Everything Flows

Named after the debut single by Teenage Fanclub. 1,000+ blogs! This blog is all about being a music lover in Glasgow; reviews, interviews, memories, old faves, new discoveries (past & present) and more. Thanks for visiting - I hope you discover something amazing you have never heard before, or that you rediscover an old favourite. Regular features/playlists; Never Ending Mixtape / Cover Version of the Month/ Trust Me. Insta - @everythingflowsglasgow E - murrayeaston{AT}gmail{DOT}com

Friday, 24 October 2025

Turns Into Stone

I missed Stone Roses eponymous debut album in 1989, but then, I was only 13. Two years later, in 1991, I was buying the NME and Melody Maker every week, listening to the Evening Session and discovering albums like Teenage Fanclub's Bandwagonesque, Nirvana's Nevermind, Primal Scream's Screamadelica, Massive Attack's Blue Lines and R.E.M.'s Out Of Time. What a year for music that was!

The fifth year common room was ripe for music tapes and I fell for the magical melodic guitar pop of The Stone Roses big time. Over a year or so, I bought up all their old 12-inch singles, also on 7-inch, CD and sometimes even cassette tape. I was hooked ... line and sinker.

The Stone Roses are the most perfect band I have ever fallen for. Their music, artwork, hair, clothes, personalities ... I bought the Live At Blackpool Empress Ballroom film on VHS and must have nearly worn it to death. How could a band be this cool?!

International, Continental - Ian Brown in Blackpool. Photo by Justin Thomas

Virginia Galleries in Glasgow had a shop that sold old music magazines, so I collected NME and The Melody Maker's that told of the Roses court hearings with their record label Silvertone.

Ah ... Silvertone. The label that promised so much. Following the release of Sally Cinnamon on FM Revolver in 1987, and after years of building a collection of songs, The Stone Roses were courted by several labels, most notably Rough Trade, who funded the recording of Elephant Stone, with Peter Hook on production duties.

However, the Roses, thanks to a slap up Italian dinner, signed an 8-album deal with Zomba Records, later transferred to Silvertone (a subsiduary). The Roses were able to buy the Elephant Stone tapes off Rough Trade as part of the deal.

The Silvertone years were golden ... pardon the pun.

1988 - Elephant Stone
1989 - the impeccable run of Made of Stone, She Bangs The Drums and the double a-side of Fools Gold / What The World Is Waiting For in 1989,
1990 - One Love in the July of a hot hot summer. This single was released on the back of the Roses playing Spike Island in May and Glasgow Green in June, the latter of which would be their final show for 5-years.

The whole world in his hands - Ian Brown at Spike Island

By now, the Roses had realised they had been ill-advised and hasty in signing their deal with Silvertone and they were trying to get out of it. Within a year, a period that halted the best band in the world in their tracks, the Roses were free and they signed to Geffen for a reported £1 million.

Silvertone, scuppered recordings when they appealed against the court decision to free the Roses. They also went on to release Adored, Waterfall and Resurrection as singles from the album. The court case, money, drugs, travel, deaths and births meant that it would be mid-1993 before work began properly on what would become The Second Coming. It eventually came out in December 1994.

Never Mind The Pollocks - photo by Kevin Cummins

Back to Turns Into Stone though ... another Silvertone cash in, although this was welcomed by fans - bringing together b-sides and non-album singles, it's an absolute gem of a compilation.

Reni's high-hat ushers in the sublime 12-inch version of Elephant Stone, then he is all over his drums, Mani comes in on bass (his first recording with the band) and Squire sprinkles chiming riffs like sugar over the top. Literally the icing on the cake. He places a cherry on top after a minute and 15-seconds later Brown yells break and his band take it up another notch. There is a break down and another build up, before finally Brown begins to sing, 10-seconds shy of 2-minutes.

The second half of the first verse contains lines that meant so much to me as a teenager ... and they do to this very day.

Dreaming 'til the sun goes down

And night turns into day

Reni is on fire, Mani holds the groove and Squire is free to flow. This is an incredible single and it is little wonder that Hooky was lined up to produce the album, only timings didn't fit ... eventually leading the Roses to John Leckie, which worked out rather well.

Seems like there's a hole

In my dreams

Or so it seems

Nothing means

Anything ... anymore

From a different planet, in their own world - like all the best bands

The Hardest Thing In The World was the b-side and had been played as early as May 1986. Merging the Roses harder sound from their earlier days with their growing feel and understanding for guitar pop, it's a glorious burst of energy, wrapped up in 2-minutes 43 seconds.

