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Here's some Wheel related mail I've been sent that I would like to share with you, If you would like to add to this please feel free to email me
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I have some old flyers and
membership cards if your interested in seeing them, I was a member back
in 1969 and saved some of the old stuff, don't ask me why they just
never got thrown out. The painting of the outside brought back memories
from long ago. I had forgot all about the club until I was just surfing
at work and suddenly had a thought that maybe some one had bothered to
put up a web site about the old club. I remember going to the coffee bar
in Blackpool about 1967-8 with my mates. I had some good times and also
bad times there especially with the drugs and beer. I now work at the
university of London and have a daughter who as no idea what her old man
used to get up to. Great site well done Best....mick. ______________________________________________________
Hi Dave, .............................................................. Hi Dave The Wheel was my life for these two years, we lived in Liverpool and spent all our time clubbing Saturday would start in the Kardomah coffee bar in Liverpool were our "bluey's" would be aquired . Up to Liverpool central station and the train to Southport where we would spend the day and end up in the Floral Hall listen to groups i.e. Small Faces, Zoot Money,et al. Then find a lift even some weeks "borrowing bread vans' to make our way to Manchester and the Wheel. The scene there was a cut above anything you could find in Liverpool although the Cavern all nighters did start to get better the music in Manchester was always better. The other clubs we visited were The Mojo in Sheffield, and the Midnight City in Birmingham. I remember that while dancing one Saturday night at the Wheel I struck up a conversation with the guy in our circle and he had just been down to Ready Steady go studios Cathy McGowan and all to represent the north in a Dance Contest. He came from Sheffield and his club was the Mojo. but he still came over to the Wheel because it was the best club in the North. I went to both Wheel venues and the music did change from pure Rand B to more dance type music. I had an affection for both types and still do even at 55years of age. all the best great site rob pleavin warrington -------------------------
The Wheel used to attract a big North Wales following. We would get the
late train to Exchange or Victoria and take that speedy walk up Market
Street. ------------------------------------------------------------------------- Dave, I recently came across yuor site and it brought back many great memeories.I first went to the wheel in 1969 whilst I was in the army and remember the first record I heard - Phil Upchurch - You Can,t Sit Down.Whist on your site I saw a letter from my old mate Steve Parker who is now in Australia.Do you have his e-mail address as I would love to get in touch with him? Cheers - Dave Hill, Sheffield
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my name is Norman
Rogers from Cambridge I went to the wheel in the late sixties early
seventies used to take a camera with me .took a lot of pictures but the
next time i would go to the wheel people would ask to see them and they
would go missing I still have 10 left the pictures in the book central
1179 on page 133 and 148 are my photos the photo on at the top on page
133 is me in the middle I have the 3 original photos someone must have
took the negatives the best night I can remember was junior walker on
the 21st march 1970 I was on the end of the stage for the whole show it
was brilliant .............................................................. Hi Dave A friend of mine just put me on to your site. I have a sister who is seven years older than me who went to the Brazennose St Wheel. She got her duffle and handbag robbed whilst there so it always had an air of iniquity about it which I actually found to be quite intriguing. I first went to Whitworth St Wheel when I was about 14 in 1966. Not to an all-nighter but after the students Rag Parade, the Wheel used to open as a coffee bar. I also went to one of the early sessions around this time, when it was open on Friday night till 11.00 pm. The first sound I can recall was Secret Home by Willie Mitchell. I started going to the nighters in about 68 and continued to till the end. One of the first live acts I can recall seeing was Percy Sledge. Favourite live act had to be Edwin Starr. He genuinely loved the place and wouldn't do the usual rehearsed encore of one or two songs but, if the crowd got behind him, would take a break and come on and do a second set. He was lucky in there were top musicians