Northern soul

Remember those heady days? Add your comments on what it was like....

fred morton
thats me on the left i think i was about 19 years old then,what fantastic times they were at wigan casino,i have`nt seen my old mates for years must try to get in touch again.

Liz Cooke
Trentham Gardens was great - remember the tunnel off the main ballroom and the likes of Phil Morgan, Timmy Dodson,Eddie Murphy (best dancer and SX200 with chrome side panels!!) Bob Morris, Phil Worthington, Sally, Barbara and her sister Sue,all the crowd from longton youth club and incredible sounds that formed my love of northern - what year was it? think it was 69 maybe?

Phil Horton
How many people can remember the small disco at the rear of Trentham Gardens Ballroom on a Saturday night ? many a good time dancing had there

julie
thats my bro sitting on the steps (phil morgan)on picture 4 god he had some great times sadly he is no longer with us but i knowfor a fact he has taken all his memories up there with him god bless philxx

julie coley was hayward
first time i went to wigan was in 1978,i was so excited i couldnt breathe,id been to smaller venues, redditch allnighter,locarno brum alldayer,stroud alldayer,yate allnighter,but wigan was the ultimate goal,walking up the stairs i couldnt believe the amount of people there,the humidty hit you as soon as you walked through the doors,you not only got wet from sweat dancing 90miles an hour but also from the condensation running off the vast ceiling,oh happy days,caught the coach from kidderminster or scammed a lift if i was lucky,we always use to sit in one of the corners by a door ,the kiddy corner,it was a great time in my life ,i was 17 not a care in the world

bob white
i was the drummer on two occasions, at wigan casino, for both martha reeves, and jj barnes, in app; 79 ,and 80. is there anybody out there that could have been at these gigs, and have photo,s or any memories, of the gigs. if you were , i would dearly love to hear from you. as martha came on stage, the whole place lit up with flashing cameras, so it would be so cool, if any body was there and had photos. they would be so so special, to see . would love to hear from any body, with any memories. bob white, e mail ruffdrummer@yahoo.co.uk

Graham rasmussen
Hi,i had a nite in tonight tried to listen to leicester citys match on the net but could not get it. so i decided to see if i could get some motown/northen soul so i got into your show, great tracks.brought back memories of Boston starlight rooms late 60s early 70s ect.we will have to request some tracks next time.

terry mellor
i'm looking for photos of wigan casino in the 70s someone must have some of me

julie allen
went to cats, va vas, wigan, mecca, st ives and all dayers everywhere. northern was my life! worked for rca with richard searling, hung on stage wi martin ellis and dave evison at wigan, even interviewed exciters on my cassette player in their dressing room at wigan. jumpin trains, even hitching in the snow to get to the allnighters...dancin non stop for 8 hours sometimes, talkin non stop, buyin an sellin sounds, havin a laugh bigtime. never wantin it to end...never thought it would...missed wigan like crazy. Clapping and backdroppin in unison..the togetherness, the smell, being completely happy..and the music...yeh..wow...truely blessed to be right the in the heart of it, best time of my life! now livin in australia, email me if u remember me snappergirl2008@hotmail.com.au. i lived in bham and stourport, sometimes caught the coach up to wigan from kidderminster or brum. wheres elaine higginson, jud, jethro, brick an harry, richard parrot oh an so many more????????? Please contact me someone.. Have a dance for me at the wigan 35th....I was there on opening nite an every week that followed..........keepin the faith.right on jules.

Steve Luigi _ Leeds central DJ
Yes Chris Married Lesley and Dave Maltas Chris's best friend married Sue, Lesley's mate. I went to the Mecca and no getting away from it, it was the dogs B's. But i still loved and love the casino, only for the fact that i spent so much time there. Also the Torch before that holds many happy memories for me, such as dancing on the stage with the legendary Edwin Starr, and seeing major Lance live there which was recorded and released on vinyl. I still collect the records, mad innit, that after over 30 years I still love the music that I would still gladly die for. get's in yer blood doesn't it?

Keith Gunton-Blackburn
I first got into Northern Soul at the Blackpool Mecca when Tony Jebb was the dj there in my long distant youth.It is a great shame that very soon this,one of the birthplaces of 'Northern Soul' is to be bulldozed to make way for a new college.Yvonne from Blackpool is right,someone should have rescued it.It has been in a state of dereliction for too many years,but the memories will live on!

Pete Dillon
I think I remember you Steph. Did you live near Huddersfield? Chris married Lesley.

Penny Lamanna
It was the best time ever...me and all my friends used to spend most weekends at the Wheel, and we were definitely at the Place, Hanley, Stoke.Music was amazing, dancing was great and I still have some of the same friends...even though I live in Canada now. I recall Sunday am coffee with Rod Stewart after he played the night before (which usually went until about 3-4am!)

steph singleton
I remember Chris Mallows he married a blond girl in about 1976 - can't remember her name though.

Steph Singleton
I went to the Central Leeds with my mate Steph Copley in 1974, 75 and 76 - it was amazing the best little soul club in the north. I ended up going out with Twink the DJ with Frank. Happy Days!!

Simon Child Dewsbury formaly Leeds
Went to the Casino from early 76 to late 79. The first thing that hit me when I walked trough the doors to the balcony level was firstly, the smell of sweat and Brut, secondly the heat, thirdly the odd music that I grew to love to this day and finaly the apmosphere which can not be put into words. I'll carry all the above to my grave. Here's to Wigan: gone but not forgotten.

pete gibson
The first d.jay to play Northern in the Highland Room was Micky Lee,and the first record that he used to start with was All Turned On by The San Remo Strings.Tony Jebb took over when Micky Lee left,and eventually went to live in Denmark.This is fact not fiction.Regards to all you Soulies from my home in Spain.Pete Gibson.Ex.Mecca and Twisted Wheel

yvonne blackpool
i went to the highland room when it first opened !1968 69..tony jeb billy the kid ..i just loved the sounds !great dancers and brilliant atmosphere!i still dance to the same sounds today! why does nt someone outhere!rescue BLACKPOOL MECCA ...long live northern soul.....