Fifty and not out

This year marks a number of landmark anniversaries, some perhaps more widely anticipated than others

This year marks a number of landmark anniversaries, some perhaps more widely anticipated than others. Sarge speaks to legendary DJ Dave Evison on his 50 years behind the wheels of steel

Dave Evison, who was resident DJ at Wigan Casino northern soul all nighters, radio DJ, compilation album compiler, original scooter-riding 60s Mod and legendary DJ on several scenes, reaches a personal landmark this year – his golden jubilee as a professional DJ. We caught up with Dave for a quick look back at some of the highlights from his five decades on the wheels of steel.

Tell us about your teenage years as a scooter-riding Mod, and how your music taste developed?

Like many of my mates, as well as countless others of a similar outlook all across the country in the latter part of the 60s, football (Stoke City FC for me), scooters, fashion and music were high on my interests at the time. I had a blue and white Lambretta GT200, which had a flyscreen with ‘Dave SLG Mod’ in stick-on letters on it. At the time I had a threequarter-length suede coat. For skinny rib jumpers, popular at the time, we’d send our girlfriends or sisters into Chelsea Girl to buy them for us. I was really proud of my GT, it looked flash and ran well, was fairly quick too. Unlike today, when you hear of £12k-plus being shelled out on vintage scooters, to trailer or take them by van to scooter rallies. What’s that about? Back then scooters were a functional, practical means of getting around, before being able to afford to run a cheap car. If we were going somewhere, we’d ride our scooters – Rhyl was where the Stoke Mods went on bank holidays. I rode to Rhyl a few times in my Mod years. I’d hang out with my mates at places such as The Cinebowl, Broad Street, Hanley. Also the place to be, to go and to be seen to be seen was The Golden Torch in Tunstall, which would briefly, a few years on, be an all-nighter venue. During the Sixties it was the best place to go to hear Mod, 60s classics, ska, reggae and club soul, Stax, Atlantic and Motown, as well as what would a few years later become known as northern soul. Sadly no photographs of me and my Lambretta have survived; I think I still have one or two photos of me, late 60s/very early 70s, as Mod became superseded by skinhead and suedehead. My parents thought I was going to a local youth club, instead of riding 17 miles or so to hang out at Cinebowl or The Golden Torch. Having a Lambretta was something of an act of rebellion on my part, being part of a like-minded group of friends and acquaintances was more important to me as a teenager than following the path to respectability set out for me to aspire to. I think my GT was sold not long after I signed up for the army for three years. It was during those times when I first heard The Showstoppers, which is always occupying the number one slot in my own top five club sounds. I did get to go to the Twisted Wheel in Manchester, only about three times though as I wasn’t old enough before. You could tell at the Torch who had been to the Cinebowl earlier, the trick pulled by many Stokies was to go to the

Cinebowl bowling alley wearing the worst pair of shoes you had, then leave them there while you made your escape in near brand new smart-looking bowling shoes. At the Torch the profusion of shoes with 7, 8, 9 on the back of the shoes, the shoe size, was a giveaway to those in the know as to who’d been bowling earlier that day. I’m sure it was similar at other bowling alleys of the time too.

When was your first time DJing and how did it come about?

I joined the army for three years; for my last 18 months, between ‘69 and ‘71, I was permanently posted in Belfast. A question was circulated at the end of one particular week, asking who wanted weekend leave. I put my interest forward, it wasn’t as straightforward as it appeared, like many things in the armed forces. It transpired that a DJ was needed for the sergeants’ mess – my claims that I was a wireless operator fell on deaf ears, and in effect I was ordered to DJ in the sergeants’ mess, which was my first time ever as a DJ. Years later I was DJing on Signal Radio, Stoke-on-Trent, during the latter years of the 80s. I told that story on air and the Sgt Major who ‘ordered’ me to DJ in the sergeants’ mess sent me a letter; typical of army humour, he insisted my success as a DJ was entirely down to him!

Where and when was your first DJ appearance on the soul scene, and how did you end up being a resident DJ at Wigan Casino?

The Magnet in Oldham – it was a combination of there, the Magnet, and the Rose Rooms (Burnley), where I was as a punter, dancing to the records played, where I was headhunted by Richard (Searling) and Russ (Winstanley). They’d been to see me on recommendation, DJing at the Magnet, then approached me at the Rose Rooms. Initially, I was asked if I fancied having a go (at DJing at Wigan Casino all nighters), to which I said yes, okay. I ended up taking over from Martyn Ellis, one of the Torch king spinners. From about halfway through ‘74 to the official last all nighter (which was followed by final, final all nighters, which caused rifts between people who had worked together for years), it was I who played the Three Before Eight at all of the Wigan Casino all nighters.

What are the highlights of your 50 years as a DJ so far?

Wigan Casino at its peak were special times I’ve DJ’d at, in the region of 4000 different venues, in the UK and more than a few abroad, including a live radio hook-up with Richard Searling back in the UK from where I was DJing in Detroit. As well as working as a club DJ I’ve worked as a radio DJ, also I’ve worked in the record industry as a regional rep, a record plugger, and I even worked for my team Stoke City FC for 10 years. I’ve compiled some compilation albums, first one being The Northern Soul Story Volume One for Goldmine, which I also did the sleeve notes for. Most recent was the Mr M’s Wigan Casino club-within-a-club box set, along with the booklet, which was released last year. Loved the piece in

Scootering about it, thanks, its still selling steadily. I’ve DJ’d all nighters, all dayers, soul nights, weekenders and I’ve DJ’d at several national scooter rallies. I’ve played Isle of Wight August bank holiday scooter rally and more recently I’ve played at an all dayer in Brighton during the August bank holiday Mod rally too. Out of all the times and places I’ve DJ’d, my proudest moment as well as the most memorable, ever, was at The Victoria and Albert Museum, which came about indirectly through the BBC. Stoke-on-Trent was shortlisted as a City of Culture. V and A museum had an exhibition celebrating the potteries. I was set up in the reception area playing to several thousand people; Stoke has always been a soul centre, so I was playing music I had grown up with. An abundance of Japanese tourists were snapping away with their cameras for the entirety of the two-hour slot. There was around 10 minutes left of the two hours, so I sent Sarah, my wife, out to dance, next there were five, then 10 joining her dancing. Which soon became 20 and then every piece of available floor space was utilised as a dancefloor. That was the highlight, the pinnacle of my DJ career, representing Stoke-on-Trent, and pulling it off in style!

Finally, what's next for you DJ-wise?

Stoke King’s Hall all nighter in April and September, where I'm a resident DJ, also Blackpool Tower is coming up soon too. Mr M’s reunion all dayer near Wigan in May, Wintergardens Blackpool, South of France in September. I’m also available for DJ bookings on selected available dates, I’m happy to play northern soul, club soul from the 60s and 70s, I can also do Twisted Wheel-style Mod sets, as well as out-and-out Mod sets. I do a regular 50s, 60s, early 70s pop radio show. If anyone is interested get in touch, my only requirement is that I only play from vinyl releases.