RETRO DUNDEE

MISSION COMPLETE

2011-12-05T00:35:00.001-08:00

That's me done.
My wee offbeat look back at life in Dundee during the 1960's,70's & 80's has now reached journeys end and so I'm away to put the time-machine back in the garage and chuck the cover back on.

For those of you who find Retro Dundee for the first time after this date, here is a quick overview.
It started up back in summer 2008 and all the items I have posted (approx 1300) are still available to view in the Retro Archive running down the left side of the main layout. You can click on the dates to open up the content and you can scroll through the material month by month or by their title. There is also a Search Box top left if you are looking for something specific and it will will open up a wee results panel to dip into.
You'll find a mixture of photographs, adverts, audios, film footage, publications & ephemera on all sorts of subjects relating to Dundee's retro decades - school, fashion, bands, events, pubs, art, sport, restaurants, gigs, shops and on and on. So if you were kicking around town during this period, there's a good chance you'll spot a few things here you'll enjoy seeing again.
You won't find much in the way of official academic historical accounts as this is more of a historical trip off the beaten track than a traditional visit to the museum and library.
The majority of stuff has come from my own personal collection but quite a few others have contributed too.

As for the "Followers" who have been keeping their eyes on Retro Dundee for a while, well there will be no more new posts, so I suppose nothing else for you to follow here anymore.
Thanks for visiting it regularly, and also for those who supplied genuine comments, much appreciate the added extra info.
I will, of course, keep Retro Dundee up & running for as long as I'm around, or as long as time will allow, so unless Google's Blogger shuts down or something, Retro Dundee will remain on the Internet to bamboozle researchers and historians and it will still be kept active for you to drop your comments.
I'll also keep my Retro email open should anyone want to get in touch - you'll find it top left of the layout where it says "Contact".

Anyway, can't stay here yacking all day, I've got a ton of other things lined up ready to be cracking on with, so it's time for me to set off for cyber-pastures new and move on to my next bundle of activities on my "To Do" list!
So that's yer lot then.
Eh'll awa now.
GG

AND A BIG SHOUT OUT TO...

2011-12-05T00:33:00.001-08:00

I was originally planning on doing Retro Dundee for around 2 years, that being how long I thought I would be able to post items regularly based on the quantity of material I had in my collection, however, because of all the items I had sent to me, I managed to keep going for another year and a half.
So to all the people who chipped in with their stuff - a big THANKS - great to know that many of you still had those old rarities tucked away after all that time passing.

Here is a list of those who helped contribute to Retro Dundee...and in no particular order...
MIKE FRASER - EDDIE G - CRAIG METHVEN - THE SCOTSMAN - YVONNE J - STUART BETTY - NEALE ELDER - DREW RAMSAY - JOHN GURVAN - FRANK BOYLE - JIM GRIEVE - BRIDIE - MAC CARNEGIE - JOCK FERGUSON - NICHOLL RUSSELL STUDIOS - MIKE KANE - STEPHEN SMALL - GARY ROBERTSON - CAMERA KEN - BOB McGOULDRICK - ANDY GURVAN - DC THOMSON - GERRY MITCHELL - THE BEAR - ALI STRACHAN - RONNIE CHALMERS - THE ATTIC ARCHIVE - YVONNE McKINNEY - BRIAN WILSON - DEREK THOMSON - JOE OGILVIE - PETER ROSS - EWEN ALLARDYCE - MARK MECHAN - KEVIN L GUTHRIE - AL McKEWAN - GORDON COBBAN - GILLIAN JORDAN - DAVE McDONALD - JIM AIR - MIKE GALLACHER - SCOTT McKINLAY - GRAHAM GURVAN - GORDON WALKER - LLOYD SMITH - JIM WILKIE - LYKEN - LORRAINE WILSON - COLIN RAMSEY - WILLIE FORREST - LAURA WALKER - GORDON BAND - BILLY GRAHAM - ANGUS RAE - CAROLYN LOTHIAN - ECKY COCHRANE - DAVID ROBERTSON - MOIRA BIRD - DONNY COUTTS - VIKING STUDIOS - MARK RITCHIE - BRIAN HUTTON - NEIL MENZIES - PETER ASHWORTH - JIM FARRELL - MARTIN KIELTY - RICHARD ROONEY - GEORGE DUNCAN.

VIEWS FROM THE ATTIC

2011-12-04T00:45:00.001-08:00

Many of you will have had a Viewmaster as a kid, the plastic toy binoculars you put card discs into to view 3D images.
Probably not so many of you had one of these gizmo's above - a slide viewer.
This was more of a photographers specialist gadget than a toy, allowing you to view photographic slides through a magnified lens. You'd pop the slide into a slot in the top, it would light up inside and you were able to see the slides like ordinary photographs, something you couldn't do with the titchy slides on their own.
This is our family one dating from around the late 60's/early 70's - a Halina Paramount Viewer to give it its full name.
This, along with a big bundle of original slides were found in our attic just a few years ago, after having been hiding there for over 3 decades. I actually thought the slides had been thrown out many years ago because I hadn't seen them since the 70's, so it was a great surprise when they resurfaced after all that time.
It was this recent find that after viewing the content, I thought would be worthwhile sharing on the Internet, because these were the original slides that contained those 70's aerial shots around Dundee, the David Bowie concert, Victoria Road demolition an so on.
So here - many still in their original Agfacolor box - are some of the slides that kick-started me into doing Retro Dundee in the first place.

ARNCHORY IN THE UK

2011-12-04T00:43:00.001-08:00

A couple of publications I'd have been lost without during the course of doing Retro, were the old Dundee Directories and old street maps.
The directories have been particularly useful because they list all the shops, pubs, schools, businesses and so on - a very handy aid for fuzzy memories!
I have 3 in my collection, 1966, 1970 and the 1974 one in the photo above, which was the final year of their print run.
Having said that, despite the fact that many of us depend on such official publications for research and fact finding, I've discovered you can't always totally rely 100% on what they print.
Take for example, the street map in the photo dating back to the beginning of the 60's. When I was having a wee look around my old stomping ground - Craigie - I couldn't help notice what appears to be a spelling mistake. The road connecting Aboyne Avenue to Balerno Street, I've always known as BANCHORY Road - but they have it down as ARNCHORY Road, as you can see by my red arrow. They also have it listed in the map index as Arnchory as well.
Forward wind 2 decades to their 1983 map and by heck they still haven't sorted it out properly - now they've printed it out as BARNCHORY Road..!!
Looks like the Geographia Cartography office would have benefited by employing a Dundee taxi driver to help them out!

RETRO ADVERT ARCHIVES

2011-12-03T00:34:00.001-08:00

I've put dozens & dozens of local ads up on Retro over the years which have been really useful when referring to a place I don't have any photos of.
There are quite a lot of old publications you can find ads from the past in, obvious ones like a Courier, Tele, football programme, What's On mag, theatre programme, school mag and so on, but the 2 sources I have probably raided the most are Gladmags and Official Dundee Guides.
Above are a sample of some of the 60's to 80's ones I've been dipping into.

HUNTLY SQUARE SHOPS - 1963

2011-12-02T00:31:00.001-08:00

It doesn't look particularly wintery, but these photos were taken on 19th December 1963.
The square is located between Aboyne Avenue running along the top, and Huntly Road at the bottom.
We just called this place Craigie Shops rather than Huntly Square, this being my neck of the woods back then, and when schoolboy age went there almost every day as they were also on our school route.
Amongst the shops were - Jack Chalmers, butcher - Moore, grocer - Primo, chip shop - Black, baker - Steele, household goods - Stan Gordon, newsagent - Wallace's, baker - Gowans, draper, some of which show up on the pictures above. Needless to say, during the course of time, some shops disappeared and new ones opened, so later there was a Tudor Crisps warehouse - V.G. Store - Farmfoods shop - Dempsey's, hairdresser - a Police Station - Nan's, chip shop - Church of Nazarene, and no doubt a few others that have slipped past my memory.
It wasn't just a place we shopped, we also hung out there and turned it into a play area - football, hide & seek, pitchie, the usual kind of stuff. We also indulged in a game called "Follow The Leader" which was almost like a pre-cursor to present day Parkour. A snake of us would line up and we'd all have to copy the exact movements of the leader in front. Wherever the leader went or whatever they did, everyone else behind had to do the same, so there was a lot of running around, jumping over objects, balancing on structure, that kind of stuff - a bit daring at times, well for primary age kids!
Oh yeah, and it was also a great place to go stot your Superball..!!
Click on images to enlarge if you want to nose around.
Photos by DC Thomson.

DUNDEE'S 70'S BRAINIACS

2011-12-01T00:43:00.001-08:00

1978 saw Dundee University win TV's "University Challenge".
The winning team above for the 77/78 series were - Tom McGhee - Isabel Morgan - Alistair Thomson - Enid Anderson.
I'm fairly sure this was the Dundee team who had a captain (so it would be Alistair) that answered every single music question that cropped up. What was amusing about it was he always supplied much more information in the answer than Bamber had written on his card, so generating a more enthusiastic applause from the audience each time!

The other quartet underneath is the Craigie High School "Top Of The Form" team of 1974.
This, however, was not the TV version or the radio version of the show, but a general knowledge contest between local secondary schools organised by the Dundee police.
In the photo, L to R - John Muir - Rab Gordon - Richie Robertson - Craig Methven.
CHS got through to the final but were beaten by those pesky swots at Morgan!
The Morgan winning team were - Kenneth Millar - Alex McMichael - Gwendoline Bowden - John Todd.
Thanks to Craig for the CHS snap.

