DUNDEE ON VINYL #1 - ANDY LOTHIAN - 1966

Dundee based entrepreneur, Andy Lothian, who used to put on gigs at the Palais as well as have his own jazz band, also ran a local record label called ALP (Andy Lothian Promotions). The label had a total of 11 releases, all dated 1966.
The musical content of the singles was split into 2 categories, Scottish traditional bands and modern beat groups.
The first 7 inch single - #001 - was by The Red Hawkes, and the final 45 - #011 -was by The Vikings.
This one here from my record collection is #006 - actually by Andy Lothian himself. Well it says Andy Lothian, but I'm not certain of the band line-up. You see there was Andy Lothian junior (of ALP and East Coast Jazz Men) and Andy Lothian senior, his father who had a dance band. The track is the traditional Scottish tune "John Anderson, my Joe", which would suggest AL senior. AL senior was a violinist and the tune here has lead violin, but at the very end of the track you can hear a couple of wee jazzy chords. So I have always thought that it could be a father and son collaboration. The record does say AL junior arranged & produced it.
The B side is called "Piper o' Dundee".
You can hear it yourself below, even if it is a bit worn now!

THE PALAIS - SOUTH TAY STREET

Although the Palais goes way back to around the 1930's, it's only from the 60's onward that need be mentioned here.

The main Palais man in the 60's was owner/promoter, Andy Lothian. He was the guy who brought all the best 60's pop acts to Dundee - both the Caird Hall and more specifically to this feature, the Palais "Top Ten Club" on Sunday nights.

Acts like Manfred Mann, The Hollies, The Yardbirds, David Bowie, The Move, Troggs, Love Affair, Amen Corner, Foundations etc, all performed here throughout the 60's.

As well as being a concert promoter, editor of “The Scottish Beat” music paper, presenter of TV show "Teenbeat", having his own jazz club and jazz band, Andy Lothian also ran ALP Records, a local record label for local bands, including The Vikings, The Poor Souls, The Hi-Fi's, etc. The letter "A" in the ALP logo was designed to look like a mountain (the Alps!!).

By the time the 70's arrived, more emphasis was being placed on the "DISCO" aspect and bands were often seen as an additional attraction rather than being the main attraction.

The ad above is typical of the kind that were published in the local papers in the early 70's, with the one here dated Friday 14 Jan 1972.

I didn't start going to the Palais until 1974 when they used to have an under 18 disco on Sunday evenings, so I missed out on all these well known 60's acts I was familiar with as a schoolboy.

The Palais then closed down for a while in the mid 70's after a change of ownership and re-opened in 1976 as Samantha’s - a disco and live venue.

Samantha’s stint ended around April '78 and was then transformed into another disco called Bloomers in October '78.

Bloomers, like Samantha's, also used to put on bands, more often than not acts that were part of the punk / new wave scene.

There was also a pub called the Stage Door Bar at the back of the Palais in Marketgait that was in biz the same time as Samantha’s & Bloomers and this had access at the back of the pub that took you directly into the discos which saved you going all the way around to the main entrance in South Tay Street.

Bloomers, however, turned out to be the final incarnation of the Palais, as it's short-lived run ended in August 1979 - then in  February 1980 the place was destroyed by fire.

Below is a short interview with Andy, who looks back over the 60's era.