about then and I think he was usually backed by The Red River Band. A top band from Manchester was The Richard Kent Style who quite often gigged at The Wheel and recorded their own version of William Bell's Marching To War. Sounds that were big when I first went were Ain't No Soul (at least 3 diff versions) Chains Of Love, Ready Now, Baby Help Me, We're In This Thing Together also blues classics like Baby Scratch My Back, Crazy About You Baby, My Babe + loads, loads more. After The Wheel shut I went to all the other main all-nighters but gradually started drifting away from the scene in the mid to late 70s when I started travelling. Although I was a bit of a scally (weren't we all) in them days, with no education, in the last 12 years I have acquired a BSc (Hons) degree in Psychology and a PGCE. I now teach psychology and sociology in FE. I mention this as I am sure it would surprise a few people. In fact I have recently got back into the scene in a small way by going to Wheel 40th do. I'm lucky in that I still look quite like I looked then (minus dodgy tash) and so lots recognised me, which was a surprise to some as they had heard I was dead (Mark Twain - "Rumours of my death are greatly exaggerated"). I have never sold my collection, even when I have been on the bones of my arse and have also started collecting again in a small way, I have about 2000 records. I too know Steve Parker and haven't seen him in years. He used to stay with my mate Paul Pierce from Wythenshawe. I would like to contact him and would appreciate it if you could pass my details on. My name is John Behan and I am from Whitefield, Manchester. John -------------------------------------------------------------- Hi Dave A DJ friend put me onto This Old Soul site and I was thrilled to read about the Twisted Wheel. I remember travelling down to Manchester with a crowd of friends from Carlisle, for the allnighters during the winter/spring of 1968/69. I remember dancing all night long and then on Sunday mornings we would go to a blues club. I think that was called The Blue Note but I'm not entirely sure about the name. We would stay there until the first Sunday morning train back to Carlisle. The Wheel was a very special place to be and it's good to know that it's still remembered fondly by so many. Carole --------------------------------------------------------------------------- HI DAVE, HERE'S A FEW FLYERS I'VE STILL GOT FROM THE WHEEL, I DON'T KNOW IF YOU WILL BE ABLE TO SEE THEM OR NOT,I COME FROM WREXHAM N.WALES AND I WAS A REGULAR FROM 66 to 70, THEN I WENT TO THE TORCH & UP THE JUNCTION FOR A WHILE TILL THAY SHUT DOWN, TAKE CARE,JOE. HI DAVE, THANKS FOR REPLY, THATS ABOUT ALL I'VE GOT LEFT NOW OF THE WHEEL, I DON'T KNOW HOW PEOPLE REMEMBER ALL THIS STUFF ABOUT THE WHEEEL, I ONLY SEEM TO REMEMBER GOING IN AND COMING OUT AGAIN, MUST BE ALL THE STUFF WE WERE TAKING I GUESS. I REMEMBER THE DRIFTERS THOUGH , I HAD TO HAVE TIME OFF WORK IN THE WEEK TO GO AND GET ABOUT 40 or 50 TICKETS AND I HAD TO TAKE ALL THE MEMBERSHIP CARDS WITH ME, NO CARD NO TICKET, PACKED OUT IT WAS THAT NIGHT, PITY THEY WERE ONLY ON FOR ABOUT 20 MINUTES, I THINK THE VIBRATIONS OR JUNIOR WALKER WERE THE BEST ACTS I SAW THERE, I THINK IVOR ABADI OWNED THE CHESHIRE CAT / KORKYS IN NANTWICH IN THE 70s. AND HE LIVED IN RHYL IF I REMEMVER RIGHT.I THINK THE WHEEL WILL ALWAYS BE MY FAVOURITE, I WENT TO PRESTATYN THIS YEAR, I THOUGHT THAT WAS PRETTY GOOD, TAKE CARE, JOE.
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Well you
lucky lot reopening the best soul club in the world.
I have just
come across as I'm playing Wigan music but my life started @
the wheel whitworth st.in 1966 I was very young ***** then.
and still I remember the Sat nites like yesterday. I still
dance but as good as then ha what age does to you
Sue from
Leeds
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Dave,
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Hi Dave,
Great to see your site, it really brings back memories from
those glory days in the 60's. I
started going to the wheel in 1965 having graduated from the
Jungfrau (later Time and Place). For me the Wheel was mainly
the Saturday all-nighter with other days nights spent at the
Jungfrau, The Jigsaw, The Oasis and of course Stax on Sunday
morning, I remember that Top of the Town was also popular. I
am desperately trying to remember the name of the coffee bar
near Piccadilly that was popular at that time, some kind of
African name I think, maybe somebody can help with this (was
it the Mogambo?). Bought most of my records at Ralphs and
spent all my cash on records, clubs and my Lambretta SX150! Those
were the days, I have just bought Lammy SX150 1967 model in
as new condition, cost me 15 times the price of the
original, but worth every penny.
