northern soul memories

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   I never attended the final allnighter not by choice I assure you. But I was otherwise engaged at the time. I only knew about it. When Del a friend from Crewe made the journey to visit me in my Somerset home. It was shortly after fire had destroyed the building and it was being demolished. It was a bit of a surprise at the time, to be told it had closed down. But to learn it had gone for good. Was a blow I was'nt expecting. It would of been nice to say good bye to a place. I had spent so much of my teenage life in, what was worse the friends I only saw at the allnighter. I never had contact details, mobile phones, Email, and the internet had yet to be invented.
   That came too late for it to be useful at Wigan casino. A pity when you think about it. The night's you thought "Ginger Roger's" had a new partner. If you watched it again, no atmosphere, crowd, or the casino buzz. It might look very different, who as actually ever seen themselves dancing. Been able to analyze it closely. I would improve if I did this or that instead nobody at Wigan casino. The technology was'nt available like today. But every person at some time practiced. I admit I did in the early days it was once a week. Later it was popular so you had no need to. In the mid 1970's it seemed every youth club in the UK was playing northern soul. Great time for the scene, but not without it's down side. Which there always as to be for some reason. The thing then was it attracted knob heads to clubs. No passion for the music the after effects where a decline. The good went to bad as quick.

   When I take a minute to reflect on the 30+ years of allnighters I've attended. The + and - of the scene have been there to see. From the uncertain time that began the northern soul explosion to the no1 icon of fashion. Which then lead to the UK scene very nearly being destroyed. Yet the allnighter scene in 2011 is well established. A few more full of bulls*** nothing fuel's exaggeration more. Than the energy filled atmosphere of allnighter's never hostile always in good spirit. For a great feeling of belonging. There is nothing to beat northern soul people. Now complete with a public forum for I can tell the biggest load of crap you've heard. As there is always 1 twat on FaceBook who'll say they where there as well. I have never gone to a place like it before, been in court and thought still hope. If they are going to believe that rubbish. I have yet to phantom out the logic of the UK's legal system. If a man of 63 obtained £3000 by deception and got 11 years, ok he had been up once or twice before. A university graduate was that pissed he was unable to stand up. Ran into a bus shelter full of rush hour people on there journey from work. Killed 3 instantly left 2 paralysed from the neck down. Completely buggered the bus shelter, but his sentence for such a big crime was 18 months. Got all the privileged prison positions and lax security as by right he should not of been in prison. Having to mix with low life and criminals was harsh for him. Having the git whinge every day was no joke for the rest either. The prison officers could'nt work out why nobody seemed to help him. But that's enough of my thought's for now, it will always be us and them.
   A lot of the stories you hear at allnighters these days not to put to finer point to it. Is complete b****cks. Right to the point people have told me that's not true "ok knob end where you there". No but my cousin's friend was and he said. Only believe things you saw yourself. Not what your uncle's mate at work friends next door nieghbour said. What I write from 1974 on was seen with my eyes. But I was with the dance until you die section. Not every member of Wigan casino could deal with the great demands placed on the body. Where extreme to say the least at times people so engrossed in the atmosphere and heat in the casino. Never stopped to take liquid to replace the vast amount lost through the sweat lost in the furnace heat of the dance floor. This often lead to cases of severe dehydration, which dancers put down to more common reasons to dancers. All that was required was a drink to replenish fluid lost through sweat.
   People lost in the energy charged atmosphere. Would'nt take time out to go and get a drink, I've been busting for a peddle,. But when Martyn Ellis or Dave Evison where on. Wild horses would'nt of dragged me from my place at the front left of the dance floor. The male toilet was right by or a toilet just through the access door to the stage most dancers had no idea was there. It was intended for live acts appearing on stage but a lot of regulars used it as well. On nights nobody was on live, the casino dj's where very friendly to dancers. The entire place was friendly no big ego's or expectations. Why had that attribute it was'nt a required thing for Wigan casino's environment. The casino did'nt need any kind of entry level. I've heard how the main


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remember the casino site introduction real allnighters stories the new untouchables
a website full of memories and reminders. Of UK northern soul allnighters
   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