CRAIGIE HIGH SCHOOL MAGAZINE - 1981

2011-12-01T00:36:00.001-08:00

Now some pages from a 1981 Craigie High School magazine.
This issue covers the period from the end of 1980 to the beginning of 1981, and because 1980 was the 10th anniversary of the school, the first couple of pages take a look back over the decade. It refers to things like the first 300 pupils to attend CHS back in '70 (my mob) and also has a reminder of the 4 Houses that were set up in the early 70's. However, for some reason, CHS didn't retain the House system for very long.
Also news about new teacher arrivals and a couple of retirements, including Mr Higgins, the art teacher who designed the school badge.
The next couple of pages are an interview with Radio Tay DJ, Graham Stuart, the chit chat conducted by Mandy McQuire & Karen Conway.
Lastly, it's party time at CHS - 3 different parties in fact - first being a Fancy Dress Disco for Hallowe'en, followed by their Christmas Masquerade Ball, complete with visit from Santa, and finally another good night was had at the St Valentines Day Disco.
A few photos of the pupils in costume too - just click onto the pages to view the larger size.
I can tell the DJ played The Gap Band's "Oops Upside Your Head" anyway!!
Thanks to Neale Elder.

LINLATHEN'S HIGH TIMES - 1989

2011-11-30T00:40:00.001-08:00

A few more pages from Linlathen's High Times mag, this issue dating from December 1989, a period when their Xerox machine was running low on toner it seems!
Some of the contents include a visit to Gordonstoun, word about art classes, a new photo club, charity walks, a Shakespeare class, a Christmas Fayre, tree week, and many other bits & pieces.
Also a few adverts such as for - Clep-pers, Lilibets, Hotpot, Parky's, and plenty more - including a den that sold Opium!
Just give the pages a click to enlarge.
Many thanks to Dave.

LINLATHEN'S HIGH TIMES - 1988

2011-11-30T00:34:00.001-08:00

A little glimpse into what was going on at Linlathen High School in November 1988 with a dip into a few pages of their school publication, High Times.
Front page headline tells of a major flood in school caused by a fire hose that "mysteriously burst"!
Other contents include school prizewinners, a teacher retirement, an interview with a band called Love Cats, notice of a visit to France, and a basketball match between pupils and the teachies.
The bottom image is a poster for a charity Christmas Fayre that took place at LHS in December 1988 - with guest, DJ Graeme Adamson from Radio Tay.
Click onto the pages to read the enlarged version.
Big thanks to Dave.

THE SNOWY SEVENTIES

2011-11-29T01:46:00.001-08:00

3 shots here that'll make you want to snuggle up in front of a coal fire - all from the 70's, and maybe even the same winter.
Not sure if the guy in the top image is someone in particular, like a well known skier, but I have a feeling that he was an ordinary member of the public who came up with the idea of skiing to work. Which ever it is, he was stopped in his tracks by a photographer up beside the Morgan.
Middle picture, taken along Meadowside, has the traffic sliding tentatively passed the museum.
And the view at Samuel's corner shows that it might have been a better idea to have had a cosy day in that day!
Photos by DC Thomson.

GATHERING WINTER FUEL ITEMS

2011-11-28T00:33:00.001-08:00

Continuing with the fuel theme (minus coal) here's a few bits & pieces from the past you may remember.
First up is a 1968 photo of the Shell & BP Scotland depot down at the Stannergate. This was a modern installation at the time and had a total storage capacity of 9,000 tons. 8 delivery tankers could be filled simultaneously. Not a place to visit if you smoked!
"High Speed Gas" was a slogan used by the Scottish Gas Board, with the ad above dating from 1968, and a reminder that the Dundee showroom could be found in the Overgate.
You didn't need to have coal to have a fireplace of course, and by the mid 80's, imitating real coal fires was a popular alternative. The next 2 ads competing with each other selling these effect fires are both dated 1986 - Dundee's Fireplace Boutique in North Street and the Fire Surround Centres in Arbroath Road & Broughty Ferry.
Finally, yet another alternative fuel was paraffin, and this badge of mine goes way back to the 60's. No idea if the wee earless elephant creature had a name, but the freak didn't seem to put people off buying the pink stuff!

IT'S ONLY DROSS 'N' COAL BUT I LIGHT IT

2011-11-27T01:40:00.001-08:00

So the coal lorry on yesterdays photo got me raking around for a few related items, because many of us who were brought up in the 60's/70's had coal fires or relatives who did.
Oor hoose in Craigie did, complete with coal bunker for our weekly delivery, and the wee indoor accessories like scuttle, poker, brush and fire-guard.
Above are a few reminders from those days.
Smith Hood & Co, the coal merchant, was on the corner of Union St & Whitehall Cres, with the photo of their premises taken in 1960.
James Hood was also in Union St, a few doors up at #28. He dealt with solid fuel, oil based fuel and chuckies! Their ad is from 1968.
The T.Muir, Son & Patton ad is also from 1968 and are highlighting the fact that they have moved away from the old horse & cart days onto a new modern lorry fleet. The photo of them in action in the ad was taken across from the Queens Hotel.
Ingram's place was in Kings Road on the corner of Whitton Street. They came up with a puntastic slogan - "The GRATE Corner". They weren't a coal dealer but they made your fireplace surrounds, installed your boiler and so on. 1966 is the date of the ad.
One of the aspects of having a coal fire was that it meant you had to have your chimney swept regularly, and chimney sweeps were quite common in the 60's. They would cover the fireplace with a big black cloth, stick their bristly brush through the cover and would add extension poles to it until it eventually poked out the top of the chimney pot. Because of all the soot involved, most of the guys looked like they were in the Black & White Minstrels!
However, I managed to find a wee ad in a 1972 Tele that would seem to do away with chimney sweeps - a product called "Imp Soot Destroyer". It says you just drop a packet onto a burning fire. No idea what happened after that!
Probably the majority of Dundonians had changed over to alternative heating systems by the 80's, so not much call for coal from then on.

FACES LAND - 1986

2011-11-26T00:36:00.001-08:00

Here's a nice gritty urban scene looking along North Ellen Street towards a rather intimidating Jamaica Tower.
This place, as most of you will know, is called "Faces Land", with the housing on the left having gargoyle-like structures of human heads protruding from the window frames.
I also spotted a "Pola Cola" advert on the empty shop above a tag by Kinzie of the Hulltoon Huns.
Then there are the 2 black cars in the foreground - a cool Capri on the left and a lame Lada on the right.
Not forgetting the coal lorry making a delivery.
All this screams "1970's" to me, but in actual fact the photo was taken on 15th April 1986!
Click onto the image for a closer look.
Photo by Neale Elder.

LOCAL ADS AND SOME HOME COOKING

2011-11-25T02:38:00.001-08:00

After a wee flurry sampling some of the gastronomic delights from around the globe - it's time to get back to a few of our own homely spots in town who served up delicious delicacies for those of us who weren't too concerned about our diet.
Going in date order this time - the Keiller Restaurant ad is from 1963 and is for their place in the High Street, while reminding us where their other eateries were located.
The ad for Nelson's is dated 1965 and is for their shops in Nelson Street and the Wellgate. Although it was a confectioners, I think their place in the Wellgate may have had a wee corner sitting area, although I could be getting mixed up with another sweet shop/cafe!
Raffles in the Perth Road was a nice cheery restaurant/cafe that had a very good reputation for it's food and service. I just thought I'd include this basic ad from 1984 to remind you of their logo.
The ad for Shepherd's and the Baked Tattie & Pizza House is conjoined because they both shared the same address in Perth Road. It's dated 1984 - so pre Peking.
The Town House ad is a 1988 one and emphasises their pub lunches - Farfir bridies an' a' that.
But can anyone remember what David did? It says Wednesday, Thursday and Sundays were music nights, but they don't put David's appearance in that category. So what was in store for everyone - did he come up to you and smash you in the face with a frying pan, or what?? Mondays and Tuesdays to be avoided??!!

EUROPEAN FLAVOURS IN THE 80'S

2011-11-24T00:39:00.001-08:00

The top 2 ads are for Don Quixote, the Spanish restaurant in Blackness Road.
First is dated 1981 and 2nd is from 1984.
The reason I put both up was because in the 81 ad it mentions Miguel the chef - but in the 84 one, his name's not there and is replaced by a "dedicated young staff". Well by 1984 there was a new restaurant opened up in Broughty Ferry. It's name? Miguel's. So I'm putting 2 and 2 together here!
In 1980, Le Mirage, on the corner of Ward Road and the Conshie, was indulging in European dishes every Wednesday, a theme they termed "Continental Night", with a variety of cuisine from Italy, Spain and France to choose from.
Photos of Miguel's can be viewed in the January 2010 Retro archive.
Here is the link - Miguel's

FOOD ADVERTS - FULL OF EASTERN PROMISE

2011-11-23T01:43:00.001-08:00

Here's 5 local ads offering a variety of tasty grub from the East that I'm sure many of you will be familiar with.
Starting off at The Far East in Mains Loan. This was their Christmas menu they had up in December 1977. 6-course for 3 quid - not bad at all.
The Gunga-Din ad looks as if it is from the hippy 60's, but this is actually dated 1981. At one stage, this restaurant in Perth Road was considered to serve the best Indian meals in Scotland, not just Dundee!
The Hong Kong ad IS from the 60's - 1968 to be exact. A rather popular place it was too, with both food and music available at their well known spot in the Seagate.
Across the road from the Hong Kong was The Himalaya. It doesn't say so in this ad dating from 1977, but I'm sure they put on music too sometimes.
Rounding things off with the Peking in Perth Road - and an ad from 1988. I think this place is still on the go but perhaps ought to be called the Beijing by now!

