3 COURIER CARTOONS - 1970

Finishing off the recent Dundee art theme on Retro, here's 3 cartoons taken from the same issue of the Courier dated 11th April 1970.

Lullubelle - The Neighbours - Billy and Bunny.

I can't find any images on the net of any of the 3 of these, so they seem to be long forgotten cartoons, which is strange because they actually all ran as a series, each one cropping up in the Courier every Saturday.

I'd only be 12 in 1970 but remember glancing them on my way to the football pages!

I doubt if any of these 3 made it beyond the 70's though.

AAGA - THE NEW SAINTS... CASSETTE

The final AAGA cassette I have in my collection is this one here from around the 1983/84 period - "The New Saints Of Drab Intensity".

There are 4 tunes on it, 2 are live recordings, 1 was done on 16 track and the one here below "Patience Is Virtue" was done on 4 track.

This is probably the most tuneful thing AAGA have ever done. It's even, dare I say, commercial sounding! Quite a sensitive touch to it too.

Thanks once again to Mike Kane.

 

AAGA - WHATALIFE CASSETTE - 1982

The AAGA "Whatalife" cassette dates from 1982 and only contains 2 tracks - "Illness" and the title song.
I can't help chuckle at some of the lyrics in "Whatalife", which are basically saying there is more to life than just going boozing and watching telly. The only song ever to mention the Lea Rig and Harry O..!!
Me being a bit of a dubologist (makey up word!) also gives the echoed phrase weaving in & out, the GG seal of approval!
Thanks to MK

AAGA - THE UNHEARD CASSETTE - 1983

I've still got quite a few items of Mike Kane based material I haven't delved into yet, so ploughing on with a few more post punk goodies, here's a 4 track cassette by AAGA called "The Unheard", done in 1983.
Get a load of the gruff, grimy, gritty, grunge guitar powering it's way through. WOWEE!!
The basic drum machine rhythm along with Steve Grimmond's distant vocal is really all it needed.
All the tracks are untitled, so this is just referred to as "Track 4".
Thanks to MK

STRANGE NEWS - HUNGRY LOOK - 1980

Although The Associates had only been in existence for a year or so at the time, in 1980 Billy MacKenzie got involved in a little side project with a few friends that ended up a short-lived outfit called Strange News.
Billy, vocals - Steve Reid, guitar - Andy Sturrock, bass - Gavin (surname?), drums.
They must have liked the sound they were making because it lead to them recording a couple of tracks in Edinburgh.
Here's a wee blast of one below, a song called "Hungry Look".
Check out Steve's guitar in it. Wicked! The driving chords of the main tune sounding like John McGeoch of Magazine, while a 2nd layer of plinky plonky notes are sprinkled about randomly in the background.
This tune also appears to be a precursor to Club Country, lyrically at least.
I don't have a photo of the Strange News line-up, but I do have this rather strange news item (above) from the same year - 29th April 1980, to be exact. A quirky wee feature from the Record Mirror telling of the time when Billy missed out on getting a cut of Howard Hughes billions!
Bit of a strange picture of him too as a matter of fact...bathing with his beret?!!

DEAN AND DAWN ENCORE!

Admit it. You're dying to hear another Dean and Dawn delight!

Well you're spoilt for choice here with this EP they released in the late 80's.

5 new songs, which, in their own words on the record sleeve, will give their fans "something else to rave about"!!

Just what imaginary fantasy land were they living in?

Now if they had stated that they were a clubby act, then that would have been fair enough, but they were trying to pass themselves off as "International recording artistes" during it all.

Somehow they managed to avoid the Trades Description Act!

Anyway, getting back to the record, I already have songs up on Retro about the Discovery and the Balaena, so I thought I'd go for the hat-trick by choosing their song about the Unicorn.

You can't help like the amateurishness of this performance, what with Dean not knowing whether to, or how to, harmonise, cutting each attempt short. Then there's the big duff chord halfway through. Not forgetting the hilarious John Shuttleworth keyboard which makes the whole thing sound like a comedy record. Yes it truly is a classic!!

They say Dean and Dawn give their fans "something that no other performers have".

Now that's just asking for trouble..!!

Big thanks to the Bear

 

INVERCARSE HOTEL ALBUM - 1973

No, you're not imagining it! It is indeed an album called "Music Live From Invercarse Hotel", released in 1973.
The LP is shared by 2 acts - the A-side has the East Coast Jazz Band, and the B-side has the John Huband Trio.
I'll touch on the B-side a little later, but for now, following on from the previous post, here is a sample of the East Coast Jazz Band in action.
Don't let their formal dress fool you as they get decidedly funky on this track, a version of the Stevie Wonder hit "Superstition". Giving AWB a good run for their money too!
The line-up is the 73 one as listed earlier, with the addition of George Cabrelli on vocal.

