Home to the famous all-nighter's, the Wheel hosted many of the world's top soul acts - Sam and Dave, Ben E King as well as many top UK acts such as Geno Washington, Root and Jenny Jackson and St Louis Union (c'mon we have to get a Manchester band in there somewhere).

The Wheel went a trifle upmarket at the end of the era, calling itself "The Placemate".

Phoenix City Smash outside the Twisted Wheel
(ad for Freddy Mack Show in window)

October, 1964


Wheel cuffllinks

3 December 1965

Good reading

	CENTRAL 1179 - The story of Manchesters Twisted Wheel Club by Keith Rylatt & Phil Scott ISBN 0-9536626-3-2 BEE COOL Publishing (BCP) Ltd. You may need to try ebay or Amazon.
	Have a look at the scans of Roger Eagle's R'NB Scene magazine
A new novel about going to The Wheel.  More info
Novel that acuratly charts things at the Twisted Wheel  The MANCHESTER WHEELERS - Get it from Beatin' Rythm, Tib St., Manchester
Links
The Twisted Wheel & Real Fab 4 Appreciation Society

Memories

I got two buses, the B bus which stopped outside my house and then the 98 down Manchester Road, then walked to Whitworth Street.

I remember seeing Junior Walker and the All Stars, Edwin Starr and of course the St Louis Union, who had a massive following as you know. I remember the Union playing the Astoria ballroom in Oldham and hearing Heatwave by Martha and the Vandellas for the first time played by them. They were unique as they had a sax and an organ and did great soul covers. It was ages before I heard the original version and I still remember quite vividly hearing the song for the first time.

A few years ago I was in Selectadisc in Nottingham with my daughter and got a copy of Central 1179, the story of Manchester's Twisted Wheel Club and was overwhelmed with all the memories it brought back. Great days!!!

Janet Chow

I visisted the Wheel regularly around 1969/70 and met many people with very flambouyant names. Like Batman from Leicester and Haggis from Sheffield, Little Dave from Levenshulme and Joey Eager from Liverpool, Kathy and her sister from Glasgow and a lass from Keighly who talked a lot. I spent the whole night in the loos chatting once. I think it was Linda ?

Judy from Stafford who went with Janet from Telford.

I was fortunate enough to work on the ground floor directly above the Wheel in Brazennose St. Talk about mixing business with pleasure! Friday afternoons I could hear that night's bands doing their sound checks, such as they were. The message being that the weekend had already started.

Spent each Saturday buying records and was totally broke come Monday morning. It has always remained a mystery to me how some people seemed to have money for not only records but clothes and pills as well! When The Wheel moved to Whitworth St. it lost it's feel for me. The sound was crap and the place just didn't have the same feeling about it. It became too much a "scene" place to be. I guess that's why Roger Eagle upped sticks though I may be wrong.

John Irving

You think Roger Eagle was the only DJ at The Twisted Wheel in Brazennose St.? The first night I ever attended,(Memphis Slim/Georgie Fame) the man on the decks was Roger Fairhurst (who's still alive and kicking) and he was playing John Mayall's "Crawlin' up a hill". He's still got a terrific collection and is a mine of information. The Wheel wasn't just a one man band.

John Irving

I visited the Twisted Wheel regularly in 1963/64. I don't think it had been open long. Us girls used to do the classic thing of dancing round our handbags!!

If nothing much was happening at the Wheel we used to go round to the Oasis. I remember one night Dave Berry was on at the Oasis. I thought he was strange!

Never went to any all nighters, there would have been hell to pay at home. I used to get the bus in from Cheadle and sometimes walk a lot of the way home (Couldn't do that now, for lots of reasons).

I really liked the Hollies, they were there a lot, if I remember rightly. Happy days.

J Simpson

Read with interest the comments re dj's at Brazenose Street Wheel. Whatever happened to Peter(Bongo) Van Dort. Does anybody remember him?

Ron Finn

Bongo Van Dort was the dj at the original Wheel.  He introduced us to the Coasters, Chuck Berry and many more great artists.  We were the new generation of hippie teenagers  - long hair, bell bottom jeans, black roll neck jumpers.

