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Richard (at The Mecca).

Now it’s time to feature one of the greatest and most influential DJ’s of all time on the Northern or Rare Soul Scene, Richard Searling. This podcast is what he actually played at Stafford TOTW on February 26th 1983.

Richard had been at the top of the tree for getting on 9 or 10 years but with John Anderson behind him his sets the last couple of years or so at Wigan changed the face of Northern Soul. Many exclusive plays that still remain firm favourites to this day. Several were what can be considered ground breaking for the time and they were also a breath of fresh air after some of the what went before during the mid 70’s at Wigan.

Come Stafford though many of his big 60’s plays had gone to other DJ’s, Dave Withers for example, and Richard seemed to be changing direction totally for a more commercial sound. Many of his sets featured records freshly released, David Joseph was actually on Top Of The Pops with “You Can’t Hide Your Love” the month after the date of this set at Stafford. There was still quality 60’s featured in the sets at Stafford an almost all remain highly sought after and still to this day are as hens teeth.

Richard’s radio show at the time was at Sheffield’s Radio Hallam and Richard would then hot foot it over to Stafford to get behind the decks around midnight. It wouldn’t be long though before Richard would turn his back on the All-nighter scene and concentrate on his radio show.

Maxine Nightingale - You Can't Run From love - Connection
Norman Connors & Adaritha - Take It to The Limit - Arista
Walter Jackson - Touching In The Dark - Kelli Arts
Jerry Knight - Nothing Can Hold Us Back - A&M lp
David Joseph - You can't Hide Your Love From Me - UK Island
Doug Parkinson & Southern Star Band - I'll be Around - Southern Star
Sunfire - Stop In The Light - Warner Brothers lp
Marlena Shaw - I Just Want This Feeling - South Bay
Webster Lewis - Let Me Be The One - Epic
Webster Lewis - Touch My love - Epic
Janice McLain - Smack Dab In The Middle - Warner Brothers RFC Records
Mr Soul - What Happened To Yesterday - Genuine (Maurice McAllister)
United Four - Baby Don't You Do It - Unissued Acetate (Leo Wright & The Elbejays)
Johnny Honeycut - I'm Coming Over - Triode
Herman Hitson - Love Slipped Through My Fingers (Herman Hitson)
Q - Thats The Way - Hound (James Lewis & Case of Tyme)