The real UK northern soul scene
  

    contact the websitehyperlink1  Susie Jones online hyperlink2  the Twisted wheelhyperlink3  the Golden Torch hyperlink4  Wigan casinohyperlink6  Gethro's pagehyperlink7
      the gearhyperlink8 real allnighters storieshyperlink9  

  I first became interested in northern soul over 30 years ago, the UK was a very different country to the UK today. The website was created mainly as a true reflection of Wigan casino allnighter for it's members. Not to glorify the drug use at the allnighter but to dismiss it happened is ridiculous. Over time I have been accused of making it up telling lies so my website as more visitors. Every conceivable thing to throw doubt on this website with 1 thing in common most of the replies where anonymous. I offered to have a open public debate that would allow both sides to put there evidence.  But so far the offer as always been declined but remains open. With the release of yet another film promising the casino the way it was. Let's not build our hope's up to much until Gethro's book is complete for the real story to get published. The film soulboy wont touch the way the allnighter was I'm sure.   

  visitors replies
                                    
   You reached the footer of the default page so maybe it's got you interested. Or where you taking a trip back down memory lane. As you attended Wigan casino and just had to look back in time. Either makes no difference really just nice you found it interesting enough to get this far. There is still a active northern soul scene in the UK. Not everything is anywhere near the kind of description I describe on this website. The time allnighters took place at Wigan casino the UK was nothing like the place it is now. For a start hitching up the M6 motorway was perfectly safe plenty of teenagers boy's + girl's did it. Without any kind of problem's I never heard of any at the time anyway. I would'nt advise any 15 year old girl or boy to do the things I did it would be far to dangerous. Even at 50 I would'nt either to tell you the truth. Please feel free to browse the site it's totally free you did'nt have to have gone to Wigan casino to use the site.

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   In life there are very few people that are 100% genuine. I never once heard Max have a bad word to say about anybody. Max always seemed to be more concerned about the records played in his set than himself. He could often be found playing new records to people he recognized from events. Asking for there opinion of the record he was the sort of man who cared for others first. It was a very sad day when we lost him not only for soul fans in Wolverhampton. But for the northern soul scene in the entire UK. Unfortunately we have reached a time in my life. That people I grew up knowing with a lot respect for there knowledge and history. 
          A couple of reminder's of Max's past
  catacomb's flyer                                                       Max at the Catacombs





                                                      the Catacomb's doorway
Wigan casino                                                                                                           mr M's                                                                           
   the Wolverhampton coach     Station road Wigan    Station road Wigan

  This website was created for the large number of people who attended Wigan casino allnighter. Which ran northern soul allnighters from 1973 until 1981 so the members have a true account of the allnighter. This will help them look back and have a reminder of the happy times spent there. Which up to now as been nothing like reality in any of the media published. Some of which like Russ Winstanley's book gave an excellent account of the creation of the club but being a dj at Wigan casino. It did not portray the allnighter from a members point of view the long journey many had before they arrived at the casino club. Danced the night away listening to the exclusive sounds played there in a friendly atmosphere. When it was over had the same long journey to get home again tired out but returning next week was never in question. The members where fanatical the question of the next was'nt if or maybe I will be there. But I don't know how yet, but I will see you next week for certain. The casino club had a crowd of people some travelled the journeys of over a 100 miles to get there many others much farther. But 52 weeks of the year a crowd of over a thousand people attended the all night sessions at Wigan casino. 

 
Wigan casino allnighter memories that will stay in  members memories
                                            Wigan casino                                                                                             Wigan casino

casino memory

    The memories the images above will bring back to the members there are a thing you cant imagine. The only possible way you will understand is if you went and experienced the emotions it gave being there. I don't care what people say the time and place can't be imagined it had to be lived. You come across people all the time enough retro badges to sink a ship. The only person you are fooling is yourself Wigan casino had to be experienced it could'nt be be imagined. The time it happened, the casino itself, and the crowd there. Are beyond anybodies imagination take it from me it was something at the time that had many other attributes. All of which need to be there to understand how the place was such a amazing and special thing to be involved in.  

   The real feeling that Wigan casino gave you cannot be imagined it's a mutually exclusive thing. It was a lot of other things that needed to be there to make it feel the way it did. You often get events that promise come and experience the way it felt at the famous Wigan casino allnighter. I have yet to go to anything yet that as got anything like the feeling standing in Station road the excited atmosphere waiting for the allnighter to start. Every week it felt like you had never been before and had to get in first to experience it. I had been to hundred's of allnighters at Wigan casino it never lost the first time feeling of excitement for me. The same faces who after years of going there you mostly knew. But in the 1970's no mobile phones or Email to keep in contact with so the only real contact was at the allnighter. Probably why the allnighter's never seemed to last long enough you always left with something you had meant to tell somebody. But had'nt told them even when you spoke to them for by casino standards was a long time. There was always plenty of other things you had to do that seemed much more important at the time. To recreate a Wigan casino feeling the way it felt now I'm afraid is dream as it would be an impossibility to do.      

   Wigan casino      coach home      end of Wigan casino      early days dance floor      this England tv

   I hope the default page of my website as given you some happy memories of Wigan casino soul club. It was a very special place the only people who will get real pleasure from looking back to the time are those who where a part of it. If you where 1 of the people that helped give the casino the most successful allnighter in northern soul history title. I hope this website brings a smile to your face looking back and remembering the good times we had. Not every memory of Wigan casino is a happy one I have my own list of bad memories. Like the allnighter I heard 1 of my best friends at the casino Dave Fisher had been left in a field to die. But this site can be a place where you can remember the casualties of the way of life we all choose to live. Every time you do anything in life there are things you wish had'nt happened. But sadly they did I wish the Sunday morning I left Dave thinking I would see him in Station road the following Saturday. The same as the numerous other Saturdays could be altered but it cant.  A 17 year old life needlessly lost because a couple of idiots where to scared to drop him at a hospital.

   Wigan casimo memories             the main room            
      A lot of the images contained on this page will have little or no value to the casual visitor. But for the many who went there each photo will have a memory attached. For some unknown reason as soon as I see the casino from Station road I immediately think of the newsagents even thou it was a way off. It just seemed every person there went to buy milk the morning after. The photo's look to have been taken on the Sunday morning in the early years there where still quite a few in the Beachcomber which is roughly at the door hidden by the coach. Until Angie from Dudley put her foot through the wooden floor. Soon after that mrM's was kept open from 8am until 10am I remember Angie did have quite a bit of swelling on her ankle but claiming damages against the club was'nt even mentioned encase they closed it as unsafe. Angie and her sister Sharon would sooner be there and dancing than get it closed down



   
 Farewell to a Wolverhampton legend Blue Max