PIZZA GALLERY AD - 1984

2011-11-22T00:40:00.001-08:00

I suppose students could have gone straight from their days stint at Kingsway Tech and popped down to the Pizza Gallery in Peter Street pend to take advantage of the discounts they had on offer.
I can remember visiting it a couple of times - a pretty decent place to dine - and it had a "Famous Artists" theme for you to view while waiting to be served.
The advert is dated 1984.

TRAINEE CHEFS AT KINGSWAY TECH - 80'S

2011-11-22T00:37:00.001-08:00

Thought I'd pop this picture up of trainee chefs trying out their recipes over at Kingsway Technical College, sometime around the early/mid 80's - just on the off chance that one of you can spot someone you know.
This was the place to go for further training in your chosen profession - or for the unemployed to have a bit of a skive - this was the era of the YTS Scheme after all!
Wonder how many of the cooks in shot went on to have a successful career in the trade?
Anyway, the other reason for the photo was to lead in to a couple of days worth of food related material.
Tasty old adverts - yum yum!

MOOVING ON DOWN TO THE COWGATE

2011-11-21T02:17:00.001-08:00

If you backtrack to 24th October 2011 when I posted 3 pictures from around the Cowgate, you'll be able to see many of the buildings that were in these settings in 1970, just before demolition commenced.
The top photo here, taken in the early/mid 70's after demolition, has the area around King Street visible and as you can see, it was turned into a temporary car park before the new construction started.
The picture taken in the Cowgate, if you compare to the October set, you will notice that a huge chunk of the original buildings have disappeared from this location too, and again, a part of it turned into a makeshift car park - you can just make out Wishart Arch poking through in the distance. This image above was captured in September 1984.
Top photo from Gordon C.
Bottom photo by Neale Elder.

VANISHING VICKY - EARLY 70'S

2011-11-20T01:47:00.001-08:00

Another group of photos from the early 70's showing the demolition around Victoria Road.
Top picture is of the upper area of the Vicky.
2nd image, from the edge of the crater, was taken in Charles Street off the Wellgate. The derelict building at the opposite end, was the Kings Road location.
The 3rd view is where the buildings I displayed on yesterdays post would have been positioned.
Lastly, a look back over from the other side - the photographer was standing in Kings Road at the time.
Photos from Gordon C.

VICTORIA ROAD BACKIES - 1970

2011-11-19T00:43:00.001-08:00

A couple of interesting photos of the back of the buildings along Victoria Road.
You may recall a similar view of this section of the Vicky I posted back in November 2010, but the difference is, on last years, the buildings were all empty - on these 2 photos here however, there is evidence that they are still being lived in.
The pictures were probably taken around 1970ish, so they didn't have that much longer to go before the arrival of the bulldozers.
The top photo shows the segment where it joins onto Idvies Street.
The image below it is further down a wee bit going towards Wellgate, with the tell tale sign of life - the washin' hingin' oot!
Not quite sure what the small building in the foreground beside the lampie is mind you, because I don't know what address it would come under. If it's in Charles Street then the only place that crops up in my 1970 directory on that side of the street is D. Todd, a coal dealer. Could be - could no be - hopefully maybe one of you will be able to nail that one.
Photos from Gordon C.

IT'S THE JIF LEMON TREE!

2011-11-18T00:33:00.001-08:00

Well Peter Ustinov may have written a play called "Halfway Up A Tree", but halfway up this tree was a strange fruit that I mentioned on Retro back in April - plastic Jif lemons!
We weren't hallucinating after all - here is the evidence from 1974.
Photo by DC Thomson.

PETER USTINOV IN THE NETHERGATE

2011-11-18T00:32:00.001-08:00

Here's a fine shot of Peter Ustinov having a wee chuckle to himself in the Nethergate.
The 2 shops in the background are the Civil Service Stores and Patterson's shoe shop.
Peter Ustinov was rector at University of Dundee from 1968 to 1974, the era the photograph was taken.
It's quite an amusing image because Peter was really world famous at the time, what with his numerous film awards, his plays, books, his witty one-man shows etc etc etc - a gigantic list of achievements and a colossal all-round entertainer - and here he is in the city centre with a bench all to himself, none of the locals aware of his presence!
Photo by DC Thomson.

WELLGATE LIBRARY IN THE 80'S

2011-11-17T00:44:00.001-08:00

No idea if the Wellgate Library still looks the same these days, but this is how things were back in the 1980's.
Top image is of the Childrens Library - and judging by the pencil case setting, I think the kids may have been having "The Borrowers" read out to them at the time!
The other photo is a view of the general lending area, which I remember had a brilliant book of Picasso Linocuts that I kept going back to over and over again. Must see if I can buy a copy now that this has jogged my memory.
The advert is dated 1988 and is for the Video Libary, located in the main foyer.
Membership was free and for over 18's only. The content consisted of Hollywood blockbusters, TV shows, music, documentary, old Dundee and hobbies, with prices ranging from 50p to £2 per night.

DUNDEE MEMORIES CALENDAR - 2012

2011-11-16T00:38:00.001-08:00

Now that you have your Christmas record tokens sorted, here is a gift idea that will make a nice wee stocking filler.

It's the Dundee Memories Calendar for next year.

Slightly different from previous years, which were often set in the era of our parents and grandparents, as this publication contains images mostly taken from the 1960's, 1970's & 1980's - our generation. It has lots of photos in it that have not been published before, some crackers in fact, check out the Murraygate Christmas lights from the 60's, above!

There's around 2 dozen pictures in total, not just 12 as you might imagine.

Anyway, if interested, you can buy copies from the DC Thomson Shop, Dundee book stores, local newsagents, and for those of you who live elsewhere on the planet, you can purchase them from many Internet outlets such as the DC Thomson website - Dundee Memories Calendar 2012 - as well as Amazon, Ebay and so on.

I couldn't resist enhancing one of the photos from it (below).

A circular breathing technique and lots of soapy solution was needed to do this!

AAGA CD - NOW AVAILABLE

2011-11-15T00:34:00.001-08:00

Now that Christmas time is closing in on us all once again, some of you will no doubt be wondering what to buy off the record tokens you get. Problem solved - treat yourself to this AAGA CD.

The compilation called "The World Makes Me Sad Sometimes", on Rightback Records, is the first time a collection of AAGA's original 80's material has been given an official release, and so a good opportunity to hear for yourself why Factory Records wanted to showcase the band in Manchester at the time.

You'll know by now that I have featured many of AAGA's cassettes on Retro, all displaying their homemade covers, well keeping the self assembly process going, here above is the CD cover when it was still work in progress at the design stage. The cover visuals were a joint effort by Mike Kane's daughter & son, with the AAGA logo the work of Dundee graphic artist, Nick Wright.

LINK ALERT!!!!!!!

There is already a site you can get an mp3 version of the album from - here is the link -

AAGA download

It will of course be available on other sites soon too - iTunes and so on.

Physical copies of the CD are also on sale here -

AAGA CD

An AAGA website is presently under construction - you can check out its early steps here -

AAGA website

A new (old) video of AAGA has recently been put up on Youtube - you'll find it here -

AAGA on Youtube

Finally, below is another reminder of the band's sound, this time from a gig at the Tayside Bar in 1984 - catching AAGA in one of their more mellow moods.

A gig I was at too!

Thanks to Craig and Brian.

DUNDEE COMPILATION CASSETTE - 1982

2011-11-14T02:21:00.001-08:00

Well I've raided just about every tune from this track-list during the course of doing Retro Dundee, but I haven't actually done a feature on the tape itself - so better late than never, here is the extremely rare Dundee Compilation Cassette which was made available locally in the early 80's, and was put together by AAGA Productions.

Musically it consisted of a mixture of alternative, pop, rock, new wave, electronic and experimental - and stating the rather obvious, all the acts were fae Dundee.

Rockpile and the Tayside Bar were the places to go to grab a copy from.

A review of the cassette was published in local fanzine, The Voice, in 1982, which is the 3rd item above and was given a track-by-track assessment. If you want to read the large version, just give it a click.

While I'm here, I'll squeeze one more track out of it.

Here below is Waiter Waiter with a catchy wee song called "Discipline".

Thanks to Craig & Mike.

CHECKING OUT THE SCROTUM POLES

2011-11-13T00:33:00.001-08:00

One of the local account holders at the bank featured in yesterdays item, was The Scrotum Poles.
They may not have had much money to burn at the time mind you, but 30 years on their music is still creating interest..!!
Just this year they have been played on Gideon Coe's show on Radio 6 and I even heard them get an airing on WFMU in New York this summer. Also had write-ups in The Word magazine and Record Collector magazine this year.
Anyway, a good time to include this rare photo of the band caught in rehearsals up at the Coffin Mill, with a couple of mysterious onlookers dressed in black.
Were The Stranglers in town?
Big thanks to Craig.

DUNDEE SAVINGS BANK - PART 2

2011-11-12T00:41:00.001-08:00

Just along the road a wee bit from their previous location, this branch of the Dundee Savings Bank in Arbroath Road was photographed in May 1976 - the month it opened for biz.
The building was brand new and purpose built at the time - this spot being where Johnston's Stores was situated in earlier years.
Sometime around the early 80's the "Dundee Savings Bank" wording was ditched and it became a fully fledged TSB.

Photo by DC Thomson.

DUNDEE SAVINGS BANK - PART 1

2011-11-11T02:52:00.001-08:00

2 items from the mid 70's featuring the Dundee Savings Bank.
Top one is an ad dated 1974.
In '74 the DSB had loads of banks spread around Dundee as well as plenty further afield.
One of the local branches was this one above in Arbroath Road at Craigiebank shops.
This image was captured in May 1976 when the bank shut its doors to move into new premises just a few steps away, with this corner location turning into a bookies.
In 1975, Dundee Savings Bank merged with other banks dotted around Scotland and formed the Trustee Savings Bank. The 2 existed in tandem for a while, as you can see by the TSB sign present, top-right of the entrance area.
Click onto the picture for a closer look.

