used to light the Casino up, and cause dancefloor mayhem, lol.

12 hours ago, Davebanks said:

An absolute Monster at the Torch and now largely forgotten. To me it just explodes excitement. Lots of "northern" very little "soul".

 

Absolutely brilliant 

3 hours ago, Wiganer1 said:

Absolutely brilliant 

got a tinge of 'Afternoon at the Rhino' that one... i like it...

On 10/05/2025 at 17:32, Colouredman said:

Pal and the Prophets. Peace pipe. Jamie. Covered up as Luther Ingram Orch. ‘Space Odyssey’. Sounded great at the Casino, and the right tempo for those times lol.

Pal and the Prophets was pitched down and pressed as Star Odyssey. Must be pretty rare I'd guess. 

Edited May 12May 12 by Merve
Photo added

On 05/05/2025 at 19:32, Stephen Houghton said:

I have a tune from the wigan days ,GYPSY by drywell ,did the moody blues do it too .any info on it would too be appreciated 

It was originally written and recorded by Justin Hayward of the Moody Blues ( his recording is on Youtube ). As far as I recall the Dry Well version was recorded on Lauren in 1969 and then re-released by Ellen and the Shandels around 1970/71 ( Some believe this was a re-name of Dry Well , me included ). A big play at the Nottingham Palais all dayers back in 78/79.

Instrumentals were a massive part of the scene back then, dont know why they fell out of flavour, here,s another one that got hammered back at the Casino circa 79/80 on the nice Omack label.

I still like instrumentals, can never remember the words though. 🤔

On 12/05/2025 at 13:12, Mal C said:

got a tinge of 'Afternoon at the Rhino' that one... i like it...

1st instrumental to be played at the Casino 👏🏻👏🏻

7 hours ago, Mach said:

Instrumentals were a massive part of the scene back then, dont know why they fell out of flavour, here,s another one that got hammered back at the Casino circa 79/80 on the nice Omack label.

I could be wrong but I seem to remember Soul Sam playing this one

WOT ?!?!? .. no mentions for COCHISE ... a mid 70's monster.

COCHISE, not for me

Probably played elsewhere, but this was massive at the Casino!

"The Champion" - Willie Mitchell

I also remember "Frantic Escape" - Innocent Bystanders -Pameline getting a number of plays. Also the instrumental of "Don't Stop Looking" - Ann D'Andrea- Jamie

Another one that got spins and brings back memories of spending saturday mornings at the Ryvita company with a load of us on a dust covered gantry dancing and seeing who could spin the best instead of working!

On 19/05/2025 at 14:12, Stevecee said:

Another one that got spins and brings back memories of spending saturday mornings at the Ryvita company with a load of us on a dust covered gantry dancing and seeing who could spin the best instead of working!

Bob's band - brilliant Wigan forever :)

I remember Richard Searling used to play "Burning Spear" by the Soulful Strings on Cadet.

L.A Power & Light Co "Lets spend some time together"

All In can say after listening to some of these again is the drugs musty have been good 🤣😂

45 minutes ago, Chalky said:

All In can say after listening to some of these again is the drugs musty have been good 🤣😂

When they were good they were great - 👀 one of my fondest memories was at the anniversary’s - at some stage there would be a slight pause either for prize draws or to thank the staff bla bla bla so no music, yet it was not uncommon to see people still dancing, moving spinning - 🤣😂

21 hours ago, Solidsoul said:

I remember Richard Searling used to play "Burning Spear" by the Soulful Strings on Cadet.

At last; a decent record gets a mention.

What about the instrumental of the Belles “Don’t pretend”

3 hours ago, Chalky said:

All In can say after listening to some of these again is the drugs musty have been good 🤣😂

Yes that's true, but also most people were young, 16,17,18 etc and we just wanted to dance and have a great exciting time.

We weren't audiophiles analyzing each new record.

There was so much new stuff getting played, it was hard to keep track and sort out the good from the not so good! That came later.

Edited Thursday at 18:065 days by Solidsoul

3 hours ago, Markmodern said:

What about the instrumental of the Belles “Don’t pretend”

" Pretention " I think it was called , my personal favourite from the Mirwood stable , was "The Temptation Walk " instrumental proper floor filler , & for atmosphere " The Spy " The Guys From Uncle , sounded superb back then in the main room .

Edited Friday at 09:474 days by Happy Feet

Condition red - my 1st purchase at Wigan £7

Will go to the grave with me

Have a tape from 75 and the atmosphere to this tune is brilliant

Early casino Robert Walker Stick to me on RCA

Top 3 for me are:

Condition red

On the brink

Astral trip

I don't think that these have been mentioned yet.....

The Patrick Bradley - Just One More Chance (Obviously the Instr NOT vocal)

Family Affair - Love Hussle (a Tony Hatch special!)

Family Affair was MASSIVE! As has been mentioned previously, tastes and times have changed. As they say "you had to be there" to experience the atmosphere.

Edited Friday at 13:254 days by Bo Diddley

Another that reminds of St Ives 1976. No idea where it was played first though.

BACK IN 75 , i CANT GET AWAY , instrumental always danced to this one,one in a box here class tune

How about Libra - Apollo 11 , covered by Russ as Mystic Moods - One Way Out Of This World.

On 22/05/2025 at 13:25, Chalky said:

All In can say after listening to some of these again is the drugs musty have been good 🤣😂

They were especially as they seemed to be collected from the chemist's on the way to a niter... prescription obviously 🙄

I know these aren't Wigan instrumentals but still enjoy listening to Detroit strings in the pocket and lord Sitar and the Baltimore marching band ( can't remember what name Gary Rushbrooke introduced it as ? )

We now know as Forest fire on main street, by Gasoline powered clock.

Big oddfellows and Stafford instrumentals

Edited Saturday at 14:053 days by Greedy Mick

On 17/05/2025 at 17:12, Dobie5 said:

It was originally written and recorded by Justin Hayward of the Moody Blues ( his recording is on Youtube ). As far as I recall the Dry Well version was recorded on Lauren in 1969 and then re-released by Ellen and the Shandels around 1970/71 ( Some believe this was a re-name of Dry Well , me included ). A big play at the Nottingham Palais all dayers back in 78/79.

Thanks for the info