BUDDIES - BROUGHTY FERRY - 1985

When the Sands changed to Buddies in the mid 80's, my regular Sunday funk sessions stopped not long after it opened. Just wasn't the same as the Sands at it's peak - circa late 70's/early 80's.

I did try Buddies on a few occasions though before eventually waving goodbye to it all, with my last visit being in 1985, the same year these 2 photos were taken.

The exterior shot is dated October 85 and the cocktail bar is June 85.

I remember one Sunday evening, me and a couple of mates were walking along the Esplanade and we stopped to chat to a lassie who had her horse with her on the beach. After a wee blether, I jokingly asked if there was any chance of a lift along to Buddies - but she actually said OK! I was about to mount the horse when I had a sudden flashback of a scary incident I had on a horse a few years earlier, so I backed off. I wish now I had got on, because there can't be that many people who can say they have gone along to a disco on horseback!

Sometimes you've just got to seize the moment!

A reminder that there is a photo of Buddies dancefloor in the April 2009 archives.

Images by DC Thomson

GOLLY GOSH...IT'S AWB IN 1973!

This is the cover of Average White Band's debut album "Show Your Hand", released in 1973.

The witty graphic on it features a familiar image of a golliwog...but with a rather obvious twist! Although the humour may be a wee bit cheeky, it's easy to get the joke.

Dundee drummer, Robbie McIntosh, used to have a slightly different version of the peely-wally golly on his drum kit - one that resembled the Robertson's jam logo.

The cover artwork was designed by John Pasche, the chap who a couple of years earlier, created the iconic Rolling Stones lips & tongue logo.

ROKOTTO - BRICK HOUSE - 1977

Dundee's disco funksters, Rokotto, penned a good chunk of their material themselves, but occasionally they would top up their repertoire by dipping into a dance classic. They covered Banbarra's "Shack Up" for example, and this one below, The Commodores 1977 hit "Brick House" was another they added to their parties.
Rokotto's version is almost an identikit copy of the original, as I'm sure many of you who were regulars on the Sands dancefloor will spot, but nevertheless, a fine slab of funk it is, and a tune that just makes you want to go out clubbing!

AWB ARE SUPERSTARS - OFFICIAL!

March 1975 was the month Average White Band became superstars!

The front page of the Melody Maker documented the moment with their WHITE HEAT headline, along with a picture of Dundee Horns - Molly Duncan & Roger Ball.

The story that declared AWB such hot property was the fact that they had just reached No1 in both the singles & albums charts, in the same week, over in the USA.

As a consequence, however, because of this surge of popularity in the States, the band decided to leave UK to set up a home base in America.

LONDON GIG FOR DUNDEE DUO - 1980

This ad appeared in Sounds music paper in August 1980.
2 Dundee bands in action on the same night at the Lyceum in London - AWB & Mafia.

AWB ON TOTP - 1975

This is the moment the Average White Band first appeared on Top Of The Pops.
The date of the show was 20th March 1975, and the lads had reached their peak position at #6 in the charts with "Pick Up The Pieces".
The above image is the one used on the TOTP chart rundown at the start of the show, and the clip below is of Tony Blackburn introducing film footage of AWB from America, where the band were based. They did of course reach #1 in the States with the same single.
The film of the band live on stage is the original line-up, ie Robbie McIntosh on drums, so would have been shot sometime in 1974.

HOT CHOCOLATE - CAIRD HALL - 1982

Another gig review, this time from the pages of Voice fanzine and featuring Hot Chocolate who were playing at the Caird Hall on 11th Sept 1982.
I never went to this particular show but I did see them live way back in 1976 over at the Apollo in Glasgow, and they were great. Throughout the 70's & 80's they just kept pumping out the hits in their own funky soul pop way without jumping on any passing music fad, and judging by this write up, they appear to have went down very well in Dundee.
The support act on the night was Zen, a band I know nothing about.
Click the image to read the large version if required.

AWB ON OGWT - 1973

Here's some behind the scene shots of the day Average White Band made their debut on the Old Grey Whistle Test in 1973.
The top one is the episode board with the countdown timer and the info stating that it's AWB's 1st take.
The middle photo is the band in full flow in the studio.
The third image is the control room where programme producer, Mike Appleton, is keeping an eye on the monitors etc.
AWB performed 2 tracks and shared the show with other acts, but a few years later, AWB got the show all to themselves when OGWT broadcast them live in concert.
Talking about behind the scenes, when AWB were recording their debut on OGWT, Dundee drummer Robbie, said he'd had enough and he wasn't doing the show.
The reason was that they were told they had to mime the tracks, which meant the drum-kit had to have plastic cymbals fitted and foam pads placed on the drums.
They did manage to tape the show after a couple of takes and everyone was pleased, except Robbie that is, who had to be led away pretty pissed off!

