A Quick One with Richard Searling

Wigan Casino all-nighters provided the soundtrack to the formative and, perhaps in some people’s eyes, misspent years of countless youngsters of the ’70s.

Wigan Casino provided the soundtrack to the formative years of countless 1970s youngsters. Sarge caught up with leading DJ Richard Searling for a chat on the subject

For the many that visited the legendary venues, including Wigan Casino as probably the epicentre of the then underground Northern Soul scene in the UK, one person more than any other was responsible for much of that soundtrack. Over an eight-year period and beyond, Richard Searling became the leading DJ there and on the scene, bar none.

Starting his career as a rare soul DJ at the short-lived, but revered and influential VaVa allnighters in Bolton, Richard was invited to join the rosta of a then new Wigan allnighter within its first month, a position he occupied for almost the entire eight years that the Wigan Casino ran as an allnighter. He had initally worked in the music industry for Manchester's Global Records, and later as northwest promotional man for RCA, via which, along with Soul Bowl Records’s John Anderson, Grapevine Records were founded. Further down the line, with John Anderson, he set up Expansion Records. While still DJing at Wigan Casino he joined Stoke-based Radio Hallam, which laucnhed his career in radio, which continues to this day, and includes his well-known weekly BBC Radio show.

Post Wigan Casino, Richard continued to DJ in rare soul clubs, alldayers, allnighters such as Stafford's Top Of The World, Clifton Hall Rotherham, and the Ritz Manchester, before becoming involved with Soul Weekenders, including bringing many iconic artists to the UK for the first time. Richard's book ‘Setting The Record Straight’ was launched last October in hardback format, whilst the paperback version was launched in the November. We caught up with the man himself for an exclusive chat. What made you decide that it was time for your book now, and not before? I'd considered the idea of a book for a while without actually doing anything concrete about it. The reality of how ‘Setting The Record Straight’ started was as a thread on Facebook. The subject was Richard’s cover-ups. Something we did to protect the exclusivity of a discovery, and to throw bootleggers off the scent, was to change the name of the artist and the title, which was known as a cover-up. At the time there were around 40 posts on the subject, which built up to something like 100 titles. I never really saw myself as a writer, as it always seemed too much like hard work. This was was confirmed after I got down to actually writing the book, because it certainly was much harder work than I had anticipated. Those 100 titles grew to over 160 titles, and which form the main part of the book. I'm certainly not claiming to have been the first person in the world to own these records. I was, however, fortunate enough to be able to obtain them when they were considered unknowns, and then to popularise them. As well as talking about the records which I played at Wigan Casino and Va Va's, ever since Wigan Casino closed there have been erroneous perceptions. Often anything that was pop sounding was played at Wigan. Any big beat ballads were Stafford spins and anything modern or ’70s sounding was played at Blackpool Mecca or Cleethorpes, and it was important to be able to put the record straight about that in the book, and certainly what I played at Wigan Casino over those eight years. Once the book started taking shape, as well as the main subject of the records, I had the opportunity to put my viewpoint and explain the truth about some of the stories that have circulated unchallenged. For example, the story about Billboard magazine voting Wigan Casino the best club in the world. That simply never happened. Wigan Casino had eight fantastic years, and although the filming was frowned upon at the time, in retrospect, the cameras have given us a visual record of those great times. The memories in the book are purely my memories, gathered over 40 years later. Memories can, and do, fade. Wigan Casino was so hugely influential during those eight wonderful years, that if a record was broken to the Casino crowd, you had broken a record to the whole scene.

Was there anything specific, which helped you make the transition from soul record collector to becoming a DJ?

