The champagne amphetamine's been flowing throughout 2023 in celebration of the legendary Wigan Casino Club, which launched its very first "Northern Soul all-nighter" fifty years ago - at 2am on Sunday 23rd September 1973, to be precise.
Auntie Beeb's certainly been heavily featuring this remarkable genre - the meld of obscure non-chart uptempo American black music and an underground scene that saw punters travel across huge swathes of the North of England in the middle of the night (after conventional pubs and clubs had closed) to dance their tits off until dawn! Indeed, it is a recent BBC article that has prompted me to locate and play for you the tracks on their "Wigan Casino classics" list...:
- NB Mr Wilson's record became the most sought-after, and the most expensive 7" single ever - see here for more.
And "three before eight" - three closing songs played before 08:00:
"And what do we say, Malcolm?"
"We say 'Keep the Faith', Paul!" **
Notes:
I knew nothing about Northern Soul until moving here. A good friend grew up in Chesterfield and has been a huge fan all his life. He'll love this.
ReplyDeleteIt was a remarkable (and very British) thing, and - together with the more mainstream success of Motown over here, thanks largely to the likes of Dusty Springfield and her ilk - gave many a black soul singer a boost to their career. So much so that the likes of P. P. Arnold, Geno Washington and Edwin Starr all became UK citizens. Jx
DeleteThank you for sharing this, the Northern Soul Prom was just about the best thing broadcast in years
ReplyDeleteWe finally got around to listening to it on BBC Sounds - it was phenominal! Jx
DeleteIt looks like a good time, I would wish I could have been there, but I know I wouldn't have been able to understand anything any of them said. I watch any television set up North with subtitles on.
ReplyDeleteIt depends what bit of "up North", really. I can mostly deal with Lancashire and Yorkshire accents, and even Scouse (Liverpool) if it's not too "heavy". Start heading into Geordie (Newcastle/Tyneside) territory, however, and it all starts to sound a bit Scandinavian (which, of course it is, thanks to the Vikings!). Best not to even get started on Glasgow Scots or Londonderry Northern Irish, either... Jx
DeleteTalcum indeed. One club in New York did indeed drop talcum down once from the rafters, could have killed them as I had it all in my coiffure...but most of the other clubs of the late 90's....wasn't talcum I'm here to say.
ReplyDeleteSparkle-dust? Jx
DeleteTo adapt an old joke: if I could dance like that, I wouldn't need the talcum powder.
ReplyDeleteI'll fetch me coat.
Atch-ooo!! Jx
DeleteI don't know why, but some Northern Soul irritates me - Do I Love You being in that category! And I don't like the clothes. Or the dance moves.
ReplyDeleteI will shuffle off and shut up!
Sx
Are you more of a "rock chick", Ms Scarlet? Jx
DeleteI think I might be!
DeleteSx
I'll see what I can do... 😈😈😈 Jx
DeleteI wasn't aware of 'Northern Soul' at the time but love the music now
ReplyDeleteI miss hearing Paul O'Grady on the wireless on a Sunday.
but what can we do ?
" we Keep the Faith Paul"
I miss Paul O'Grady, full stop. It is amazing how many songs owe their familiarity today to the enthusiasm and dedication of a few avid clubbers in grim Northern cities half a century ago... Jx
DeleteI think I should probably follow Scarlet...
ReplyDeleteDon't tell me you're a secret heavy rock fan, too, Dinah? Jx
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