ADAMSON'S - ARBROATH ROAD - 1972

Adamson & Son had this workshop/factory at 140 Arbroath Road.

It was a place I'd pass regularly as a schoolboy, but didn't have a clue what went on inside!

Well after recently finding an advert for them dating from 1970, I can now let it be known that in this Wire & Metal Workers building they called Riverview Works, they made a wide variety of items.

Their wire based products included - guards for windows, fires, fans and similar stuff - then there was fence enclosures for sports grounds, animal pens, works security etc and they also made more general items like baskets, sieves, trays and so on.

Their sheet-metal products included - lockers, bins, pipes, signs, storage tanks, things like that.

This picture of the premises was taken in March 1972 - but not long after, they had moved biz to Clepington Road and by around 1973/74 this building was demolished.

Photo by DC Thomson.

CARHARTT'S AD - 1986

Carhartt's appear to have ditched the Hamilton part of their name when this advert was published in 1986.

It's basically an invite to their factory shop in North Isla Street wanting you to go try out their range of jeans, casual gear and workwear.

Wonder how many people took them up on the offer?

LEVI'S DUNDEE AD - 1984

This ad dates from 1984 and is for the Levi factory up at Dunsinane, even although the address doesn't crop up in it....tele-communication only it seems!

A reminder that there is a photo of the factory interior in the October 2009 archives.

As you can see, Levi denim was so tough, even attaching them to 2 mules heading in the opposite direction couldn't rip them apart!

Staying with denim in the 80's - I remember in 1982 I visited the town in the South of France from which denim gets its name. Nimes - as in (from Nimes "de Nimes") - then shortened to denim.

The thing about it is though, being on the Mediterranean coast - it was far too hot to wear jeans, everyone just wore shorts!!

DEATH CULT - TEAZERS - 1983

Before the Dance Factory made it's nest in Fat Sams, it used to roost at Teazers (Royal Hotel) in Union Street.

Here's an ad for a gig they put on there in August 1983 featuring Death Cult.

This was the bands' in-betweeny phase - first starting off as The Southern Death Cult, then shortening their name to this version, Death Cult, before finally in 1984 chopping it right down to The Cult, and that's when they then went on to be chart bound around the globe.

The gig was actually the live UK debut of the band under this name. Word of it reached journalists, leading to a gig review in the national music press!

You may recall Vex did a gig at the Tayside Bar in 1982 calling themselves Death Cult, but they reverted back to Vex after this lot here became known.

DANCE FACTORY BANDS #2

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Moving on to the 2nd selection of images of unknown bands playing at Fat Sams in the mid/late 80's.
A couple of the acts in this lot look familiar to me but I just can't quite put a name to them.
If you're not so sure who they are either, you may have better luck spotting someone you know in the crowd.
Photos by The Bear.

DANCE FACTORY BANDS #1

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Next up is a big bundle of photos spread over 2 days featuring bands who played at the Dance Factory in the mid/late 80's.
Unfortunately, the bands in the pictures weren't catalogued, so although the reason I put them up was because they are a fine set of images in the first place, if you think you can identify any of the acts, that'll be a nice added bonus.
Some bands have 2 pics, some just 1.
See how you get on.
Photos by The Bear.

IMMACULATE FOOLS GIG REVIEW - 1985

Well here's a gig review that's a wee bit different from the norm.
This was put together by Deadbeat contributor, Hilary. It seems the Immaculate Fools appearance at the Dance Factory in March 1985 was so bad that she couldn't muster the usual kind of account of a live performance, so she just went around some of those who were in the crowd asking for their assessment.
Turned out they had the same opinion!
Amongst the Dundee critics were Ged, Kit & Gary from Danny Wilson, music journalist Bob Flynn, DJ Dave Calikes plus a few others who shared similar viewpoints.
Clearly the band should have presented a show that was a bit more foolproof!

ENERGETIC FAT-FREE SAMS - 1980'S

Not an explosion in a paint factory but Dance Factory!

This is local band, Better Backwards, jamming on stage with artist David Cook, sometime around the mid/late 80's.

A nice bonnie outburst it is too. Kind of half Celtic half Aboriginal. Very tribal. I like it!

Photos by The Bear.

GIGS GALORE - EARLY 80'S

Time to catch up with a few gig reviews at various venues from the first half of the 80's.

Starting with Nassau, and a gig that took place at the Tayside Bar in January 1982. This was a funky Glasgow band who were basically refining their set prior to being support act to a couple of well known acts. The review cropped up in the national music press.

Moving onto Jih, also at the Tayside Bar, a gig near the end of '83. Not sure if this was the band's debut gig but it was definitely one of their earliest. However, it turned out to be a night that didn't go down very well with the reviewer!

Another Tayside Bar gig next, this time from mid '83 and featuring Crucial Xylophones who gave us a performance that triggered dancing in the pub. A rare sight for the TSB!

Moving along to the University, with Bow Wow Wow the main attraction, and one I went to. They were very well known by this time and had a packed hall for their lively stage show. This gig was at the end of '82.

A Dance Factory event next and a performance by Talking Drums, early '85. Although the band put on a decent show, it was the Dundee crowd that upset the reviewer (Hilary) on this occasion.

Rounding things off with Plastic Surgery who were doing the biz at Beez Neez in January '85. This time Hilary is well pleased with what she saw!

Click items to enlarge if need be.

DANCE FACTORY ACTION - 1988

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Rolling off the Dance Factory conveyor belt were these bands, who all played at the Fat Sam's venue in 1988.

Pics 1 & 2 - THE RHYTHM SISTERS - 22 May 1988.

Pics 3 & 4 - STUMP - 7 Feb 1988.

Pic 5 - THE McCLUSKEY BROTHERS - 27 Mar 1988.

Pic 6 - SWAMPTRASH - 14 Feb 1988.

Pic 7 - THE WILD SWANS - 21 Feb 1988.

Pics 8 & 9 - YARGO - 28 Feb 1988.

If you can recall anything from these gigs, then tell us all about it in the comments.

Photos by The Bear.

GOODBYE MR MACKENZIE

This gig at the Dance Factory in Fat Sams took place in March 1987.

It's Scottish band, Goodbye Mr Mackenzie, who were active up to the mid 90's.

I recognise big John Duncan on guitar there. He used to be a regular sight in Edinburgh in the late 70s/early 80s when he was in The Exploited. He had green hair back then so you really couldn't miss him!

See the lassie playing keyboards on the right of the second picture, that's Shirley Manson, who a few years later would go on to achieve mega fame with her band, Garbage.

Anybody recall this gig? I missed out on it.

Photos by The Bear.