Sadly Peter (Bongo) passed away in 1972 in a car accident in Yorkshire.  His son has got a e mail address on one of the Wheel sites.

P Byrne
31/3/09

The first thing I used to do when entering the Old Wheel was request the DJ to play my favourite record of the time, 'Crossroads' by Homesick James.

Saw some great performances there too by John Lee Hooker, Carl Perkins, The Yardbirds, Spencer Davis, Sonny Boy Williamson, and Long John Baldry: who used to wander about the place ducking the archways that led from room to room with Rod Stewart at his side looking even smaller than he is.

The pea soup was another memory, very tasty: along with the pretty girls with their long hair and panstick lipstick.

Peter Bradford

There was a dark side to the "Wheel" that at the time was very cool, and that was what we all called "pep pills". To stay up dancing all night at the all-nighters in those days you needed some amphetamines. Most of which were knocked-off from local chemists. We did not have any chemical names, we just called them by their colours, red'n'blacks, brown'n'greens etc.

Spencer and the other bloke (forgot his name) from the cops used to search us as we were lining up to get into the all-nighters on a regular basis. We used to buy the pills on Picadilly station and slide them inside the turnups of my bleached blue jeans. Boy, the state of us in the El Mogambo round the corner on Sunday morning, getting it together to go home. my kids don't believe half the stories.

Chris W

I started to go down the Wheel with my older brother Tony (Rest his soul) and my mates back in 68-70. We lived in Nelson Lancs and would alternate between either The Wheel or an all nighter close to home in Brierfield called the Bird Trap,

We would go down our local dance hall called The Imp to see some of the great Soul Acts like Sam & Dave, Otis Reading etc and then off down the good old all nighter to dance the night away.

If only it was still like that now a days!!!!! Long Live Soul

David West

I was a regular at the wheel 69/71 great times me and friends from Doncaster. I remember batman, haggis, nobby (from Derby)

Chris Farrell

I remember the Twisted Wheel club in Brazennose Street and later at Whitworth St. I attended reularly from about 1963 to 1965. I saw many artists including Sony Boy Williamson. I went to the all night sessions and the next day the dedicated went to Blackpool, where we finished off the weekend with more clubbing.

The club was non alcoholic, but by the time the all night session opened, most of us had been drinking in the local pubs. However, there was a lot of uppers and downers used. When the police raided one night, the floor was covered in pills and the less fortunate were scrabbling around the floor trying to scoop them up.

That aside I had some fantastic nights dancing to the beat of r&b. I also remeber the Oasis club, where I saw several budding artists who late became pop legends, but I found it rather commercial and less of a buzz than the twisted wheel. I didn't think the reopening in Whitworth St was as successful as the original club. Later, I progressed on to other (alcoholic) clubs and got stuck into a professional career, but I can still remember many of the faces and pals I had, but not their names. I would love to hear from them.

My tastes these days extend more to Paolo Conte than modern pop, but I when I hear the r&b I have to dance, and memories of my carefree youth come back.

Alan Brooks

Had many great nights at the wheel with the Heywood "in Crowd" Ebb, Sid, Bone, Tud, and Dennis "Hutthur" Kingslow and the girls Mooresy, Flower,and Petal.

Used to meet early and spend a few hours in the "Jigsaw" before moving onto the Wheel. Saw some good artists including Ben E King, Spencer Davis and Edwin Starr.

Just for interest my brother Roy was lead singer with "The Powerhouse". A great Manchester soulband who should have acheived more.

If any members of the Heywood "In Crowd" read this and want a reunion night you can contact me. I'm in the phone book. That's Chris (Ebb) McLean, Anthony (Tud) Loxley, Jeff (Bone) Greatorex , Sid (TheNose) Pinde, Dave (Albums) Hayes, Dennis (Hutther) Kingslow plus the Girls - Val (Mooresy) Moores, Janet (Flower) Gannon and Petal not sure of her name. Also Lesley (Les) Waterhouse.

Let's relive our youth again before it's too late.

