Thursday 25 November 2010

NO FIXED ABODE - LIVE - 1981/82

I reckon the graphic at the top of the page on the first item is based on a Gibson Firebird, and so from that you may guess Dundee band No Fixed Abode was a guitar based rock outfit, in which case you'd be bang on. Being a trio, however, they weren't full-on heavy metal merchants, but they did like to rock the joint!
NFA members were - Lloyd Anderson, drums & lead vocal - Jed Ward, bass - and doing all the guitar work was Lyle (or Lyall?) Osborne.
This live review is a positive one, the gig having taken place at the Tayside Bar in 1981. They played for an hour & a half, the majority of which was their own material, but they did slip a couple of covers in the set as well. It doesn't say so in this particular write-up, but to give you an idea of their musical leanings, cover versions they've indulged in have been Thin Lizzy's "Dancing In The Moonlight" and David Bowie's "Stay".
The second item is also a fairly positive review of a gig NFA played up at the University in January 1982. This one appeared in the national music press.
There's a bit of advice in the write-up, but all 'n' all it's a general thumbs up for the performance.
Despite the band's ambitions, as far as I know No Fixed Abode's recording output never got past the demo tape stage.
You may need to enlarge the top item to read it, so just give it a click.

17 comments:

  1. Joke F questioning someones talent, there's irony for you. Lloyd Anderson should have moved to London where he would have carved out a decent career..talented bloke.

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  2. Lyle is a tremendous guitarist, used to watch him as the Lyle Osborne Band in the early 90's on Saturday Nights in a pub I think called the Union Bar? The bassist was special too. Is he still gigging nowadays?

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  3. No Fixed Abode were the most tedious group trying to be post-punk/whatever. Can anybody remember any of their "original" songs? Interesting that both of the previous posters talked about how great band members were.

    They were awful and I think Jock was trying to be generous - or drunk.

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  4. I cant speak for NFA, I just remember Lyles guitar playing in another band, I've played the guitar for 35 years and wish I was half as good as I remember him playing.

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  5. Read my post properly Craig, I said he was talented no great.

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  6. Lloyd Anderson is a monstrous talent, Mr Anonymous is right, he outgrew Dundee years ago but for whatever reason never managed to leave. Anyone who can't appreciate Lloyd's mastery of his instrument(s) has cloth ears I'm afraid, or is just plain jealous.
    Lyle O, for as long as I've been aware of him has always been a really fluent, natural player with great control of his tone, he's still gigging occasionally with Hector's House I believe.

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  7. Didn't Lloyd have a wee go at it ending up on the James Whale Show? unfortuanetly in a flash suit and slicked back hair, which gave him more the look of Rick Astley ! Bad career choice that was i think. Still a very talented bloke tho. Yet to hear anyone better his version of Superstition, with or without instruments :)

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  8. Yes but talented doesnt mean any good. It was very hard to listen to NFA without thinking there was somewhere better to have a pint. They cleared the Tayside Bar every time. Ladywell anyone?

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  9. I sympathise with anonymous above. Whilst I still have some feelings for Street Level and the Megazones, I cant remember anything that NFA ever contributed to the Dundee scene...

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  10. It's all about IDEAS really, and ideas can be a bit of a mystery ingredient in the creative process!
    That's why it comes across as sounding a touch harsh (and confusing) when criticising someone who has talent/skill.
    The fact is though, you can be a dab hand at your instrument but be completely vapid in the ideas department.
    As Arthur Koestler said "Creativity is the defeat of habit by originality".
    It may actually involve abandoning all you have learnt and starting all afresh!
    Be courageous!

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  11. From Lloyd Anderson to Koestler in 12 moves that's why I love this site. Second that motion re. Mr Anderson's talent, have to say though he's nuttier than squirrel shit in a Snickers factory

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  12. Great musicians. Wasn't into their music myself BUT at least they got up there and did something rather than sit at home and talk about it. Talk is very very cheap.

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  13. Hip to be square2 December 2010 at 17:56

    they did plenty original stuff, just didn't conform to the "hip to be hip" idea, "Crazy green eyes" was their best in my opinion, I wasn't even a huge fan of them , but, seems certain folk can knock certain folk on here .

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  14. Hi All. NFA were a band that had talent throughout but both Lloyd and Lyall were big Wishbone Ash fans which bled through the music. Lloyd was also a huge Bowie fan and you could here this in his vocal.

    I joined them as a roadie about 82'ish with Ronnie Boyd (ex-Colossus basss player) and remember playing the Tayside Bar on many occasions, packed to the rafters and rocking I even sung Quo's Break the Rules with them one night.

    Lloyd is a serious vocalist who suffered mental health issues, but should have been a great talent. Lyall was a mean guitarist and I loved his playing whilst Ronnie brought a dexterous bass style and even took lead vocals on accession (Smoke on the Water). Agree with the poster about Crazy Green Eyes but By the Way and Listen were also good.

    They did covers of Gamma's Voyager and Four Horsemen as well as the aforementioned Lizzy.

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  15. lloyd Anderson25 May 2011 at 14:34

    The 'Logo' in the write-up was in fact based on Lyles Ibanez Explorer ...

    ...you can read my recent reply beside the demo page comments ( Help Retro - Link etc ? )

    Lloyd Anderson .

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  16. Cheers Lloyd and will do...

    Here's a link to Lloyd, who is still involved in music. It lists the bands he's played with - from The Associates to Lake. Also his TV performances - he was on Def 2!
    He has a 2011 solo cd out too.

    http://www.musical1.com/Lloyd_Anderson/epk/

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  17. lloyd Anderson31 May 2011 at 03:10

    Hi folks...i've posted a reply in the page containing 'Wolftime'...just to deal with a couple of posts here...would be good if the people who write these personal & ill-informed posts could reveal who they are eh ?...i think i know a few ...& one in paticular has a huff dating back to Tayside bar days.

    Hello 'old gigger'-who are you ?...with regard to the James Whale show...not only did i appear on it after they had continued to call me for 3 months to do so...i had only 5 days to prepare for filming, hence doing an acoustic set...
    ...'that set' / hair / suit etc, helped to lead me to many great situations ...including writing / singing songs which appeared in a No1 feature film in Germany...this film went on to surpass 'Jumanji' at the box office...bad career choice ?...
    ...thanks for your compliment re 'Superstition'...seems an awful lot of bands now play it here .
    Would be good to hear what the detractors have achieved with their lives eh ?...one things for shure...they've failed to learn the true meanings of positivity & respect .
    Lloyd .

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