Drewtg

Why ruin two good tunes?

Yeah. I think Otis said he would never sing a song that a coal miner couldn't understand. I believe he got a bit lost when the cross-over came (according to Eric Burden) but he worked through it and was on the up when tradgedy struck. I think he was so unique that any direction he went in would still be "Otis music". He was in a field of one. Such a shame.

Gotta feel sorry for Russ (Tee hee). He could have been a legend, instead all people will remember him for is Joe 90 and Tony Blackburn. You reap what you sow

Not really a collector anymore but I sold "Because of you" on ebay a couple of years ago and got £75! I was amazed as it was always a 50p sound that seemed to be stuck in the back of everyones box to maybe buy a pack of fags if it sold. Surely not rare. Sounds like a good time to be buying, ready for the rush when all the hype starts over the film!

John (who was a "mobile DJ") started a club called the Exit 21 at Milnrow Con. club. Originally with Martyn Ellis, round about 75. Love to get in touch with Pete Thorpe who I met for the first time there. John on right, Colin middle.

When king Canute ordered the tide to go out, he was doing it to show his advisors that he could't get his own way just because he was the king. Similarly, it is quite amusing to think that we, as Northern Soul fans, can dictate the way the future of our musical 'scene' develops. Let's face it there is a finite number of records out there and (barring a vinyl resurgence) are not likely to be any more. Any definition of 'Northern Soul' must surely include the word "dance", and it would be silly to pretend otherwise. For the same reason, any venue playing some of the records posted here would struggle to claim itself a 'Northern Soul' venue. The music of black America is what attracted me and my sisters before me to the Northern scene, not labels or overrated D.J.'s. As a thirteen year-old or a fifty-five year-old I would not stay at a venue wich played some of this nonsense posted above. I went to a so-called Northern night a few months ago and was extremely disappointed at the playlist. Excellent music, absolutely no doubt about it, but it didn't have anything extra. No charisma, no energy, no get outta' that chair and dance man! If these sort of clubs flourish then Northern Soul will have been hijacked by a dreary bunch indeed. One can almost evisage people sitting around in Breton sweaters, smoking pipes and snapping their fingers to the groove man! There won't be any vitality there. I like to think that in thirty years time when all us oldies are dead, some kid is going to find some mp3's on an old memory stick and call his mates and say get a load of this mate! They will eventually get together and hire a community lliason centre somewhere and, armed with some old footage, try and put their emotions into dance. Thus Northern Soul will be re-born! On the other hand, some people may just vote with their feet and only frequent venues where the music (oldie or newie ) makes them wanna dance.

In defence of Russ (Arrrggghhhh) he didn't try to pass this stuff as originals, they were 'pressings' plain and simple. Also I don't think Salvadors was pressed as early as 76, probably later. Senile moment. Could be wrong about Salvadors. I'll get me coat!

Yes Richard did do a spot or maybe two and no it did not get turned into a roller disco, I think that was somewhere else, Kingsway or somewhere. If the original poster wants a playlist I could probably cobble one together (mine not Richards ).

I think the "Rowntree Sound" was upstairs from the pub Rowntree Spring Gardens. Always sticks in my mind as it is were me and my mate went whilst waiting for the train on our first visit to Wigan.

Yeah I agree. I went to a big re-union at the town hall in the early 90's. It was a benefit for Ben ------? or maybe Chris Shine. I was living in London at the time and made the trip specially.

I set up a Facebook page for Chambers but didn't get many takers. There was also Rochdale Tiffanies on Sunday nights with me and Dave Evison jocking.

On the whole we were tough, working-class kids. No worries about being "bashed"

This is so much fun! The longer this thread goes on we will have the whole top 500 on it. My top ten dislikes is a lot smaller than my top ten loves.

Wigan was appaling. The management treated everyone like cash cows. The DJ's played some insulting music for a so-called Soul Club. The place was a dump and Marshall et al never spent a red cent on anything. The vast majority of teenagers were off their box on amphetamines and in later years anything else that was to hand. If you didn't keep an eye on stuff it WOULD get nicked. All this is true. I was a Soul fan before it was called Northern, and I still am. I have travelled the UK and a lot of the world. Unfortunately, nowhere comes close as far as raw atmosphere is concerned. It was of it's time and place and it has gone, like an old dangerous mistress, fondly remembered but you wouldn't want to spend your life with her. Would you?

Hi there, could you guys help spread the word about this, we only have a week left, Cheers. https://www.justgiving.com/local/project/wigancasino

Sorry to disappoint you Boot, but I designed the badge. They made it almost exactly to my drawing which was a surprise as I also did the 2nd anniversary badge which they butchered to save costs. I cant remember what I won, maybe £25, but my favourite was the 2nd anniversary when I won £10 plus a backstage pass to meet Tommy Hunt in his dressing room.