Best wishes,
Geoff Barrett
originally from Whitefield, now Oslo, Norway
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ A
great site, brings back loads of memories. Does anyone
remember Jimmy McCabe, from Carlisle. My name is Adj and
me and my mates Alf Hockaday, Roy Brown and Dave Griff
used to go the wheel on whitworth St, went to an
allnighter on Good Friday fantastic, Keep the Faith
Adj.
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Hi
Dave
my name is Chris Farrell
originally from Doncaster, I was wondering if the
message from adj is the same adj who now lives in
Newquay? I remember alf hockaday Griff and Roy brown
I loved the wheel , mojo and The blue Orchard
All the best
Chris Farrell
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Hi
Dave
The coffee
bar Geoff Barrett mentions was the Mogambo. We
spent many a happy evening there before going to
the Twisted Wheel, the Den of The Gods or other
haunts, including the CIS, just drinking Coke
and eating ice cream. Tame stuff!
--
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just seen the
pics on your web site that were sent in by
Norman Rogers of
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Hi
Dave, I went down the wheel from 65-69 my
name is slats, my mates were steve hayton,
Dave Howard,(deceased) dave(red legs) little
Slats ,
Colin
Bartlett, Click, Bailey, Trevor Bradley,&
Merty. Great days,(and nights),
Memories….the throwing out record ‘touch of
velvet , sting of brass’
The
salvation army at the back on the car park
in the mornings giving out free tea &coffee,
the cop shop over the road, roundtrees
coffee bar,
The
travel bags we all carried, airline bags
actually, containing clean shirt, brut
aftershave, a pair of polaroids, terry’s
mints, and a can of spray
Dry
cleaning fluid. Does any body remember
Danny&Duke? Well I’ve attatched a few pics
bundled together Im the one in the middle a
bit blocked.All the best. Slats.
By the
way have I sent this to the right section
of your site for putting on the notice
board, or will you do that? Pps I live in
Australia now.
Hi Dave
it’s me
again Slats, I forgot to include this
pic of cathy me rosemary and Vicky for
a guy who was asking about cathy & donna
on your
Message
board.
Hi ,
name is David Kerr-Clemenson and hail from
London. Played in many
bands over the years and
stil lam.
My fondest
memories are playing at the
Wheel . We had to
play at a social club early evening then
pack up all the gear and then do the all
nighter at the
wheel.
The first
time I played there with Oscar Toney Junior
an American soul singer we were backing on
his European tour. Marsha Hunt was on first
and then us. It was so
fantastic , the crowd if they liked
you, would always stand and watch hold their
right hand in the air and click their
fingers, what a sight man. We went down so
well , the owners
asked us back without Oscar Toney Junior and
we did a few gigs as Merlin Q.
Love the
place
==================================
Tel: 01494
813 710; Mobile: 07786 327 698
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Just been
reading through some of the mail makes for
interesting reading I used to hitchike with
my mate Seonaid ( Hairdresser) from
Sheffield every Saturday with out fail,the
weather never stopped us.
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Hi Dave
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I went to the
wheel in the late Sixties early Seventies, we
travelled up
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hi
dave am
new to internet at the grand old age of 52 just spent a
wonderfull afternoon on this great site. my name is Ray
Freer from north Manchester remember great all nighters
at the wheel and all days at the top twenty in
hollinwood oldham coming down on sundays(avoiding going
home) just relived some great memories just wanted to
say ta and will be back.