Alan ( Alby) Gibbs

People do not believe the times we used have. It will never be repeated - we would go out on Friday night and not go home till Monday morning

Roy Barry

I went to the Wheel 66 to 69. The great thing was the fact it was so frendly and in the moring you went to the Salvation Army for tea for a cup of tea then the Blue Note just to come down. Then we got the train back to Carlisle.

Bill Elliott

Great trip down Memory Lane reading about the Wheel. Used to go there in the early Sixties. Coming from the "Country" (Wythenshawe:-) we would get the 102 to Albert Sq and then "tank up" in the Rising Sun before heading to the "All Nighters".

Agree, fantastic times, great groups (Spencer Davies with "baby" Steve Winwood on vocals and organ, ike and Tina Turner etc.

Sunday night we would then get our "best mod gear" on and go to Belle Vue. Saw Long John Baldry/Rod etc.

Often wonder what happened to Samantha who "helped" Jimmy Saville on the stage. Supposed to have gone to America with Mickey Dolenz of the Monkees.

Talk about full circle, now live in NYC and Peter Noone appearing at an oldies reunion a few miles from here next week. He couldn't sing when he lived in Sale and presume he still can't

Peter Appleton

Thank goodness someone has come up with the real deal about the Wheel instead of the suger coated version!!

I refer to Chris W who writes about the scene on the station, and being searched for pills. Sgt Pxxxxx's Purple Heart Club Band consisted of four officers, with one or two wooden tops brought in for special occasions, which brings me to my tale of woe.

Does anyone recall the night in September, 1967, when Paul Band was badly beaten outside the club, 4 men tried to drag him into a car. After he had been taken to hospital the police came up to the the station, blocked all the entrances, told everyone to stand still, as they were investigating a serious incident and we were all to be searched, and to give out names and addresses.

This never happened, as for some reason best known to himself, he took one look at me, and arrested me, dragged me out between him and a WPC. Everyone was watching, about 50-60 people were there, surely this can be remembered by someone.

They took me to Paul in the hospital, who told them that I did not do it. The police then took me back to the wheel himself, they turned the music off, and one gave some sort of little speech.  He then let me go, and off he went. Over the years many people have said, "I know you, your that guy who got pulled by the police that night, but it was 40 years ago!!

Barrie Worthington aka 5 boys

Great site.  I attended the Twisted Wheel 1963/65 when it was in Brazenose St.

Bongo van Dort was the dj - first time I heard real r&b.  Big Pat was the doorman, very calm bloke, no alcoho.

Best nights Tuesday and Thursdays, Saturday allnighters -  I think Wednesday nights were all r&b with Roger Eagles dj.

First heard Chuck Berry, Muddy Waters, Sonny Boy Williamson.

Peter Byrne
7/2/09

The Beat Boys were managed by Jack, Ivor and Phil Abadi who owned the Wheel. I had a great education by being able to rub shoulders with and watch most of my heroes, Memphis Slim, Georgie Fame, Chris Farlow John Lee Hooker and many many more. It was the place to be and the memories for me are still very vivid. God Bless The Wheel, all who played and all who visited.

Mike Gannon
5/3/09

I can't believe this site exists! I was checking out a sixties band, 'The Mighty Avengers' and picked up the link.

Through early '64 and on to '65 and '66 I was in Manchester most nights. Monday at the wheel saw Alexis Korner in residence and Saturday night early and all night sessions punctuated by visits to the Rising Sun, in at the back door out at the front, and into the Nag's Head, with your 'pass out' stamp on your wrist. Georgie Fame was 'magic'.

The Cavern club in Cromford Court provided the setting for my only brush with the local law enforcement officers. A mate, Steve Church, had a bad reaction to something and five or six of us, courtesy of passouts, were outside the club getting some air and a passing 'bobby' commented on the general need for haircuts and kept on going.

Next minute, the black van with half a dozen of his mates pulls up, were loaded in and taken to Bootle St., booked for 'Loitering with intent' put in cells, minus shoe laces and ties, leather or nothing, whilst Parents were summoned! Laugh or what! Subsequently in Court, in school uniform, conditional discharge.