Photo by DC Thomson.

CRAIGIEBANK POST OFFICE - 1983

2011-11-10T02:19:00.000-08:00

This image of Craigiebank Post Office in Arbroath Road appeared in the local press in February 1983.
The reason it was receiving attention back then was because the place was robbed.
I have a hazy memory of this and think this may have been the time when a guy was hiding in a recess around the back of the shops, then when the owner was letting himself in - he leapt out and did his "Get the loot out of the safe" introduction.
Looks like the robber also made off with the "EM" from the chemist and the "I" from the chip shop - then possibly started up a mediocre record company!
I'm pretty sure this P.O. has been done more than once during its history.

Photo by DC Thomson.

ADAMSON'S - ARBROATH ROAD - 1972

2011-11-09T02:40:00.000-08:00

Adamson & Son had this workshop/factory at 140 Arbroath Road, and it was one of those places that I'd pass regularly as a schoolboy, but didn't have a clue what went on inside!

Well after recently finding an advert for them dating from 1970, I can now let it be known that in this Wire & Metal Workers building they called Riverview Works, they made a wide variety of items.

Their wire based products included - guards for windows, fires, fans and similar stuff - then there was fence enclosures for sports grounds, animal pens, works security etc and they also made more general items like baskets, sieves, trays and so on.

Their sheetmetal products included - lockers, bins, pipes, signs, storage tanks, things like that.

This picture of the premises was taken in March 1972 - but not long after, they had moved biz to Clepington Road and by around 1973/74 this building was demolished.

Photo by DC Thomson.

JACK GOW AD / BIKE AD - 1970'S

2011-11-08T02:55:00.000-08:00

Here's an ad for Jack Gow's motorbike shop in Glenagnes Road dated 1979.

Jack was not only a dealer in bikes - he was a racer too, and in fact, it was a crash during a practice session for the Manx Grand Prix in 1996 that ended his life.

On a similar subject, below is a Public Information film that was also on the go in the 70's instructing motorists to pay more attention to bikers at junctions.

Remember - HINK BIKE!!

2 WM LOW ADS - 1963/80

2011-11-07T02:09:00.001-08:00

A couple of adverts for Wm Low who had a few shops/supermarkets dotted around town - locations such as the Overgate, Perth Road, Lochee and Broughty Ferry.
Top ad is from 1963 and the other is 1980.
Their wee red logo is quite similar to the Keep Britain Tidy symbol.

TESCO IN WELLGATE - 1980

2011-11-07T02:08:00.000-08:00

Here's a photo from 1980ish, around about the time Tesco moved into their Wellgate Centre premises.
I used to pop in here for their garlic bread in the early 80's, but I have never set foot inside a Tesco since!
Photo by DC Thomson.

McLEISH BROS - ARCADE - EARLY 70'S

2011-11-06T01:34:00.000-07:00

One of the well known shops in the city arcade in Shore Terrace was McLeish Brothers, who were a fishmonger/wee grocer.
This used to be the spot of another popular fishmonger, Cantrell's, but McLeish Bros took over in the early 70's, around about the time of this image.
Photo by DC Thomson.

GROSSETT'S OPENING DAY - 1978

2011-11-06T01:32:00.000-07:00

2 days ago I put up film footage showing Grossett's, next door to The Hap, being demolished in the mid 70's, well here is their other shop further along Arbroath Road at Craigiebank shops, preparing for their grand opening on 15th May 1978.
The shop is still going strong, although it has since had a bit of a facelift.
Photo by DC Thomson.

THE DISAPPEARING CORNER - 1980'S

2011-11-05T01:31:00.000-07:00

These images were all taken around the corner wedge area where City Road meets Milnbank Road.
Most of the main buildings you can see in the photos have vanished, replaced now with landscaping.
If you want to do a Google Street View comparison, here are their locations.
Top pic - Baxter Street shot from City Road in April 1986.
2nd pic - Baxter Street looking back down towards City Road in March 1984.
3rd pic - Blyth Street on a rainy day in November 1984.
last pic - The back of Blyth Street and Fleuchar Street in February 1985.
Photos by Neale Elder.

HAPARANDA DEMOLITION - MID 70's

2011-11-04T03:39:00.000-07:00

I have put up a couple of items on Retro in the past showing the buzz there was at the Haparanda in Arbroath Road - the haven for Dundee's fashionable youth in the 60's.
Well here below is some film footage showing the moment in the mid 70's when the building was demolished.
The shop to the right of The Hap was Grossett the butcher and Andrew G Kidd was the baker on the left of it on the corner of Baffin Street.
The area has of course since been rejuvenated into...er...a car park!

HILLTOWN DETAIL - 1970'S

2011-11-03T01:30:00.000-07:00

A couple of snapshots showing a section of the Hilltown taken around the mid/late 70's.
On the top photo, the photographer was standing in Stirling Street looking over at a few shops near the corner of North George Street.
The dark terracotta coloured premises on the left is The Auld Dundee Pie Shop owned by David Wallace. Next door is G.Page, shoe repairs. The small stone building with the large chimney stacks is Robert Gibb who was a joiner/DIY supplies shop, and the store catching the sunlight on the corner is the Co-Op.
This small group of buildings is still there today, although the shops are now different.
On the other photograph, however, the buildings further up past the Auld Dundee Pie Shop, have all been demolished.
Photos from Gordon C.

ACTING TROUPE IN HILLTOWN - 80'S

2011-11-02T01:32:00.000-07:00

This is an acting troupe posing near the demolition site of the Tap O' The Steps pub on the corner of Hilltown/Victoria Road, sometime around the mid/late 80's.
That's Alison Burns far right, and possibly Derek Thomson far left but not too sure who the others in her company are.
Just wondering if this might be the group of actors who performed up at the DRCU in the Hilltown before Alison joined the more well known Wildcat cast.
All a bit hazy, but if you think you can supply further details, feel free to drop them into the comments.
Photo by The Bear.

SHOWING UP AT WITCH'S BLOOD - 80'S

2011-11-01T02:47:00.000-07:00

The photo on top is of the bearded Alain Breitenbach (AKA Legrand) having a chinwag with the hair chewing Al Hendrickx.
This image was captured behind the scenes at Dundee's large-scale local play - "Witch's Blood".
Which "Witch's Blood" the picture was snapped at, I'm not sure, the original took place in 1987, but as you can see from the other item, a "Witch's Blood 2" happened in 1988.
The article itself is asking if anyone, ANYONE, is interested in mucking in, to get in touch.
A film of the making of the original "Witch's Blood" can be viewed on Youtube - here is the link to click onto - Witch's Blood
Photo by The Bear.

THE OVERGATE SILHOUETTE

2011-10-31T01:35:00.000-07:00

A scary tale for Hallowe'en...
I was told this story in the 70's from the girl it happened to, but to be fair, she was tripping on drugs when it occurred!
You remember how the 70's Overgate between Dixon's corner and Boots was often like a wind tunnel - well this one time, because of her hallucinatory condition, the scene had become really exaggerated, and so in her mind she thought she was battling against a powerful storm as she made her way through the passage.
She then spotted a hazy image of a guy in front of her, silhouetted against the light at the end of the tunnel.
As she got closer, she could hear a metallic jingling sound with every footstep he made, and this became louder and louder the nearer she got to him.
By now she had conjured up the image of a Frankenstein monster type of creature, one that had shackles & chains attached to his ankles.
Then when she got right up beside him, that's when she made her horrific discovery!
Here below is a recreation of what the poor lassie was going through - with the real explanation.
Sleep tight..!!!!!

BROWN STREET ARTWORK - 1985

2011-10-30T01:35:00.000-07:00

Here's a couple of examples of public artwork that sprang up in the 80's, and both done by the same artist.
I took the top 2 pictures in 1985 in Brown Street near the junction of Miln Street.
They are the work of Stanley Bonnar, who is now more known for his sculptures.
The tree shadows were freshly painted when I snapped them but a quick glimpse at the same area on Google Street View shows that although the trees are still there, they have faded quite a bit and the wall itself is rather grubby now.
As for the dog, well it seems that has since been put down.
The bottom image is from a leaflet I have and lets you see what the place looked like when they were side by side.

MENZIESHILL WRESTLING AD - 1972

2011-10-29T00:41:00.000-07:00

If karate wasn't your thing, then you could always give wrestling a go.
Not sure who would have been involved at this event up at Menzieshill Community Centre - seems an odd place to have an "all-star" billing especially when the Caird Hall presented wresting quite regularly.
Anyway, not just all-star but all ticket for this do in '72.

DEMPSEY'S KARATE AD - 1972

2011-10-29T00:40:00.000-07:00

One way you could get in shape to fend off bullies was to join a karate club.
This ad for Dempsey's Karate School is from 1972 and gives the lowdown on various aspects about the team and the club facilities.
My mate used to go to Dempsey's around 1969/70 and I remember going along with him one Saturday morning to watch a training session.
Afterwards, I got to muck about with some of the gear they had and this was the first time I had ever encountered a medicine ball. Blimey, I could hardly lift the thing off the ground, never mind throw it and catch it!

ANTI BULLYING AD - 1966

2011-10-29T00:38:00.000-07:00

Some of you may remember ads like this cropping up in boys comics such as Rover, Tiger and so on, back in the 60's. They always depicted men rather than boys in them - another one for example was the body building ads for Bullworker. I think they were trying to make sure us boys grew up big and strong so we were able to defend ourselves when the occasion arose.
This one above is dated 1966 and was for a variety of books containing different courses to try out - things like Ju Jitsu, Self Defence, Karate, and a few others in that territory.
However, there are also a couple of courses in there that has got me wondering how they can help you when you are being bullied - books on Stamps and Typing?!!
Then again, I suppose if you chucked your Olivetti typewriter at your assailants noggin, it could do a bit of damage!!

