MY SOUL STORY

In late 1973 at the tender age of just turned 16 I became a regular at a pub in Halifax called the Vic Lounge. It wasn't the classiest of pubs, wooden floorboards covered in sawdust etc; but it had what must have one of the best jukeboxes in the country at the time with records being provided by the other regulars, the likes of the Bok To Bach - Father's Angels through to the Wingate Strings' - Let's Have A Love In.

In late '73 a trip was arranged  to the Queen's Hall in Leeds, my first all-nighter, with live artists the likes of J. J. Barnes, Mel & Tim and many more.  A   guy from Glasgow who came south to find exile in Halifax, Tom Carr, soon became my Northern Soul guru - thanks Tom - and it was whilst at the Queen's Hall that I noticed many people with badges on their holdalls like 'The Twisted Wheel', 'The Torch' and the new 'Wigan Casino'.

I showed so much interest in them that Tom asked me  if I wanted to go to the Casino. Two weeks later I found myself at junction 24 on the M62 with Tom and my thumb stuck out trying to get a lift to Wigan.  Being an exile from north of the border Tom had the gift of the gab and talked a guy out walking his dog to take us, for a nominal fee, to Birch Services, a top meeting place for Wiganites.  From there we got a lift from a couple of lads from Brighouse that were Casino bound.
I will never forget sitting in the car in the bottom car park looking up at the famous Casino Club neon lighting sign and Tom saying to me, "if you like  it here you will be back next week".  He was right, I was back the next week and that was   the start of four years of Saturday night pleasure  at Wigan with various outings out to all-dayers like the Cat's Whiskers and Circulation Club at Burnley, Blackpool Mecca, Meanwood in Leeds and other all-nighters  the likes of Friday's at Samantha's in Sheffield and of course the odd Saturday night excursion to Cleethorpes.

Unfortunately, I was not the most law-abiding citizen in the country and my visits, along with my extensive collection of vinyl which I am now replacing with as many CDs as possible, had to come to an end in late '77.  However, I have recently rediscovered that the scene, thankfully, is still alive and kicking and that Ginger Taylor is spinning some mind-jerking sounds at the Metro Club in Halifax, "What A Good Do!", at the tender age of 40 life has begun once more.   Soon to come on December 5th is a good night at The Ritz in Brighouse which will feature DJs Tony Banks, Soul Sam and others.  The bad thing about The Ritz is that they stage a "Motown come Northern Soul" night on the last Friday every month which is the same night as Ginger's monthly night at The Metro Club,  come on guys get it sorted.

Finally, its good to see all the sites on the Web dedicated to Northern Soul and thanks to Pete Smith, Mick Fitzpatrick etc. for these sites to keep us all grooving into our twilight years. 

As N F Porter says Keep On Keepin' On.

Colin Wood,
formerly Halifax now Huddersfield.

P.S.
If Tom Carr sees this or anybody knows of his whereabouts, in the Scunthorpe area I think, then please mail me.