 

DESPERATE DAN x JAMES BROWN - 1984

It's Desperate Dan again, this time with a front row seat at a gig.
Others in the crowd are members of The Broons, Oor Wullie and funky legend, James Brown, who is doing his thang in the aisle.
This is the album cover artwork of a recording by Dundee musician, Ken Hyder.
The LP is called "Under The Influence" and was released in 1984.

BADGER - STEPPING STONES - 1977

Formed in Dundee in the mid 70's, it didn't take too long for Badger to get their material down on vinyl, releasing 2 singles in 1977.
This one here was the bands debut 45. The A-side is a track called "Biding My Time" - I, however, have opted to showcase the B-side "Stepping Stones", which in my opinion is the stronger composition.
Group members were - Lou Lewis (guitar/vocals) - Calum Malcom (Keyboards/vocals) - George Boyter (bass) & Davy Ross (drums).
Then later in 77/78, the band changed their name to The Headboys and again released a few records with a bit of success in this transformation.
In November 1979, The Headboys then released this old song "Stepping Stones" again, only this time as the A-side of the single!
Meanwhile, here is the crackly original Badger version to tune into...

THE VIKINGS ON ALP - 1966

Last month, I put on a recording released on Dundee based label, ALP. The single by Andy Lothian was an example of the label's traditional Scottish music output. ALP also chose to put out records by hip young beat groups, and this one by The Vikings, was the label's 11th record, released in September 1966. The song called "Bad News Feeling" features the groovy sound of an electric harpsichord, which were all the rage in the mid to late 60's.
3 Dundee guys in The Vikings - Mike Fraser & Donnie Coutts, are the 2 at the front in the band photo, and Drew Larg is centre at the back. The other 2 are, on the left, Doug Wightman, and of course on the right is Alan Gorrie of Average White Band fame.
The ad is dated June 1966.

RITE TYME PLAY CLAN BALL

A title that I will decode for the younger ones!
Rite Tyme were a dynamic Dundee beat group, on the go in the mid to late 60's.
Band line-up : Stuart Cuthbert (vocals) - Frankie Vettraino (guitar) - Norrie Tennent (bass) - Bill Smith (keyboards) - Glen Jones (drums) - (also Wullie Munro drums).
Also on the scene in the swinging 60's was the new sound of Radio Scotland. Not the BBC one as it is today, but Radio Scotland the Pirate Station who broadcast from a ship based off the Scottish coast, transmitting on 242 meters. The radio station began on Hogmanay 1965 and quickly became very popular with Scotland's young hipsters. Because of this popularity, Radio Scotland started a club called Clan 242, which entitled members to merchandise, newsletters and the monthly 242 magazine (as shown above). In addition, the station began organising Clan Balls in various towns around Scotland, allowing 242 members to meet the DJ's and dance along to the bands on the bill.
So that's the title explained.
The above ads (both for Aberdeen in summer 1967) show the kind of bands that were involved in these Clan Balls - big hitters such as The Move, well known Scottish acts like The Beatstalkers and new performers such as Robert Plant and his Band Of Joy. Wonder what became of him?!
Another was held in Kirkcaldy's Raith Ballroom, and on the bill that night were Rite Tyme playing alongside, Cat Stevens, Gaels Blue and the Raith Showband.
All groovy things must come to an end however, and in August 1967, the Pirate Station was eventually forced to shut shop (or should that be shut ship!).
Below you can hear an extremely rare recording of the original Radio Scotland broadcast for the Kirkcaldy event.

DUNDEE ON VINYL #3 - THE GRIP - 1982

The Grip are probably the only reggae band to have come out of Dundee, well certainly during this era anyway. I can remember catching them play a few times around town in the early 80's.

This single, "Keeping The Peace" they recorded over in Edinburgh in May '82 with well known producer, Wilf Smarties.

Band line-up is - Ronnie Chalmers, guitar & vocals - Neil Forbes, sax/percussion/vocal - Dan Stewart, trumpet/percussion - Ross Ramsey, bass - Jim Grieve, drums/percussion and Kenny Blair, keyboards.

On the back of the record sleeve in amongst their "thanks to" list are J.T.Forbes music shop, and Brian Sinclair who ran the Tayside Bar, one of the venues The Grip played.