ROKOTTO SCRAPBOOK - LE PALACE - 1978

This full page spread comes from the Black Echoes music paper dated January 1979 and is another account of the same gig as the previous item - at Le Palace in Paris.
Among the entourage was a team from the Barracuda who travelled with the band along with several journalists.
Not all went to plan however, they had a set back before they even left the UK. Keyboardist Stewart Garden fell ill and was rushed to hospital with pleurisy, so when the band arrived in Paris one of the first things they had to do was find a stand-in keyboard player!
You can read all about the weekend voyage by clicking the image to view the large version.
The group called it a day in 1982.
And there ends my Rokotto scrapbook.
Fin.

ROKOTTO SCRAPBOOK - PARIS - 1978

Although this write-up appeared in the Blues & Soul magazine in January 1979, the review is about a show Rokotto did around Christmas 1978.

This prestigious gig took place at Le Palace in Paris. Le Palace at this time was THE place to be seen, attracting fashionable rich & famous celebs from around the globe. You know - Andy Warhol, Grace Jones, Mick Jagger, Paloma Picasso....the A list!!

The venue's light show back then was described as being like something out of Close Encounters!

Rokotto performed for 90 minutes, and you can read all the about their weekend trip by clicking the image to view the larger copy.

ROKOTTO SCRAPBOOK - MAG COVER - 1979

Rokotto pretty well established by now and one of the cover headline acts. This Blues & Soul magazine dating from January 1979 sees the Dundee band on the front page with the likes of Chic, Temptations, Heatwave etc.
The inside story will go up tomorrow.

ROKOTTO SCRAPBOOK - HAMMERSMITH ODEON - 1978

A review of a gig at London Hammersmith Odeon that appeared in the NME - June 1978.
Rokotto sharing the stage this time with original New York funksters, Brass Construction, and by all accounts, both acts working the crowd up into a party frenzy!!
Click on the image to read the large version.

ROKOTTO SCRAPBOOK - ADVERT - 1977

Wonder how many Dundee bands have played London's Albert Hall? Well at least we know Rokotto have back in 1977 when they were on tour with soul legends The Four Tops.
Their single "Boogie On Up" was a chart hit that had them performing it on Top Of The Pops.

ROKOTTO SCRAPBOOK - FASHION - 1977

Just a wee cutting from 1977 showing the band posing in another display of groovy gear, although I don't recall seeing these outfits on sale in McGills!!
If you want to catch up with an earlier item from last year about when a gang of us went up to Aberdeen to see Rokotto record a TV show, then you can back-track to August 2008 Archives, where you can also listen to one of their tunes and read a few comments.

ROKOTTO SCRAPBOOK - INTRO - 1977

Got a few magazine cuttings featuring Rokotto going back to the 70's, so will be putting them on view over the next couple of days.
Rokotto formed in Dundee in 1975 after some of the members left the Flamingos. Then with the addition of a few local musicians, they went on to become the colourful chart busting 7 piece funky disco band they set out to be.
This article appeared in "Blues & Soul" magazine in November 1977 when they were starting to get national recognition as a consequence of frequent touring and recording.
The line-up here is - Cleveland Walker - Howard "Bongo" McLeod - Lloyd Owen Wisdom - Derek Henderson - Stuart Garden - Hugh Paul and Sister B (Lorna Bannon).
A piece of music trivia now....Howie McLeod used to be percussionist with classy soul act, Jimmy James & The Vagabonds.
He's also usually the most flamboyantly dressed one!!
In 1986, Lorna B joined a band called Future. They ended up as one of the groups who were involved in "A Song For Europe" which was televised on the Wogan show.
You'd be best to click on the above image and enlarge it to read.

BUDDIES DANCEFLOOR - BROUGHTY FERRY - 1985

In 1985, The Sands in the Ferry was transformed into Buddies.
No change to the outside of the building but as you can see from the photo, the interior decor was modified. Out went the bright curvy spacious look of the Sands and in came a dark monochromatic claustrophobic replacement!

Photo by DC Thomson.

THE SANDS INTERIOR

Here's an excellent colour shot of the interior of The Sands in Broughty Ferry... and a great reminder of how it looked in the late 70's before a couple tweaks to its décor took place in the 80's.

Now for a quick guided tour - you'll see in the centre of the picture the yellow coloured doors with what looks like a "T" on them, that was the only entrance to the disco. These doors were at the end of a wee corridor just off the main outside entrance area and opposite to where you'd hand your coats in.

There is a serving hatch next to the doors where they'd put on hot snacks halfway through the evening - lots of paper plates involved!

On the right hand side of the photo, out of view, was the main bar, that is also where the windows onto the Esplanade were.

To the left, just off of shot, if you went down a couple of steps, that would take you to the dancefloor and the DJ's corner area.

Behind where the photographer took the picture was a seating area on a raised floor in the corner.

They also laid on a bus back into Dundee city centre at the end of the night.

If I was asked to name 1 track that summed up The Sands on a Sunday, it would have to be the track "Shante" by Mass Production.

There are other images of The Sands to be found in my September 2008 Archives.