Part of my early education regarding rare and obscure British soul releases was from a Manchester lad affectionately named Junkshop Arthur. Visits to his flat on a weekly basis were both enlightening and educational, listening to his latest finds and discoveries. During one of those weekly sessions, he played me a then completely unknown record on British CBS. Several years later, following a tip-off from another Manchester collector, Rod Shard, I was able to get myself a copy of that record, Chapter Five’s You Can't Mean It. Upon playing it to the crowd at the Casino, it became one of the most popular and requested records in my sets. I would have been 17 or 18 when Barry Tasker asked me if I fancied working for Global Records. The wages were low, and nobody lasted long there as the work was tiring and the hours long. I was young though, and it meant that I'd get to search for records ln America several times a year for Global as well and for myself, One morning I was in the Global Records office in Manchester, when the phone rang, It was one of my friends, Wick Barrett. He made me an offer that, although I didn't know at the time, would change my life. He asked if I'd be the DJ at an allnighter called VAVas in my hometown of Bolton. My name had been put forward by several soul fans in Bolton, due to my involvement at Global and my growing record collection. I had just returned to England from a trip to America for Global, where I found many of the then current top sounds. A night later, a Friday night in April 1973, and there I was, with a box of about 50 records behind the decks at VaVa from 1am until 8am. It was a weekly allnighter, every Friday night, between May and June. The word had spread, and the car park was full by 11pm, with soul fans travelling long distances to VaVa. It grew more and more popular . Then, in the August, a routine inspection of the club resulted in drugs being found. The upshot was that the next and final VaVa ended at 2am, with not enough time to let the coach organisers know before they travelled to the venue. Six or seven weeks later I made my first DJ appearance at Wigan Casino. Being able to get hold of the records was a skill in itself, as was understanding what to play and when to play it. Learning how to do that gave me the satisfaction of being able to play music I believed in, to have the courage of my convictions, and to know that the audience was with me every beat of the journey I took them on.

You had a reputation for looking forward musically and keeping the music fresh, certainly during, and for a few years, after the Wigan Casino era. Was there anyone who helped shape your tastes as a DJ?

There were several fellow collectors when I first started and also fellow DJs, such as Martyn Ellis, Pep and Alan Day who helped me out, literally, at VaVa allnighters. I'd have to say John Anderson at Soul Bowl, who I first met at Global Records in 1973, was more than helpful. It’s John's name which keeps occurring through the 160-plus records in the book. I obtained more rare and previously unknown American soul records via John and Soul Bowl. We became good friends, and it was a real thrill to set up Grapevine Records together during the ’70s when I was working for RCA. Then during the ’80s we set up and established Expansion Records. That went on to become one of the UK’s most consistent modern soul record labels.

You recently announced that your final allnighter DJ appearance would take place on September 21, 2019. Tell us about that.

I'm not, as some people have mistakenly assumed, retiring from DJing next September. I'm a radio DJ, which I have been for well over 35 years. I promote and co-promote a few big soul weekend events every year, which I will continue to do. I actually can't recall the last allnighter I DJed at. I took the decision to do my final allnighter DJ spot I guess, as part of the process of writing Setting The Record Straight. It'll be at Stokes Kings Hall and will be celebrating all the clubs of the past that contributed to making Northern Soul the worldwide sensation it is today, a list of which includes Twisted Wheel, The Torch, VaVa, Blackpool Mecca, Yate, Cleethorpes, Stafford, St Ives and The Ritz, as well as Wigan Casino, of course. Earlybird tickets, limited to 500, are currently on sale. I'm looking to retire from Djing at allnighters by going out on a high.

What are your five favourite discoveries from the Wigan Casino years?

1. John and The Weirdest – Can't Get Over These Memories 2. Vickie Baines – Country Girl 3. Ike Strong – Your Love Keeps Me Dancing 4. Cecil Washington – I Don't Like to Lose 5. Ann Bridgeforth – What Should I Do?

Words & Photographs: Sarge

Earlybird tickets for The Greatest Clubs of Northern Soul Allnighter, September 21, 2019, including Richard Searling playing his last ever Allnighter spot as a DJ, available at £10 (plus booking fee) from www.goldsoul.co.uk. Earlybird tickets limited to 500.