3 GLIMPSES OF CHARLES STREET - 70'S

2011-10-28T00:42:00.000-07:00

Here we have 3 shots taken in the early 70's showing the area around Charles Street.
Top image is the upper stretch of the Wellgate with Charles Street junction on the right.
Some of the shops around this location, such as Ken's Bazaar (far right) have called it a day and have the boarding up, while others seem to be hanging on in there just a wee bit longer.
The middle image is from the remains of Charles Street looking back over to the Wellgate. The street itself was connected to Idvies Street which would be further back behind the photographer.
The street sign visible on the building on the left is Charles Lane.
The bottom picture's view from the Hilltown reveals that the demolition work has nearly reached the corner of Charles Street, and so almost the end of its existence.
Photos by Gordon C.

CENTRAL WATERFRONT AREA - 1980's

2011-10-27T02:02:00.000-07:00

This aerial photo is from the late 80's and shows the familiar layout of the central waterfront area our generation will remember it by.
Yes it soon will only be a memory as it's time to say ta ta to Tayside House, the Leisure Centre and other surrounding features because the zone is currently in the process of being redesigned and modernised with a flashy new look that's gonna dazzle us all!

BRAHMS AND LISZT AD -1988

2011-10-26T02:01:00.000-07:00

This creepy ad from 1988 is for Brahms and Liszt who were based in the Overgate.
They sold a mixture of greetings cards, posters and fun novelty items.

PANDORA AD - 1978

2011-10-26T01:42:00.000-07:00

Pandora in the Perth Road was another gift shop selling arty knick-knacks.
This ad is from 1978.

CRAFT CENTRE AD - 1978

2011-10-26T01:41:00.000-07:00

Here's an ad from 1978 for The Craft Centre in the Nethergate.
They specialised in arty gifts made from a variety of materials.

GATE MICROSYSTEMS AD - 1984

2011-10-25T00:44:00.000-07:00

An ad from 1984 for computer dealers, Gate Microsystems, who were based in the Nethergate.
That typeface they used is called DATA 70, and still looks futuristic despite it being decades old!

THE PDP-10 AT DUNDEE UNIVERSITY - 1976

2011-10-25T00:43:00.000-07:00

This monster machine is the mighty PDP-10 DEC computer being installed at Dundee University in 1976, replacing their previous one, the Elliot (ICL) 4130.
The PDP-10 was not only able to cope with the demands of the university departments, it was also part of a larger network with other Scottish universities.
Impressive for its time, but not as impressive as Batman's computer in the Batcave. That was able to digest clues then let Batman know which shop The Penguin was about to visit!

3 COWGATE VIEWS - 1970

2011-10-24T01:50:00.000-07:00

3 views of the Cowgate area captured before all the demolition began - so 1970ish.
Top one is from near St Andrew's Street junction looking over towards the Wellgate side, with Walsall Conduits sign on show.
Middle image is a familiar view of the Cowgate featuring Wishart Arch.
The wooden business sign top-left of the photo is for Holland House Electrical Co, and the white building next door to it is Mitchell Car Hire.
The bottom picture would have been snapped outside Millett's probably, that's the Gaumont canopy to the right of the image, with the continuation of the Cowgate beyond and King Street curving off next to it.
The Wellgate side of the Cowgate has the Dundee Savings Bank on the corner, and you can just catch a glimpse of the Cowgate Carpets shop sign beside it.
No hint of any boarding going up yet, all premises seem intact and still doing biz!
Click on pictures to enlarge.
Photos from Gordon C.

THE WORKSHOP AD - 1988

2011-10-23T00:46:00.000-07:00

An ad for The Workshop in the Nethergate from 1988, a place I know absolutely zilch about.
If any of you can do the biz on this one - the comments section is all yours.

HUGH FARQUHAR AD - 1978

2011-10-23T00:45:00.001-07:00

I forgot Hugh Farquhar had a place in Crichton Street - although they themselves seem to have forgotten to put Street in the ad!
I automatically think of the High Street salon anytime Farquhars name crops up.
Anyway, this one is from 1978.

PARR AD - 1974

2011-10-23T00:44:00.000-07:00

This ad for Parr in the Ferry is dated 1974.
Sorry about the hair dye drips!

JOHN WATSON AD - 1971

2011-10-23T00:43:00.000-07:00

An ad for John Watson in Cleghorn Street dated 1971.
This was a ladies salon, which may explain why I don't know what posticheur is!
My old neighbour, Margaret, would know though because she used to do John's books back then.

JOHNALAN ADS - 70's/80's

2011-10-22T00:32:00.000-07:00

The top Johnalan ad is from 1979 and lets you know the whereabouts of their salons.
You'll also may have noticed that the image is a merged photo of both John & Alan - John with the mouser, Alan with the beard.
I assume they didn't offer this look to their customers but it does remind me of the time Jimmy Savile made an appearance on Top Of The Pops in the psychedelic 60's, with one half of his hair white and the other side black!
The other ad is dated 1984 and just has their Crichton Street salon on it, along with the futuristic Countdown typeface and logo.

RICKSONS ADS - 70's/80's

2011-10-21T00:49:00.000-07:00

A couple of adverts for Ricksons in the Nethergate.
Top one is from 1979 and the one underneath, 1980.
Two well known local hairdressers who were doing their apprenticeship at Ricksons at the time of the '79 ad, were Graeme Merchant and Norrie McDicken - but in 1980 both moved to Salon 51 to finish their training there.
Norrie now has his super-duper place in Reform Street - Salonori.
No idea how long Ricksons itself lasted.

SALON 51 AD - 1984

2011-10-20T01:57:00.000-07:00

Don't know if Eddie went here to be shorn, but this is Salon 51 in the Murraygate - going for it!
Ad is dated 1984.

EDDIE'S STYLE CHANGE - 80'S

2011-10-20T01:46:00.000-07:00

This is the same Eddie as seen in yesterdays items, only this time modelling a totally different hairstyle, where he seems to have gone for a John Lydon kind of look.
I just put this image up to subtly flow from fashion to hair, and to kick-start a few days worth of retro salon action!
Photo by The Bear.

PERTH ROAD'S CANADIAN SHOP - 80'S

2011-10-19T00:48:00.000-07:00

Those of you who frequented places like the Centre Bar, Club Feet and other youthful dens in town in the 70's & 80's will probably remember (Fast) Eddie Donnelly.
Well after his first trade went bust, he opened up this fashion shop in the Perth Road, the clothing on the racks being stuff he imported from North America.
The shop may have been called Dan Rivers, not 100% sure, although that's a name that crops up on the funky interior design.
Eddies co-owner was George Craigie, and Billy Shaw helped out in the shop - this was sometime around the mid/late 80's period.
Photos by The Bear.

NME FASHION ADS - 70's/80's

2011-10-18T00:39:00.000-07:00

On the occasions when you couldn't always find what you were looking for in Dundee shops (which was quite often) and you couldn't always afford to go to London to indulge, then the mail order pages in the music papers were a good alternative.
The ones above are all from old NME's I have, so let's tuck in...!!
The top ad is dated 1978 and features gear with a distinctly early 70's look - rugby shirt, cheesecloth shirt, embroidered kurta, loons and smock top.
The next 4 ads are all from 1981 and include a mish-mash of punk, new romantic, rock, new wave and soul boy gear, items such as - PVC breeks, denim jacket, bomber jacket, patch jeans, hardcore punk vest, jack boots (with the ad saying that they make Dr Martens look like ballet shoes!), stud belt & wristband, deck shirt, colonial shirt, Syrian scarf, cavalry shirt, regency shirt, leopard print trousers, stripy jeans, Bowie suit, pirate shirt, boating trousers, army surplus, Hawaiian shirt, tukker boots, and plenty more examples in amongst them.
The last one is dated 1985 and already there seems to be a bit of a retro thing going on in their ad with their mohair jumper, bondage trousers, gas cape, ski goggles, buckle boots, creepers and such like.
I'm sure some of you will have spotted your particular look!
I remember sending for a couple of t-shirts using this mail order route, one in the early 80's being a "Dread At The Controls" t-shirt that had a graphic of a rasta wearing headphones. It was pertaining to Mikey Dread's radio show - and I wore that for years!!!
Click onto the ads to have a closer inspection.

STURROCK'S AD -1972

2011-10-17T04:45:00.000-07:00

Here's a shop I never set foot in - Sturrock's in Panmure Street.
Ad dated 1972.
Not my scene maan!

A.C. BURNSIDE AD - 1972

2011-10-17T02:13:00.000-07:00

A wee glimpse at some of the gear on offer at AC Burnside in 1972, with the more interesting stuff being at the foot of the list - Ben Sherman's, Levi's and Wranglers.
They had 3 shops in town at the time - in Westport, Hilltown & Lochee.

ALEX SMITHS AD - 1972

2011-10-17T01:59:00.000-07:00

It was sale time at Alex Smith's in Commercial Street when this ad appeared in 1972.
For the gals there were things like skinny rib jumpers, mini skirts, mini jumpers and a clearance sale of satin & velvet hot pants (I didn't realise Smiths indulged!)
Amongst the guys stuff were car coats (remember them?), stretch nylon track suits, and it being '72 - good old Crombies!
Click on ad to enlarge.

CARHARTT'S AD - 1986

2011-10-16T02:07:00.000-07:00

Carhartt's appear to have ditched the Hamilton part of their name when this advert was published in 1986.
It's basically an invite to their factory shop in North Isla Street wanting you to go try out their range of jeans, casual gear and workwear.
Wonder how many people took them up on the offer?

