The Twisted Wheel

The Story

This club opened in 1963 in a coffee bar on Brazennose Street, founded by brothers Jack, Phillip, and Ivor Abadi, with DJ Roger Eagle playing rare American soul and R&B imports. It was here that journalist Dave Godin coined the term Northern Soul after visiting the club. In 1965, the Twisted Wheel moved to Whitworth Street, consolidating its reputation as the home of all-nighters, with a packed dance floor until dawn. Small Faces made their live debut here, the Hollies had a residency, and John Lee Hooker and Rod Stewart, still unknown, played on stage. On the night of July 29, 1966, the day before the World Cup final between England and Germany, soul singer Joe Tex canceled his performance at the last minute. Jack Bruce, Eric Clapton, and Ginger Baker, then a trio formed only two weeks prior, were hastily called and driven to Manchester in a black Austin Westminster. It was there, in a last-minute and almost secret show, that Cream performed live for the first time, two days before their official debut at the National Jazz and Blues Festival in Windsor. The club closed in 1971 and, despite popular demand, the building was demolished in 2013.

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