Before Wigan Casino took its legendary place at the heart of northern soul ,there was a little club hidden down the cellar stairs of Elizabeth house on Great moor street bolton known simply as Va Va' it opened April 1973 and quickly became the Friday night Destination for rare soul lovers

The DJ there was Richard Searling

A story of passion obsession and music that refuses to die . it's 2026

and the beat goes on ,From the Mod clubs of the 1960s to the legendary clubs and the all-nighters we celebrate the music the world had forgotten .

Northern Soul didn't end in 1975 ...but it stopped being innocent

from that point the scene would split, argue ,evolve and survive -

so when I look back now fifty years on, 1975 stands out not because the music failed -but because it succeeded .

Well you're probably wondering why I started this episode back in 1975. One thing ran through my life - Soul music

and the lyrics of the first soul song I ever heard the one that started me on this journey ,still resonate today.

"Just walk in my shoes ,this hurt inside us too much for me ,just walk in my shoes and you'll see the love they used to be "

Tonight its back to basics ,no frills, no distractions -just the heartbeat of the Northern Soul Scene .

These are Records that built the floors ,the sounds that kept dancers moving through the coldest months ,and the energy that defined Northern Clubs when the nights were long and the music mattered most.

Welcome back to Secret Soul ,the show where we dig out the rare, the overlooked and the electrifying tracks that made Northern Soul floors legendary

Tonight We're exploring the 60s stompers and rare soul treasures ,these are the tracks of the underground .

Secret Soul revisits The famous 100 Club Oxford Street London .

All these Deep Soul tracks were played at this Iconic Venue

The Sound of the 100 Club is special because it isn't about volume or acoustics -its about pressure ,proximity and purpose .Few rooms in the world have all three in the way the 100 Club does

spend a little time there tonight ...but keep it to yourself

Tonight ,we celebrate six Northern Soul Legends who didn't just perform in the UK-

they lived here ,they belonged here ,and helped shape the very Soul of our Scene :

Edwin Starr, PP Arnold, Geno Washington,Jimmy James, Major Lance and Tommy Hunt .

Its a Secret Soul Special Tonight :

and this time were diving into one of the most mysterious ,magical and emotional stories in all of soul music .

This is the story of a woman the world missed.... a woman who recorded masterpieces that were never released... whose voice filled northern soul dance floors for decades ...Tonight we celebrate Little Ann

Northern Soul has never been so popular ,people love the connection ...the uplift and that special sound of pure stomping soul.

Tonight were back with a fresh selection of secret soul and a few surprises

Tonights episode is about Secret Soul-the rare grooves, the hidden voices ,and the stories that never fade .from basement labels to ballroom floors,these tracks still carry the heartbeat of real soul .

Tonights journey is through some of the finest ,rare soul gems from Chicago ,Philly,

New York and New Orleans and not forgetting Miami

In Tonights episode were going rare, we're

going exclusive-we're on a mission

a mission to bring these long lost soul tracks back into the light

some of these tunes shook the dance floors some slipped through the cracks......

but all of them deserve to be heard again.

We starting with those Rare soul sides -the ones you had to hunt for ,save for and sometimes travel half a day just to hear once .

Then we shift into something that only the scene truly understands .....The Northern Soul Instrumentals .

Music built for the floor .music that speaks without ever saying a word

1981 Although the Wigan casino had closed ,and it felt like the lights went out on the scene ,in truth it was the beginning of something new.

A time of rediscovery -of rare records,forgotton singers ,and a sound that refused to die .

The casino might be gone ,but the faith never left us .

because Northern Soul isn't just about a club ,or a record ,or even a dance floor -its about a feeling that lives deep inside .

Its Funny how things turn out- what started as a bit of practice for a Community Radio Show has turned into something I genuinely enjoy love doing every week

I want to thank everyone who listens ,shares ,and supports the show

Tonights Journey is through rare groves and Northern Soul Gems from The Tan Geers to Otis Clay ,Peggy woods ,The Vontastics ,The Heartbreakers ,Alder Ray and Jimmy Soul Clark ....and much more

From the Streets of Detriot to the backrooms of Chicago,

from the lost labels to the ones that shaped a generation

Tonight we have the Gene tones, the Bel aires ,Tina Roberts ,The four Pros ........ and includes my find of the month the Soulettes .

These are the tunes that didn't chart, the B Sides that almost dissapeared and the 45s that only true collectors and DJs knew - until now.

That'the magic of northern soul, passion ,discovery ,and the joy of finding a record that speaks directly to your heart .

Classic Friday night at the Northern soul club

tonight we spin the tracks from Chicago vocal groups to hidden gems ,and these tracks may have been forgotten in America but in the uk they became immortal