DJ recalls Wigan Casino’s greatest discovery as Bruce Springsteen records his own version of it

Russ Winstanley was surprised and delighted to discover the world famous musician is releasing a cover version of Frank Wilson’s 1965 song Do I Love You (Indeed I do).

Having never been released in America, Russ came across it one day in the 1970s and played it for Northern Soul crowds at Wigan Casino, where it proved a big hit and was in fact the last song ever played there.

Russ, 70, said: “The record was made in 1965 and it just sat on the shelves in Motown because Wilson wanted to be a writer and producer. He did a lot with the Supremes.

"When I heard Bruce had released it, I just couldn’t belive it. When singers do covers, it’s usually of songs that people know.

"It was Wigan Casino’s biggest ever song, my biggest discovery and Springsteen’s gone and done it."

So how did it become Wigan Casino’s hit anthem?

Russ said: “A friend of mine went into the Motown Vaults (where unreleased tracks on vinyl records were archived). I’d told him about this number by Frank Wilson. He found it and they let me have it, so he sent it across to me.

“I played it at Wigan Casino and it went down very, very well – and is still regarded as the best ever.”

Russ sold his copy in 1979 for £1,000, which was a lot of money back then and still is, and it has recently sold for £100,000!

Russ, who lives in Beech Hill, founded and ran 532 all-nighters at the Casino from 1973 to 1981, plus around 1,500 early sessions.

On December 6 1981, after eight years, the Wigan Casino was closed for good and the very last all-nighter was held on Saturday May, 16 1981, from midnight until the morning.

Russ fondly recalled that last night, saying: “There’s three records that I discovered that I used to play before 8am and they became known as the Three Before Eight.

"We released them at Wigan Casino. They were: Jimmy Radcliffe – Long After Tonight Is All Over, Time Will Pass You By – by Tobi Legend, and I’m On My Way – by Dean Parrish.

“I wanted the words ‘I’m On My Way to leave us on a high.’

“We were supposed to finish at nine in the morning, as we were given an extra hour, and as I got to 9pm, everyone was banging on the floor and stomping their feet.

“So I played the three songs again, but the same thing happened, and so I played the three for a third time. They all just kept saying ‘no, no, no!’

"By then I was in tears and everyone was throwing their arms around each other becuase they’d travelled miles to come to Wigan.

"We’d done it for eight years, 530-odd all-nighters. Just to break the bubble I thought to play, Do I Love You and if I hadn’t, we’d probably still be there now!”

Springsteen’s take on Do I Love You (Indeed I Do), is the lead song on his upcoming album Only The Strong Survive, released on November 11.