CRAIGIE HIGH SCHOOL ASSEMBLY HALL - 1970'S

The brand new Craigie High assembly hall a couple of weeks before it opened in 1970. Soon after this photo was taken, I, along with the first ever batch of pupils to set foot in the school, nervously gathered in the hall to hear our names be called out to discover what class we were in. Arranged in alphabetical order.
Forward-wind to 1974 and again we gathered in the hall, for the last time, to sit our o-level exams. The balcony that lead to the music dept (top left of photo) had signs up on the doors at either end that read - "Silence. Exams in progress", and everyone had to tip-toe and be hushed at all times during o-levels.
A couple of quirkier moments I can recall were, they showed the film "Zulu" here, the Michael Caine one. The stage had a pull-down screen in-built and this was the only time I remember it being used. No idea now if the movie was part of class or an after class treat.
Another time, a Conservative candidate visited during elections and obviously kept banging on about the Tories, much to the boredom of the pupils. Eventually he finished his speech and asked the pupils if there were any questions. "What's your opinion of the Labour Party?" shouted a pupil. The guy was stumped! He couldn't think of anything to say, he fumbled about, coughed, spluttered then after a lengthy delay managed to blabber something, but by now we didn't hear much for laughter!
I also attended a gig here. All of the guys in the rock band were CHS pupils apart from the singer, who incidentally, was wearing Alice Cooper style make-up! I'm not 100% sure of the band's name now but "Pegasus" seems to ring a bell. Feel free to correct me on that.
Photo by DC Thomson.Tints by GG

LOWLAND FOLK FOUR with BRIAN COX - 1966

This is taken from the Radio Times, dated 17th August 1966. A 40 minute documentary on BBC1 featuring an unusual Dundee double act... music performed by local band Lowland Folk Four and narration supplied by a budding young actor called Brian Cox.
I was only 8 years old when this was broadcast. Unfortunately I have no memory of the programme, but from what I gather the content consisted of a tour around Dundee, old and new, set to music. If anyone remembers anything about it feel free to drop the details into the comments. Or, if someone out there has an actual copy of it, do let me know.
Click on the image to enlarge it to read.

BROOKES - BROUGHTY FERRY - 1980's

This picture of Brookes in Brook Street, Broughty Ferry, was taken in October 1980.

It's a pub I remember visiting only on Sunday evenings. Sunday back then was our funky nights at the "Sands" so we'd all usually meet here to have a couple of pints first before nipping along to spend the rest of the night at the disco.

It always make me recall those warm, lighty summer evenings.

Photo by DC Thomson.

SLEAZ BAND - 60'S - 70'S

Dundee's Sleaz Band first started out by calling themselves "Rock Tonsils and the Sleaz Band" when they were on the same bill as Pink Floyd for a gig at Dundee Art College in 1968. Soon after that they opted for a simpler version - Sleaz Band - and a rather lively few years in rock music began.
As their reputation grew, they gigged extensively with top acts such as Deep Purple - Fleetwood Mac - T.Rex - David Bowie - Slade - Thin Lizzy, to name just a few of a very impressive gig list.
Along with their own ad above, I have included some adverts featuring the acts they have supported...
Fleetwood Mac - Glasgow 1969.
T.Rex - Motherwell 1970
Deep Purple - Aberdeen 1970.
Nazareth - Aberdeen 1972.

Sensational Alex Harvey Band - Liverpool 1973
Shakin' Stevens - Aberdeen 1974.

They have also recorded. 
An album was in the pipeline but unfortunately it never saw the light of day.
A single, however, was released in June 1974, with the band line-up at this stage consisting of Phil Robertson, Jim Kelly, Clark Robertson & Robbie Stewart, although the personnel did change from time to time.
The band eventually called it a day in the late 70's.
For a wee reminder of their sound, here below is the b-side of their '74 single, a track called "Midnight Man", a tidy little slice of rock, produced by Terry Noon for the Fontana label and clocking in at just 1min 50 secs, shorter than the average punk record!

THE GAUMONT - COWGATE

One of the things I liked about going to the Gaumont was the bus stopped right outside the foyer. You can see the bus stop in the picture...dead handy when it rained.
I'm sure this was the cinema we used to go to in the 1960's on Saturday mornings for the kids club. They would show movies made by the Childrens Film Foundation, run weekly episodes of Flash Gordon, chuck in some cartoons and so on. It did get a bit rowdy at times, probably because there were no parents around, so there would be a lot of booing at the baddies, cheering at the goodies and singing along to the tunes....oh yeah, not forgetting the peanut fights!
Typical 60's films I saw there were The Beatles movies, James Bond, Disney and such like, then in the 70's it was blockbusters such as Star Wars.
The Gaumont then became the Odeon in 1974.
Photo by DC Thomson. Tints by GG

NAUTILUS GYMNASIUM - PERTH ROAD

This advert for Nautilus in Perth Road goes back to 1981.

I didn't actually try the place out myself but I knew a couple of guys who were regulars.

