WELLGATE LIBRARY IN THE 80'S

No idea if the Wellgate Library still looks the same these days, but this is how things were back in the 1980's.

Top image is of the Childrens Library - and judging by the pencil case setting, I think the kids may have been having "The Borrowers" read out to them at the time!

The other photo is a view of the general lending area, which I remember had a brilliant book of Picasso Linocuts that I kept going back to over and over again. Must see if I can buy a copy now that this has jogged my memory.

The advert is dated 1988 and is for the Video Libary, located in the main foyer.

Membership was free and for over 18's only. The content consisted of Hollywood blockbusters, TV shows, music, documentary, old Dundee and hobbies, with prices ranging from 50p to £2 per night.

AAGA CD - NOW AVAILABLE

Now that Christmas time is closing in on us all once again, some of you will no doubt be wondering what to buy off the record tokens you get. Problem solved - treat yourself to this AAGA CD.

The compilation called "The World Makes Me Sad Sometimes", on Rightback Records, is the first time a collection of AAGA's original 80's material has been given an official release, and so a good opportunity to hear for yourself why Factory Records wanted to showcase the band in Manchester at the time.

You'll know by now that I have featured many of  AAGA's cassettes on Retro, all displaying their homemade covers, well keeping the self assembly process going, here above is the CD cover when it was still work in progress at the design stage. The cover visuals were a joint effort by Mike Kane's daughter & son, with the AAGA logo the work of Dundee graphic artist, Nick Wright.

It will of course be available on iTunes and so on.

Finally, below is another reminder of the band's sound, this time from a gig at the Tayside Bar in 1984 -  catching AAGA in one of their more mellow moods.

A gig I was at too!

Thanks to Craig and Brian.

AAGA - HEY WHAT'S HAPPENING - 1984

A fine example of the underground sound of Dundee from the early 80's up next.
This is AAGA performing their 1982 track, "Hey What's Happening", a bright, catchy wee groove, with a touch of edgy nervous energy!
The live line-up below is - Mike Kane, guitar - Steve Grimmond, vocal & bass - Scott Wilkie, guitar and Neal Mitchell on drums. Accompanying them on backing vocals are Soul Sisters, Audrey Krawec & Joan Woodsford.
The action was caught on film by Kevin Guthrie on location at a cosy, intimate venue in 1984.
The b&w photo above was taken around 1982.
Big THANX to Mike Kane.

DUSC v ROYALS - DOWNFIELD - 1987/88

Here's a typical clash featuring 2 local football teams battling it out one Sunday back in the 80's.
The location is Downfield Park, the teams are Dundee United Social Club & Royals and the level of game is from a short-lived under 23 League.
This was DUSC's first season together, with most of the players hailing from the Douglas area and the team being managed by brothers, Joe & Stevie Stewart, from Fintry. Being the new kids on the block, DUSC surprised everyone by winning the League and picking up 3 out of a possible 4 trophies (they were finalists in the 4th!). My wee brother (a Dundee supporter incidentally) played in the DUSC team and went on to be named "Player of the Year" that season.
The action caught on cam is a final encounter for a trophy called the Scottish Cup, which despite it's name only had Dundee teams involved. Only the goals in the video clip, and without revealing the score I can tell you that there are 5 goals in total.
No commentary but plenty of noise from the crowd!

BILLY MACKENZIE'S XMAS SONG - 1984

Better get yer hankies oot..!!
As a special wee treat for Christmas, here is Dundonian, Billy Mackenzie singing a weepy festive song called "The little boy that Santa Claus forgot".
Billy was in The Associates, and it was 24 years to the day that the band performed this song at Londons top jazz venue, Ronnie Scott's. This is the actual recording from that session on 9th December 1984, along with general footage from the gig in the video below.
The song itself was composed way back in the early 50's.