Searching for a perfect day

It never happens that way

Going Down is another gem from Squire and Brown's incredible songwriting streak of 1986-87. Melodic and melancholic, it's a real favourite of mine. I love the imagery in the lyrics, the tale of someone in love, lust and awe.

Penny's place a crummy room

Her dansette crackles to Jimi's tune

I don't care I taste Ambre Solaire

Her neck, her thighs, her lips her hair

And then of course the magical;

There she looks like a painting

Jackson Pollock's number 5

I really love the dreamy outro;

To look down on the clouds, you don't need to fly

I've never flown in a plane

I'll live until I die

Guitarist, songwriter, artist and dreamer - John Squire

The chiming guitar pop perfection of Mersey Paradise is one of the first guitar riffs I took the time to learn. Built around the D chord, Squire creates a chiming masterpiece and Reni is all over his kit - pounding, rolling and grooving. When Brown lets out an oh yeah before the final chorus, it is the sound of a singer in love with his band and music.

Lost In Music - Ian during the magnificent outro to I Am The Resurrection - Live at Blackpool

Standing Here is a real favourite of mine. I should be safe forever in your arms is a lyric that melts my heart every time I hear this song.

Starting with Squire conjuring glorious sounds from his guitar, the band then fall in behind him, Mani and Reni lock into a groove, with Reni shuffling effortlessly about the drums. Squire just sounds like he is improvising over the top of them, a beautiful jam. Listen carefully for Reni's stunning backing vocals at times.

I really don't think you could know that I'm in heaven when you smile

As a teenager Standing Here appealed to me more than any other song for a while. Lines like that described how I would feel every day if a girl I fancied smiled at me.

The breakdown into I don't think you think like I do (another amazing lyric) then leads to arguably the most beautiful 2-minutes in the Roses cannon.

Squire's guitar is just so considerate and melodic, Brown's whispered vocals are spine tingling, Reni is just soooooooo good. The outro is very arguably the most blissful moment in the Roses discography.

I could park a juggernaut in your mouth

And I can feel a hurricane when you shout

I should be safe forever in your arms

Pollocked - Photo by Kevin Cummins

Dating back to 1986, Where Angels Play was first played live in January 1987 and remained unreleased until Silvertone releases I Wanna Be Adored as a single in 1991. Brown is steadfast and defiant in his delivery of the lyrics, while the shimmering 60-second outro is sublime. This fades out and I wonder if there is a long version sitting in the vaults somewhere.

Simone is Where Angels Play backwards. A trick the Roses repeated several times to create trippy psychedelia.

I wrote a feature length blog on Fools Gold (12-inch version) HERE that included the intro - Fools Gold was (and is) the sound of Stone Roses at their peak, almost 10-minutes of funk groove via bass, beats, wah-wah guitar, samples and the coolest person in the world at the time on whispered vocals about friends searching for gold and ready to steal it off each other.... oh and the Marquis de Sade.

Later I would say - The beat and bass groove are in from the start, it's fresh, it's funky, it sounds like nothing 4 white boys from Manchester should be creating. But then things were changing dramatically in 1989, particularly in Manchester, a city embracing ecstasy and all kinds of music from Detroit to Ibiza - people wanted to dance and expand their horizons - international, continental.

Fools Gold on Top of the Pops

What the World Is Waiting For is a burst of guitar pop telling tales of religion, gold and greed, making it the perfect companion for Fools Gold that it was released alongside.

He loves his brother

He'd sell him for a fistful of gold

Things move up a notch to the outro;

Any time you want it, then it's there

All you gotta do is stop it on the corner and ask

Say hey, you don't live today

Stop the world, stop the world, I'm getting off

I've also written a feature length blog on One Love and Something's Burning that you can check HERE. I describe the songs as - Squire on guitar, Mani on bass and the effervescent Reni on drums stretched out blissfully to create almost 16-minutes of dreamy, groove based psychedelia.

Riding in on some outrageous Squire guitar heroics, Mani and Reni fall effortlessly into a groove behind him, allowing Ian to come in with a hushed promise, sung in an almost menacing whisper.

