PEGASUS - MARRYAT HALL - 1975

The guys in Pegasus were still at school when they formed in 1974 - not all at the same school mind you.
Left to right - JOHN MUIR, bass - GORDON McQUILLAN, drums - FRANK MURRAY, vocal - ANDY BUTTER, guitar - WILLIE FORREST, guitar.
John & Gordon were at Craigie High, Frank was a Morgan pupil, not sure what school the other 2 went to but Andy is from Kirkton and Willie is from Ardler.
Although it looks like a gig on top of a giant dressing table, this shot of the band was captured at the Marryat Hall in 1975.
They usually played less plush venues such as community centres, church halls and youth clubs.
I can remember seeing them play at Craigie High in 74. Although it wasn't his normal band image, the dizzy excitement of performing in CHS Assembly Hall saw Frank prance on stage wearing Alice Cooper style make-up! All good fun.
Plenty vigorous tremolo arm action on the guitar solos too I recall!
Can't say for certain how many years Pegasus stayed together but John later had a stint with Erasmic Superfoam, and nowadays has a successful Solicitors firm.
Gordon has provided beats for many bands in the past...(deep breath)... Kandy, The Junkies, The RB's, Tiffany's resident band, Combo Vito, Hoochie Coochie Band, The River Crows, Kick, Midnight Blues Band - and if that wasn't enough, he's also done recording sessions for The Blue Nile and Fiction Factory.
One project he is involved in these days is beating the drum for the Dundee RATT cause.
Frank - well he just decided to dig for gold in Venezuela!
I don't have the lowdown on Andy & Willie, so over to you lot to fill in the remainder.
Big thanks to Willie.

ECHO & THE BUNNYMEN - DUNDEE - 1982

This was a really cool gig to be at - Echo & The Bunnymen at the Marryat Hall on 4 May 1982.
It was the final stop in a mini tour of Scotland that kind of went off the beaten track and under the radar of the mainstream music press.
Those in the know, however, were treated to a very relaxed performance from the band, sometimes seeming like they were still in rehearsal mode!
There are a few photos up on Flickr from this very gig...

here's a link - Bunnymen in Dundee

 

Also on the same night was a new local band called, Just Little Boys.
The snappy review above comes from Dundee fanzine, The Voice.
It's a brief account of their moment on stage which they say was a rather indifferent, uninspired set, getting a big thumbs down as a consequence. The reviewer also seems to think their singer, Jackie McPherson, was in the line-up more or less for eye candy purposes!
Strangely, I can't remember anything whatsoever of Just Little Boys.
I wasn't "too drunk" because I can recall the Bunnymen ok.
I didn't arrive "too late" because I can recall all the dancing to the records played over the PA, before the show.
So was it that the band were indeed "too dull" to register?
Can anybody put in a good word for them?

 

You may need to enlarge the review to read.

CRIPES...MORE PUNK!

This article is taken from an issue of CRIPES, a Bruce's Record shop in-house magazine dated the end of August 1977.
It's just a brief word about a few gigs that were on at the Marryat Hall during the summer of '77.
The Chelsea / Alternative TV gig took place on 19 August 1977.
The Boomtown Rats were due to play on 6 September 1977.
The Count Bishops had already played up at Dundee University on 11 February 1977, so the Marryat gig was obviously to be their second visit.

THE REZILLOS - MARRYAT HALL - 1978

 

Here's a crackin' picture of The Rezillos doing their thing down at the Marryat Hall in 1978.
This band of B-movie punks changed their line-up around this period so I'm not 100% certain who was in the group on this particular occasion, except for Fay Fyfe of course who is definitely out front wearing the silver gear.
To go with the snap, I also have this ad from back then which not only informs us that the Marryat Hall gig took place on Monday 21st August 1978, but earlier that day, the band made an appearance at Bruce's Record Shop in Reform Street, where they signed autographs and met their fans.
There was a large queue to see them at Bruce's and a good turn out for the gig too.
Their well known single "Top Of The Pops" had just been newly released at the time.

Incidentally, also on that evening dropping some vinyl was Deepwater Disco.

Photography by Mike Gallacher.

THE MARRYAT HALL

The Caird Hall's wee sister next door. Room for around 400/500.

In the mid 70's this place was bustling with Soul crews who organised Northern Soul All-nighters. The Marryat then gained quite a reputation for being one of the better venues on the Soul circuit and was visited by enthusiasts from all over the UK.
The advert is one example of the kind of thing they used to put on.
This was in March 1976 - an Alldayer presented by the Scottish Soul Society.
No mention of Northern Soul for this one and with the main attraction being The Miami-Detroit Roadshow, it may have been a funk/disco/r&b kind of session.

Moving into the late 70's - early 80's, the Marryat hosted a spate of indie and rock gigs. Some of the acts that performed live were - Theatre of Hate - Echo & the Bunnymen - Girlschool - Rezillos - Hanoi Rocks, to name just a few. And finally, a wee reminder for all vinyl addicts - yes we've not been killed off just yet - there are regular Record Fairs held at the Marryat Hall too. What better way to spend your time, and dosh!!