Wigan Casino Saturday Nights 1979-1981

[Guest Alwayssoul]

79-81 was my main blooding into the NS scene.I travelled every Saturday from Edinburgh on the train with Stevie Smith and Dale Pender both no longer with us,RIP,and Jimmy Kaye and many others that were regular travellers at that time, those were the days of the persil tickets as I recall.I agree with many that for me the music at that time was superb and set me up for the likes of Stafford etc afterwards.Met loads of great people over that period from all over the country.

Stu

Oh No! i knew Dale really well we used to meet up with him on the train at Lancaster and weve spent many a nighter chatting for hours, im totally shocked hes no longer with us. Gob Bless him he was a star!

[Guest Alwayssoul]

did you knock about with mark farley and his crowd and pam from carlilse?

Yes mark was a good mate and so was pam, infact ive just got back intouch with pam which is great we are catching up on 20 odd years lol

[Guest Alwayssoul]

are you sheila that went out with billy? think he was from bolton/wigan!

to be perfectly honest i cant remember a guy called billy,how bad is that!!!!?? but i did go out with wayne hackett from leigh for ages.

[Rhino]

Yes mark was a good mate and so was pam, infact ive just got back intouch with pam which is great we are catching up on 20 odd years lol

mark is living in blackpool and runs a polish working mans club and neil thompson is teacher in lancaster while shaun gibbons is selling windows for safe style uk

[Guest inspirations001]

always thought he was a pane! only joking, couldn't resist it. i'm confused now as chatting to 3 at one and at my age it gets to you! so were you from wigan?

[Munchkin]

Gosh i remember those days well, i went to wigan from 1978 - 1981, i too loved the main room altho i did pop in Mr Ms now and again but found the dancefloor too small for me.

I too remember Wagsy from Brum also Mandy and sharon from Redditch, Dave from tipton, Mandy from Wigan, Janice from Leigh, all the crew from Edinburgh and my hometown mob from Lancaster(dawn, Alison,Sarah, Marie, mark, Shauwn, Neil) I wonder what there all doing now?? we were only kids back in 1978, but what an era it was, nothing compares to The Northern Scene we were all one big happy family there wasnt any violence etc like there is today, i would do anything to go back to those days.

Sheila from Lancaster

wagsy still about, mandy was from wigan yeah syill c her every now and again

sharon from redditch was sharon cutts went out with paskin for a while, dave from tipton........ Mr paskin also known as cappa, always hads a cap on, dave does the door at jn 11 soul nites

[Munchkin]

did you knock about with mark farley and his crowd and pam from carlilse?

Pandy from carlisle(bernard Hand ) i think, used to knock around with a few guys from carlisle but this is the name i remember

[Guest Alwayssoul]

mark is living in blackpool and runs a polish working mans club and neil thompson is teacher in lancaster while shaun gibbons is selling windows for safe style uk

oh my oh my when i last saw the lancaster crowd mark farley was djing in the northern scene, infact shaun was married and running the morecambe pier nighters, alison bell was married too. How things change!. Hey by the way do i know you??

[Guest Alwayssoul]

wagsy still about, mandy was from wigan yeah syill c her every now and again

sharon from redditch was sharon cutts went out with paskin for a while, dave from tipton........ Mr paskin also known as cappa, always hads a cap on, dave does the door at jn 11 soul nites

oh!! id love to see my old mate wagsy again and sharon she was a good mate and put me up loads of times when i used to go to the nighters in worcster/redditch.

[Rhino]

oh my oh my when i last saw the lancaster crowd mark farley was djing in the northern scene, infact shaun was married and running the morecambe pier nighters, alison bell was married too. How things change!. Hey by the way do i know you??

im from morecambe and know them from the pier days and worked for shaun when he run the carlton and when he owned the empire nightclub in morecambe, i see neil know and again in lancaster but have not seen mark 4 a few years he got in trouble with drugs and gave up the scene dont think i know you but thought as i knew a few of your old mates i would let you know what they were up to these days

[Guest Alwayssoul]

always thought he was a pane! only joking, couldn't resist it. i'm confused now as chatting to 3 at one and at my age it gets to you! so were you from wigan?

ha ha ha!! he could be pretty aroggant at times old Mr Gibbons but still a good friend, im confused aswell now ha ha, got to ask this do i know you inspitations001?