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I did Ike and
Tina Turner and the Ronnettes.And many more around
that time.Used to thumb it up from Stafford with
Janet from Telford. I was thrown on the dtage to Hey
Jude by Tombo from Stoke on Trent cos my name was
Jude. Met may great people who may be dead or alive,
namely. Joey Eager from Liverpool. Little Dave from
Levenshulme, Batman from Leicester, Haggis from
Sheffield
Martin Christie
from Huyton.best nites of my life spent chatting in
the ladies loos.Or just dancing....Must all get back
there one nite before its all over . Thanks for the
memories as he said LONG AFTER TONIGHT IS ALL OVER
JUDE FROM
STAFFORD NOW COVENTRY
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I frequented the Wheel in Brazenose and Whitworth
from 1966 until Ivor shut the door's, then onto the
famous Bull Ring in Wakefield then onto Blackpool
Mecca, and then on from there to the Torch and
Wigan, prior to the Wheel i went to the Room at the
Top in Wigan...'Mick Lyon's old haunt's. Do not get
out much these day's Plenty of gig's but prefer to
look after my Grandchildren (67 yr's) and my College
Course, not to late to teach an old dog new trick's.
I have over 6600 rare and original record's and
LP's in my collection, and i have told my wife to
sell them when i am 'Dead.' That should keep her in
a few Handbag's don't you agree?
David from Ormskirk.
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Hi Dave
the
wheel was the place but the Sunday mornings
in the blue note across the road from the
blue dolphin coffee bar and later the top
20 in Oldham were just the place for the
morning after and the sounds were good.
p.s up in Carlisle we have ever 3month or so
a dance which only plays the old sounds, I
have all so heard that some where in Burnley
they have a wheel reunion?
the wheel was the place does any one
know what happen to the ferris wheel who
where the warm up band?? when I first
went bluies came in at three pence
each. the blue note was the place
after throughing out time, later it was
the top20 etc but nothing like the
wheel
ps does any one know Barry and Yvonne
Dutton from ormskirk our where they are
????
there was a girl
and her friend called Val who uses to go down to
the wheel with us. I have not seen her for years
can you forward my email address to her as I
would love to hear from her.
Regards bill elliott
bill.elliott@twocastles.org.uk
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those of us who knew 'The Twisted Wheel"
were truly blessed.
Les Spooner.
lspooner@triad.rr.com
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Do you remember the Jigsaw Club, where i danced with
Mary Wells and Wilson Picket to a land of a 1000
dances and and what is is easy for one is so
hard for two, further on into the twilight hours. I
was listening to the Platters Washed ashore and
edwinn singing Stop her on site and headline news at
the twisted wheel later we would all have a little
bit more, to go to Banjo's in longsight or Clarences
top twenty in Oldham. Still the same
Dave Case, Ormskirk
Jjbarnes66@aol.com
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Hi Dave
My name is David
West. I am now almost 55.I have been toying with the
idea of buying a 60's Lambretta like the one I used
to have (An Li 150 S2) back in 1969 and I was
looking around the web, as you do and I came across
your site. Wow, did it bring back memories!!!!
I was a member
from 1968 onwards along with our little troop and my
older brother Tony (rest his soul). We would go and
see all the Motown acts like Sam & Dave, Otis
Reading, Ike & Tina, Stevie Wonder to name but a
few, at our local dance hall in Nelson Lancs. called
The Imperial affectionally known as The Imp. It
would cost 7/6 (Proper money) to see the lesser acts
like Sam & Dave, but something like the Otis Reading
road show was £1, this was a quarter of my wage but
well worth it.
We would then
catch the last bus to Manchester and go down the
Wheel, dance and talk the night away and one or two
other things etc and then wait around the bus
station waiting for the first bus back to Nelson on
Sunday morning. We had some fantastic nights and I
think the last act I saw down the Wheel was Ben E
King.
If we did not
make it to the Wheel we would go down our local all
nighter called The Birdtrap owned by John Green in a
town near Nelson called Brierfield. This was a
superb club and pretty much on the same lines as The
Wheel with no beer, but plenty of coke cola tea and
toast, plus the usual all nighter trappings and we
could walk home from here.
We also
occasionally went to the Top 10 at Oldham, The Torch
at Stoke (Once), very occasionally the Blue Note in
Manchester and once cos we just fancied it to a
place called The Magic Village again in Manchester.
Now that was one weird experience. I have promised
myself that I will go down one of the revival nights
but life's too hectic work wise at the moment, but
you never know. It would bring back so many happy
memories. One or two of my old mates have made the
pilgrimage and they all say its just as atmospheric
as the old place.
Any way good luck
in all connected with The Wheel and your good self.
Take care
David West
A true souler at
heart.
Got to have your say ??? email me
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