                                                     the Catacomb's doorway








   There is still a very vibrant northern soul scene today (20/1/2012). But it in no way still as the expectation or feeling it once had. It feels like people just cant be bothered the sameway. Now we have a new attraction called rare soul. It's rare because most of it is crap, not having a constant tempo means it is lacking. The great records that came from the wheel, Torch, and casino bought excitement to a tired dance floor. There are literally 100's of records that are left ignored. But they are not well known by the crowd so the dance floor evaporates to a few on it. So it does'nt get played again which is a real shame. If dj's plugged the great records like they did at the casino. A record would get requested by people as it was a record they heard played somewhere else. I still love going to an event and seeing Dave Evison on the dj list and Russ Winstanley or Ian Levine. Recently Keb Darge as been the dj to play the sort of records nobody else will. Even with his like it or leave attitude he as had a packed dance floor. But the records where the class sounds played at Wigan casino when it began. So it obviously still as the value of wanting to be heard. Keb, Dave, Russ, and Ian know it and there sets. All contain records that are monster sounds from a long time ago.





Wigan casino allnighter just the memories

a sad farewell to a great asset of Wolverhampton. A Catacomb's and northern soul legend.
(blue)Max Millward

    Even being set in such basic surroundings without a sound system. That cost a 6 figure sum proved not to stop Wigan casino's rise to the top. The club was built on human emotion there was no need for the expensive lighting and sound systems. These where the attraction needed for clubs that people went to but had no real involvement in anything that happened there. The casino's main attraction was it's energy charged atmosphere. As the speakers filled the massive arena with the best sounds of n

   It has become a user friendly home appliance. As available as a mobile phone and no longer cryptic dos command prompt to use it. It as come a very long way in a short time. It gives a whole new education facility to people in remote locations. This concept was very prominent in northern soul clubs in the 1970's boom. It was totally without any restrictive boundaries, who, where, or what you where. Made absolutely no difference to the way you got treated, or the respect you got from others. If you where a hod carrier or a barrister, it did'nt mean the barrister got higher ranked. It was a position you had to earn by yourself. It was through knowledge, experience, and attendance you got higher. Nobody came for a weekend and made such a impact they got straight to the top. The Wigan casino dance floor was populated with people from locations, that stretched the entire length of the UK. Being together on the dance floor was the only contact they ever had. But it had been for years, every week dancing close to eachother a bond starts. I noticed faces by there absence a lot of times. Never even knew there names in most instances, just where's that girl from Yorkshire this week. The people knew who she was why do you need a name. Everybody knew the person I meant, more than knew her name anyway. Many of the people I classed as friends. I knew by there home town and the place they danced at the casino.

northern soul. The records where from minor USA record labels produced using 1 take as demonstration copies at times only 3 where ever made. But that meant the records where very rare an original record was very hard to find and very expensive. If you could find 1. The casino's dj's searched little known USA record labels to find the records that got played there. This made the content very exclusive nowhere else had the records the casino played. For fans of the music distance was never considered important they wanted to hear the best. Together with the atmosphere that the casino held. They flocked to Wigan casino from all over the UK, members from Europe, Ireland, anywhere wanted to say I've been to Wigan casino. A lot of other allnighters similar hours and records to the casino sprang up.
   At times I visited most of the other clubs. Don't get this wrong the other clubs at impressive dj's playing the top records. However this is my opinion only, all the other clubs where held in. Much newer buildings that lacked the brilliant feeling Wigan casino had. The main arena had a Maple wood dance floor that was perfect for dancing. Surrounded by a large balcony, even being in need of renovation. It did'nt seem to matter, the atmosphere the casino held was never equalled anywhere. On a Saturday night waiting in Station road for the doors to open. The feeling in the crowd was like nothing I could describe, you had to have been there to know. Why it became known as the Wigan casino tingle, I think it started after the excitement felt. The first time anybody went to the allnighter and looked off the balcony. To see the immense vastness of the main dance floor, packed full of people dancing. The atmosphere, heat, and a feeling of happiness. Remains in my memory like it was last week instead of 30+ years ago. I don't think anything stays as fresh in my mind. As the first time I went to Wigan casino. I doubt anything will ever match that feeling again.