[Guest inspirations001]

i'm originally from selby. knocked about with the old hull/york/selby crowd and then the bolton lot. knew the morcambe crew and pam from carlilse(fairish) that was! we have prob met when i had hair and a size 24 waste!!! paul

[Guest Alwayssoul]

i'm originally from selby. knocked about with the old hull/york/selby crowd and then the bolton lot. knew the morcambe crew and pam from carlilse(fairish) that was! we have prob met when i had hair and a size 24 waste!!! paul

ok! i knew a few guys from hull carnt remember there names at the momment but one was a tallish thin mixed race quiet lad from bransholme and the other guy was his mate called dave!! my god ive remembered!!! lol I probably do know you if you knew pam we hung around together quiet a bit i also knocked about alot with Mandy from wigan?

[Guest inspirations001]

i went out with pam for a bit. the mixed race lad was probably louis, whats ur name?

[Guest Alwayssoul]

i went out with pam for a bit. the mixed race lad was probably louis, whats ur name?

Sheila.

[Mark Oliver]

It was Jolly from Edinburgh wasn't it? He is one of the promoters of Bumping and Stomping in Edinburgh. Saw him in January. He is on here too I think.

Thanks.

My memory was it was Jolly.

He came down and played loads of things I didn't know but were good.

It was the same as when we went to Yate after getting used to the sounds of Wigan on a Saturday night.

Keith Minshull was the guest and played things like Harlem Rumble and other regular Saturday night sounds at the Casino but appeared unknown at Yate. In turn the Yate dee-jays were also playing things that were new to me at the time.

[munchkinette]

ah well there you go this just proves part of me point. as i also knew a handfull from wigan who was at it' and when you stop to think how many more from other places you get the pic. but realy that was only a small part of what i was on about am sorry it was taken the wrong way it would be silly to make out the club was only worth going at the begining or somthing am only to glad that people carried on going and that new people went and carried the place forward and mainly honist decent peeps like your selves but from our point of veiw the the first lot lets say ' we could see the changes and weather wrong or right i didant like the changes and the way it was going and i know i wasant the only one . as i mentiond before if you care to mention sertin clubs yer allways going to get people going on about the clubs hey day .at wigan i think a new genaration started to come and the old one started to come les and les the first ones was made up with people that also used to atendid the wheel and the torch but as time went on they started to drop off and a new generation started to take form .aniway am not going to go on about all our yesterdays and no doubt some bugger will take issue with anything i say but for me and many others it became a circus ah well who gives a monkeys aniway we all enjoyed it who cares when they went , i also didant take proper notice of what the thread was about

Well Steptoe I did say I agreed with you on some points of what you said but like you I don't really give a monkey's coz we've all got our own memories and let's face it if we all thought the same and liked the same it would be a boring old world. My hubby started going in about '75 and he remembers loads going on then but not gonna go into what he's said as it may start another argument .

Anyway I may see you on Sunday as we're gonna try and pop down to the sink used to go years ago used to love it, our youngest is 18 on Sunday so we may go out for dinner in Liverpool and send the kids home and pop in for a couple of hours. Teapot do you fancy coming as well .

Sharon

[munchkinette]

oh!! id love to see my old mate wagsy again and sharon she was a good mate and put me up loads of times when i used to go to the nighters in worcster/redditch.

We still see Wagsy and keep in touch with him all the time where do you go these days maybe you go the same places and didn't realise.

Sharon

[nubes]

We still see Wagsy and keep in touch with him all the time where do you go these days maybe you go the same places and didn't realise.