DUNDEE DEMO #3 - DANNY WILSON

The 3rd in the wee series of demo's from Dundee is taken from a 10 inch ep conveniently called "The Dundee Demo's", by local band, Danny Wilson. This was a limited edition released in the late 80's, each one individually numbered. There is 1 remix on it and 3 original demo recordings, and I've chosen the demo track "Steam Trains To The Milky Way" to accompany a little video I stitched together featuring some old moody footage from around the city.

BUS STOP CLOCKS - 1960'S

Back in the 60's, the bus routes around Dundee had time-card clocks placed at terminus stops. This was also the era of bus conductors, and their routine would be to lift the lid on the body of the clock, put in his time-card, and pull a lever to stamp the time on it. Sometimes when a bus was early, it meant having to hang around one until it was the right time to depart, which passengers always moaned about, especially when the driver joined the conductor for a natter & a fag!
I remember there being a clock at Keith Place/Ballindean Road terminus, and us being primary school kids would lift the lid up to pull the lever because it used to go "DING", and then we'd scarper.
The clocks became obsolete when one-man buses became the norm around 1970.
For a reminder of the green Corporation buses, here's some footage from the 60's below.

LYON STREET IN THE 80's

This is how Lyon Street looked back in the 1980's. A typical Dundee street that you would pass without giving it a second glance.
In the early 80's, however, something was brewing at number 39.
A wee social gathering of creative musicians were busy producing acts who would go on to record some classy alternative pop music. This is where Billy Mackenzie & Alan Rankine of The Associates were living back then, along with a few others. In amongst the others were Christine Beveridge & Steve Reid who went on to record as Orbidoig, releasing a couple of singles.
A cross-pollination of The Associates & Orbidoig then created a 3rd act called... 39 Lyon Street. They too released a single - "Kites" - which was a cover of the Simon Dupree hit from the psychedelic 60's.
The article under the photo is the band getting a debut mention in an NME dated June 1981.
Below, is rare footage of Billy singing an acoustic version of "Kites" on French TV.
The original vhs tape was a bit mashed, but it's well worth watching anyway.

JIM KELLY ON GUITAR

Known affectionately by his Dundee mates as "The Welly", Jim Kelly started 

gigging locally in the mid 60's.

One of the groups he was in during this time was The Honours.

He then left Dundee around 1967 to join "The Luvvers", Lulu's backing band.

After a year or so he joined "The Honeybus" who were quite a major chart band, and recorded a couple of albums with them.

In 1969 he released a solo single called "Mary, Mary".

He came back to Dundee in 1970 and had more success with rock outfit "The Sleaz Band", gigging & recording.

Around 1973 he teamed up with local band "Hunters Key" ( my cousin John Lunan on drums ), and he stayed with them for a few years.

He was also known for his great sense of humour, but his health eventually gave way and he died in the mid 90's.

Here below is a wee tribute vid showcasing the Welly on a track called "Girl Of Independent Means". The guitar riff intro sounding very similar to David Bowie's 1972 hit "Jean Genie", who coincidentally, was also on the same "Deram" label when this was recorded in 1968..!!

THE CRYPT - PRINCES STREET - 1978

Opened in the late 70's, the Crypt was a fashion boutique run by Billy Mackenzie.

As its name suggests, the shop had a dungeon-like theme which was evident on the inside as well as the outside decor.

There were coffin shaped changing rooms & dead animals indoors (stuffed, of course), with a wrought iron portcullis on the doorway & window outdoors.

The gear was a mix of classy retro clothing and modern designer garments.

The shop then changed to "Plan 2" in the early 80's when Billy's brother took over.

Below is a short film clip of the shop doorway with Billy saying a wee word about it.

Photo by DC Thomson.

THE OLD WELLGATE

2 images of the old Wellgate before it became what it is today.
Above picture was taken in the mid 70's when the street was closed down to make way for the demolition team to do their stuff.
Below is footage that was shot in the late 60's showing the street still open for business.

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.