And now the moment you've all be waiting for...Dundee's very own, television, radio and recording stars, the classiest duo ever to bestow their awesome talents upon us...Dean and Dawn.
Well actually, I don't really know that much about them, but I do know that according to their own publicity hype, they have "many eager fans"!!
I'm not going to pick on them, or praise them, but let's just say my usage of the term "legendary" was a touch of post modern, ironic humour!
So moving swiftly on, this single called "Proud Of Our City" was runner-up in the 1978 Dundee Festival Song Contest ( I take it there were only 2 songs entered?!) although it wasn't recorded and released until the early 80's. EEL Records the culprits!
Those involved were - Dean Eastwood, vocal, guitar - Dawn Westfield, vocal, tambourine - Gordon Nichols, accordion - Ewan McGregor, drums - Tayside Majorettes, chorus.
Maybe not many people realise that this offering achieved cult status in the early 80's as a result of Jock Ferguson playing it at the end of his Cranked Up DJ sets down at the Tayside Bar. It was of course the cue for the pub lights to go back on and everybody to scarper!!
In fact, Jock once asked Dean & Dawn to perform at the Tayside Bar Christmas party one year, but it didn't happen because they were too expensive, demanding twice as much as the bands got paid!
I'm sure their many eager fans must have felt really disappointed!!
Anyway, give it a blast, then feel free to express yourselves in the comments.
Didn't they sometimes do the half time "entertainment" at Tannadice?
ReplyDeleteI think they also did a United song "The Tangerines" or something...
ReplyDeleteThat would bring a tear to a wooden leg
ReplyDeleteDean Eastwood's real name was Norrie Maiden.
ReplyDeleteHe used to be in a duet with Margaret Mather, calling themselves The New Eastwoods, but I don't know if Dawn is Margaret, or whether he got another female and changed the act.
Hi there, no, Dawn isn't Margaret, Dawn is Morag Ferguson, don't know if Margaret was his wife, but his wife was ill, and the three of them lived together, and the two women carried on living together after Norrie died. I know this because Morag was my mum's cousin. Morag also suffered from epilepsy. I can only think that Norrie was a kind man. Although my dad, John Heggie, originally Polepark, Dundee, had a story to tell about Norrie doing some comedy show in Carnoustie Golf Club, and dad was slighty amushed, and a bit embarrased when Norrie came up to chat after the gig, don't think it had gone very well.
DeleteWhen I used to DJ at CREEP in the Edge nightclub in Dundee with Brian Hayes, we used to end the evening with this song too! It used clear the place faster than the bouncers could!!!
ReplyDeleteWeren't Dean & Dawn Dundee's first Kissogram duo?
ReplyDeleteDean/Norman used to be a regular at the Dundee Rockets games in the mid-80s around about the time that Gary Unger played for the Rockets. I seem to remember that he used to write a column in the Rockets match programmes around about that time too.
ReplyDeleteDean and Dawn are also namedropped on the 'St. Andrew and the Woolen Mill Story' CD during the 'Legendary Radio Tay Interview' track.
Where do you start? I worked in the Shell garage at Coldside in the 70"s,,where "Dean" got his car refuelled.He always had the newest of vehicles,but they were always in a dirty condition.
ReplyDeleteHis real name was Norman Maiden and lived on Cleppie Road,near Smith Street.
Sadly he passed away , but he was a real oracle of knowledge,having been involved in the local music scene for so long and especially the folk scene.
I recall what must have been an umpteenth reply to the letter page in the "Tele",because he seemed fed up with it,but GERRY RAFFERTY'S BAKER STREET WAS ACTUALLY ABOUT DURA STREET,BECAUSE WALLACES WERE THE BAKER PART OF THE STREET AND HE LIKED THE BEAN PIES!"....does anyone disagree?
I used to work in Greendukes Service Station on Arbroath Road & Norrie used to call in there as well to refuel his car. His partner at that time was a young lass called Morag, can't remember her surname though.
DeleteSorry, that should have been Greendykes Service Station.
DeleteMorag Ferguson, in her early fifties, died alone in her flat. She had an accident when a toddler in Fintry. Fell down stairs fracturing skull, changed her personality. Believe it r not she could actually sing quite well on her own, not so good with Norrie.
DeleteI remember he had a company called Eastwood Entertainments and ran a mobile disco, we booked them once for our works dance. I used to see him at the Rockets matches, that hairstyle never changed over the years, one of Dundee's characters....
ReplyDeleteI remember then singing at the Queens Hotel when I was working as barman one evening .(1982?)
ReplyDeleteThe worse rendering of 'Killiecrankie' I have ever heard.It still scares me.
( If ye hae BIN whaur I hae BIN..)
Legends for sure! Sorry Dean, I made you pay for your pint :)
I remeber them singing "The Tannadice Tangerines" at Tannadice in 1987. Probably the most cringeworthy football song EVER.
ReplyDeleteNot exactly sure when Norrie passed away but was well known in 70s for his and dawn's duo performances. Queens, Bothy, Tay hotel to name a few
ReplyDeleteNorrie Maiden stood as SNP candidate for election to Dundee City Council circa 1969.....
ReplyDeleteI remember Dean & Dawn well, sorry to hear of them both passing away. I knew Dean as an music agent and I also played guitar and bass on some of his songs, the best of which is a song called "The Night The Bridge Went Down" released in 1980 and recorded at R.E.L. studio in Edinburgh. He was a considerable talent as a songwriter some of his early ork on his own is very good. As a matter of intrest the Tannadice Tangerines was recorded on an ex R.A.F. reel to reel recorder on my livig room floor in Glamis. No expense spared.
ReplyDeletei picked up a guiter and record sleve beloning to dean &dawn its on eel records and the guiter he is holding is the one i have dean eastwood vocals dawn westfield vocals gordon nichols accordion ewan mcgregor drums.
ReplyDelete