Between 1964 and 1971, these three venues didn't just play
music, they built a culture. They took sounds from Detroit,
Chicago, New Orleans and turned them into something uniquely
British. Tonight we're going back into
those rooms, the Catacombs in Wolverhampton, the 100 Club in
London and of course in Manchester, the Twisted Wheel,
and into the records that made it all happened.
This is your soundtrack to the Underground.
This was the birth of what we now call Northern Soul.
Everybody's walking down my little naughty boy.
He's got a smile that feels you full of joy.
Naughty, naughty boy. Naughty, naughty boy.
Come on, Hurley girly Do the fool and the feeling too.
He's going to make you dance like you want to do when you see
my Mama. You gotta get to your feet.
Naughty, naughty boy. Naughty, naughty boy.
Everybody wants to romance my little naughty boy.
They all want to dance with my little naughty boy.
Jackie Day and she was a lesser known soul singer who recorded
primarily in the mid 1960s. Though she wasn't a household
name, she recorded for Modern Records, which was a key Los
Angeles bass label. Naughty Boy was one of her
standout tracks, released around about 1966.
It's a driving, upbeat Northern Soul number with a punchy brass
line and a playful, confident vocal delivery.
The track gained A cult following in the UK Northern
Soul scene, especially at places like the Twisted Wheel and the
Catacombs. What made it special was the
rarity factor. Few people knew it at the time,
but once it hit, it became a dance floor staple.
Despite her minimum chart success in the US, Jackie Day's
records became treasured pieces among soul collectors, and
Naughty Boy is a perfect example of that elusive gritty charm.
From the heart and soul of Manchester.
It's all about soul and it's got to be Northern.
She's so bad you pretend that we be rushed as this beer, but not
instead of for this thing together.
That's why I love her so much. I want to know my tea.
I need to know my tea. Just like that.
A red tender knee. Just one kid, a red tender knee.
Now she knows. Now she knows I'll do anything.
And when I'm close to earth, I'm your best friend.
You pretend that we'd be my sister's friend.
Come down in circle for this little girl.
That's why I love her so much and I want her so much and.
Just went down. I've heard your knee.
Just one kid. I've heard your knee.
I love her so much it hurts me. It's a track by The Majestics, a
Los Angeles vocal group led by a guy called Arthur Robes.
It was originally released in 1965 on the Linda record label
and later reissued in 69 on Rampart and Warner Brothers.
The song became a Northern Soul cult favourite because of its
emotional vocal and that mid tempo groove especially popular
in the UK's northern scene. The original 1965 pressing is
particularly prized by collectors.
Tonight it's another episode of Secret Soul.
Keep this to yourself. Please don't tell anyone else.
I didn't like the smartest. So she wanted sister party.
Oh, I hope it turns all right, But please say the people away.
Take a young town all day. Yeah.
Throw the party for baby. Yeah, yeah, everybody.
I hope she's going to show up. Hope she's going to show her all
your friends. I asked a mother and dad with
Linda helping him. They understood, said they do
all they could right and so far so good.
The party begins with and I can't wait to see your face when
she wants me. Everybody come on
I can't wait till she want to live down with a red stress on
good ass for MO she looking good I wanted her to my baby she
always looks good. The Vibrations, also known as
The Vibrating Vibrations and they were an LA group active
since the 1950s. The track Surprise Party for
Baby was released in July 1970 on Neptune Records and it's
gained A cult following in the UK soul scene, especially at
venues like Blackpool Mecca. The record was known for its
fast tempo, energetic brass and hockey vocals, making the
favourite at all nighters. Easy baby, easy baby.
Your wondery smile is driving me wild.
Your soul and the touch of being so mother.
No word you speak girl and sweetness and sick and your
loving ways you make it so. Take it easy, baby.
You know you gotta take it easy, baby.
Take it easy, baby. Take it easy, baby.
Whenever I'm talking, I look in. God will ever see he get a hold
of me. And when we're dancing, there's
nothing to play. Take it easy baby.
Well, you know you get next to me.
Take a sweet, but take it easy baby.
Take it easy. The adventurous and easy baby.
It was released on Compass Records round about 1967 and is
considered a very rare Northern Soul record, especially for
dancing. It's got a strong beat and a
driving groove which is perfect for the dance floor.
Now, tonight's episode features these three iconic locations.
So to give you a little bit more detail, the catacombs in
Wolverhampton opened in the mid 1960s and it quickly became
known for its deep soul sets. A bit darker, more exclusive and
driven by deejays who were digging for rare imports.
The Twisted Wheel in Manchester really was a catalyst.
It was the first place where all nighters define the culture.
That place was electric from the late 50s onwards and the 100
Club in London was a cornerstone.
Part mob club, part live music venue, it's right in the heart
of Oxford St Between those three, you had this perfect
triangle. Each club brought a unique vibe,
but all feeding the same hunger for rare soul.
My hottest days I knew. This time I found somebody.
This time I found somebody new. It's time I'm having you, boy.
You, boy.
What became of all that? Time came over.
I need to find out that I've come.
But let me be. I don't come no more.
My crying days are through. This time I found somebody.
This time I found somebody knew. This time I'm marrying you, boy.
I'm hurting you, boy. You boy.
I'm loving you, boy. The time I'm loving you, you
boy. You, boy, it's just my heart,
you know, real. And I'm believing that we've
never heard. I work more, more my time in the
days I threw. This time I found somebody.
This time I found somebody new. This time I've heard.