Sharon

:lol: :lol: ...COR!!!!!!......Delxxx

[Guest chorleybloke]

The name doesn't ring a bell. There were a few from Dunfermline who were adopted by the Edinburgh crowd so maybe some of them would know him. There is a guy over here now in Queensland who went to Wigan when stationed at Catterick.

Its all a bit surreal Una eh? There's about 100+ of us now in Australia who must have brushed shoulders on the main floor or in Ms who were complete strangers then but are best mates now, the common demoninator being the music of course. I was there 90% of every w/end from 74 to 80 preceded by Highland Room sessions and as often as possible ending up with an alldayer at the Ritz or back at the Mecca (ie, Easter Monday mid 70s 'dayers). Never ventured farther afield because I didn't see the point living so close to what I then considered to be the NS epicentre (an opinion I now know to be flawed). My indelible memory is walking through the famous double doors to the sound of the Younghearts or the Belles.

Cheers

Pete

[Wiganer1]

It all got a bit confusing as you were hear different dee-jays playing the same track at a venue but with a different cover up name.

I did after many years get a copy of "Nightime Shadows" TSOB (I put TSOP earlier - mad moment) on 45.

For years I didn't know what it was and then Martin Maylor reckoned that Crumb from Stoke had bought it from Richard who had got it off Sam towards the end of Wigan.

After a crazy weekend we travelled miles to see Crumb and I was willing to offer a tidy sum for what was one of my top wants. Walked in spoke to Crumb, who said "haven't got a clue what you are talking about and never heard of the record.

The things you do to get that elusive track!

Mark

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

spoke to sam about this a few middletons ago - hes totally forgot about it and doesnt remember it..

asked richard about it at the 1st blackpool tower and he remembered it str8 away..yes,obscure ,silver label he stated with no hesitation...

1000 thanks to mark for getting me the lp which is just as obscure as the 45..will get those other cds to you i promise...

one lucky person fro ss got the 45 for $5 a few years ago!!

[Guest inspirations001]

Sheila.

doh! it does say sheila earlier on in the thread!!

[Guest Una Scot-Oz]

Its all a bit surreal Una eh? There's about 100+ of us now in Australia who must have brushed shoulders on the main floor or in Ms who were complete strangers then but are best mates now, the common demoninator being the music of course. I was there 90% of every w/end from 74 to 80 preceded by Highland Room sessions and as often as possible ending up with an alldayer at the Ritz or back at the Mecca (ie, Easter Monday mid 70s 'dayers). Never ventured farther afield because I didn't see the point living so close to what I then considered to be the NS epicentre (an opinion I now know to be flawed). My indelible memory is walking through the famous double doors to the sound of the Younghearts or the Belles.

Cheers

Pete

Well I'm sure I must have met you there as we usually hung around with Dave Nowell and Dave Lancaster. Sharkey remembered me when I met him in QLD, Scouse Pete in Perth knows lots of people I knew and I remembered the guy he hung around with (Bernie from Formsby) so I must have met him and don't recall. As for Pete Morgan Jones you can actually see us next to one another on the This England offcuts. And here we all are at the other side of the world together on the dance floor again. So as you say it is all a bit surreal! See you in January?

[Mark Oliver]

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

spoke to sam about this a few middletons ago - hes totally forgot about it and doesnt remember it..

asked richard about it at the 1st blackpool tower and he remembered it str8 away..yes,obscure ,silver label he stated with no hesitation...

1000 thanks to mark for getting me the lp which is just as obscure as the 45..will get those other cds to you i promise...

one lucky person from ss got the 45 for $5 a few years ago!!

Mark

Likewise saw Sam in the last 18 months and spoke to him about both this and Leo and Co (Casino Strut c/up), he said he does get asked quite a lot about what these were but can never remember what they are.

I wrote them down for him so he new in the future.

