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Great timeless Scottish rock bands ...
Great timeless Scottish rock bands ...
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Josef K were good live, when I saw them with Orange Juice at the ICA in the Mall in the early 1980s. Mind you, it helped that I spent the gig standing next to an extraordinarily lithe, beautiful and friendly Norwegian girl who claimed to be a student at the London School of Contemporary Dance.
I tell you, when you get to 56, and you're deaf and uninspired, and the only lithe, beautiful, friendly company remaining is the dog, you have to write these things down or you can't believe you were ever that person 30-plus years ago ... As for Josef K, they never seemed to get it right in the studio - sometimes over-produced, sometimes just a right racket. But like all of us, with a bit of luck they could've been contenders. |
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alun - it's a small world
That may well have been me you spoke to - my wife is blonde - we were sat just to the right of centre a few rows back. My wife tells me that I was wearing a black polo neck jumper, black and green tartan trousers and a Bunnymen-style woollen trench coat. I remember seeing Annie Lennox, Dave Stewart and Alan Rankine sitting in the front row to our left and pointing them out to someone, maybe that was you! I've got vague memories of seeing Richard Jobson (Skids) there and my wife swears she saw Stuart Adamson (Big Country) there. From memory there was only about 150 people attending and most seemed to be music industry types or scottish media luvvies with very few actual fans. At the time I was working quite close to Ronnie Scott's and used to spend most of my lunch breaks in the record shops around Dean Street and Frith Steet. As soon as I saw the gig advertised and being a big Associates fan I whipped round to Ronnie Scotts during my lunch break and bought 2 tickets with the intention of inviting a girl I had just met out on a date (best decision I ever made, we are still together) I remember the gig very clearly as it was so different from the gigs I normally went to. As you say, it felt very sophisticated (I had just turned 22) and I definitely felt outside of my comfort zone. For some reason the gig was held in the late afternoon on a Sunday and only lasted about 40 minutes. I had never been to Ronnie Scott's before (and haven't been since) and was surprised how small and dingy the venue was. I think it was the first time I had ever sat down at a gig, I was used to seeing the likes of R.E.M, Bunnymen, New Order, Cure, Smiths, Alarm, Orange Juice, Aztec Camera, Simple Minds in places like the Marquee, Dingwalls, Lyceum, Hammy Palais, pubs or student venues. Billy Mackenzie was a magical performer. It was a great gig that has gone down in the annals of music history so I count myself very lucky to have been there. |
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Big H
Wow, what a fantastic reply. Sadly I don't think it was you, because I'm sure I would have remembered the Bunnymen-chic coat, and the rest of it. I could be wrong though, because I was to the right hand side of the stage. I can't believe Annie L was there though and I missed her. What a tragic schoolboy error on my part. Billy M once performed a duet with Annie "The Best of You" which was unreleased at the time. He subsequently recorded it with Eddi R for the "Perhaps' album. I have a feeling Pete M from Bauhaus might have been there as well but the mists of time play tricks with one's memory. Talking of which…. the show I saw DEFINITELY took place late on a Sunday evening, because I only caught the last train back by the skin of my teeth. What's all this about a Sunday afternoon performance? Did Billy do TWO shows that day? Surely not? I've still got my concert ticket somewhere and later today I'll go look for it. The warm-up for the Billy's show that I saw was a rather attractive young woman playing piano alone onstage. She looked very sophistimicated and right at home. Billy's opener was the stunning "This Flame" but the song of his that I always liked best was "Breakfast". Now, while it's fresh in my mind, another top Scottish band (at times) were THE BLUEBELLS. They have the distinction of being the first band I ever saw live, because they were the support band to Elvis Costello and the Attractions at Cardiff's Top Rank in 1982. They were very good too, and Elvis C I believe borrowed Bobby B's red guitar to do his set. Keep in touch. |
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got the josef k album think it was called ' only fun in town ' couldn't handle it and swapped it for a friends again promo 12 inch.
anyone remember james king and the lone wolves ? split and formed fun patrol, they had some canny tunes out. |
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Not great but enjoyed Cado Belle who supported Gallagher & Lyle
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No votes for Middle of the Road yet, and the gorgeous Sally Carr?