Great time, great mates, not all of whom still around, remembering Derek Stevens ( Weed) Barry Wynn and a few more.

Michael Dalton
30/3/09

Wow, I'd forgotten what the old place looked like!
I remember queuing outside there many a time.
I saw John Lee Hooker, Sonny Boy Williamson, The Animals and so many more great people.

I'm pretty sure I saw the Rolling Stones there too, before they were famous, but as no-one else mentions them perhaps that was another club.  Wherever it was, they were so Not famous that they just walked through the audience before their set and Mick Jagger brushed right against me.

They were sensational and it's why I made a note of their name and realised later when they became famous.

Cary Butterworth
28/4/09

Hey fantastic, to find Manchester Beat.We used to get the 125 from Hyde to the All Nighters and in the week the Oasis and others.

I live in New Zealand now and my family said why not write someting about your younger days, cheeky sods! and researching came across this site. Memories memories, but we were in at the start, the kids here just don't what it's all about when they think they're having a good time.

NZ Pete
4/5/09

Being so old, I remember the 'Wheel' when it was the 'Left Wing Coffee Bar'.  John Rowlands, who later played with John Mayall's Blues Syndicate, used to run the all night jazz sessions there.  We used to drop in after a Saturday night gig if we were passing through town. 

John would sometimes import a 'name' in from London but the only one that I can remember seeing there was tenor player Don Rendell, one of my favourites.  Don later had a quintet with Graham Bond who at that time was playing alto.  Graham of course went on to play Hammond Organ, finally meeting a sad end under the wheels of an underground train.  I can't be sure who played with John Rowlands but it might well have included the likes of Roy Hilton and Hughie Flint (McGuiness Flint). 

To give you some idea of how long ago this was, I can remember coming in to town in the early hours of a Sunday Morning after a gig just to look in Looker's window (the car dealers on Deansgate) to see this revolutionary new car  that had been unveiled at midnight that night.  It was the Mini.

Brazennose Street being almost opposite Lookers, we probably went on to the Left Wing for a cup of coffee and a dose of jazz.

Pete Crooks
30/5/09

The Abadi Brothers, ex Burnage Grammar School lads, opened the Wheel on January 27th, 1963. On opening night the headline act was "Dean West and The Hellions" who were from Burnage, later changing their name to The Wailers, eventually disbanding in April 1964 when Barry "Bean" Whitwam and Lek Leckenby left to join Hermans Hermits.  The very first DJ at The Wheel was Geoff Mullin, another ex-BGS boy.

Dave Chalmers
15/2/10

A few more none-sugar coated Twisted Wheel tales for  Barry Worthington and NZ Pete.
Yes Pete I used to catch the the 125 from Hyde aswell. I was the black sheep of Hyde for a few years after we got nicked for knocking off the chemists for pep pills (another story for later).

Anyway Barry, I seen to vaguely recall the Paul Band issue and the cops trying lock the place down one night.

There was another incident on one all nighter when the tension between the guys from the Wythenshawe 'reservation' and the Moss side black kids got out of hand. Killer McBride got stabbed a couple times and as he was being carried out on a stretcher he rose up and head butted some poor black kid who was nothing to do with the ruckus.

I live in Houston Texas now but remember those crazy all nighters with great relish.
Bumped into Jim Warhust from the Meteors and the ManchesterPlayboys last week in Barbados, alive and doing very well, living down the street from Ricky Hatton in Gee Cross.

Chris W
12/5/10

These dates are listed in the Manchester Evening News:

• The Coasters - 19 November 1966. This would have been the original Coasters with backing group, The Noblemen, featuring Martin Barre (later in Jethro Tull) on guitar.
• Lee Dorsey - 15 October 1966
• The Vibrations - 24 September 1966. I think The Noblemen (see above) were backing group as they did support them at this time on a UK tour.
• Edwin Starr - 28 October 1966
• Ben E King - 10 November 1966
• The Action - 23 September 1967

Nick Warburton
26/6/10

I lived in Macclesfield (now  in the USA)and attended the wheel in the mid to late 60s with the crowd from Macc and Stockport. The post from Barry Worthington was interesting as I used to hang about with Paul Band and even went to school with him.