Mark

[Guest inspirations001]

mark and little stanley,

last time i saw richard he couldn't remember nightime shadows at all!

was casino strut something like hot dogs on gamma! rings a bell as i used to have it on 12"

daft question but do u think nightime shadows was a recent recording ala lamont cranston,short people etc.

[Mark Oliver]

mark and little stanley,

last time i saw richard he couldn't remember nightime shadows at all!

was casino strut something like hot dogs on gamma! rings a bell as i used to have it on 12"

daft question but do u think nightime shadows was a recent recording ala lamont cranston,short people etc.

Gang Band - TSOB - Slipped Disco (Nightime Shadows) was released in 1975 and is from Boston.

Leo and Co - Hot Dog - Gamma (Canadian label 12" only) (Casino Strut) was also a 70's release but not sure of the year and in Canada was a theme tune to an advert.

Thanks

Mark

[Wiganer1]

mark and little stanley,

last time i saw richard he couldn't remember nightime shadows at all!

was casino strut something like hot dogs on gamma! rings a bell as i used to have it on 12"

daft question but do u think nightime shadows was a recent recording ala lamont cranston,short people etc.

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

defo a 70s recording

i played nightime shadows at my 70s/80s do in nuneaton a few months ago from the lp..hard to judge what it sounded like in front of the decks...didnt rock the room to be honest but maybe a few plays may get it popular again

got leo and co too but does go on a little..

[Guest inspirations001]

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

defo a 70s recording

i played nightime shadows at my 70s/80s do in nuneaton a few months ago from the lp..hard to judge what it sounded like in front of the decks...didnt rock the room to be honest but maybe a few plays may get it popular again

got leo and co too but does go on a little..

didn't think it wud go nowadays, it was a 70's thing with instrumentals, ala libra, mystic moods grand piano co etc. if u played bill purcell as a newie now it wud clear the floor.

[Wiganer1]

didn't think it wud go nowadays, it was a 70's thing with instrumentals, ala libra, mystic moods grand piano co etc. if u played bill purcell as a newie now it wud clear the floor.

===

yip youre right

still love peter hamilton - hey girl one of richards other big instrumentals.....

[Guest inspirations001]

===

yip youre right

still love peter hamilton - hey girl one of richards other big instrumentals.....

didn't he name that in honour of a nighter in edinburgh? think he first played it there. God awful vocal but haunting inst. kids nowadays will think we're all mad raving about insts, but big part of scene. i'm chasing a johnny gibson on twirl just to give it a spin,cracking tune imho!

[Mark Oliver]

===

yip youre right

still love peter hamilton - hey girl one of richards other big instrumentals.....

I remember when Richard played this for the first time at the Casino as Clouds and Doni Burdick, it was just brilliant and so atmospheric. When I got my own copy it still sounded as good although the vocal version is not everyone's cup of tea.

[Guest inspirations001]

re above, read above, haunting inst but vocal is awful. reminds me of peter jarret if i remember rightly!

[Zed1]

we're gonna try and pop down to the sink used to go years ago used to love it. Teapot do you fancy coming as well .

Sharon

Only if we continue our discussion about the relative merits of each of the Casino years...

Went to the old sink a few times - but sundays are now 'Grandad Day' for me....

[Wiganer1]

re above, read above, haunting inst but vocal is awful. reminds me of peter jarret if i remember rightly!

====

yes vocal really naff/..levine bettered with venicia wilson!

[munchkinette]

Only if we continue our discussion about the relative merits of each of the Casino years...

Went to the old sink a few times - but sundays are now 'Grandad Day' for me....

Lol not sure if we'll deffo get there yet coz Curtis is 18 tomorrow, your lucky only get to be Grandad for one day a week our Grandson is sitting next to me as I type chattering his head off his Mum and Dad have gone Christmas shopping.

Sharon

[Guest inspirations001]

====

yes vocal really naff/..levine bettered with venicia wilson!

only just mark!

