STEVE REID AT THE CUTTING EDGE

Around the mid/late 70's, before Dundee guitarist Steve Reid was in The Associates & Orbidoig, he used to work in Johnalan hairdressers.

Ironically, I reckon this picture of him looks a bit like the kind of photo we used to see on the walls in gents barbers!

Not sure if this hairstyle was one of his own creations though!!

THE ASSOCIATES ON JOHN PEEL - 1982

Below is a recording taken direct from the John Peel show which was broadcast in October 1982. This is a "session" track The Associates did, it being 1 of 4 tracks played on the night.
I've always liked Billy's inventive and amusing vocals on this one, as it swerves off in unexpected tangents.
Title of the song - "A Severe Bout of Career Insecurity".
There are 2 Dundee bands mentioned here - Peely at the end of the track says that Billy was in the middle of recording an "LP" with Orbidoig. Anybody any idea if this project was completed? If it was, it must still be tucked away in the vaults of some record company, awaiting to be discovered!!

STEVE REID ON GUITAR

In the mid 70's, local guitarist, Steve Reid, used to get a bit of practise in up at Ardler Community Centre where he was joined by Kirkton High School kids, Murray Tosh (later with Street Level) and Allan McGlone (later with Skeets Boliver). These get togethers were purely instrument work-out sessions rather than group rehearsals, as it were, they didn't actually form a band together.
Steve started off in a bunch of punk rascals called, Bread Poultice and the Running Sores. Billy Mackenzie would check out the band from time to time and eventually the two ended up mates. They also played the occasional experimental gig together, just before Billy moved on to form The Associates with Alan Rankine. By this time, Steve & Billy shared a flat along with a few others in Lyon Street.
In 1981 Steve teamed up with another Lyon Street flatmate, Christine Beveridge, and they became an outfit called Orbidoig. They released a couple of singles as Orbidoig in the early 80's, both featuring Billy. Then when Billy & Alan went their separate ways, Steve was called upon to play in The Associates for a while. As a matter of fact, Steve ended up co-writing half of the songs on The Associates 1984 "Perhaps" album.
Tracking back to Orbidoig though, below you can hear Steve in full flow on the B-side of their "Ice Cream Factory" single, a frantic post punk instrumental called - "Excursion Ecosse en route Koblenz via Hawkhill".
A trip we've all made...!!

LYON STREET IN THE 80's

This is how Lyon Street looked back in the 1980's. A typical Dundee street that you would pass without giving it a second glance.
In the early 80's, however, something was brewing at number 39.
A wee social gathering of creative musicians were busy producing acts who would go on to record some classy alternative pop music. This is where Billy Mackenzie & Alan Rankine of The Associates were living back then, along with a few others. In amongst the others were Christine Beveridge & Steve Reid who went on to record as Orbidoig, releasing a couple of singles.
A cross-pollination of The Associates & Orbidoig then created a 3rd act called... 39 Lyon Street. They too released a single - "Kites" - which was a cover of the Simon Dupree hit from the psychedelic 60's.
The article under the photo is the band getting a debut mention in an NME dated June 1981.
Below, is rare footage of Billy singing an acoustic version of "Kites" on French TV.
The original vhs tape was a bit mashed, but it's well worth watching anyway.