THE CRASH CREW - 1989

This is the full rave package..!!
The ravers - the DJ's - the 12's - the fashion - the smiley - the graffiti.
It's the Crash Crew in the summer of '89 in the Overgate.
Thanx to JG

BACK TO LIFE FLYER - 1989

Here is the flyer (front & back) for the doomed "Back To Life" rave.

See for yourself, the life threatening list of attractions the police viewed as illegal..!!

Thanx to JG

DUNDEE'S FIRST RAVE - 1989

Summer 1989, and organisers in Dundee plan to have a rave at a mystery location, with intent to dance the night away to some acid house music.

Nothing wrong with that... after all, the scene was already up and running down South.

However, like so many raves that were planned in the early days, the Dundee one ran into trouble with the police, who viewed it as being illegal, and who did their best to prevent it taking place.

Although the organisers were under pressure from the police, there were last minute attempts to have the rave on a smaller scale elsewhere, but eventually the "Back To Life" event had to be cancelled.

The disappointed ravers ended up dancing the night away at Fat Sams instead. This included the organisers, who, after leaving Fatties, were tailed by the police back home, just to make sure they didn't sneak off to an illegal dance in the early hours!!

A few other raves did manage to take place around Dundee that summer, undetected by the police. On one occasion, however, a party in Birkhill did get busted. It was one of the "Back To Life" organisers who was involved too, only this time, the organiser was charged and fined for - "broadcasting sounds known as Acid House"!!!!

Unbelievable!!!!

This ridiculous outcome even got a mention in style magazine, The Face.

I mean, was there ever a crackdown on Roland TB-303 dealers?!!!!

It has to be said though, authority and music have a history of not getting on, whether it be the Communist regime prohibiting jazz in Russia, the American Christian Churches smashing records by The Beatles, Councils in UK banning punk gigs or the police getting het up over a rave - the two sometimes just don't mix!!

The cuttings are from the Tele - dated 11 & 12 August 1989.

Big thanks to JG

OLD MUSEUM ROOMS

You may remember in the old layout of the Museum in the 1960's & 70's, they had 2 house interiors from the late 19th century on display. They were next to each other to show the contrast in living conditions between the poor and the rich.

The image on top is the example of the grubby poor hoose which was called the Dundee Kitchen, the decor dating from around the 1870's. Although it's not shown in the illustration, I can recall this room also had a mouse running across the floor.

Next door to it was the shiny posh hoose called the Victorian Parlour, with decor dating from the 1890's. Again, not shown in the drawing but I remember in the room there was also a pedal organ.

Although the difference in the two lifestyles was plain to see, they did have something in common on display - the Wally Dugs on the mantelpiece!

The illustrations were done by Margaret J Webb in 1970.

MUSIC AT DE STIHL'S - 1988 - ACID HOUSE

An ad from October 1988 inviting you along to De Stihl's acid night.

This was at the height of the rave scene, with acid house being a particularly intoxicating brew of dance beats & synth patterns.

It wasn't just great music to dance to, it was also great to cycle to.

I remember being out on my bike regularly during this era and would be plugged into my Walkman with acid house pounding in my ears. It could be so mesmerizing, I often ended up going much further than I had planned without realising because I was so immersed in it.

I just kept going and going and going.

I could have won the Tour De France on that stuff!!

I'm still a bit like that today with Chicago Footwork tracks!