Great track Venicia Wilson, and really the name is tied to the
track called This Time I'm Loving You and it gained
popularity in the Northern source circles.
But this track was released on the Top Top label and was
designed to sound like a 1960s dancer, though later research
suggests it was actually a later production, not an original
1960s release. But Despite that, it's a multi
vocal and dramatic arrangement made it a big floor filler in
the northern scene. One for the money, Show me for
the show. Show me Breda.
Get ready. Show me head for the goal.
Stop scratching your head and bend in your knees.
Sweep it out in the shed and baby, please, please, now get a
little tired, a little bit the one you love with the one no
one. They live a little brighter for
the one you love. It's good for the rich.
Yeah, it's good for the. It's good for the newborn.
Next door. None.
Every day you'll need we love you to say yeah.
Hey baby, please, please come and get a little tighter.
We don't want to love. We don't want to love.
For nearly two decades, the tapes of that one and only album
lay hidden away collecting dust, and it wasn't until 1990 that 2
British soul collectors came upon the album while digging
through the Hamilton vaults. And so began the discovery of
Little Anne. From the heart and soul of
Manchester. It's all about soul and it's got
to be Northern. Then we buy, all right, that
loaded place before we met each other.
I was over alone. Yes, I was.
Until now. I've got Yes, I have someone to
call my own. And I know why I won't be
lonely. Yeah.
No, baby here. Now.
Love is sweet. All right?
If the girl's got soul. Yes, it is.
Now life's come free with someone.
And so now I have someone that help me make it cold.
Yes, I have. I've got soul in the world to
change my Wiz Diamond and I know I won't be going ever again.
No baby. All right now.
So now I never that you're the one.
Yes I do now the part is so low now beat as a wall.
And so now we go together on the face our destiny and we know
that in love, yes it is as the right as I can be.
And I know I won't be lonely ever again.
I'm trying to think one of the places I've heard that track and
I've heard it many, many times in many clubs.
But it's a fantastic track ever again, and it's a rare soul
track by Bernie Williams. Originally released on a 7 inch
single on Eric Records in the US, with some copies also
circulating as Auk Import on Bell Records.
It's a mid tempo groove featuring that pleading vocal,
punchy rhythm and of course the crisp production.
Though it flew under the radar in the US, it became a prize
record on the UK dance floors, particularly in clubs like the
Twisted Wheel, the Catacombs and of course, the 100 Club.
Let your heart break, speak your mind before I walk on the door
because you can't believe this time I won't be coming back.
No, I won't be coming back. Never.
No more. It's been a long time since you
told me you can't. And then no need to pretend when
it's just not him. He's got to live on a man hard.
Tell us, what was it? Maybe this man, I won't be
coming back. No, I won't be coming back.
There were no more. Oh, come on, come on.
Come on. Tell me how you need.
I want to hear your same face. Tell me that you love me so.
'Cause it means it may be this time I I won't be coming back.
No, I won't be coming back ever. No.
Oh, baby, baby, tell me. Now tonight's about the three
featured clubs, and each of these venues had its own
distinct vibe. The Twisted Wheel in Manchester
was really the beating heart of the Northern Soul movement.
It was an all nighter destination, raw, energetic and
driven by DJs who dug deep into obscure American imports.
The Catacombs in Wolverhampton was smaller, it was more
exclusive and underground basement where rare records were
spun for a select crowd and it was a little bit more intimate
and the focus was on exclusivity.
Those DJ sets were almost like discoveries.
And then the 100 Club in London was different again.
It was a bit more polished and mod stronghold right on Oxford
Street you get the live axe and a more mixed crowd, Mods, soul
fans and later on even punks. So the Wheel was all about raw
northern dance energy. The Catacombs was a secret,
exclusive gem and the 100 Club was that stylish London
crossroads, each at its own pulse, but the old played a
massive part in shaping the sound.
And girl, I try so hard to get you to notice me, to drop a
crowded room when I see you. I'm trying to catch you.
But every time I see you, and I've been watching, I need you
right now. Yeah.
Yeah, I need you right now, girl.
There's something so sweet about you, my heart.
I just can't live without you, my girl.
Don't keep up. I've been watching.
Hey, I need you right now. Yeah, yeah, I need you right
now. If you don't give you the head
of me 'cause I've been watching Janet ride for you, baby.
Janet, I need you right now. Yeah, yeah, I need you right
now. Tonight we've travelled the
length of the country, from the bright lights of London's 100
Club to the dark electric basement of the Twisted Wheel
and into the underground heartbeat of the Catacombs Club.
3 clubs, three different atmospheres, but one shared
obsession. The music.
Until the next time, bye bye. If I had a new house on the same
Old Street wearing new shoes on the same Old Street.
A new car driving round the same Old Town.
Taking a new song with that same Old Town.
This one seemed new to me. Called the time the same old
thing, the same old way. Come on, hold on.
With me in a brand new way it's me.
Get me in a brand new way. You'll me in a new way.
You fight, you fight, you fight pad a new month on the same old
face. You caught that with the same
old taste new shirt, all the same old back it.
Wouldn't. Seem new to me from the tide of
the same old thing, the same old way.
This be in a brand new way.
You find out a new carpet. Oh the same only door, a new
knock on the same only door for a new star beat the same old sky
for a new in the same old style. What the same do to me.
Oh my God of the same old way, the same old way.
Come on and hold on. Be in a brand new God.
Hell me through. Be in a brand new way.
Come on, love me out, be in a
brand new way.