I have picked out the B-side of the single, an instrumental track called "Musicland Part Two". Reason I opted for this is because near the end they indulge in a bit of dub, which I'm particularly partial to. Dub is usually considered being a mixing process done in the recording studio, but The Grip used to be able to do this live on stage using a combination of copycat loop machines, drum machines, echoplex pedals and bunch of other gadgets & gizmos. The wilder it was the more I enjoyed it!

Give it a wee listen and get a taster of summer in Dundee in 1982.

DUNDEE ON VINYL #2 - DUNDEE HORNS - 1970

Saxophonists, Roger Ball & Molly Duncan, were known as the "Dundee Horns" before they went on to become part of the Average White Band in 1972.
This wasn't an act in their own right, so to speak, more of an outfit for session work.
Before their Dundee Horns tag, Roger & Molly played in a Dundee Art College band together in the late 60's, a jazzy prog rock outfit called Spontaneous Combustion.
The Dundee Horns term was actually coined by Scottish rock singer, Maggie Bell, and the duo have been involved in a number of recordings during their pre AWB days.
One such recording was with a group of well known folk-rockers who got together and called themselves The Bunch, and they released one album titled "Rock On" in 1972.
The Dundee Horns were also part of Island Studio's in-house band in London and guested on various records, one example being the hit single by Johnny Nash called "I Can See Clearly Now" also in 1972.
Even in 1973 when they were established in AWB, they were still called upon to do the backing on Bryan Ferry's debut solo album "These Foolish Things".
Anyway, another pre AWB record the Dundee Horns took part in is the one featured here, a band of jazzy prog-rockers called Mogul Thrash. They brought out a single in 1970 called "Sleeping In The Kitchen" and then released an album the year after. They did a couple of BBC sessions too, with the one on display above, shared with Medicine Head, broadcast on 24 April 1971. In the band was John Wetton, more known for King Crimson. Brian Auger produced the Mogul Thrash recordings. His own band incidentally, Brian Auger's Oblivion Express, had Dundee drummer Robbie McIntosh in it, and of course, Robbie got together with the Dundee Horns to become Average White Band. Which is a nice little note to end on.
So, here below is Mogul Thrash with their single, "Sleeping In The Kitchen".

DUNDEE ON VINYL #1 - ANDY LOTHIAN - 1966

Dundee based entrepreneur, Andy Lothian, who used to put on gigs at the Palais as well as have his own jazz band, also ran a local record label called ALP (Andy Lothian Promotions). The label had a total of 11 releases, all dated 1966.
The musical content of the singles was split into 2 categories, Scottish traditional bands and modern beat groups.
The first 7 inch single - #001 - was by The Red Hawkes, and the final 45 - #011 -was by The Vikings.
This one here from my record collection is #006 - actually by Andy Lothian himself. Well it says Andy Lothian, but I'm not certain of the band line-up. You see there was Andy Lothian junior (of ALP and East Coast Jazz Men) and Andy Lothian senior, his father who had a dance band. The track is the traditional Scottish tune "John Anderson, my Joe", which would suggest AL senior. AL senior was a violinist and the tune here has lead violin, but at the very end of the track you can hear a couple of wee jazzy chords. So I have always thought that it could be a father and son collaboration. The record does say AL junior arranged & produced it.
The B side is called "Piper o' Dundee".
You can hear it yourself below, even if it is a bit worn now!

BILLY PLATER RECORDING - 1985

This recording is a bit of a mystery to me.
It's by Billy Plater and called "Tay Bridge".
This review of it cropped up in a Deadbeat fanzine in August 1985.
For starters, I've no idea who Billy Plater is, never seen the name anywhere before.
Although the track title is "Tay Bridge", I don't know if the act is from Dundee or out of town.
The reviewer doesn't even know if it's a duo or a band!
A 10 minute electronic track means it's probably on cassette rather than vinyl.
Deadbeat didn't give it a thumbs up really, but I wouldn't mind hearing it.
Anyone know anything about it?

