CITY CENTRE POINT DUTY - EARLY 60'S

This is policewoman, Sarah Christie, on point duty at the junction of Nethergate & Union Street in the early 60's.
I can remember the police in the 60's directing the traffic at Arbroath Road/Princes Street crossroads and Seagate/Commercial Street junction, so I'm guessing these were occasions when the traffic lights weren't working. Or unless it was before traffic lights were introduced?!!
So just as Sarah brings the traffic to a halt, it's time for me too to put the brakes on the present car topic that's been running the past few days and prepare for a different kind of trip - a journey back in time to the terminus of Dundee's music scene!

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

THE WELLGATE BOMB SCARE - 1982

In the early 80's, when IRA bombs were commonplace on mainland Britain, there were often many false alarms and hoaxes that went along with it which kept members of the public vigilant.
Here is an example of one of the more amusing false alarms...
In a generous act of philanthropy one day, local musician, Mike Kane, gave away free packages to the public, containing a music cassette of his band, AAGA, along with some other gifts inside... just like wee lucky bags. One of these packs was dropped off at the Wellgate Library. A little later, one of the observant librarians spotted the package sitting there, thought it might be a bomb, and promptly called the cops. The Wellgate was evacuated and the suspect package dealt with.
A few hours had passed when Mike was visited at home by the boys in blue (he kindly left his name and address on the explosive devices!).
The police commenced questioning him about the incident. Mike's tape recorder was running at the time and managed to capture the conversation, the transcript of which (above) was published in the first issue of The Voice.
You may need to click on the image to read the large version.
AAGA - louder than a bomb!!

PANDA CARS AND BLACK MARIA'S

When panda cars first hit the scene on trial in England in the 60's, they started off with black & white markings, hence the nickname. However, when the rest of the UK adopted the panda's, they changed the colouring to light blue & white, although the nickname stuck.
Dundee had a fleet of Morris Minors (as in above photo) and then in the 70's I'm sure they changed to or added Ford Escorts.
Craigie, where I lived, had a small local Police Station beside the shops so we always saw them passing by on a regular basis. Still, despite being familiar with them, when we were primary school age, every time we saw one approaching from a distance, we always ended up hiding behind hedges or running up closies, even when we were just only playing in the garden.
It was a good bit of practise I suppose for our teenage years when they would come looking for us and it was time to scarper over walls & fences!
Black Maria's were black Police vans. A bit more sinister and always on the scene when there was serious trouble to deal with. Most often used at football matches. They would open up the back doors and just chuck you inside!
By the 1980's, panda's became extinct as the cars and vans were replaced with the white "jam sandwich" look.
Photo by the Scotsman. Tints by GG