Any time you want me

Any time at all

Any time you need me

All you gotta do is call

Mani and Ian at Spike Island

The bridge to the chorus is all kinds of trippy cool. Brown sings about being a dolphin who doesn't live in the sea, before the beautiful line you feel my flow and you flood my brain , slowing things down into a delicious groove ...

Show me your vision, your wild apparition

And sink to the depths of your soul

... before Squire delivers some star spangled riffs as the band hit the chorus;

One love, we don't need another love

One love, one heart and one soul

Reflecting on One Love in 1998, Ian Brown said "The chorus wasn't strong enough. We tried for an anthem. We wanted to cover all bases and ended up covering none."

After another run through the first verse and a slightly different bridge, the chorus is then extended, ending with a lyric that would become the title of their phenomenal Turns Into Stone compilation of non-album single and b-sides.

Your fruit's in season

And these feet fall surely sound

And what goes up must come down

Turns into dust, or turns into stone

Remarkably, all of the above (and more) is delivered in 2-minutes 45 seconds, leaving the Roses a full 5-minutes to play with on the 12-inch version. Mani's bass is central to the extended outro, allowing Squire ample room to play and Reni to jam along with some kind of sample/programmed beat.

The beat goes on - Alan 'Reni' Wren - a generational drummer

Tantalisingly, the song seems to have found another groove just as it ends. It could have gone on and on. The Roses look super cool in the video, playing and grooving as flames shoot up all around them.

John Squire, One Love video shoot

Something's Burning is as fluid and trippy a song as the Roses produced. The first 70-seconds sound like the band just mucking around with programmed beats and some effects for inspiration, then Squire coaxes a gentle riff from his guitar and a whispered Ian Brown vocal comes in, singing proverbs through the first verse.

There is a lift into the chorus and I particularly love the flowing melody of the final line.

I can see the love and the hate in your eyes

Penny for the thoughts behind your disguise

What you gonna go and what you gonna day?

I'm not the only one believing there's an easier way

And then a little groove into the next section that ends with a classic Ian Brown line;

It doesn't pay to disorientate me

It doesn't cost to be someone

I am the vine

And you are the branches

I've said it before on this blog and I'll say it again. The Fools Gold and One Love b/w Something's Burning singles are a glimpse of where the Roses could have gone if they hadn't got caught up in legal wranglings. Can you imagine an album full of blissed out psychedelic grooves, jams and beats?

Turns Into Stone is a remarkable collection of songs and the album is a real favourite of mine. I've enjoyed revisiting it a few times to write this blog and hope that by reading it, you might be encouraged to stick it on too.

Saturday, 18 October 2025

Videostore - Broken by Rock

Videostore is a slice of unashamedly feel-good scuzzy pop written by Alan Clarke and performed/recorded with his band Broken by Rock, where Alan is joined by Derek McKee on drums and Andrew Clarke on bass.

I first heard this song when Broken by Rock played the Old Hairdressers and I fell for it immediately - catchy, funny, hooky and perfect lo-fi guitar pop that's full of character. I found myself singing this for a few days after Broken by Rock recently played The Doublet - photo below.

Now released as a single on all the usual streaming platforms, you can check it too and see if you also find yourself singing-a-long. I bet you do!

This is like a Fruit Pastille! Remember that advert? I bet you can't put a Rowantrees Fruit Pastille in your mouth without chewing it.

I bet you can't listen to Videostore by Broken by Rock without singing-a-long! Give it a go!

Under 3-minutes long, a sampled intro leads to fuzzed up guitars and then Alan's naturally melodic voice comes in. The verses are playful, the chorus is a hook that you can instantly sing-a-long with. I love the second verse;

My Mum she works at the record store

Two doors down from the video store

She came in looking for Rocky 4

(said) "This is a pretty cool video store"

The hook is simple and effective;

Come on, come on

Do you wanna work at my videostore

Alan - "Guest vocals are supplied by Rachel, and Camilo Pineda kindly allowed us to sample audio from his YouTube posted videos from a US videostore in the early 90s. The recording has a lo-fi aesthetic that fits with the analogue subject matter—it recalls days of hanging out in the local videostore, considering what movie you're going to pick for that evening's entertainment while friendships (and more) blossomed. It was actually kinda cool to be the guy that worked behind the desk... would you wanna work in my videostore?"

Alan kindly answered a few questions for the blog, so read on to hear about family life growing up in Fife, the power of a cardboard box drum kit and the bands that sparked a lifelong musical journey.