Photograph by Nicoll Russell Studios.

THE SANDS AND STEVIE WONDER - 1980

As I've mentioned on Retro before, Sunday nights for my mob was "Sands" night, where we'd go to get our weekly dose of funk and soul.

Here's a wee story to accompany one such visit in September 1980.

Every Thursday I used to get 4 music papers - the NME, Sounds, Black Echoes and Melody Maker. This particular Thursday I read in all 4, brilliant reviews on Stevie Wonder's shows at Wembley Arena. He was playing 6 shows there and this very same weekend was to be his finale. However, it also stated elsewhere in the papers that the shows were sold out.

When I got my wages next day on Friday, these reviews were still running around in my mind, and so on the spur of the moment I made a decision to hop on a train to London that night. Keeping in mind that the shows were sold out, I opted for a single fare to the capital with intent to hitch-hike back because I thought I'd need all the dosh I had to purchase a ticket from a tout. So, when I arrived in London I thought I'd try my luck at the ticket agencies first just in case someone had a spare, and after searching all day, I did indeed eventually get one from an agent who had a ticket returned that day. Delighted at having beaten the touts, I made my way to Wembley Arena for the show. It really was as brilliant as the reviews had said it was.

After the show, my mind then turned to the Sands. I now had spare cash because I didn't splash out on tout prices and I discovered I had enough to get back to Dundee. However, that was going to leave me skint, so what I did was keep a bit of Sands money aside and got the train only to Newcastle. I arrived in Newcastle mid morning and then hitched back from there. Did it in 3 lifts. Got back into Dundee late afternoon, had a bite to eat, a quick wash & brush up then off to the Ferry to meet up with my mob at Brookes. When they asked where I had been all weekend, and I told them, they just burst out laughing. I did that kind of thing regularly back then!

Anyway, made it to the Sands that Sunday as normal. To top it off, they played "Masterblaster" that night, and so obviously I had to get up to dance to it, just 24 hours after watching it live!

Incidentally, I've still got my ticket, programme and the original cuttings that triggered the weekend. One of the reviews had the amusing headline "Rockin Stevie plays a blinder", so thought I'd include it here.

Photo by DC Thomson.Tints by GG

AVERAGE WHITE BAND IN 1979

Exactly 30 years ago, I, along with a big squad fae Dundee, hired a bus to go through to Glasgow to see Average White Band do their thing live on stage at the Apollo.
And a funky night had by all, with a full house dancing the night away in the theatre!
Dundonians like to claim AWB as their own of course, but the fact is they are from all over Scotland, with only 2 of the original members hailing from Dundee when they formed in 1972. Robbie MacIntosh, the Dundee drummer, died in 1974 so that just left Roger Ball, from Broughty Ferry, as Dundee's representative, birth-wise. Molly Duncan and Alan Gorrie went to Dundee Art College with Roger, but Molly was born in Montrose and Alan, Perth, the others, Hamish & Onnie are from the Glasgow area.
Dundee trivia-wise - AWB once played at The Ambassador in Clepington Road.!!
Their mate, Dougie Martin, whose band Mafia, were playing there that night, and needless to say, by the end of the evening both acts ended up jamming together on stage.
This Ambassador event was also captured on film by a BBC tv crew who were doing a documentary on AWB at the time, following the band around, showing how the group spent their time when back home, away from life in USA.
The programme (see above) was broadcast on 31 March 1979.
The footage below is not from the documentary but is from the 1979 tour, although not the Glasgow gig.
The track is "I'm The One", a song of theirs that, along with a bucket load of other AWB tunes, has since gone on to be sampled by dozens of hip hop acts!

ROKOTTO ON TV - 1970's

In 1977, Cathie McCabe's record shop organised a bus to go up to Aberdeen - and I was invited along.
The event was Dundee based funky disco band, Rokotto, perform in concert at Grampian Studios.
Joan McCabe and the band members were also on the bus along with us punters.
I remember the studio had a scaffolding gantry at the side of the stage, which is where I chose to watch the show from, but most of the studio audience were at the front of the stage dancing along to the band.
The TV series was called "The Entertainers" and showcased a different act every week. Rokotto played for over an hour in Aberdeen but each episode was edited down to 30 minutes.
The show was broadcast on 17 June 1977.
I got in touch with Grampian quite recently to see if they had this episode in their vaults but unfortunately, although some of the acts on The Entertainers were kept, the one with Rokotto on has since been wiped.
Also, as well as appearances on Top Of The Pops in the 70's, Rokotto were featured on another BBC show in 1979 called "Roadshow Disco".
This was actually recorded in Dundee - Kirkton Community Centre in fact!
So if anybody out there has a copy of these shows, feel free to get in touch.
Vocalist, Lorna Bannon, went on to sing with Shakatak, Simple Minds, plus a few other acts after Rokotto.
Anyway, for those who are not familiar with Rokotto's sound or would like a reminder, here is a track & slideshow to tune into.