Some other lads that used to go to the allnighters from Macc were, Grasspatch, Keith Upton, Mick Weston, Mish Wood, Spud Taylor. Alas Paul died young from an overdose. Anyone remember any of them?

Dave Arnold
14/7/10

 I went to The Wheel and the Jigsaw club. The Wheel was way back in 67. My mates and I wore Pierre Cardin suits with twelve inch vents ! Used to spend all our wages on clothes and pills . I worked at the Openshaw Steelworks.Went to school in Ardwick (Chester Street)and secondary mod at Birley St in Beswick. I think it was called English Steel when I was an apprentice.

I'd go out an Saturday night(I lived in Ancoats just up from Redhill St, afew minutes from Wentworth Street)and not get home till late Sunday night-having been to Blackpool Winter Gardens for more pills and dancing.

Loved it ! Would do it all over again.(not the pills). Being 17 in 66 was fab. I had all the energy in the world. I even went to work on Monday-having been off my face all weekend. I'd even go climbing in the peaks,some weekends,with my friend Phil Ashton.

Life was fantastic and so was the music-I've got the Platters-"Only You", on now. Never grow tired of the music. The music got me into studying music and playing the trombone and cornet (badly !) When I've had a few drinks I drive the neighbours mad with Otis Redding and me on the cornet-what a bastard!

The scene did have a darker side.(I've erased this part of the post-thought better of it. In case I offend any relatives).Although I never experienced any trouble at the Wheel .There were some right bastards around-like out of Shameless,but worse. They never bothered me or my friends. Cartoon Head might have been hanging around ! (reference,"I Deal " -Johnny Vagus).

The Steelworks eventually made me and my mates redundant. We all buggered off to Newquay to work a season-and did basically the same down there.We were all the same age and all went to the Jigsaw and the Wheel. I lived in the back of a minivan for months in Newquay(you can do that when you're 19).

Nothing can beat the Wheel for the atmosphere and the music. The Jigsaw was pretty good but not as good as the Wheel. We used to drink in the Mitre pub -near the cathedral. Piccadilly Bus Station as well as the train station was where we met-all dressed up -real smart.

Ben Sherman shirts and 501s would be in the holdall-for wearing when going to Blackpool. Great days of youth and stupidity-but what times I had!
If the club is still going-then fantastic.

I will surely pay it a visit. Since moving to London, I've completely lost touch with my old mates from the 60s. I would love to see some of them again-if they are still alive. Well ? I'm just "Farther Up The Road"

(Bobby Bland)and a lot older . But still up for a clubbing night! Four days a week at the gym (stopping my tits from falling to my navel and my arse to my ankles )should see me through a gig at the club. Might bring my trombone! No, only kidding.

Keep up the good work on the site. Off now; to Notting Hill Carnival. 

Peter McEwen
30/8/10

Fantastic times at The Wheel 67-68.

Know friends from loads of places - I too know Batman, Haggis, Swanny Sharpe and Swifty - the one I went on to marry.

We went from Sheffield and then came back to Sheffield Sunday and went to Baileys to carry on dancing.

Will never forget those great weekends.

Jacky Swift
30/8/10

Fantastic memories of Cona coffee bar/Mogambo/Aunty's kitchen/Jungfrau/the Mitre/Pop Inn/Oasis/Takis/Twisted Wheel/Stax sunday morning after the wheel all nighter.
Cha Cha the rasta at the Nile club/top of the town/Jigsaw/Princess club etc etc etc

Found this site and cannot believe how lucky we were to have experienced it all.

Oh and the record shop on Tib Street.

George Konig
11/11/10

Steve Jackson (Jake)
11/11/10

Most vivid memory of the Twisted Wheel was going to the bar upstairs and standing next to stevie winwood!!so exited nearly fainted, but was only 15 at the time!

Went to many allnighters at Whitworth St Ben E King, Lee Dorsey, Edwin Star to name but a few. Memories are quite vague now but remember being in trouble every sunday, hiding behind the paper having a sleep,well was staying at a friends!!