1. Can you remember the first time you wrote a song on guitar? Chords and lyrics?

I started writing songs when I was about 16 or 17 and quickly started recording them with my brother, Stephen.

We grew up in Inverkeithing, a small town in Fife. Apart from playing football in the local park in the summer and Pac-Man on our Acorn Electron 32k, there wasn’t much else going on, so forming a band and writing music seemed like a good idea! All four kids in our family played instruments (piano, violin, and viola), so there was always music happening in the house.

Our recording setup was truly DIY:

We used a tape recorder and a ghetto blaster.
The rhythm section was a taped bass line, someone hitting a cardboard box for the bass drum, and a KitKat tin for the snare.
Once the rhythm track was done, we’d play it back and record the vocals and guitars on the second cassette recorder.

We wrote together, so the details of who did what are fuzzy now, but songs like There’s A Man and Let Me Go came out of those sessions. Falling Down was mainly written by me (I think!) when I was 17. You can actually hear that original recording right here:

➡️ Listen to "Falling Down" (Original Recording)

2. Who inspired you to play guitar?

Three people really cemented my desire to play: my dad, Tony Cunningham, and Brian May.

My Dad: He wasn't a great guitarist, but he had an EKO acoustic and lyric/chord sheets for songs like David Bowie’s Space Oddity, The Everly Brothers, and John Denver’s You Fill Up My Senses. Watching him try to play them made me want to give it a go.
Tony Cunningham: Tony was a local chap who gave lessons at a youth club. He had seen Led Zeppelin in the 70s and could play Stairway To Heaven, which I found very impressive. He taught me all the basic chords and got me properly started.
Brian May: Brian May made me want to crank up the volume! We had some Queen live videos growing up, and watching him play Hammer To Fall and Tie Your Mother Down made me realise going electric was the only way forward.

I then got into a lot of hair metal, but it was the funky swagger of the Run DMC version of Aerosmith's Walk This Way that really switched me on to bands like The Stone Roses, The Charlatans, and early Blur.

3. How old were you when you formed your first band? Tell us about it.

I was 15 and a bit of a music nerd, hanging around the music department at school during lunchtimes, messing about with their Yamaha DX7 synth. Some older kids asked me if I wanted to play keys for their band.

The singer's name was Lorraine Hossack, so naturally, the band was called Hossack’s Cossacks!

We did one gig—a lunchtime performance at school. I played the piano, and we did a set of covers. The highlight was Another Brick In The Wall by Pink Floyd, with about 300 school kids in the hall all singing along to "Hey Teacher, leave those kids alone!"

After that one-gig tour ended, I formed The Reaction with my brother Stephen (two years below me) and Neil MacNamara, who was a great drummer and, crucially, had his own drum kit! We played a few school shows and even got asked to play at another high school in Edinburgh, which felt like a massive deal at the time.

4. What’s been your musical highlight with Broken by Rock to date?

Broken By Rock is really just a great excuse for my friends and me to make some noise, escape the pressures of real life, and have fun. The thing I love most about it is the community that has gradually built up around the band—playing with brilliant acts and having great friends come to our shows.

We have a very DIY ethos, focusing on writing and recording at home, though we did have a session in Edinburgh at Post Electric Studios (the first time I’d recorded in a "proper" studio), thanks to a generous birthday present from my sister. That was great fun and produced our singles, Popstars and Kingdom. Off the back of that, we had some radio play on Radio Scotland and were invited to chat with Michelle McManus, which was a real treat!

I’ve also been very lucky to play with my pal, Stu Kidd, in KiDD. Riding on his musical coattails, I’ve had the pleasure of supporting Euros Childs, Norman Blake at Frets, David Scott of The Pearlfishers, and playing Tim Peaks Diner at Kendall Calling with the BMX Bandits and The Cords.

5. Do you have any fixed plans with the band? Or are you playing it by ear?

There is certainly no strategy board in my rehearsal room for Broken By Rock!

We usually play 2–3 gigs a year and try to release music when we can. I’m really looking forward to our track Videostore coming out—I'm very appreciative of Camilo Pineda in the States for letting us use the audio samples and footage for the promo video.

Gig-wise, we are playing a Teenage Fanclub tribute night in support of the Tiny Changes charity, set up in memory of Scott Hutchison of Frightened Rabbits. We’d encourage folk to come along for some choice Fanclub covers—there’s also a very cool new band called Acer Trees who are definitely worth checking out.