From what they told me, their evening's fitness routine went like this - go to gym for 1 hour then go to pub for 4 hours!

ELVIS COSTELLO - CAIRD HALL - 1979

Here's my ticket stub showing that on this day 30 years ago, Elvis Costello was in town.

At this stage in his career he was still a bit of a skinny little whippersnapper, having surfaced in tandem with the punk movement, but behind the image lay a big talent, and we got an instant reminder when he started the show off with "Watching The Detectives". After that the hits kept coming, "Olivers Army" - "Alison" - "Accidents Will Happen" - "Red Shoes" and on it went. This tour was to promote his "Armed Forces" album so there was plenty new material too.

He has since gone on to work with just about every musician on the planet it seems and is still touring 3 decades on.

There were 2 support acts on the night.

One was Richard Hell & the Voidoids from the USA. This was the band he formed after he left Television. Richard Hell was the guy who gave the world the "punk look" ie cropped spikey hair with ripped shirt held together with safety pins. The look was later enhanced by the Brit punks to become the more common punk fashion of the late 70's we now refer to.

Also on the bill was big haired Manchester poet John Cooper Clarke.

Urban grit with wit.

I think we got our £2.50's worth!

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.

THE TONIBELL MINIBALL

A novelty ice cream idea that was a big hit with youngsters in the 60's and 70's was the Tonibell Miniball - a plastic ball filled with ice cream. To tuck into the contents you removed the lid, and when the ice cream was all gone you just snapped the lid back on, then you could have a game of football, tennis and so on, with it. They were sold in various colours and they came with a flat wooden spoon.
This advert is dated June 1968 but I can recall when I was at Craigie High school in 1970-74, the 70's ones had either a gobstopper or bubblegum inside as an added extra feature. Needless to say we had many games of football in the playground with them too.
I've no idea when they stopped selling them, I don't have any memory of having ever seen them after my school days, but they were popular in their day, and one of the rare occasions when kids didn't get in trouble for playing with their food!

DC THOMSON'S TAYTEL - 1982

Before the arrival of the internet, the basic concept of providing an interactive information system on screen commenced in the UK in the early 80's. BT came up with PRESTEL, a public viewdata service. A modified TV receiver in the home was linked by your telephone to a main computer database that connected various Information Provider companies. Subscribers could view thousands of pages on TV featuring items such as weather, travel updates, sport etc, as well as send messages or order goods.

DC Thomson was Dundee's IP and they called themselves TAYTEL 263 VIEWDATA.

The screen visuals were similar to present day Ceefax & Teletext with images made possible using the square block method.

The image above you should be able to figure out, it being the DCT building at Meadowside, and below are some of the original Taytel/Prestel on-screen graphics from 1982.

DC THOMSON - KINGSWAY - 1974

This is DC Thomson's retouching department based in Kingsway. Picture taken in 1974.

They worked on the negatives as part of the pre-printing preparations.

The guy in the photo is working on a page called "Linda of Nursery Rhyme Land" which I think may be for Bimbo.

Needless to say, nowadays it's all done on computer rather than by hand.

Photo by JDG.

DC THOMSON PUBLICATIONS - 1966

Here is the entire list of weekly magazines, papers & comics published by DC Thomson in 1966. The above info also includes their issue day and price.
The comics and mags listed are as follows - BEANO - BEEZER - BIMBO - BUNTY - DANDY - DIANA - FAMILY STAR - HORNET - HOTSPUR - JACKIE - JUDY - MY WEEKLY - PEOPLE'S FRIEND - RED LETTER - RED STAR WEEKLY - ROMEO - ROVER & WIZARD - SECRETS - SPARKY - THE TOPPER - VICTOR.
A mixture of fun for the kids, romance for the females and a little something for the parents.
Below is a rare, if short, piece of footage from the same year, showing covers and artwork from some of the publications on the list.

RECORD SHOP DISPLAYS - 1974

Quite a good reminder of the kind of album displays that would be seen in record shop windows and on the walls of department stores.

These are all from 1974.

Top to bottom...

David Bowie

Elton John

Groundhogs

Rory Gallagher

Sensational Alex Harvey Band

TAYSIDE BAR - SEAGATE - 1980'S

Located at 176 Seagate ( the building no longer exists ), the Tayside Bar was a pub you may well have passed in the street without giving it a second glance. It was really an old man's pub, as basic and as spartan as they get. However, in the early '80's, Dundee's trendy youth hijacked it and used it as a live music venue.
Most of the time it was a showcase for the "alternative" music scene...and on the nights there were no bands playing, there would often be a DJ - the Cranked Up Disco!.
Local bands who gigged there were acts such as Altres, The Grip, AAGA, Waiter Waiter, Junkies, Scrotum Poles, The Blush etc etc...but as the venue became more known, acts from out of town would come in and perform too.
There always seemed to be something going on inside which is why it was such a good place to have a drink. I remember Billy Mackenzie used to hang out there as well.
The top photo shows the long narrow lounge area of the pub...where it all happened!!
Under it, is a photo of the pubs main man, Brian Sinclair, the guy who brought all the bands in.
One of the many acts I saw play there was AAGA, and I was in the crowd at one of their gigs they captured on film. Below is that very gig. Filmed in March 1984. AAGA live at the Tayside Bar with a track called "Back in the 60's".
Many thanks to Kevin, Mike, Brian and co from AAGA & Altres for the excellent footage and photo.
Meanwhile, enjoy the blast from the past, on the video below...
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Tayside Bar now has its own website - go visit Tayside Bar

