Wigan sucks

IMBER VILLAGE SOUL CLUB

"Seven miles from any town, There stands Imber on the Down"

THE DANCERS

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"Can't get over these memories"

Imber Village Soul Club first opened on February 3rd 1968, That first night about 600 fans came, it was the start of something very special for thousands to follow, Membership soon totaled over 10,000 although I only remember a max of 2,000 at any night. Imber was open every Saturday and once a month on Friday (oldies) for All-Night sessions and on a Mon, Wed Fri for "the heart and kidney of soul "gigs" (you could get a pie at those). Imber closed in 1981 but the memories live on.


Markie Marksman danced during the first ever Imber Nighter, long before the recognised dancing we know so well, Mark would stand rooted to the spot rocking back and forth. It didn't catch on. Mark now drives a white mini bus around the Warrington area.
Paul "Exustrek" Dixon was one of Imber's first professional dancers! Paul worked part time as one of the "Imber Imps" dancing on top of the pops to "Poopsy" Paul is currently out of work.	Paddy Grady is the man behind Northern Soul Radio. The Internet Radio Station specialising in Northern Soul and Motown music. Paddy started in Imber, check out his station: http://www.northernsoulradio.co.uk/
Karen Crane usually found lurking by the men's bogs offering to dry their trousers. Imber's first lady DJ only DJ'd once because she only had one record!	Cariad Carey, Welsh Scooter girl and started her trips to Imber whilst delivering sheep for her father. Cariad now lives in Imber with her cousin
Denise Todd from Cleethorpes, the first girl to wear a circle skirt on the scene! Denise loves oldies, Motown tunes, slowies (ballads) and just luves to dance. Denise entered every Imber dance comp but was never placed due to lack of rhythm.	Pete Smith long time record collector and Imber fan. Pete has just finished his masters degree in diplomacy at Imber Village agricultural college Pete has a web site: http://www.raresoul.co.uk/

Jan (Soul Man Jan) Lisewski and Karen Fisher, Karen is a Self confessed divvy from the old Imber days. Jan will never forget seeing the Vicar of Imber, Hector, and treading in the legendary overflowing toilets. http://soul.gatewayusa.us/Sits/sitsinfo/sitsinfo.html	Janine Snow Imber local girl, now living in Australia. We did have a picture of Janine flashing her bra but Microsoft threatened to close us down if we showed it!
Simon Cuerden and Debbie Dimond, long term friends and Imber stalwarts. Debbie went to school at Kettering were she taught geography. http://www.tafsc.com/	Mick "Nightowl" Fitzpatrick I only ever visited once but great fun, I have my own web site now http://www.nightowlclub.com/
Rob Wixs Sheffield lad who would DJ at Samantha's then ride down to Imber on his Lambretta	Big Rick Hacking invented dancing on talc after an acute attack of dandruff, his dandruff is now cured. Rick has his own web site http://www.hearts-of-soul.co.uk/
Phil Brown was the very first person to wear Imber Bags. The 70" flares were made special by his mum and Phil had to be carried on and off the dance floor.	Mark "The Mod" Etheridge Imber local boy, Mod and well dressed man about Imber. Mark started most of the new dances at Imber and was the first real Mod out side of London. Mark still attends nighters and spends lots of time talking to people in the toilets about music and stuff. Mark hasn't got a web site.
Chris "Drowning in a sea of soul" Laylor Chris, a Belgian cheese maker made regular visits to Imber in the early days. Chriss was deported back to Belgian after his arrest during football violence at Imber United V Winchester FC. You can read an article by Chris here: http://www.thisoldsoul.net/chrl1.html	Craig Rapley seconds before winning the Imber Soul Club Dancathon!
Howard Earnshaw who runs the fanzine "Soul up North" http://soulupnorth.org/ Howard was a regular character at Imber selling his Fanzine "Imberfestoe"	Jim McClusky of Wigans Ovation, Jim was in the original line up of Imbers Ovation but was asked to leave after an incident in the toilets. Jim is holding the suit he wore on top of the pops to perform Per-so-nally. See Jim's site: http://www.wigansovation.cjb.net/
Stephen Bardsley lives in Melbourne Australia having emigrated from Imber in 1975. He is the President of The KTF Soul List. Steve as his own web site http://home.iprimus.com.au/stephenbardsley/
Peter "Spanner" Keightley, Spanner was a stalwart of the club until joining the SAS were he provided the catering during the Iranian Hostage siege.	Brian Jolly was the last dancer out on the closing night. Brian once collected £70 (a lot of money in them days!) for Imber's RSPCA. Brian is very much active on the soul scene and has stopped smoking.
Dave Olley, once big time dancer and record bar assistant Dave could often be seen helping a very young Dave Rimmer serve hot food in the Milk bar, Dave now lives on an oil rigg as a recluse.	Tommy Cockburn, Imber was brilliant! We used to get meat balls and gravy from the Milk Bar, it was the dogs bollocks! Tommy is now a yeast farmer in Lancashire. He invented the suppository in 1980.
Martin Thomson remembers Imber well, although busted for illegal poultry dealing on the first nighter, Martin served three months in Imber's infamous prison were he became a reformed character. It is said that his hair style was copied by Davis Essex. Martin has his own web site now at: http://www.soul-a-go-go.demon.co.uk/	Alison Holden , Alison was the first Imber dancer to dive off the balcony to dance to Imber's Ovation. Alison also writes stuff about soul music. http://www.lifeandsoulpromotions.co.uk/
Tony Warot, Ah Memories, Myself & Brian Rae Spent Many A Night Sat In The Car Park at Imber Listening To Tapes & Talking Allnight Too Paranoid To Go In....Nothing Changes Eh....	Gordon "Gordy" Robertson, Gordon was a well known Imber Soulie who was once asked to catch people as they threw them selves off the balcony to dance to Imbers Ovation. Sadly Gordy was a shite catcher and many were injured.
Neil Marsh from Kent. Niel auditioned as a dancer on the first Imber Dayer. At the time Imber had it's own dance troupe "Leather Louts" it never caught on but Niel stayed true to the fashion even for years after Imber's final Nighter. Niel is now a Scout Leader in Chatham.	Dave was a regular at The Soul Club taking many many pictures of young girls in circle skirts. Dave was eventually banned from Imber when it was discovered that his camera contained no film! You can see Dave's work here: http://www.daveleedham.supanet.com/
Matt Male "I have a complete collection of Imber anniversary badges, one of my prize possessions is the blue one	Lisa Barnes, pictured at Imber's x-mass bash fantastic night with seven top DJ's and special badge to commemorate the night
Michael Fuchs, all the way from Germany! Michael now runs TYHU in Germany a yearly allnighter	Alison Leslie from the Midlands brilliant dancer and could fire ping pong balls over seventeen feet


THE DANCERS	THE ARTISTS	THE MANAGEMENT	THE MUSIC

THE DJ's	GUESTBOOK	IMBER'S OVATION	THE BADGES