6. Lastly, what music have you been enjoying lately?

I've been listening to a mix of new and old tunes. Top of the list lately:

A Firmer Hand - Hamish Hawk (Brilliant live!)
Mahashmashana - Father John Misty (The whole album is great, especially "She Cleans Up.")
The Shakes - Savage Mansion (Great collection. Members are now in Former Champ—check out their single Crooked Little Line, one of my 2025 faves.)
The Making - Lavinia Blackwall (Unbelievable songs, production, and vocals—highly recommend.)

I also downloaded a Super Furry Animal Essentials Playlist onto my phone for my holidays. It became the perfect soundtrack to driving our rental Fiat 500 around the crazy hairpin bends in the Dolomites!

Finally, I can't get enough of the Music Maps Podcast, which features brilliant weekly hour-long interviews about music and books about music. ➡️ Listen to Music Maps Podcast

Monday, 13 October 2025

Tenement Trail 2025 - review

I took a moment on Saturday to reflect on the regeneration of the area around the world famous . So many amazing places have cropped up in the last decade - , , , , and ... not to mention the way the old market now contains funky food outlets and super cool coffee bars.

It never used to be like this! All the above venues came together to host , joined by , which is just a few minutes away from the venues across the road, behind, or to the side of the Barrowland.

Take 50+ new and breaking bands and artists and plant them in the middle of this and you have a super cool festival.

My friend Joe and I headed towards the Barrowland for 1.30pm. Here is how our day panned out;

2.45pm - Vanderlye at The Winged Ox

After lunch we headed straight to The Winged Ox (the bar at Saint Luke's) to catch our first band of the day. have released 7 singles/EP's over the last few years, building their sound and momentum. They might have wondered if they had pulled the short straw as they began their set with 20-30 people in the room. But before their first song had ended, it was absolutely rammed. Those that got down early were rewarded with an atmospheric and anthemic set. Guitars swirled Becky Clarke's voice soared with ease, gelling with singer and guitarist . Their second guitarist was creating some cool psychedelic sounds that reminded me of early .

3.30pm - Katie Nicoll at The Gate (secret acoustic set)

En route to our next gig, we decided we had time to stop into The Gate for a quick pint and were rewarded by chancing upon a secret acoustic set by singer that was about to start. While we could only stay for a few songs, there was time for Nicoll to showcase a song called Jodie Said that we both enjoyed. The chorus flowed superbly.

4pm - Fatale at 226 Gallowgate

We headed across the road to 226 Gallowgate and wondered if we were late for as we could hear them as we entered. Thankfully it was just a quick line check. The bar quickly packed out and we were grateful to be near the front to get a view from the side, as those at the back wouldn't have seen much. Fatale were only playing their 4th gig, but they have generated a buzz with their shows from their debut at the night in McChuills back in May, to in July and in September.

Fatale played a furiously fantastic fuzzy guitar pop set. A choice cover of The Vaselines Molly's Lips (more like the cover) second song in highlighted their influences. Another Sunrise followed and the hook of wanting to go out is one that I can imagine being popular when they get round to recording and releasing. Own Embrace was introduced as a new one and it sounds like the band are developing all the time. After seeing Fatale at Tuts I described their song Jesus Christ as the catchiest guitar song I've heard in a long time. I stand by that as I found myself singing along and I've only heard it once.

Ending with the two songs they released as demos, a sublime cover of the Velvets Femme Fatale and a glorious romp through Moves You, their forthcoming debut single, Fatale will most certainly have won some new fans. Next up for them is a show at McChuills on Halloween. TICKETS.

5pm - Madra Salach at Van Winkle

Joe had checked out from online and was keen to see them, so we headed straight over to Van Winkle and got a couple of pints just before the venue was packed out. The six piece outfit blew us away! Singer and his band opened proceedings with recent debut single Blue & Gold. Banks stretched his vocal chords to sing from the bottom of his soul and with all his heart.

I found it hard to take my eyes off Banks. His captivating presence through his voice, eyes and expressions - think a bit and (not to mention the cracking sheepskin coat he wore for the first song and then quickly discarded) wowed the crowd. His band mates created atmospheric soundscapes for him to sing over. Their Celtic folk soul sound was both familiar, yet unique, they definitely have their own take on traditional music.

Closing song The Man Who Seeks Pleasure (Is the Man Who Seeks Pain) was a genuine spine tingling moment. It will be interesting to see if they can capture this kind of intensity on record. This was beautifully raw, heartfelt and soulful. Banks gave it his all and his band played as if their lives depended on it.

