DUNDEE COMPILATION CASSETTE - 1982

Well I've raided just about every tune from this cassette 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 then 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 from Dundee.

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

A review of the cassette was published in local fanzine, The Voice, in 1982, which is the 2nd 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". 

CHECKING OUT THE SCROTUM POLES

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.

THE INFAMOUS ZEEK & GIZ - 1982

 

I've already mentioned Zeek & Giz in the 2009 archive, when referring to the Snap-On Brothers, the mad comedy...er...music ensemble, let's say.
When the Snap-On's went their separate ways in the early 80's, the main part of the act kept going and renamed themselves The Infamous Zeek & Giz.
So the recording below is kinda like the second incarnation of the Snap-On Brothers, the duo version.
You should get a gist of their lunacy by the song title... "My Brain Is Infested With Mince"....

SCROTUM POLES IN MUSIC PRESS - 1980

A few bits and pieces featuring The Scrotum Poles in the national music press during 1980.
Well the top item is from the local press actually. This was The Scrotum Poles debut gig at Dundee College of Education on 1st May 1980. The Strutz were the main act and the other band on the night was called Just The Job who crop up in the 2nd item, the same gig but published in the national music press.
3rd item is another gig in town, this time it's for 3rd June 80 and at the Unemployed Club, which I think may have been the drop-in centre in Perth Road, not sure about that though.
4th item is their gig at Dundee University on 4th Oct 80.
5th item is a fun piece which sees The Scrotum Poles on a list of bands who have amusing names!
Lastly, the final item is an ad published in Dec 80, and is for the band's EP release "Revelation", which includes the address from where to purchase it.
Getting hold of an original copy nowadays will cost you much much more than £1.25..!!
Click on the items to enlarge.

UNIT 47 MAGAZINE - 1980'S

Unit 47 was a Scottish music magazine that hit the racks in 1984.

In fact it actually described itself as half magazine half fanzine and covered the alternative music scene mostly, but it also made room for a touch of jazz and rock.

Although there were a few pages given to well known English acts, the magazine's main focus was Scottish bands, as indicated by Roddy Frame, Fiction Factory & The Cocteau Twins on the covers above.

Lots of space was used spreading the word about unknown bands, as well as supplying demo tape reviews.

It also had stuff like gig reviews, fashion, cinema and special features such as the lowdown on recording studios.

One of the contributors was Dundee music journalist, Bob Flynn, who managed to get a full page feature on the Tayside Bar, including an interview with boss, Brian Sinclair.

Unit 47 also gave away a flexi with issue 1.

The 3 above are dated Feb/Mar, April & June 1984.

I'm uncertain how long the mag lasted however.

SCROTUM POLES GRAFFITI - 1980

Dundee's D.I.Y. funsters, The Scrotum Poles, made their own cassette covers & record sleeves, so I suppose advertising their own band name in a pend in Bell Street seemed quite natural.

Circa 1980.

DUNDEE RELATED FANZINES - 70'S & 80'S

Some of the above fanzine titles may be familiar to a few of you who indulged in keeping track of Dundee's music activity in the 70's and 80's.

Some of the above fanzine titles may not be so familiar due to the short lifespan they had when they were on the go.

I'll supply the lowdown on them anyway as I have a few in my collection.

Most are Dundee based, but a couple are Dundee / Edinburgh combos...

THE VOICE - started up in 1982 as a kind of splinter 'zine when Cranked Up ceased. At least 3 issues.

CRIPES - started up in summer 1977 as a newsletter for Bruce's Record Shop with over 110 issues.

LE SINISTRE - started up in June 1981 and ended in July 1981 after only 2 issues.

FALLING AND LAUGHING - started up in 1983. Unsure how long it lasted but 5 issues at least.

SWEET TV TIMES - started early 80's to promote the activities of The Junkies. Unsure how long it lasted.

MEN FROM SOYA - started and ended in 1981 after only 1 issue (as far as I know).

PROCESS - started and ended in 1981 after only 1 issue.

VEX [VEKS] - started around early 80's mostly to promote Vex's own band(s) and opinions. Unsure how long it lasted.

CRANKED UP - started up in July 1981 and ended in July 1982 after 18 issues.

HARD COPY - started in summer 1982 by local music journalist, Bob Flynn. Unsure how long it lasted but issue 1 exists.

DEADBEAT - started up in August 1982 and ended in 1986 after 33 issues.

S'PUNK (It's Punk) - started up late 70's. Unsure how long it lasted but 13 issues at least.

HERE COMES EVERYBODY - started up around 81/82. Unsure how long it lasted but 4 issues at least.

Another local fanzine planned in 1982 was "The Buck Stops Here" (or There). Issues published?

There was also word of another fanzine starting up in 1982 called "A Junk Bag". Issues published?

If anyone knows of any other Dundee based fanzine (or fanzines where Dundee was mentioned regularly) feel free to pass the info on.

Should anyone like to share copies they have, again, feel free to get in touch.

I made all the ones I have available online for download in PDF format.

You can find them all on a fanzine archive website called Word From Dundee.

Here's the link...

Dundee Fanzine Archive

GG