[aintgotit]

i remember having an argument wi cammy from keighley on the leeds coach about!"packing up" ,i swore id heard it announced as eddie parker the week before he coolly announced it was damon fox as he,d taken the trouble to ask about it. he was right sorry mate for bein such a t**t.wasnt the del tours title covered up as "pretty as a picture"

[Mark Oliver]

i remember having an argument wi cammy from keighley on the leeds coach about!"packing up" ,i swore id heard it announced as eddie parker the week before he coolly announced it was damon fox as he,d taken the trouble to ask about it. he was right sorry mate for bein such a t**t.wasnt the del tours title covered up as "pretty as a picture"

You were nearly right and although it was Don Parker, Sam might have has a mad moment.

Deltours I can't remember this being covered as "Pretty As A Picture".

[Guest inspirations001]

deffo c/u as little ritchie and the other one was eddie jefferson

[Guest Bernie p]

Hi went to wigan 73 to 77+ nearly every weekend only missed if I was going on holiday, at that time in my life that is all I lived for spent most of my wages on records from derek guest record shop in farnworth ( Bolton ) then had to go home to face my mother and tell her yet again I'd just spent my keep on records. The main thing which I will always remember is pushing open the door into the main room and the heat, the Atmosphere of hundreds of people dancing and the sound of I'll be there by the gems blasting out of the speakers filled me with goose bumps and made every hair on my neck stand on end. It does'nt matter whether you went in 73 or 79 the main thing is you went and like me you all will have memory's of what a fantastic place it was I made loads of great friends, heard great music but like most people around 77/78 I got married need I say more - house, mortgage, Kids my wigan days where over. lost touch with everyone - Been back on the scene a few years now if you remember me or any of the gang from Farnwoth please reply.

Bernie Pearson

[harpo1]

===

yip youre right

still love peter hamilton - hey girl one of richards other big instrumentals.....

C/U AS DONI BURDICK "CLOUDS"

As for "nightime shadows" Sam used to play it...almost identical to Philly Devotions "Just can't say goodbye" inst..i always thought !!

[harpo1]

One of my special memories was listening to Sam's final spot, after the petition, it still rankles me to this day, as the worst injustice i've seen (Geoff Christine 'n' Atlas seemed to be quite involved...all dear mates may i add, but i think they were wrong).

Martin (Sam) just opened the box and let the records say it all....the best spot i've heard to this day, sat, when not dancing with Harg'y and it just blew us away.

Yet 27 years on Sam remains right at the forefront of the scene still breaking new tunes..........a gentleman and a scholar.

Harpo

[harpo1]

This thread really got me motivated to play a few tunes earlier from those halcyon days

Truth..."Coming Home"

The Dells..."Your Song"

Marva Hicks..."Looking over my Shoulder"

Randy Brown..."I'm always in the mood"

Tommy Tate..."You taught me how to love"

Charles Mann..."Shonuff no funny stuff love"

Dustin Wilson..."Sympathy"

Daybreak..."I need love"

Peabo Bryson..."Why don't you make up your mind"

Bobby King..."If you don't want my love"

Bobby Thurston..."Just ask me"

Elusion..."Living on the verge of leaving"

Champaign..."If one more morning"

Leon Bryant..."Mighty body"

Mike Jemison..."You'll never get my love"

JT Brown..."Like taking candy from a baby"

Al Johnson..."I'ts not too late"

Charles Johnson..."Never had a love so good"

Wilson Pickett..."How will i ever know"

I was really going for it with the likes of Curtis,The Softones,Billy Nicholls,Cheryl Berdell and Larry Houston pulled up when my grandson arrived to put an end to the spot.

Was the modern scene ever as good as those early days?, not for me, gotta tell you i shed a few tears playin' those tunes, tears of joy and elation that those records still give me all these years later.

OH! HAPPY DAYS.