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I may be completely wrong on the gig time, like you say, memory has a way of playing tricks on you.
I will check with my missus when she gets home as she has a much better memory than me though my memory of the day was that it was a cold day but still fairly light when we got there and that Soho was pretty much deserted as this was before the advent of pubs/bars opening all day on Sunday. Maybe we went for a bite to eat before the gig? Re the coat, I may well have handed it in at the cloakroom. If it counts for anything, back then I was (and unfortunately still am) a spitting image of Billy Bragg. |
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Already mentioned but I'll endorse The Blue Nile, Glasvegas and Teenage Fanclub and also mention Hipsway and Danny Wilson.
But not Wet Wet Wet. |
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3) The Sensational Alex Harvey Band
2) Biffy Cyro 1) McFly |
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apparently we went for a meal beforehand!
seems I took her to Topo Gigio italian restaurant on Brewer Street before the gig and I had veal milanese I have literally no recollection of going there which is odd because it must have been pricey :) |
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not exactly rock and i'll probably get lynched but I always liked del amitri
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Big H
Ahhh, some proper misty water-coloured memories there and no mistake. I was a Bragg fan back in 1984, having bought his superb 'Brewing Up…' album when it came out. Still his career best I would say. I'm fairly certain the gentleman sitting next to me was not a Bragg lookalike, so it looks like I did not have the pleasure of your advice that fatal evening after all. I'm so glad that you two are still together though, and what a memorable night to choose for your date. I may not have introduced myself, but naturally I was quietly orchestrating events behind the scenes (unseen) with the Gods of Fate, and I think we did a pretty good job on you two… Try as I might though, I cannot find my Ronnie Scott's ticket, and I always keep stuff like that. Found so many others with good memories attached….. any other 'famous' gigs you attended that I might have also seen? "Sunset Sunday at Spike Island" maybe? |
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Has nobody mentioned Idlewild or Frightened Rabbit yet, if not shocking omissions?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_tzoFIgNtQE https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j2GkM9FWvag |
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were ultravox scottish, midhe ure was for sure?
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No, Midge Ure joined as singer after John Foxx left. Not formed in Scotland tho
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Did you know Midge Ure was in Thin Lizzy too (briefly)
good trivia tho  |
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Gerry Rafferty think he was Scottish,and I bet he was in a few Scottish bands.?
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^ he was in the Humblebums with Billy Connolly
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more famously Steelers Wheel tho
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oops typo. Stealers Wheels
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damn another typo, no s
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northanlite 30 Oct 17 18:00 Joined: 07 Jun 04 | Topic/replies: 10,649 | Blogger: northanlite's blog
Did you know Midge Ure was in Thin Lizzy too (briefly) good trivia tho Famously, as I'm sure you know, also turned down an offer to become lead singer of The Sex Pistols (thank God)! |
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Not exactly a rock band but we must never forget The Average White Band, American chart-toppers in the days when hit singles and hit albums war big business.
Everyone remembers 'Pick Up The Pieces" but can I put in a good word for 'Atlantic Avenue' ? For best results sing when walking in Rio without getting mugged. . https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UqoscBTgl9U |
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^ i remember a story that some really famous soul singer (forget who) heard some early AWB & wanted to use them as his backing band.
he was rather shocked when a bunch of lads from Dundee turned up having assumed they were a black American band. Good story but not sure how true it is. They were huge in the 70's. |
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lets go round again- top tune
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Nay mention of The Proclaimers probably the best of the lot.
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No mention of Runrig either
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SAHB live - one of the great live albums. Alex Harvey one of the best frontmen of all time
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Rod Stewart the Jockney from North London. Now he is top top notch.
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