GG IN WRANGLERS - 1973

2011-10-16T02:06:00.000-07:00

Anybody who worked in the Levi factory, better look away - here's a picture of me wearing their rivals jeans - Wranglers.
This would have been 1973ish, having a game of shootie-in aroond the backies - meh turn to go in goal!

LEVI'S DUNDEE AD - 1984

2011-10-16T00:39:00.000-07:00

This ad dates from 1984 and is for the Levi factory up at Dunsinane, even although the address doesn't crop up in it - tele-communication only it seems!
A reminder that there is a photo of the factory interior in the October 2009 archives.
As you can see, Levi denim was so tough, even attaching them to 2 mules heading in the opposite direction couldn't rip them apart!
Staying with denim in the 80's - I remember in 1982 I visited the town in the South of France from which denim gets its name. Nimes - as in "de Nimes", then shortened to denim.
The thing about is though, it was far too hot to wear jeans!!

WHITFIELD'S AD - 1966

2011-10-15T00:40:00.000-07:00

This ad from 1966 is for Whitfields' in Crichton Street, who were navy uniform specialists.
Is that the only colour they had then - navy?!!

C & A CLOCKHOUSE CLOTHING - 1986

2011-10-15T00:39:00.000-07:00

A couple of examples of smart but casual gear out of C & A's Clockhouse fashion dept in the Overgate.
Includes a skirt with braces - and, of course, it wouldn't be the mid 80's without those omnipresent shoulder pads!
This "Top Gear" feature is from a 1986 Journal.

PRIDE AD - 1984

2011-10-14T00:39:00.000-07:00

I didn't go to the Market Hall area of Wellgate very often and certainly don't recall this fashion shop called Pride.
The ad is dated 1984 and their slogan was "Clothes That Stand Out Proud" - which may very well have been the case but I'm going to have to get one of you out there to give the lowdown on this place on my behalf - I know nothing about it.
If you do remember it - feel free to pass on the details in the comments.

AD FOR THE WARDROBE - 1986

2011-10-14T00:38:00.000-07:00

An ad from 1986 for Whitehall Crescent fashion shop, The Wardrobe.
For the record - there was no truth in the story that they specialised in Winter clothing to cater for those who stepped into The Wardrobe on their way to Narnia!

FASHION FOR TEENAGE GIRLS - 1972

2011-10-13T01:56:00.000-07:00

Back in 1972 when this item was published, the Tele used to give the lowdown on the latest fashions each week, accompanied by illustrations like the one above.
The clothes in this particular article are described in detail along with the sizes available and the prices, however, despite the feature being called "In Dundee Shops", it doesn't actually say which shops to go to, to buy them!
Anyway, amongst the groovy gear on show here are things like a mustard sleeveless tunic, crimplene trousers, violet suede pinafore dress, suede jacket with yolk, skinny jumpers, as well as typical 70's details such as patch pockets, long collars, metal studs and suede ties.
Click on item to enlarge.

TAKE ME TO GOLDBERGS - 1972

2011-10-12T00:45:00.000-07:00

Staying in the Murraygate a little bit longer, here's an advert for Goldbergs dating from January 1972.
Goldbergs were quite trendy for a department store, especially for school age kids to get gear, but they haven't got a particularly inspirational selection to choose from in this ad.
I mean, boring old grey trousers. I remember getting two-tone trousers from here, and paisley pattern shirts. Mind you, having said that, I didn't get to wear that stuff to school!
Anyway, they do have cat-suits on offer which were pretty hip in '72. But 75p?? Not likely to be like Suzi Quatro's then!

FROM BOTH ENDS OF MURRAYGATE - 1970

2011-10-11T01:53:00.000-07:00

A couple of views from either side of the Murraygate snapped around 1970, give or take a year.
Some of the shops can be identified and others are too blurry to make out, but here's a rough guide to what's in the 2 shots.
Starting from the top left with Miss Lewis Boutique - Dolcis - House Of Hearing - Burton - John Collier - Terleys - Grafton's, and then it goes all hazy beyond the Woolies area viewing it from the Commercial Street end.
So nipping over to the Wellgate end, on the right is Jackson - Hepworth's - goes fuzzy again after that but could be the Scotch Wool Shop and Jax - then it's definitely Dunn and Stead & Simpson before reaching Woolies which is out of shot in its wee enclave.
On the left hand side is H & J Wilson - Woodhouse - Easiephit - Richardshops, then can't really make out much after that but Markies and the bank are in there, and I think it may be Goldbergs near the end.
I wouldn't mind knowing what was on these red & yellow posters up underneath the scaffolding - they look a bit trippy..!! Zooming in on them just adds to the blur unfortunately.
Anyway, I'm going to take my cue from the content of the photos - ie, mostly fashion shops - so am about to indulge in a few days worth of local stylish delights for another flashback down the Dundee catwalk!
Click on the images to see the enlarged versions.
Photos from Gordon C.

ATTIC ARCHIVE POSTCARDS

2011-10-10T00:40:00.000-07:00

The Attic in Union Street produced a set of postcards that were given out to visitors.
They featured some of the correspondents Pete Horobin was communicating with.
Each postcard has the image of a correspondent made entirely from the content of the letters they wrote to each other. These were done using the original cut and paste method, sentences and words physically cut from a page then reassembled and photocopied into these excellent portraits shown above.

So as a wee memento from Retro's recent visit to the Attic, here are the people in the cards above - Chris Horobin (Pete's brother) - Jack Saunders - Stefen Szczelkun - Susan Young - Mark Pawson - Philip Pilkington - Karen Strang - Barry Mitchell.

There is a good 2 part video up on Youtube made in Budapest showing the mountain of material from the Attic Archive they have in storage in the Artpool Gallery.
Boxes and boxes of stuff from Union Street being dipped into!
They go under the title of "From A to A - New Directions" (2 videos).
Here are the links -
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tUUsa5EQjYE
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1HppxEPH42c

Courtesy of The Attic Archive.

FOOD ART ACTION

2011-10-09T00:56:00.000-07:00

A photo of Pete Horobin with another nude model, this time under the title - Food Art Action.
I think that's a rabbit - or maybe a baby ET..!!

Courtesy of The Attic Archive

HOPE FOR DUDS POSTER - 1981

2011-10-09T00:37:00.000-07:00

[The success of Destruction/Creation led to two more live events in Laing’s – Open Sandwich and Hope For Dud’s – the latter being a multi-media happening with music by Boo Hooray, Aaga & Erasmic Super Foam, projections by Neil Watson, Sid Ozalid’s stand-up poetry, plus an action by the Principal Player highlighting the politics of the fishing industry in Scotland.]

This is the poster for the "Hope For Duds" event that took place on 20th June 1981, as described above.
Below is another track by The Principal Players called "This Principal Player Has A Dog" - recorded live in a flat in Hawkhill by Pete Horobin and Erasmic Super Foam member, John Butler, whose hacking staccato guitar technique energetically chisels out a pretty funky backdrop!

Courtesy of The Attic Archive.

DESTRUCTION / CREATION - PART 2 - 1981

2011-10-08T00:43:00.000-07:00

[Over the winter of 1981/82 a group of Principal Players met daily in the DATA Attic to improvise with domestic utensils, regular instruments and second-rate machinery. A few of their recordings survive as audio cassettes, some of which have been digitalised.
Listen to the Elephants – recorded live in the DATA Attic one winter afternoon by the Principal Players - Pete Horobin, Gerry Mitchell, and Tam McGibbon.]

Continuing with Horobin's journal, above is the lowdown on the the 2nd half of the Destruction / Creation event at Laings

Below is the "Listen To The Elephants" track recorded by The Principal Players (plural). A whimsical wee jam session that had them beating out their best Johnny Wakelin jungle rhythm, and with Pete doing a rather fine impression of Barbara Woodhouse!

Courtesy of The Attic Archive.

DESTRUCTION / CREATION - PART 1 - 1981

2011-10-07T02:57:00.000-07:00

[The first public performance by the Prinicipal Player – and in fact the first work of performance art in Dundee – took place in February 1981 at Laing’s in Roseangle, which at the time served as the art college union. Horobin’s Destruction/Creation resulted in the destruction of all the inadequate and unnecessary paraphernalia of his painting course, including the tearing up of his diploma, pieces of which were then distributed among the audience. The action emphasised the inadequacy of a visual artist to communicate when compared to a rock band, symbolised in this instance by Boo Hooray.]

The top image is the poster for the Destruction / Creation event at Laings in Feb '81.
It was also used as the cover of a journal that documented the event in its various stages, featuring Pete in action along with Boo Hooray on stage and an engrossed group of art students!

Courtesy of The Attic Archive.

THE PRINCIPAL PLAYER - EARLY 80'S

2011-10-06T00:36:00.000-07:00

[THE PRINCIPAL PLAYER
Throughout the ten-year DATA project, Pete Horobin used several names - Principal Player, Acrobat, Monty Cantsin and Karen Eliot. The Principal Player was the first born and performed many actions – publicly and privately – in Dundee. These actions invariably examined the ordinariness of everyday activities – politics – improvisation and experimentation. Actions were scripted so that anyone could act out the role of the Principal Player. Scripts were sent through the post to correspondents and put up in Willie Frew’s pub on the Hawkhill.]

Shown above are 3 of the scripts the intro caption refers to.
These were put up on display in Willie Frew's for all to read - or in the case of the top example - scribble over!
Below is a recording Pete made when in Principal Player mode.
It was done at 3.00 a.m in the DATA Attic, using tape machines, a radio and various timpani.
It's called "Star Chant" and he adopts a Robert Wyatt style of vocal on this one while the wheezing, whirring and purring melodious machinery sets the hypnotic ambiance!