5.45pm - Youth for Sale at The Winged Ox

Resisting the urge to stop for a burger at the outdoor BBQ and Guinness Bar that was set up outside Saint Luke's, we headed back to The Winged Ox for Youth for Sale, a 6-piece band from Cambuslang that a few friends had recommended. I could immediately hear why - their dreamy indie sound was pretty sweet and they had the talent to swap instruments and take tuns on lead vocals. A choice cover of Alanis Morrisette's Hand In My Pocket was sublime. I'd definitely go and see them again.

6.15pm - Etta Marcus at Saint Luke's

After an afternoon of gigs and beer/Guinness, the need for food was calling loudly. We resisted again to head though to the beautiful auditorium of Saint Luke's for Etta Marcus.

Although, the vibe was in contrast to the energy, intensity and fun in the smaller venues that we had experienced to date, we weren't really feeling it. Maybe it was a case of the wrong timing.

So, after a few songs, the call of a BBQ'd burger and Guinness won us over and we headed outside. A few of Madra Sach were sat at the table behind us and I had a quick word with the drummer who seemed a lovely guy. They were delighted to be in Glasgow and hope to be back before too long.

McChuills with DJ Vinny

Post burger and Guinness (top marks to the team at Saint Luke's for this combo!), we were a little unsure of how long we'd stay out for.

Deciding to be sensible in our old age (partly due to Joe having to be back to let the babysitter away!), we decamped to McChuills for one (or was it two?) final Guinness and some top tunes in the bar courtesy of DJ Vinny who played The War On Drugs, Stone Roses and all kinds of stuff that I can no longer remember. But enough to keep us entertained until we headed for our 9.20pm train, so we were home and in our beds long before headliners and secret sets! We'll need to catch Chloe Slater another time.

Tenement Trail 2026

We'd had a brilliant day and we didn't even make it to the Barrowland and BAaD! But then Tenement Trail has something for everyone. Whether it's the thrill of seeking out new bands, or going to see the more established bands further up the bill later in the day.

I think we'll book a hotel next time and make a real day (and night) of it!

Early Bird tickets for Tenement Trail 2026 are on sale now.

Thursday, 9 October 2025

Wigan Casino - Three Before Eight

Trust Me #105-107
Time Will Pass You By by Tobi Legend
Long After Tonight Is All Over by Jimmy Radcliffe
I'm On My Way by Dean Parrish

In 2001 I moved out of my childhood home and into a flat in Dennistoun. After years of commuting from Carluke for work and pleasure, I was now just a mile away from drinks and nights in the likes of McChuills and Blackfriars, both of which had (and have) a real affiliation with northern soul.

Blackfriars had a monthly night called Friday Street and there was a pre-party in McChuills. I was turned on to some exceptional music played at these nights and after one I went into town and bought a compilation album called The Best Northern Soul All Nighter Ever.

Amazon link

Let your backbone slip - energetic northern soul dancing at the Casino

The album concluded with the three songs mentioned above and the sleeve notes indicated that they were the songs traditionally played at the end of northern soul nights - the 3 before 8(am) -at the world famous Wigan Casino. The home, in many people's eyes, to northern soul music.

Can you imagine dancing the night away, right through to dawn, to pounding soul? Stompers, floaters and floor shakers? All night long! Little rest. Fuelled by the music, atmosphere and whatever else might take your fancy! Pulling moves, dancing to grooves, wondering about song titles, sticky with sweat, wearing your best clothes and shoes/trainers, trying to keep up, getting sucked into the crowd ... getting your kicks out on the floor.

“As the lights came up, the floor shook with thousands of feet, hands raised in the air, and voices belting out the final anthems. It wasn’t just a club night—it was communion.”

I've thought about it many times. The hardcore that could last through the night until 8am would be rewarded with 3 majestic moments, 3 life affirming songs.

Flying (possibly in more ways than one!) at the Wigan Casino

So, let's take a trip back in time to find out what was going on ...

In the heart of the 1970s, amid the post-industrial sprawl of the North of England, something magical happened. Wigan Casino, a disused ballroom turned temple of soul, became the unlikely epicentre of the Northern Soul movement. From midnight to 8am, working-class youth travelled from all over Britain danced all night on talcum-dusted floors, fuelled by amphetamines and 100mph American soul records that had been forgotten, many lying abandoned and gathering dust in warehouses until DJ's like Ian Levine went crate digging for them.