YELLOW ALEXANDER BUSES

The yellow Alexander buses were the ones we used in the 60's & 70's to go to places like Arbroath and Fife. What I remember about them is that it seemed like everytime I went passed the Seagate Bus Station, the place was always full of them, but on the occasions I needed to go to the Station to actually travel on them, the Station would be mysteriously empty and had to wait ages on one!
The above photo featuring an Alexander's bus was taken in the early 70's. Nobody was hurt in the accident but the funny thing about it is that it's my brothers Austin Maxi that's crushed and it was him that took the picture. He was the only one in the car and as soon as the collision occurred he just stepped out the car and took a few snaps. Not even any camera shake!!
The car was a write-off and the photos were used in my brothers favour when it was insurance claim time!

THE OLD OVERGATE CAR PARK

I've put quite a few items up about the old Overgate shops, so now it's time to have a little look around the car park.
The above photo give's you a good reminder of the layout.
Below, however, is a great piece of film from the mid 60's that actually takes you there. No need for any further descriptions as you will see it for yourself. So fasten your seat belt and enjoy the wee hurl.

CUT MAGAZINE - LATE 80'S

Cut mag cropped up in the magazine racks in 1986.
It was a Scottish based publication - a tabloid sized paper rather than an A4 glossy magazine.
Youth culture was its content, with most of it being music related.
So it covered the alternative/indie scene in the main, together with a touch of pop, jazz, dancefloor and world music in the mix.
There were record reviews, interviews, live gig reviews, new Scottish acts to watch out for, a gig guide and charts.
The other topics it indulged in were cinema, books, art, theatre, fashion, politics and a wee dash of sport.
Glasgow & Edinburgh were it's main focus needless to say, but Dundee got a look-in too.
The snippets I've put up are the kind of local info the mag supplied - for example, features on Dundee bands such as Plastic Surgery, Sweden Thru The Ages, Let's Evolve, My Brilliant Obsession, Sandflowers and The Poison Boyfriends.
There's also a typical review of a gig that took place at Fat Sams, with local act Wildhouse and guests The Hook 'n' Pull Gang.
Cut unfortunately, had a fairly short shelf life, as it ceased publication in 1989.

BUILDING THE REP THEATRE

The top picture was taken in the summer of 1979 and shows the foundations being put in place for the new Rep Theatre - with the view looking out over Tay Square onto South Tay Street.

Building was completed in 1982 and the 2nd image is a photo of the interior which was taken in '82 when everything was all brand new and ready for business in April that year.

THE REP THEATRE - LOCHEE ROAD

When the old original Rep Theatre in Nicoll Street burnt down in the early 60's, this church in Lochee Road became the Rep's 2nd home. It was only supposed to be a temporary base, but it remained in use right up until the opening of their present theatre in Tay Square in 1982.

Under the photos are some items pertaining to Lochee Rep, the advert being 2 plays performed in 1966.

I can remember visiting the Lochee Road Rep in the late 60's as a special school treat when my class went to see a "marionette show".

Being primary school age, we were used to string puppets on TV with shows such as Thunderbirds, Stingray, Joe 90 and them all, so needless to say the show was a big hit with the kids.

They had to construct a small puppet stage onto the main stage for them to perform. All the drapery & cloth surrounding it was black, as was the puppeteer's clothing. This was to keep the puppeteers hidden during the performance of course, which meant we could concentrate on the puppet action better!

Read the 1968 article above for more details.

I also recall my parents going to see John Cairney do his show at Lochee Rep, a play about Robert Burns which was also very popular at the time.

On the final night of the performance, however, he created a little confrontation afterwards, which you can read in the above clipping dated 1967.

UNIVERSITY WAIFS

The Waifs was the name of Dundee University's theatre group who formed in the 1960's.
They called themselves this because they didn't have a permanent theatre home-base at the time, having to rehearse and perform at various venues outside the University.
The item at the top is dated November 1965, and is an announcement about The Waifs first full-length production titled "Les Justes". A play by Albert Camus, directed by Brian Clarke, and on at Lochee Rep.
The other items are from another Waifs performance and is the programme to accompany a play called "The Fire Raisers" which they put on at the Rep in 1966.
In amongst the pages you'll be able to spot Robin Soans, who went on to become a well known actor.

Click items to enlarge.

Thanks to Martin Dudley.