[Mark Oliver]

This thread really got me motivated to play a few tunes earlier from those halcyon days

Truth..."Coming Home"

The Dells..."Your Song"

Marva Hicks..."Looking over my Shoulder"

Randy Brown..."I'm always in the mood"

Tommy Tate..."You taught me how to love"

Charles Mann..."Shonuff no funny stuff love"

Dustin Wilson..."Sympathy"

Daybreak..."I need love"

Peabo Bryson..."Why don't you make up your mind"

Bobby King..."If you don't want my love"

Bobby Thurston..."Just ask me"

Elusion..."Living on the verge of leaving"

Champaign..."If one more morning"

Leon Bryant..."Mighty body"

Mike Jemison..."You'll never get my love"

JT Brown..."Like taking candy from a baby"

Al Johnson..."I'ts not too late"

Charles Johnson..."Never had a love so good"

Wilson Pickett..."How will i ever know"

I was really going for it with the likes of Curtis,The Softones,Billy Nicholls,Cheryl Berdell and Larry Houston pulled up when my grandson arrived to put an end to the spot.

Was the modern scene ever as good as those early days?, not for me, gotta tell you i shed a few tears playin' those tunes, tears of joy and elation that those records still give me all these years later.

OH! HAPPY DAYS.

Harpo 100% with you.

Love to play similar things in the record room at home and always thoroughly enjoy the session.

Should we at some point organise a night of shared joy, double up on the decks, invite a 100 few other guests (like everyone who has joined this thread) and have a night to remember.

One request I also don't do the dancing in a precinct thing. I hear that if you have been to one of the recent Casino nights in Wigan that when ever you walk past a Next now in any town you feel the urge to start dancing!

Mark

[Guest sandi]

Harpo 100% with you.

Love to play similar things in the record room at home and always thoroughly enjoy the session.

Should we at some point organise a night of shared joy, double up on the decks, invite a 100 few other guests (like everyone who has joined this thread) and have a night to remember.

One request I also don't do the dancing in a precinct thing. I hear that if you have been to one of the recent Casino nights in Wigan that when ever you walk past a Next now in any town you feel the urge to start dancing!

Mark

Hey Mark being Harpo's better half, we both have the same taste in good soulful music,and anytime you want to join us in our soulful moment's marathons you are more that welcome.

Anyway I heard it was TK Maxx

Sandi

[Rhino]

This thread really got me motivated to play a few tunes earlier from those halcyon days

Truth..."Coming Home"

The Dells..."Your Song"

Marva Hicks..."Looking over my Shoulder"

Randy Brown..."I'm always in the mood"

Tommy Tate..."You taught me how to love"

Charles Mann..."Shonuff no funny stuff love"

Dustin Wilson..."Sympathy"

Daybreak..."I need love"

Peabo Bryson..."Why don't you make up your mind"

Bobby King..."If you don't want my love"

Bobby Thurston..."Just ask me"

Elusion..."Living on the verge of leaving"

Champaign..."If one more morning"

Leon Bryant..."Mighty body"

Mike Jemison..."You'll never get my love"

JT Brown..."Like taking candy from a baby"

Al Johnson..."I'ts not too late"

Charles Johnson..."Never had a love so good"

Wilson Pickett..."How will i ever know"

I was really going for it with the likes of Curtis,The Softones,Billy Nicholls,Cheryl Berdell and Larry Houston pulled up when my grandson arrived to put an end to the spot.

Was the modern scene ever as good as those early days?, not for me, gotta tell you i shed a few tears playin' those tunes, tears of joy and elation that those records still give me all these years later.