Courtesy of The Attic Archive

PETE HOROBIN AND VAP - LATE 70'S

2011-10-05T00:50:00.001-07:00

[THE ACCESSIBILITY OF THE ART OBJECT
1977 - punk exploded in the Scottish cultural landscape Pete Horobin and Harry Nelson hitch-hiked to France. While they travelled - by erratic stops and starts - southwards - they sang those classic lyrics made popular by Plastique Bertrand - Ca Plane Pour Moi. The Tom Robinson Band - 2-4-6-8 Motorway. Jonathan Richman and The Modern Lovers - Roadrunner. This emotional energy seemed to make everything possible – even hitch-hiking through France!
St Tropez - while lying half-asleep Horobin glanced across a space of a few metres towards a line of nubile – honey-coloured - female bodies - petite triangles covering their sex - nipples erect on pert breasts – oh so inspirational in that moment that he thought he should begin putting his art into a common space where it would have to fend for itself - instead of continuing to place it in the protected environment of a gallery. It is unlikely that naked female breasts alone nourished this epiphany so we have to consider other possible sources of inspiration such as – the very precariousness of hitch-hiking itself and the close proximity of Fluxus artist Ben Vautier in Nice - implying a viral attack.
Whatever – the virus was carried back to Dundee where Horobin began to mass-produce hundreds of small collages. Two hundred of these were distributed to people by a random process which combined an invented code imposed on the local telephone directory. It was extremely unlikely that any of the originals would survive - if any did Horobin reckoned they deserved to become works of art - therefore his criterion for establishing what might be termed a work of art was based upon that item's survival.
Horobin’s tireless activities attracted the attention of two Edinburgh-based artists – Tom Wilson and Dick Ross – who suggested he join them to form Visual Arts Promotions (VAP). The combined energies of Ross & Horobin were formidable – the public’s opinions on Scottish art were recorded in the street – art had to become more socially interactive or die! Products – comics and badges, postcards and books - were packaged like ubiquitous commodities and sold cheaply in commercial galleries.
The complete documentation of The Accessibility of the Art Object and Visual Arts Promotions is archived in the National Library of Scotland and is publicly available by arrangement.]

Some examples of VAP/Pete Horobin product above...
1st - Badge collage.
2nd - Collage drawing.
3rd - Envelope collages.
4th - Page from collage book.
5th - Postcard collages.

Courtesy of The Attic Archive.

JUNK INTO ART - ART INTO JUNK - 70's

2011-10-04T01:48:00.000-07:00

[Sometimes it is almost impossible to say - or to remember - from where exactly an idea originates. Is it, for example, associated with a dream in the depths of the sub-conscious or closer to the surface of one’s awareness? Whichever, Pete Horobin awoke with the concept of amassing a vast quantity of junk material and inviting a number of artists to work with this pile of waste turning it into art objects over a period of time before returning everything back to source. A cyclical process - a life cycle of sorts - a metaphor for the perpetual never ending continuum of creativity.
Horobin at this time - 1978 - was a member of the Dundee Group (Artists) Ltd based at Forebank Studios - an extant Catholic primary school. The Dundee Group was established in 1975 by a small collective of Duncan of Jordanstone graduates - Bob McGilvray, Jack Morrocco, Barry Mitchell, Peter Gibb and Pete Horobin. The group recruited new members and attracted the financial support of the Scottish Arts Council. By the time Horobin proposed his idea of transforming waste materials the group comprised around 15 members - not all of whom had sympathies with the project’s aspiration. However the project had already been endorsed by Cairn – an artist-run collective in Paris - who were interested in participating in the recycling process and exhibiting the documentation in their gallery. Unlike DGA, Cairn was self-financed and autonomous and comprised creative people from all disciplines, not just the visual arts.
The collected waste materials came from Dundee industries and domestic sources and was deconstructed over a two-week period in April 1979 by those who accepted an invitation to participate - they included Arthur Watson, David Mach, John Macallum, Phil Barker, Andy Stenhouse and Frances Pelly. Dominique Haneuse and Bernard Crespin came over from Paris as guests of Pete Horobin.
The event, unlike other exhibitions at Forebank, was not a commercial venture. No artworks were for sale - instead they were further deconstructed as waste in a radical anti-art statement, which was ground-breaking in Scotland. For the first time the complete creative process - which always includes destruction - was conspicuously demonstrated publicly – not behind the closed doors of the artist’s studio – and spectators were forced to consider the transience of the art object as well as its cultural worth when fabricated from waste materials.
The documentation of the event was later installed in Cairn’s gallery where all the photographs and associated texts were laid on the floor and covered with a layer of clear industrial polythene so that viewers had to walk over the data to examine it in detail. This had the effect of demonstrating the ephemeral nature of waste materials and the non-commercial value of the documentation itself. The documentation had taken on a life and identity of its own quite separate from the event that it recorded and historicised. Now condensed within a small box made from recycled cardboard and relocated at Dundee University Archives it forms an intimate installation that can be explored on a tabletop or exploded to fill a gallery.]

Photos featuring some of the works and artists involved...
1st & 2nd - Installed photographs by Dominique Haneuse.
3rd - Arthur Watson at work.
4th - The Cairn installation.
5th - Phil Barker at work.
6th - The Warrior by Andy Lang.
7th - Welded steel & jute by John McCallum.
8th - Work by David Mach.

Courtesy of The Attic Archive.

PETE HOROBIN - ACROBAT - 1982

2011-10-03T00:34:00.000-07:00

[The Acrobat walked a tightrope between reality and non-reality - he worked/did not work – had money/no money - dressed in red on grey – red for anarchy/grey for bureaucracy. The life of Acrobat was brief – months rather than years – and is marked by his passport which acts as a record of his performances which he called Modi – Modus Peregrinus, Modus Bureaucraticus, Modus Anniversarius. He was born in Dundee and died in Kassel in Germany where his final Modus took place.
Modus Bureaucraticus was installed as part of The Nuclear Issue – an exhibition in McManus Galleries, Dundee from September to October 1982. Acrobat’s contribution to the theme was in two parts – the first being a wall-mounted A4 poster – Conversations With A Bear – beside a small black & white tv monitor which either broadcast what was happening in The Bureau or a static image of a teddy bear. There was no soundtrack – a sense of secrecy prevailed. The only way to know what went on in The Bureau was to fill in an appointment card to attend a video recorded interview on the Nuclear Issue. The second part, therefore, occurred behind closed doors. The parallel with the type of state bureaucracies that perpetuated the Cold War was obvious.
The entire documentation of Acrobat - including his passport, briefcase, clothes and Doc Martens - is now archived in the Scottish National Gallery of Modern Art.]

3 of the items referred to in the Acrobat lowdown are displayed above.
In the case of the passport - Pete did go through the proper legal process to successfully (and fraudulently) get is Acrobat passport.
His occupation was artist, of course, but somehow he managed to somersault his way through "the system"!
And those of you who can read semaphore will be able to read what he's spelling out.
You can hear the man himself on this recording below, which he made during his Acrobat period in 1982. A wicked piece of sinister post punk circus music that is as unsettling as it is wondrous!

Courtesy of The Attic Archive.

DATA FROM THE ATTIC ARCHIVE

2011-10-02T01:36:00.000-07:00

A combination of packaging & politics from Pete Horobin's collection of work.
1st sachet contains a poster, ticket & badge from The Clash gig at the Caird Hall which took place on 18th January 1980.
There is also an additional sachet within!
2nd sachet has supermarket items with some literature at the back on the subject of trainee employment. Dated 7th March 1980.
3rd sachet has a Betty White bag, sums calculus and Conoco logo. Dated 8th March 1980.
4th item reveals a visit to the dentist on 25th August 1980 with C. Rimmer in the Nethergate.
Or does it expose a con man?!
5th item is a photo of the Bell Street car park which was built on top of a graveyard. Dated 31st August 1980.
6th item is an arty postcard stamped "Without the financial assistance of the Scottish Arts Council".
Courtesy of The Attic Archive.

THE ATTIC ARCHIVE

2011-10-01T00:39:00.000-07:00

It's time to take a delve into The Attic Archive and display some of the material that has been stashed away for 3 decades.
The Attic Archive in Union Street, closed down last year, the contents of which have since been distributed far & wide.
This was a space where lots of artwork was produced and stored, but a place that was visited by a select few.
It was the brainchild of artist, Pete Horobin, and it is mostly his work that will be showcased on Retro Dundee, including photos, art, ephemera, literature & recordings.
To give you a more detailed overview of The Attic Archive and Pete Horobins DATA project, here below is a more authoritative introduction...