   The pictures on this default.aspx page of the site. Have been gathered from years of browsing the internet but it aid's the illusion of time. Refreshes the memories locked in your mind. It makes them feel 30 days ago, when in reality it was 30+ years ago. But the casino was such a precious feeling to the people who attended it. The Wigan casino tingle is in the subconscious sphere of of your brain forever. There will be forever more things to trigger the part of the brain that stores it. A record on the radio or an image you see automatically your back with the Wigan casino feeling restored. It wont ever get less of an important sensation to feel. When you view it respectively by the UK's population of roughly 66 million. 100,000 people who attended the casino club. The people who did are the lucky one's. There cant be an increase now it's gone for ever. Of coarse the bulls*** brigade can claim the went to people a few might believe it. But the people like me who had to get there, by any means possible. Hitch hiking up the m6 for 8 hours in a freezing blizzard. When you look back does'nt look hard in retrospect. When you where tired, freezing cold and 120 miles from home aged 15. You never doubted why you did it or questioned others if they would be there next week. There was never any reason to ask. The same people where on the services every week, always the same see you next week. Where the m6 met the m5 east midland bound stayed on the m6. West midland Wolverhampton, Worcester, Bristol, all places south west went via the m5. For me this is when it got hard, you said good bye to your friends. The remainder only 17miles often took longer than the last 103 to travel. The real fit of depression that came over you was hard to define. All the way there it was all ahead to enjoy now it was all at end. No text a quick message of how you love her. That was it until next week.

   The real feeling of atmosphere, excitement, and being a part of it. Is something without exception you only experienced being there. You can read an account of climbing mount Everest. But it wont ever recreate the climate or unseen things of actually doing it. This certainly is the case with Wigan casino, in much the same sort of way. Every allnighter held different things for different people, they say no 2 people are the same. That goes beyond clothes or any normal item. The music was the main content that made it exclusively available at the allnighter. I'm well aware not every record played was found at the casino. In the early years there was far more records discovered at the Torch than Wigan casino. I'm not really interested in people who say that came from Cleethorpes, st Ives, or somewhere else. The important part and all respect to the other clubs, I went to almost all of them. But 1 single club alone was not going to get the nations interest. The lot combined did, it was always Wigan casino that got the media's attention. Before "this England" was even made the Sunday Observer had already featured Wigan casino. I think I was 15 or 16 at the time. It was 100x better than the rubbish Granada's documentary ended up as. It actually asked people that lived more than 3 miles away there reason for there being in the allnighter. When the allnighter was buzzing it was the most talked about thing in the UK's media. Then got some hopeless film crews to film it, I don't blame the film crew. They filmed what they where told to. I could'nt understand why they choose the people they did.
   Yes they where regular attendees of the casino. But to say they where the usual sort of person who went. I find that very much misguided they could of left home at 12 and got there for the start. But that was the theme throughout the documentary. The casino was for people of the local area. OK the north west did play an important role for members. But the thing that was far more important was the way people bonded. At the time football violence was at it's worse. Crewe station resembled a battlefield most Saturday nights. Now and again you'd end up with fans returning from a match on the train with you. It was obvious we where not football fans. But as you approached Crewe the atmosphere got tense.

   To visitors of this site who read this far down. Often means you have some interest in the content. Or your reading it on a phone waiting for a bus, lift, or whatever. If you've got no interest in it, why the hell do you spend time reading about it. I would put a load of content. On how to configure the heatsink through the bios. But then no sod would get this far down, without being bored senseless. If people want to know about other things, it's a good idea. To go to a site that deals with it. Which for future reference does'nt happen to be here. Seriously if visitors want a wider scope of content tell me to add it. If you don't ask you don't get, An old saying but very true, another well known saying. Is you get nothing free in life. I can point you to sites where the content is for you. But then it's upto you to read how to do it yourself. It's often a case of trial + error for windows the best place to start. Is always the Microsoft website the fix it tool is a good solution to many simple problems. The internet as a vast list of help websites now, just a case of using the 1 that your happy with.



       Welcome to everybody who visit's my website. No stipulation to enter any age, class, colour, if you went or did'nt who gives a toss. I hope you like northern soul music might be an advantage. As it's a northern soul website, if you don't I'm not bothered if you ain't. Maybe you might if you browse the site, if you don't after you have a look. Well it wont have cost you anything but time this site is ad free and costs nothing to browse. It's primary purpose was for ex members of the Wigan casino soul club. To recreate a realistic memory of the club, which ran from 1973 to 1981. In the Empress ballroom in Wigan Lancashire England a successor to the Torch. Which had just closed it's doors in Hose street, Tunstall, Stoke on Trent. Local Wigan dj Russ Winstanley a life long fan of the music noticed the Empress ballroom was unused. But saw the potential to hold all night dance sessions in the building. Together with Mike Walker the manager at the time. The club held it's first all night event on the 23rd of September 1973. Starting at 2am when most the country had gone to bed and without a large advertising campaign for the event. The first night had 600+ in the building, the club went on to become the most successful northern soul club ever. At the height of it's success it had over 100,000 members.

