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.

COLOSSUS - LAST DEMO - 80'S

A couple of weeks ago, I posted a demo track by Colossus that featured Gordon Band on vocals, dating from the late 70's.
Well this is another track of theirs, this time from the early 80's, and in fact comes from what turned out to be, the bands last demo session. The same line-up as before except Fran Docherty has taken over the singer's spot.
So here is a tune called "Anything You Want" - the first 90 seconds or so has a kind of Canterbury vibe to it, intricate interchanges knotting the intro together, before unravelling itself into a rocking groove that churns along like a tag match between Uriah Heep v Rush!
It's a bit of a bruiser!
Big thanks to Ewen.

A 2ND HELPING OF LIXX

1. LIXX ON STAGE AT BAXTER PARK.

2. STEEVO & JO DOLL AT BAXTER PARK.

3. THE LIXX STAGE GEAR.

4. LIXX BACKSTAGE IN EDINBURGH.

5. LIXX PROMO POSE.

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All the above photos were taken in the mid to late 80's period.

I've already done a wee feature on the history of Lixx, so those of you who need to refresh your memory, you can find the first batch of Lixx stuff in the September 2010 Archives.

Meanwhile, here below is a track from 1989 called "Someday". This was to have been released as a single following on from their album, but for some reason it never saw the light of day, so it's good to give it a new lease of life on Retro.

No shortage of Lixx guitar licks as the guys sound fully energized on this metal workout, their polished performance buffing up a blazing burnish!

Big thanxx to Joe Ogilvie.

A POTTED HISTORY OF LIXX

This is the final item in the present music theme that's been running for the past few weeks, so thought I'd bring it to a close with a big burst of rock 'n' roll pyrotechnics!

The history of Lixx covers most of the 80's, throughout which were many line-up changes - the exception being the band's 2 linchpins - Jo Doll on vocal and Steevo on drums.

They began their glam metal journey as the Dum Dum Boys in 1983, which included a debut gig at the Tayside Bar.

They added a touch of Gothic darkness to their sound in 1984 when they changed their name to Circus Of Hell. One gig at the Bowling Alley saw them play alongside The Glitter Band!

Still in 84, the short dabble into Goth was ditched and they got back on the glam rock trail when they became Lixx, gigging at new venues in town like Fat Sams.

They moved to Edinburgh in 1986, settled for the longer lasting line-up of Jo, Steevo, Stuart on bass and Nazz on guitar and started touring up & down the country in true rock band tradition - yes it was the transit van and service stations life style - with plenty fun and mischief along the way!

This lead to Lixx signing a deal with Fast Forward Records and they released a mini album called "Loose On You" in 1988 - mixed and mastered at Abbey Road Studios no less! Around this time the band's Dundee gigs were at places like, Cafe Rock, Chevvy's and Baxter Park.

They were pretty well known now and were regulars in the music press, including the more specialist mags such as Kerrang and Metal Hammer.

Lixx also had a track showcased on a UK compilation album called "Best Of British Steel".

They changed their sound as they entered the 90's, added Ian on guitar and were transformed into Sons Of The Shaking Earth - taking them to journeys end a couple of years later.

The photos above follow the band's time line -

Top is the Dum Dum Boys at the Tayside Bar - 1983.

Next is Circus Of Hell - 1984.

3rd one is Lixx at the Bowling Alley - mid 80's.

Followed by Lixx at Dundee University - mid 80's.

Then inside Abbey Road Studios with Jo & Steevo - 1988.

Finally, a fine pro shot of Jo Doll in action - 1989.

So, to play us out of September, here is a track from the Lixx album - a song called "Plain Jane".

Big THANKS to Joe Ogilvie and Brian Wilson

COLOSSUS - DEMO TRACK - LATE 70'S

Time to whip the old air guitar out from it's invisible case!

Colossus were a prog-rock heavy metal band, on the go in Dundee in the late 70's. Played locally around venues such as the Bowling Alley, Laings, Queens Sunday Club and even the Caird Hall.

As with this kind of music, good musicianship is pretty fundamental and they were all very talented chaps who could do the biz live.

Can't recall all of their names now but I remember Pete Caithness had a cool Gibson Les Paul (gold? red?). The drummer was technically very good too and was rather partial to dropping in little fancy flourishes when in full flow.

They were all rather clean cut guys, not quite the hairy rockers associated with this music back then. In fact, a common opinion around 78/79 was that this style of music was on it's last legs because of punk, however, just as this viewpoint was taking hold, along came a counter movement called the New Wave Of British Heavy Metal and injected some fresh energy into the scene. As a consequence, Colossus were one of the bands who appeared on an album released in 1980 called "New Electric Warriors" showcasing some of the NWOBHM acts that were springing up around the UK.

I don't know what happened to Colossus after that, they just seemed to have vanished! Perhaps they opted for a life of domestic bliss rather than risk the rock 'n' roll rollercoaster ride!

Anyway, here below is a track of theirs taken from a demo tape they made in the late 70's. A composition called "Magnificent 13 Subway Patrol" - a song about New York's Guardian Angels.

If anyone can help fill in a few details about the band, feel free to drop the info in the comments.

Thanks to Bowling Alley DJ Brian Wilson

EXALT DEMO TAPE - 1987

 

Exalt made this demo tape available for sale back in 1987.
Titled "Support Your Local Police", the DIY cassette cost £1 and had around half a dozen tracks on it.
Hedgy McFadyen in Lochee was one of the main guys involved.
Below is a sample from the demo - called "Glenochil", it's a fully energized beast of a track.
Not for the faint-hearted..!!

BRAIN DAMAGE CASSETTE - 1983

Dundee band, Brain Damage, recorded this cassette called "Death To Timmy Pop" in 1983.
Drummer, Cody, has the actual original master recording on reel but it hasn't been digitised yet.
So from the 7 tracks on the audio tape, I've plucked out a tune called "Believe In Me".
A brash breakneck speed hardcore punk sizzler!

CAIRD HALL GOES HEAVY METAL!

Here's a bundle of tickets featuring heavy metal bands who paid a visit to the Caird Hall in 1979 & 1980.

The UFO tickets at the top reveal that the band played there on 3 different dates in a period of only 20 months - that must be some kind record for the Caird Hall!

UFO don't normally spring to the top of your list when recalling heavy metal bands from the 70s/80s, but a wee reminder that in 1980, UFO were the main headline act at Reading Festival, above the likes of Iron Maiden!
Dundee band Colossus was the support band on one of the UFO shows.

The other 4 tickets are for - IAN GILLAN - MOTORHEAD - SAXON - OZZY OSBOURNE.

Support band on the Gillan tour was Quartz. Ian Gillan was another who played the same venue in a relatively short space of time, his band having played the Caird Hall in October 1979. There were, however, 3 more Gillan appearances in Dundee - 1981 & 1982 both at the Caird Hall again, and then in 1989 when he played at Fat Sams! 

By the way, Ozzy was wearing his white tassels outfit on stage I seem to remember.