OH! HAPPY DAYS.

this was definately the golden era of modern soul made me pull out a few of my tunes out. kennie burke let somebody love you,phyliss hyman you know how to love me and bobby king if you dont want my love just gave me a goosebumps,wonderful music for a sunday morning

[nubes]

This thread really got me motivated to play a few tunes earlier from those halcyon days

Truth..."Coming Home"

The Dells..."Your Song"

Marva Hicks..."Looking over my Shoulder"

Randy Brown..."I'm always in the mood"

Tommy Tate..."You taught me how to love"

Charles Mann..."Shonuff no funny stuff love"

Dustin Wilson..."Sympathy"

Daybreak..."I need love"

Peabo Bryson..."Why don't you make up your mind"

Bobby King..."If you don't want my love"

Bobby Thurston..."Just ask me"

Elusion..."Living on the verge of leaving"

Champaign..."If one more morning"

Leon Bryant..."Mighty body"

Mike Jemison..."You'll never get my love"

JT Brown..."Like taking candy from a baby"

Al Johnson..."I'ts not too late"

Charles Johnson..."Never had a love so good"

Wilson Pickett..."How will i ever know"

I was really going for it with the likes of Curtis,The Softones,Billy Nicholls,Cheryl Berdell and Larry Houston pulled up when my grandson arrived to put an end to the spot.

Was the modern scene ever as good as those early days?, not for me, gotta tell you i shed a few tears playin' those tunes, tears of joy and elation that those records still give me all these years later.

OH! HAPPY DAYS.

Deffo Harpo...that is some fine early modern choonage....Cheryl Berdell..does that ever get played out anymore??...awesome tune...Delxxx

[Zed1]

Careful now Guys.....

We don't want to ruin everyones preconcieived stereotypes by talking about "Wigan" and "Modern" in the same sentence........

[jocko]

Hi Jock

I hope all is well!

Who was the guest dee-jay at Wigan around 1980 from Scotland.

I know he brought a coach load down with him and I believe that possibly you were on it.

Mark

Hi Mark, really good to hear from you, I am very well indeed mate, although I am living a lot quieter, like most I suppose, Was looking for the comments you had made on Shotts and stumbled on this. Will PM you my email and we can catch up properly.

79-81 was my era too, thanks for forgetting me Mr Rigby, Colin and I were among that merry bunch of Saturday travellers, and travel we did, persil tickets in hand, niavity in head, great times, like infants taking a new world in for the first time. Fantastic music and an attititude among the people that I think drove the attitude of the scene throughout out the 80's, great great times, and in case anyone is not getting the message fantastic music. Certainly taught me the lesson that is never so prevalent today, quality not quantity matters.

It was Jolly as someone has said later, who dj'd, one of main people behind the Clouds all-nighter that as someone else has said Richard named a c/u after, did really well djing their and did Stafford later too, top bloke.

Its quite amazing to think back that so many Scots still travelled on Saturdays despite the oldies being favoured (even then) there were more than a few times we went down on a coach load of these scary stary people, who turned out to be some of the finest people I met.

And as also said Dale and Stevie Smith, 2 of the regular Saturday crowd no longer with us, I learnt a lot about life and music from those 2, not all of it good!

[jocko]

Gosh i remember those days well, i went to wigan from 1978 - 1981, i too loved the main room altho i did pop in Mr Ms now and again but found the dancefloor too small for me.

I too remember Wagsy from Brum also Mandy and sharon from Redditch, Dave from tipton, Mandy from Wigan, Janice from Leigh, all the crew from Edinburgh and my hometown mob from Lancaster(dawn, Alison,Sarah, Marie, mark, Shauwn, Neil) I wonder what there all doing now?? we were only kids back in 1978, but what an era it was, nothing compares to The Northern Scene we were all one big happy family there wasnt any violence etc like there is today, i would do anything to go back to those days.

Sheila from Lancaster

Bloody hell, is this Shiela of the Blonde hair, lots of ear-rings and who took up large chunks of the dancefloor when dancing??

Its Jock O'Connor from Edinburgh, I was very friendly with all the Morecombe crowd you mention above, and we all hung around together then, hope you are well.

I just got an email from Pam co-incidentally, which I must answer this week, what a small world this internet makes it!!