  Well you reached the footer of default.aspx I hope you enjoyed the memories it brings back to most visitors of this website. If this page as given you some good reminders of northern allnighters. Please browse other pages the entire site was created for people who where a part of it. It's not essential you where actively involved in it to read about it. I still get people who say it's rubbish just lies, sue me you have the right in UK law. I would love the opportunity to defend myself in a courtroom under the eyes of the people. You will have ample time to bring your witness's to state it and my version are complete lies. It would be under oath and give you vindication for the lies. It would also give me the chance to put my witnesses in a public area under oath pathologist's who carried out autopsy's and drug squad officers from the time. Should give very good accounts of it not happening for you. If it's lies "see you in court" You might have to wait as the many who obviously want this will create a que to form

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    Wigan casino was without a doubt made special. As my age and circumstances meant I could attend it regular. Many a few years younger might of   gone in the final year. To me that might of been the same building but it was'nt anything resembling the early years. The energy and excitement went long before the end of the allnighter. The minute "this England" was broadcast and it became public was the end of the good times. The people suddenly nobody made a effort. Why bother searching for the exclusive records heard in the early years. When the majority had no idea what the northern soul scene was. By 1979 I had as much as I could stomach the place was a disgrace to what it had been. I remember looking of the balcony at the dance floor. Thinking what bas**** did this to the best place ever for northern soul music. In reality it was a victim of it's own success the better it got. The more it got interest being underground meant the only way to find out was by going. This happened before "this England" people had a look. Then never came again told there mates it was a sh**hole, or liked it and joined the scene. Either way worked out ok for the casino only the soul people kept coming back.

   Memories are brilliant things to have. If your having a bad period in your life, remembering your care free youth. Can sometimes be the tonic to lift you out of that time. Straight back to feeling happy with yourself again. I have no idea who the girl in photo4 is or if it was taken at Wigan casino. But who ever you are? you cheered me up "thank you". Looking back to the casino days in 2011 makes it seem more special. It would be beyond the realms of reality for it to happen now. I think there will be something that oneday will get the attention the allnighter had in the 70's. But as I write this I have'nt a clue what could get the motivation for it. I still see the adverts just like Wigan casino. In whose opinion someone who never went I think. The casino allnighter was not just a building, and the records that made it a outstanding success. It was a long list of attributes that unless you where a part of it you would'nt have a clue. I can still remember being that cold my hands had lost the feeling in them. Standing at the exit of Knutsford services hitching a lift home still over 100 miles to go. But the week after you had thawed out and where hitching it there again. The cold never seemed as bad on the way there the only concern you had, was getting there on time. If your friends would go or if a record you had sung all week. Would be played in those days, remembering song titles never seemed important at the time. I knew the words to records start to finish. Still do today, I get on a dance floor. I totally immerse myself in my own little world nothing else exists. There might as well be me on my own it's like a trance. It's as close to complete happiness there is. Me and the music I grew up loving nothing better.
   I have never gone with the crowd. I do what I think is right not what is expected to be done. If people don't like it they have the other option keep away from me. I have been on the scene well over 30 years. Never been influenced that long so I ain't starting now. When a majority focussed a hate campaign centred on Ian Levine. In my opinion it was wrong, I still went to his events and Colin Curtis, Tiffanies Long lane Halesowen Thursday night. The 70's had a lot of nobody's who believed they where somebodies. Not to me they got a lot of div's to make them look popular in the crowd. Nobodies are a magnet to other nobodies a big crowd of nobodies are a crowd of people who know nothing. 1 is replaced by many, 1 x 0= 0 1000 x o =0. Pity they could'nt see it. That period of the div's influencing the scene did more harm than good. The last time Ian was a dj at an event I attended. He obviously did'nt seem to bare any grudges. I certainly would of not been concerned after the thank's he got. A good rule is: if your experience knowledge and record collection is greater comment. Otherwise keep your gob shut to join your brain.