WORLD CUP VINYL FEVER - 1982

Here's a bundle of records that came out when Scotland were involved in the World Cup in 1982, hosted by Spain.
Most of you will probably be familiar with the "official" Scotland record that was released at the time because it actually got into the national charts, was played on Radio 1 and even cropped up on Top Of The Pops.
That record was called "We Have A Dream" and was a B.A. Robertson song, but it isn't in with this lot.
These ones here, I've never heard, and don't want to hear either!
I didn't go to the '82 World Cup, although I did tour Spain in 1981, visiting Madrid, Cordoba, Seville, Malaga and suchlike, so I did get a preview of the footballing locations.
Anyway, back to this crap - first up is The Krankies with "We're Going To Spain". Yeah, Benidorm!
Next is a 4 track E.P. by Sydney Devine and includes the highly original title of "Scotland Forever". This record had actually been deleted by Phonogram but unfortunately was brought back to life!
Fran and Anna's effort is called, wait for it - "It's Scotland For Ever". The duo no doubt very knowledgeable about Scottish football too.
The final ad has 3 records mentioned - starting with Andy Cameron's gem "We're On The March Again", which sounds like an anthem for the beer-bellies to sing along to!
Following that it's The Tartan Lads and they put a lot more thought into theirs which is titled "Scotland Evermore". Well it's certainly a touch more creative than "Scotland Forever"... Yawn!!
Finally, there is a compilation album called "World Cup Souvenir Album - Espana 82". This not only had Scottish dirge, but English and Irish as well!! Wonder how many oddballs bought that one!
After the tournament, I imagine all this vinyl was melted down into ashtrays.

CHRISTMAS CARD FROM PETER GABRIEL

Back in the 70's, when I used to get music papers every week, one of the things that cropped up regularly in the small ads were addresses to Fan Clubs. That said, I didn't really have any notion to join any because I didn't devote myself to any band in particular or even any music genre - I was open to all.

However, I still had the curiosity niggling away at me thinking about what kind of correspondence I would get if I did join one.

So in 1977, I decided to subscribe to a new club on the scene that I spotted called 'Friends Of Peter Gabriel', which sounded a bit more intimate than the usual fan club. In return I got regular newsletters containing tour date info, recording updates, special offers, merchandise, that kind of thing, which I rather liked because much of stuff was way before music papers got hold of it, and so it was fun to be one step ahead of the media!
One item I got which was a nice surprise was a Christmas card from Peter himself.
Here it is above - a rather surreal kind of illustration with "Here Comes The Flood" on it, referring to one of his tracks.
Inside, of course, it has his hand written greeting.
Much of the correspondence I got also came with an ink rubber stamp of the postal address - as on the record sleeve of a single I purchased shown above.
So it was all quite enjoyable at the end of the day, but now that my curiosity had been satisfied, I didn't feel the need to re-subscribe the following year.
It was just a one-off thing.

It's probably a good bet that I was the only one in Dundee who got a card from Peter that year!

ALP RECORD ADVERTS - 1966

These 3 ads for Andy Lothian's ALP Records were all published around summer / autumn in 1966.
The releases were kind of split into 2 categories - the pop/blues/folk/jazz stuff and the traditional Scottish material.
Some Dundee acts were involved needless to say - The Poor Souls, Peter & Alison, John Huband and Andy Lothian too.
ALP hooked up with Polydor Records and got a good deal with them running the behind the scenes activity - management, promotion, publicity, advertising, distribution etc.
The first record put out on ALP was by The Red Hawks which got to number 1 in Radio Scotland's pop chart, and it also made it into Radio London's top 40.
At the time of the adverts, the latest ALP release was by trendy Glasgow band, Studio Six.

THE YOUNG IDEA ADVERT - 1972

There was an obscure wee TV programme back in 1972 called "The Young Idea".
It was all about youngsters from around the UK who had unusual hobbies or interests.
Strangely, it was broadcast around 2:30 in the middle of the afternoon, so most kids would still be at school and not see it!
Anyway, the show came to town in July 1972 and based themselves at the Royal Hotel.
Not sure if they actually did the filming from here (like the Antiques Roadshow) or if they were just scouting around for material to be included in future episodes.
It would have been far too early to have a collection of records by The Jam, but maybe some kid had a collection of Dundee jam jars!
If anyone can remember any Dundonian who made it to the TV programme itself, feel free to pass on the details in the comments.
Let's find out what those unusual hobbies were!

DAVID BOWIE - CAIRD HALL - 1973



A few months ago, my brother unearthed a batch of photographic slides he took at a David Bowie concert in the Caird Hall on 17th May 1973.
It wasn't a gig I was at but I do remember a few Craigie High schoolmates went to it.

This was a period when Bowie haircuts were very popular in school at the time too!
I did make up for missing out on this event a few years later, going to his 1978 gig at the Glasgow Apollo.
Anyway, the above colour images are the very ones from Bowie's '73 Dundee appearance, with quite a variety of costume changes during the concert as well, as you can see!
His backing band on stage were of course "The Spiders from Mars" and featured Mick Ronson on guitar, Trevor Bolder on bass and Mick Woodmansey on drums.

Click onto the photos to bring up the enlarged versions.