Good times.progressed from mod to hippie everthing thing went a bit fuzzy then!!

Stil like to listen to the music tho, brings back happy memories, glad so many people still remember....

Deborah Davers
13/11/10

My first experience of the Twisted Wheel was in the mid 60's - a guy I'd met asked if I'd like to go to The Twisted Wheel Club in Manchester.  Since I'd spent most evenings in places such as Chez Fred's, the Sinking Ship, the Masque, etc. (all in Stockport) this sounded like a very upmarket place at the time. 

So I went out shopping and bought a lovely white suit (jacket and skirt), put my bell-bottoms with the bells up the side back in my wardrobe, together with my psychedelic jacket, and trotted off to Manchester. 

Well - can you imagine my horror at walking into this Club dressed like a 60's barbie doll when everyone there was either "mod-ified" or "hippie-fied".  I wanted the floor to swallow me up.

Anyway, it soon became a regular weekend haunt - and I even had a brief fling with a DJ there (a guy called Paul)- didn't get to know his second name (that's how brief it was!) The all-nighters were mad.  I never understood how the bands could play for so many hours on end.

If I wasn't staying all night I would drive into town on my psychedelic scooter ..... that proved to be a real man-magnet!!!  I remember coming out of the record shop one day to find a note from Ugli Ray Teret (the DJ) saying he'd seen me park my scooter and would like to get to know me - and he left me his address and phone number. 

Jo with her scooter - halfway through painting it psychedelic.  

As it happens, Ray and Eric Stewart of 10CC were busy renovating what was to become Strawberry Recording Studios in Stockport at that time - and I lived a few yards away from the Studio - so I used to pop round and make cups of tea for "the workers". 

Happy days.  Where did my youth go????? I MISS IT A LOT.

Joanie Thompson
30/11/10

I was a member from??? 63 at the original site, then when they moved down by the copshop ?? I think that I went until 66?? must have been that year because I, like many mods at the time, discovered acid 67 and left my mohair suits behind. 

The love of the music is still with me, I have loads that I regularly play.  Two notes into "Going to A Go-Go", my head fills up with Prellies and I can almost taste it.  Long live Stax, Atlantic and early Motown, (pre Jackson 5 shite). 

I was one of the Hope Hall crowd from Liverpool, our routine was The Hope on Friday night, when some of the Manchester crowd came over. 

Saturday we travel to The Wheel, Manchester for the all-nighter, rattling from the Prellies, Dex and Bombers. 

Sunday it was either The Wheel at Blackpool or Hilbre Island, in the Dee Estuary, to get a bronzy and come-down with a few spliffs. 

Winter was different of course, in fact, winter Sundays used to put the 'DOWN' in 'comedown'.  We'd sometimes go to the Jigsaw then but it was always a pale imitation of The Wheel. 

Oh yeah, the greasey spoon ??? near the old train station??? The Names have been robbed by the Time Bandit! 

Great Times though I lost a few back teeth which were rotted by pills and Tunes sucked to stop the cottonwool balls forming from yacking shite for hours when not dancing.

Russ Fitz, now of Nottingham.
10/12/10

In the 1960s my husband used to be manager and 'roadie' for a group called Mort Draygon and the Diamonds, and they occasionally used to play at the Twisted Wheel on a Saturday night, on the nights when they weren't at Pete Stringfellows Mojo in Sheffield.

Daphne Murphy
19/12/10

They asked why we didn't go to see them, but the Oasis Club would not let us in because of our long hair and hippy looks.

Happy days Cary.

Peter Byrne
29/1/11

My friends & I used to frequent the Wheel a lot.  Remember the pass-outs?  When you could get a pass-out and then return another night (making sure you knew which pass-out was valid that night) and get in the club for free with it (if you were lucky enough to have the same pass-out ..... they rotated them nightly). 

Didn't go to the all nighters but knew people who did.  Went to both sites (Brazennose St & Whitworth St) - remember one night the police (as they were only over the road) came in to find someone - walking through the club looking at everyones faces.  GOOD TIMES. 