[When Pete Horobin graduated from Duncan of Jordanstone college of Art in 1975 he began the habit of collecting daily ephemera and sealing it in cardboard boxes. These little time capsules led to a compulsive documentation which was to expand over the course of the ensuing 40 years.
Two seminal and influential projects – The Accessibility of the Art Object (1978) and Junk Into Art/Art Into Junk (1979) – prepared the ground for a more sustained and obsessive ten-year documentation called DATA – Daily Action Time Archive - which began precisely on 01.01.1980 and concluded just as precisely on 31.12.1989. DATA was intended to be an extremely detailed self-portrait of an ordinary working-class artist living within a very particular moment in time within a British welfare state culture. Horobin gave everything that he produced and amassed, equal status, which is to say that complex artworks were equal to little pieces of ephemera – everything was data. And this data could provide the components for more artworks and collaborations with other artists. DATA was self-published and freely distributed globally through the Mail Art Network. Parts of the DATA project are now archived in Dundee University, Dundee Central Library, the Scottish National Gallery of Modern Art, and Artpool in Budapest which holds the greater percentage.
The creative life of Pete Horobin terminated with the precise conclusion of DATA and the activities of the DATA Attic - as an open space for artists to visit and correspond - closed down. The Attic continued to be a repository for Horobin’s output, and over the course of the following 15 years was occupied by various sympathetic art students. It was administered by Marshall Anderson, a freelance arts journalist, whose own journals and drawings were added to the archive. Anderson’s role concluded at the end of the 20thC and was taken on by Peter Haining whose activities as a researcher and artist were focused in Ireland where he made an audit of autodidactic self-expression and folk art. In 2005 Haining assumed responsibility for The Attic Archive and began to self-publish a series of DVDs & CDs, the contents of which deployed the considerable material within the archive.
Since the end of 2010 The Attic Archive has ceased to exist. Its many varied parts are now relocated in numerous museums and collections as follows –
The Museum of Childhood, Edinburgh.
The Museum of Communications, Burntisland, Fife.
Kirkcaldy Museum & Art Gallery, Fife.
McManus Museum & Art Gallery, Dundee.
Central Library, Dundee.
Dundee University Archives.
Artpool, Budapest.
The Scottish National Gallery of Modern Art, Edinburgh.
The National Library of Scotland, Edinburgh.
The National Irish Visual Art Library, Dublin.]

Courtesy of The Attic Archive.

BOO-HOORAY - G.I.G.O McGURK - 1984

2011-09-30T00:43:00.000-07:00

Boo Hooray have made a couple of appearances on Retro already, those tracks having been taken from the early 80's Dundee Compilation Cassette, a local unofficial homemade product.
This record here called "G.I.G.O McGurk", was the bands official release, recorded at Wilf Smarties studio in Edinburgh and brought out as a 12 inch single in 1984.
Boo Hooray didn't exactly pander to pop chart formulas mind you, so this is probably the band at their most commercial.
Line-up on this recording were - Gerry Mitchell, bass + talk - Alison Mitchell, singing - Scott Gowans, guitars - Brem, sax - and the drums were of the programmed variety.
Quite an offbeat mixture stirring around in the blender - Magic Band style guitar - Manhattan Transfer sounding harmonies and Byrne "Once In A Lifetime" fashion talkover.
A captivating little cocktail!!
Boo Hooray were also collaborators on a variety of projects that became part of Dundee's Attic Archive. Included in the Archive are Boo Hooray live recordings, Erasmic Superfoam audios and various Mike Kane related artifacts, all of which have recently been passed on to the Dundee Central Library Social History Dept.
In fact, this record came courtesy of the Attic Archive, more of which will be dipped into over the next few days.

THE DUNDEE MUSIC BOOK

2011-09-29T02:02:00.000-07:00

As the recent music theme on Retro nears an end, this is the perfect time to inform you of a new book that's about to hit the shelves, on the same subject.
It goes under the funky title of "Take It To The Bridge" and covers the history of Dundee's music scene from the 1960's to the present.
It documents quite a broad spectrum - for example, the various styles of music the locals indulged in - pop, rock, soul, punk, jazz, alternative, folk and so on, with plenty of name-checks, interviews and anecdotes from some of the musicians involved. It also gives the lowdown on the variety of venues around town, as well as touching on other aspects such as the record shops and music stores. The book will also provide lots of images and memorabilia too - all part of the local infotainment!
Those of you who fancy a copy, better take note of the official release date - 12th October 2011.
There will no doubt be ample publicity about it nearer the time, so keep your peepers on the local press and book shops.
Those of you who want to avoid the mad rush or now live out of town, can get the book via the usual Internet outlets - Amazon, EBay etc.
Well worth grabbing a copy, and you should be able to pick one up for around a tenner.
You'll also be pleased to know the book was written by someone who knows what they are doing - Lorraine Wilson, who has been connected to all things journalistic for the past 25 years or so.
As well as an author, she has also been an editor, radio broadcaster, scriptwriter, lecturer, to name just a few.
Music has also played a major part in her life, from working on teen music magazines, to being one of the Beaver Sisters, up to more recent projects such as organising the Beatles Weekends in Dundee.
There are lots of cyberspace spots in which Lorraine can be found, Facebook and all that, but a good place to start to read about her background in more detail, is her own website, which contains many examples of her published work available to view.
Here is where to click - www.lorrainewilson.net

STREET LEVEL - SAMPLE TRACK - 1981

2011-09-28T00:37:00.000-07:00

Street Level were a band who emerged on the local music scene at the start of the 80's.
Their style of energetic pop combined with a good sense of humour had the band generally well liked. They certainly played plenty gigs around town anyway, as well as do their fair share of shows elsewhere around the country.
Line-up was - Callum McHardy, guitar - Jackie McPherson, vocal and occasional keyboard - Murray Tosh, bass - Bob Butler, drums.
After a run of a couple of years, I think they called a halt around 82/83, with Jackie cropping up a short while later in an act called Just Little Boys, before she then went on to become more well known as the TV presenter/newsreader AKA Jackie Bird.
Meanwhile, Murray headed off for life down in Oz around that time too - and both Callum & Bob have since gone on to play in an ABBA tribute band.
Reversing back to the 1981 period, the photo above is of Jackie doing her thang on stage, and you can just catch a glimpse of Murray as well.
Also around this time, Street Level managed to get some tracks down on cassette, a sample of which you can hear below.
The track is called "Security City", a lively wee tune that may very well take some of you back to the old Tayside Bar & Galleon days!
Big thanks to Derek.

MIDNITE MASQUE - DEMO TRACK - 1983

2011-09-27T00:55:00.000-07:00

This is a good example of the transformation that can take place when a person not only departs from a band, but makes a total departure from a music genre.
When singer, Gordon Band, exited Dundee prog-rockers Colossus in the early 80's, he joined another bunch of rockers called Hologram, an Edinburgh band who ironically were managed by former Colossus manager, John Maguire, for a period. Anyway, although they had a record deal and recorded a full album, as is what often happens with bands, they split soon after.
Gordon, by this time however, was losing interest in rock, especially the way the scene was going with its spandex & hairspray look, and his musical leanings were becoming influenced more and more by sounds from such bands as The Cocteau Twins, The Associates, acts in that kind of alternative territory.
So in 1983, Gordon formed a band called Midnite Masque, which included bassist, Keith Grant, who used to be in punk band, The Freeze.
Below is a demo track from a cassette they made back then, a song called "Back To The Flame", a rather luscious creation with a memorable hook - and quite a giant leap from Colossus!
Big thanks to Gordon Band.

FRICTION - AIRCRASH - 1979

2011-09-27T00:40:00.000-07:00

Friction weren't a full-on ska band, as their previous track up on Retro Dundee demonstrates, but on some of their songs, they definitely had one foot in ska while keeping the other one firmly in indie.
However, this amusing track below - "Aircrash" - which was recorded in November 1979, has the band almost in total 2-Tone mode. It also throws some light on why they were often categorised as a ska band.
So make sure you don't envisage Friction bopping about wearing pork-pie hats and braces - they weren't like that at all!
Big thanks to Scott.

GORDON McPHERSON - COMPOSER

2011-09-26T01:55:00.000-07:00

From the plettie to the plateau - so is the story of Gordon McPherson.
Gordon was born in Dundee in 1965 and studied composition at the University of York in the 80's.
His particular take on composition isn't the kind of cliched material you'd normally associate with in the world of classical music. No highbrow themes such as Greek mythology cropping up in his work, instead, Gordon prefers to have his compositions reflect ordinary real life experiences, or as he puts it - "Never write about Brazil if you've never been to Brazil". So as a consequence, his works are based around subjects such as cars, computers, getting drunk, relationships, and so on. Musically he can be inspired by such diverse sounds as country & western, Bavarian herding calls, punk, chamber music, all sorts of genres of music absorbed. This mixture of ingredients filtering through into his compositions has the end product as much humorous as they are discordant. You can get an idea perhaps from some of his titles - "Handguns" - "On E" - "Impersonal Stereo" - "Cash"....to name just a few. They don't exactly conjure up a comfy night out at the Proms!
Gordon's music is often heard in Scotland, with his work performed on his home turf too. For example, some local references - he composed the music to celebrate the 200th anniversary of The Battle of Camperdown. He also wrote the music for the opening of the DCA. There have been collaborations with other Dundonians such as for Don Paterson's play "The Land Of Cakes" at the Rep, and with guitarist Allan Neave, for the Dundee International Guitar Festival.
Then there are the commissions from the BBC, festivals and ensembles all around Europe, and if that's not enough, he also teaches at the Royal Scottish Academy of Music & Drama, as well as lectures at St Andrews University.
That brief insight into Gordon McPherson, I think confirms, that he is indeed, on a higher plane!

STONE THE CROWS - CAIRD HALL - 1971

2011-09-25T01:24:00.002-07:00

On the 17th March 1971, this budget-priced concert was on offer at the Caird Hall for 50p.
The bands involved were prog rockers, Beggars's Opera - Arc, who were another prog rock outfit - and top of the bill, Stone The Crows, who were more blues rock based.

YES - CAIRD HALL - 1971

2011-09-25T01:24:00.001-07:00

Prog rockers, Yes, were on stage at the Caird Hall on 10th October 1971 - along with support act Jonathan Swift.
The artwork on the poster would appear to confirm that this would be before they teamed up with their long time collaborator, graphic designer, Roger Dean.

CLIFF RICHARD - CAIRD HALL - EARLY 70'S

2011-09-25T01:23:00.000-07:00

This picture of Cliff Richard on stage at the Caird Hall, probably dates from around the 1972-74 period, judging by the clothing being worn anyway!
He has been to the Caird Hall a few times, but on one of his early 70's tours, he had Olivia Newton John as his guest - not sure if this photo is from that particular show.