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[Joannas DJ]

Hi Wellfield. Everyone has been telling me the same thing....write a book when I tell them about my adventures djing. .."Confessions Of A Glasgow DJ / circa 1968.78" lol.

[*David Wright*]

Hello everyone. I was the DJ at Joannas from Nov 1969 until Mid 1980(apart from a 3 month period between Dec 1973-March 1974). I worked Friday and Saturday nights. JOANNAS was situated underneath the Albert ballroom on Bath Street. The spot is now home to Tennents Lager building. Anyway I first started djing at the Outback club which was situated on the top floor of the building directly across from the Picasso Club in Buchanan street. The owner was a wee Australian guy called Mike. It was a death trap with 3 flights of stairs the ONLY escape should a fire break out,but luckily that never happened. And anyway in those days "safety" was the furthest thing from anybodys mind. I also remember in the Outback we had 2 go-go dancers,and I can remember that one came from Coatbridge,and yours trully being from Pollok,Coatbridge was the other side of the world. I frequented the LUNAR 7 pub for a pint before going in to work in Outback. I left there in the summer of 1969 because my pals were all going enjoying themselves while I was working. And immediately we started going to Joannas. The dj was a girl who used to sit either reading a book or knitting. I got chatting with her about music etc. And each week we had a wee natter about new record releases. Then in late 1969,she informed me she was moving to Australia and would I like the djing job in Joannas when she leaves. Without a seconds hesitation I said You Bet!!!. And 2 weeks later on a very frosty November Friday night at 9.00pm the manager,who at that time was Mike Smith,and whom I had also got to know,called my house in a panic saying...Joe can come in as quick as possible,the dj was is a bit under the weather,because of all the drinks people were buying her,as she was leaving the next weekend. My dad ran me in to Bath Street. The dj, being a bit worse for wear,said she had left me 10 records to play in order,then it was upto me. Big Tam the bouncer was in a sweat trying to keep the music going.I can still remember his face when I walked in. He was delighted to get out the dj box. After the night ended,the manager(Mike Smith)asked me if I would like to come in through the week for an audition for the djing job. I said Mike, ARE YOU KIDDING???. "I have just been thrown in at the deep-end,and kept the BEST club in Glasgow going for the past 3 hours without a hitch,and a type of dj equipment I had never used before,but more important,I kept the floor packed all night,so that WAS my audtion". He said aye your right Joe,can you do Friday and Saturday nights starting from next weekend?. My answer was "NO PROBLEMS MIKE, BUT get me a microphone, which he promptly did. In fact I think I was the first dj to use a mike,because I cannot remember hearing anyone else using one in any other club,but not sure?. And not long after starting in Joannas, Mike left to manage one of Pleasureama`s(Joannas owners)other clubs. I think it was in Falkirk,but I cannot remember for sure where it was. And Cathie Campbell became the new manageress of Joannas, which she held until it closed down in 1982/3?. I still have the ORIGINAL copy of the Walker Brothers Joanna,that was played EVERY night as the the last record. Or "Lumber" number as I christened it.
Those WERE the days!!!!.
I could write a book about JOANNAS...THE BEST CLUB IN SCOTLAND!!!
Joe Stringfellow(joannas DJ) :-)))))))