A bloke I knew used to DJ there sometimes and I got a lot of my records from him.  One record that always reminds me of the Wheel is LITTLE PIECE OF LEATHER and UPTIGHT.  Everyone used to dance in a circle to UPTIGHT.  Remember to coach trips to the Blackpool Wheel? 

Like I said before GOOD TIMES.

Yvonne
12/11/11

My friend Marcy and I hitched up the M6 from Warwick every Saturday night to the Wheel all nighters.  We rolled out of there at 7am Sunday morning, the daylight hurting our eyes!!  We use to get a lift back to Warwick by a lorry driver who would wait for us at the beginning of the M6.  Great times.  Then back to Warwick, quick change and wash and off to Droitwich to a afternoon at the Chateau Impney......THEN... back to the Cavalier in Smith Street, Warwick.  God, where did we get the energy from -  no pills either.

Monica McGrath
9/4/11

The record I mostly remember from my Twisted Wheel days (Brazenose St) is Dinner with Drac by John Zacerly. Also the R&B music at the all nighters and the groups which later became famous.

Sylvia Hughes
27/4/11

It was amazing, how we found out about so much great music, the people we met and and the fashion,tuesday and thursday nights (Brazenose St).

The place used to be always packed, met some great people, r&b, Coasters, Marauders.  Wwe learnt a lot about good solid music, the d.js, Bongo on Tuesday and Thursday, I think it was Roger on Wednesday.  He played pure r&b from the delta.

Great time - how I miss those days.  This site is brilliant for old teenagers like me - .thanks.

Peter Byrne
26/5/11

l remember we missed the train from Sheffield & we were going to the wheel three of us Jean, Phil & me & it was l969 the weather was awful snowing, blowing a gale, but we were determined to get there so we decided to hitch.We ended up on the moors it was unbearable, when luckily a police cars stopped for us & offered to take us back & of course us nesh girls accepted the lift but Phil was undetered so we ended up in p/station with a hot drink & they even got us a taxi home, who said policemen arent nice. By the way he got to the Wheel & lived to tell the tale.

If you are by chance reading this do you remember, it was freezing but still great memories, wonder where you are now.  

Jacky Swift
30/5/11

I used to frequent the Twisted Wheel in 1965/67, loved it. I met my husband there Tony Hayes, he was originally from Manchester and had moved to Liverpool.
We loved the "Wheel" and the music. He sadly died at the age of 35.

Does anybody remember H from Wythenshaw he was a great friend of Tony's would love to get in touch with him.

Clare Hayes
6/6/11

I lived in Greenheys, on the edge of Moss Side, my friend lived in Chorlton, where I went to High School, we would meet up in Picadilly bus station, under the clock, and walk to the Wheel together.

It was in about 1964 when we first began lying to our parents about where we were going, I even kept my club card (shaped like a wheel) pinned under a picture in my bedroom), I think we told our parents we were going to the school youth club.  We also lied about our ages, to join the Wheel and become members - thank goodness for panstick make-up and long hair!!

I remember clearly both venues of the Wheel, to us, the Wheel was superior, it is where we Mods went, any other club was lesser and that was for the Mids.  I remember the excitement as we decended into the club each Saturday night.

We picked up some great dances,  saw some great people, including Long John Baldry, who seemed like a tower to my 5ft height, saw the Hollies, the Marauders, the Yardbirds.........I could go on listing, but we all know who performed there.

We did get to meet most of the groups because they wandered around chatting, none of that "I am a celebrity" attitude then.

We even managed to do one or two, of the All-Nighters, by lying to our parents about being at each others houses - no home phones in those days for parents to check up with each other.  I do remember the pills on sale but I never had the money, besides, our extreme youth carried us through the night.

If Sue is reading this, do you remember us hiding in the ladies for ages because two blokes kept trying to carry us around the place (Sue was even shorter than my 5ft height)?

Happy days, happy Saturday nights, happy memories.....and my children would never believe the things I could tell them.......