Check this old interview with Ian to get an idea of how his taste and crate digging skills were so important to the development of the northern soul scene.

Upon finding new songs they cherished, when playing them, Levine and other DJ's on the scene, would often cover up record labels, so that other DJ's, collectors and fans wouldn't know the real song title, label and artist. They were more than happy to play the record, but they wanted to be the only person who had it in their box. This fuelled demand and prices!

The queue to get into the Wigan Casino

It might have started with the very first all-nighter - or maybe it just became tradition over time - but when people look back, there’s a shared sense that the ending at Wigan Casino was something truly sacred. As the night gave way to morning, the final moments were marked by a ritual: three songs, always the same, always in the same order. They became known as the Three Before Eight.

Over time, Time Will Pass You By, Long After Tonight Is All Over and I'm On My Way became more than songs. They were ceremony. Closure. A final emotional release before the lights came up and dancers spilled out delirious, tired, sweating and blinking into the dawn.

Wigan Casino closed its doors in 1981. The building was later demolished. But the spirit lives on.

Lets take a look at each song in order.

Tobi Legend – Time Will Pass You By

Perhaps the most poetic of the three, Tobi Legend (real name Tobi Lark) delivers a soaring performance with life affirming lyrics that must have felt like they were written for the scene itself:

Life is just a precious minute, baby…

Tobi Legend recorded Time Will Pass You in Detroit back in 1968. The song was written by John Rhys Eddins, Nick Zesses and Dino Fekaris.

Imagine being back in the Casino when this dropped- a reminder to make the most of every moment, every spin, to wipe away the sweat and forget about the tiredness from hours of dancing - the night was almost over.

Music doesn't really get much better than this. This song became really important to me when my wife Lynn (girlfriend) and I went travelling in 2007 and 2008.

And in later life it feels like the lyrics, and the euphoric way that they are delivered, matter even more.

All you have to do is live for now

Come along with me and I'll show you how

Take my hand I'll show you how to live, why wait until tomorrow

Take my hand and I'll lead the way, to a brighter day

Life is just a precious minute baby

Open up your eyes and see it baby

Give yourself a better chance

Because time will pass you right on by

Jimmy Radcliffe – Long After Tonight Is All Over

A sweeping, orchestral masterpiece released in 1964 on Musicor Records, this song was the emotional heart of the 3 before 8. Radcliffe’s aching vocal and the song’s sense of finality mirrored the bittersweet feeling of dawn. I've always thought it would be a great first/last dance song at a wedding.

Shuffling percussion introduces the song and Radcliffe is in super swoony romantic mood. The four line first verse leads immediately to a chorus that declares undying love.

Tonight with you, for the first time

I have learned what my lips are for

And darling now, that I've kissed you

I am craving to kiss you more

Long after tonight is all over

Long after tonight is all gone

I'll be yours

Forever and a day, and yours

Come anything that may

You'll always be everything to me

There is only one more verse, containing the beautiful line - when I hold you, I can feel that the world is mine , then it is straight back into the chorus. This perfect song is delivered within 2-minutes 23 seconds.

Taking it back to closing at the Casino, imagine this playing after a night of dancing, you are with your friends, or with people who became friends for the night ... jeez it would emotional!

Dean Parrish – I’m On My Way

An explosion of optimism, Parrish’s 1967 stomper gave dancers one last burst of energy. Clapping hands, stomping feet, a chorus of defiance. I've always thought that the opening guitar riff was very Blondie, but the song message is Northern Soul in a nutshell.

Defiance, resilience, light at the end of the tunnel. This song lifts you up. Whether you've had a bad week, or whether you're at the end of a night of dancing. There are multiple riffs through the song, the lead vocal is rich and soulful, while the backing vocals lift it higher.

The bridge into the final chorus, which repeats a line in the second verse, is utterly perfect;

Baby I give you everything I've ever had to give

And now I'm gonna live

Here I go, I'm on my way out of your sight

I'm on my way, you're off of my mind

(Flying high)

Catch me if you can

Gonna cry, what a way to die

Time Will Pass You By, Long After Tonight Is All Over and I'm On My Way are added to my Trust Me playlist; search for Everything Flows - Trust Me on Spotify or CLICK HERE. Check below for all previous blogs in my Trust Me series.