The true memories many people have in there mind must be great.
Surely beats the hell out the crap publishers have in there's that is
true. The time it happened was a time that will remain in the members
memory all there lives it was a complete once only thing. I went 100's
of times every week of the year. But each time you waited in Station to
go in felt like the first a place that filled with energy and
excitement. Cannot be imagined you had to be there to feel the casino
tingle on the back of your neck. It was not the icon of northern soul it
is today. It was unknown there had already been the Twisted wheel, and
the Torch allnighters before the casino opened. The Torch closed just
before the casino opened many believed if the Torch had stayed open it
would of taken a lot of the casino's success. But I have always doubted
that as the casino's size meant it was able to hold far more than the
Torch and the Twisted wheel combined could. I have always thought if
Wigan casino had never happened the UK northern soul scene would of
remained underground. With no great media hype and white bands on Top of
the pops thinking there the next big stars on the scene. How far those
idiots had been misinformed I have no idea but on TV at the time the
nation thought they where big northern soul stars.
Over the years I have listened to countless tales about Wigan casino.
How at a certain time this happened or something took the crowd by
surprise. I went to hundreds of allnighters at Wigan casino even thou it
was impossible to be in all places at once. The place was very immense.
For anybody who never went there was a main room which by today's
standards was big it was a old building. The reason why it could not be
recreated today a balcony ran all the way round 3 sides just the stage
area left out. It was obviously a viewing area at some point it had
ornamental plasterwork on the face which acted as the barrier. That
feature alone in today's labour market would cost a great deal of money.
Providing you could find a tradesman capable of doing it which from the
time I spend on building sites would be difficult to start. With
adequate money spent on the Empress ballroom it surely made more sense
to preserve the building as a building with historical value. Today it
would of been a listed building by English heritage without any doubt in
my mind. But then how did Wigan get rid of over over a 1000 drug
crazed yobs I heard a local say at the rugby after I slept through
most of the game. Are you 1 of the yobs that go to the casino your all
drug addicts there I know that much. Ignorance a idiot is more a
creature to pity than get angry with. Addiction means your body needs it
to function without it the body would'nt be in any state to continue.
Amphetamine abuse is breaking UK law but as most used it once a week was
certainly not classed as either a habit or an addiction. I've always
admired the northern wit for inaccurate allegations. I often heard the
casino mentioned by people who had never even been there. But I cant
ever recall truth being required in the description.
It as never ceased to amaze me to hear some people talk you
would think without them it would'nt of had success at all. The
Wigan casino soul club and the allnighter owed it's success to no
individual member at all. The foresight of Russ Winstanley was a
every shrewd move when he saw there was still great interest. But
when the Torch was closed no venue was left open for the demand.
Russ still loves northern soul music as much today. He is a very
northern soul orientated DJ whatever you've heard about he sold out
at Wigan casino is wrong take it from me. He loved the casino with
the kind of passion you cant fake. I have spoken in great detail
about the end of the Wigan casino era with him. He was clearly still
very upset by it all yet so your lead to believe. He sold out the
casino for a quick money maker. It is generally apparent when
somebody is telling lies later to cover there tracks. I spoke to
Russ just after losing my dad suddenly with a major heart attack.
He was offering me some sort of help to come to terms with my loss.
However he explained he knew what I was going through as he'd had a
very similar trauma. When the casino had been closed a feeling of
there was nothing he could do to prevent it. I have heard people all
to readily condemn the casino staff for the allnighter closing but
are a lot to young to of been there. So it's the same thing as Ian
Levine had to put up with in the mid 1970's in my honest opinion a
load of sheep. Who where lead by 1 voice when he said jump they
waited for how high. Look at there history before passing on
vengeance of somebody who as far less of the pedigree both Russ and
Ian have. It was totally not needed in the 70's. People turning up
at the casino with stupid motifs to inform others of just how bad
Ian Levine was. Now we have to put up with this rare rubbish most of
which came from dissuaded 70's records to hear it. It's not a good
wine if they where crap in the 1970's. They are still the same
now you can put a stupid price tag on them it wont make them sound
better. They are only worth what a buyer is willing to pay I have
yet to hear 1 I like.