Joy
21/6/11

Judy from Stafford - you mention Little Dave from Levenshulme.That was probably an old friend of mine Dave Allen. I last saw him around 74, really into drugs by then. Nice bloke,but just went downhill .Hope he sorted himself out.

Mike Cooney
21/7/11

I used to go to the allnighters, also went on a Friday and Sunday ... I remember Skenny Benny, John, Arthur Hinchcliffe, the twin girls (can't remember the names).

I met Mavis there and where married later - also Dave Brockway(kinda posh to us) great fella though ... Ledge fromLiverpoolpool.

Fantasic years..even though Spencer used to stop and search us regulary.

Barrie George
11/9/11

Me and my mate Brenda used to go to the Wheel from 1966 - 1969.

I was only 14 when I first went my parents would have gone mad if they knew where I'd gone. Saw loads of top bands there. Went to all nighters when I was 16 we used to tell our parents we were staying at each others house. Made friends their with people from all over the country the music and dancing gave us all a common interest, I still go to Northern Soul events with my mates.

The darker side of the all nighter scene was that drugs were prevalent, if you wanted them, I lost friends through overdose and some of my old friends are living with mental health problems related to excessive drug use.

I would love to hear from my old mates if they are still around, overall the years spent at the Wheel and other clubs and coffee bars in Manchester were great fun times!!

Elaine Sutherland
2/10/11

Just found this site (must have been asleep for years)

Remember the Wheel from 63 to 64 at the first venue, The Rising Sun with the 2 doors and The Nags Head, saw Baldry, Hooker, Screaming Jay, Spencer Davis Group and many more at the all nighters.

The move to Whitworth Street in 64/65 again lots of top blues soul etc, Remember talking Yibberish to lots of people, Roger Eagle DJ who sadly died a few years ago and used to live in Chorlton.

God, so many names too many to mention, although I do remember Spencer and his side kick Plummer. Alan Spencer and Derek Plummer, Plummer was the little one we used to call them Laural and Hardy, Spencer was the big fat one and Plummer was the weed with spots and a big nose who lived near Hyde, saw him in a pub in Didsbury in the early 80s the place that did a cheese lunch with some one who was young enough to be his daughter. Bloody hell will have to stop rambling.

Yes, great days from my time 63 to 69. The amphets were top but the Duraphate gave you a bad come down. I used to on a Sunday morning pretend I was a train on Piccadilly or Victoria Station Chew Chew Chew. What a great web site 

Derek Rowbotham
14/1/12

I used to go to the Wheel when I was a 16/17 apprentice from AEI in Trafford Park.

I used to go with Mike Sweeney, Dave Smith and a few others.  I met a girl called Barbara Livsey who lived South of Manc - Bollin Walk Wilmslow, I think.  She was a georgeous young blond girl.  I would walk her back to Oxford St station and arrange our next meet.  I went to work away and never saw her again.....Ahhh what fun we had.

The Animals 'Baby can I take/walk you home" I remember being played a lot.

Alan Pedder
14/1/12

Working at the Midland Hotel as a trainee chef gave me plenty of time to get down to the wheel,thanks, largely to one of the chefs there called Steve Shanks.

Started at the Wheel in 63' to 65/66, great times, good friends even today - Dave Felthouse, Ed Carly, Paul Kearsley, Mart Toombs, the late Dave Smith.  We were all from around Wilmslow, Bramhall, Cheadle.

Still listen to the Wheel music today ... so if anyone knows the names on there, try emailing me ... Great memories, didn't like Whitworth St.

Dave Burchett
28/1/12

God I had so many great all nighters there with my mates Barry Tasker and Patrick Soye.   The main one I remember was Ike n Tina Turner and Tina Turner asking me to get on the stage to dance with her!!  I was too shy to do it!! 

Great times spent lots of money on black n reds etc... I was only 16 and used to go out of the house Friday nite till Sunday nite and my mam used to think I was sleeping with boys.

She never believed I'd been dancing for 2 days!  Who could blame her. I remember the fashion of little vanity cases we all used to take with us for the all nighters.   Great times indeed.  

Lorraine Cohen (nee Graham)
28/1/12