Can anybody remember all the great bands of the 60s including the Golden Crusaders, The Dream Police, Chris McClure Section and of course Alex Harvey, Dean Ford and the Gaylords (later Marmalade)

I moved to Sheffield in 1967 but I remember the bands in Glasgow, Lanarkshire and Ayrshire dancehalls.

Dave Beatle

What about my favourite - the Blues Council - still think it was a tragedy when Fraser Calder got killed - I often think that John Byrne's Tutti Frutti was based around that accident.

Remember Pram .....there were so many that were good and lots more who were pretty bad too...

David Belcher presents a soul show on Glasgow's newest radio station Saga 105.2 FM and I've sent him a couple of memories about Scottish bands who featured songs originally recorded by black American singers.
David is on air on Friday evenings at 20:00 BST and you can listen online at

http://www.saga.co.uk/1052fm/pages/index.asp

You can e mail him during the show with your dancing memories.

Here's a story from the early days of Alex Harvey

The first group of musicians to call themselves a soul band hailed from Glasgow. Known as the New Saints they were a jazzy blues influenced outfit and were working in Hamburg long before the Beatles. Singer Alex Harvey was reading jazz magazine (is there a Viz connection here;) and was attracted to a review a blues Ville album called “Soul Jazz” The next day Alex Harvey and his Big Soul Band were born. Their first single was a Willie Dixon song originally recorded by Muddy Waters. It was later covered by all sorts of acts from Ann Margaret to the Rolling Stones. It wasn’t a UK hit till 1996 when Etta James' recording of I just want to make Love to you was used in a Coca Cola TV advert. 36 years after recording the song she appeared on Top of The Pops live from Chicago.

Muddy Waters one of my favourites.

I loved Status Quo - though not a Glasgow band of course.

Travis; Texas; Gerry Rafferty (Stuck in the Middle); Simple Minds; Del Amitri; Frankie Miller and the Bathers (lesser known wee band).

Great times tae, haha!

I remember Chris McClure and the Fireflies, The Pathfinders ( what a dancer Clewsie was) and my favourite group, The Beatstalkers. I met my husband while hitchin' a lift to Edinburgh. He stopped and gave ma pal and I a lift. We never made it to the dance. He got lost. Years later he told me he did it deliberately so that he could take me home and get a date. 37 years later we're still together, but I still hanker after Davie Lennox

Just for you May

Check this out

http://www.mccartneyt.freeserve.co.uk/bstalk.htm

Was there a favourite song of yours the group sang? I know Chris Mcclure did The Answer to Everything ( originally done by Del Shannon I believe) but what was davie's big number?

Thanks FrankM, I loved the website. They were just BABIES.

Chris McClure did sing the Answer to Everything. He also did a cracking version of 'Get off my Cloud'. Davie Lennox tended to sing American Blues, Motown etc. One of my favourites was ' Gypsy Woman', although I think that was Alan Mair who sang that. They also sang '6345789', I'll Be there" Knock on Wood' Painted Black, You Better Move On' and 'Needle in a Haystack'. Oh! happy memories.

Thanks very much May for your kind reply. A good mix of chart hits and obscurre soul songs. The only one I don't have on a single by the Original artist is Gypsy Woman by the Impressions. I must have heard them all played by a Glasgow group in some shape r form.

Does anyone else have memories of a favourite song played by a local group. Or of hearing a record at a youth club or on a juke box or at a record session. Maybe even in between groups at a club. Where and when did you hear a song which became a favourite?

Kemlo & Frank M,
The Dream police were my real favourites, I used to rin their fan club, along with that of a band called the Jaygars, headed by Jack & Jimmy Mc Culloch, fom cumbernauld, Jimmy went on to be lead singer with Thunderclap Newman, who had a hit with "something in the air". Jimmy then went on to play with Paul Mc Cartney and wings, sadly he died of a drug overdose.
A Dream Police guitarist, Hamish Stewart went on to play with "Wings" for many years.
Sadly Ian Clews, from the Pathinders is now dead, I remember the last song they always played.it was "please stay" but I cannot remember the original singers.
Anybody else remember Les Harvey, brother of Alex Harvey he was the boyfriend of Maggie Bell, from Stone the crows.


Try .......www.rockingscots.co.uk

"Anybody else remember Les Harvey, brother of Alex Harvey he was the boyfriend of Maggie Bell, from Stone the Crows."

I saw Les and Maggie and was it Jimmy Dewar when they were the Power at The Burns Howff on a Saturday evening. They were very good and Maggie particularly good on vocals. I think she had been singing in the house band at the Locarno with maybe the Bobby Patrick Six. Possibly Les was in that band too. I think Bill Patrick was in Alex Harvey's Big Soul band. Anyone care to confirm or correct the above?

I suppose I should check out the rockingscots web site rather than depend on my dodgy memory. Thanks for the tip.

Frank M, Your info takes us all back to the years spent in Glasgow, frequenting dance halls like the Picassso, the Underground/Pink panther, and so many more, its good that there is such a site as "rocking scots", and If people like to use it to refresh the memory then its doing a good job....don't think it mentions Maggie Bell though, your info about them is brilliant she was/is a brilliant vocalist, incidently she is living in Rotterdam, and doing very well.



ps, "Land of a thousand dances" was a favourite, usually covered by The Pathfinders,do you remember it?

Hi to all. My young brother had a band called the Poets and they played around Glasgow and then went to London, they made a couple of ep'S.......Regarding Chris Mc lure He was at school with Iain ( Bellahouston Academy) and he was the Goal keeper in the school team..Also Andy Roxburgh one time Scottish team manager was the centre forward...Just a bit of trivia.. We used to go to Burn's Cottage at Paisley Rd toll, next to the Grande old Opry and there was a good band in it.....The group came to a party we were at and as was Glasgow parties then we all had a sing song, the singer was asked to sing and he said he only sang for money.....someone through a penny at him and said now sing...he left...We partied on.



Anne Perth Aussieland

ps, "Land of a thousand dances" was a favourite, usually covered by The Pathfinders,do you remember it?

I do remember it as the theme music for a while to Ready Steady Go. I've got recordings of it by Chris kKenner (the original) Cannibal and the Headhunters (he added the Na na na na bit when he forget the words) Wilson Pickett (the hit version) and an instrumental by Sandy Nelson the one legged drummer.

My favourite band were The Stoics with Jim Dorris and Frankie Miller. They did a great version of Looking for a Fox written by Clarence Carter. I had the great pleasure of meeting Frankie about twenty years ago whilst he was on tour. He was still in good voice and a good laugh too. He was appearing on Radio Clyde on Tiger Tim's review show along with a particulary nippy sweetie of a journalist. She was of the NME build them up and knock them down school although she did not believe in building them up in the first place. I advised Frankie to growl at her which he did and not a nasty word was heard from her all evening.

He played to a full house (sorry about the pun) at the Mayfair (formerly The Electric Garden) with a superb band with Simon Kirke on drums.

the boweevils did it for me.........was in awe of their psychedelic painted van runnin' about Penilee...

I remember The Poets, Dream Police at the Electric Garden in the late sixties, early seventies. I also remember Monday nights "underground" nights and many, many bands playing there. I have them all in my diary. Sad case, huh? I kept a page a day in 1970 and it does give me a laugh looking back.

GQ

I remember the poets ..and if I also remember right they made the top twenty,which in them days,was no mean feat,I went to see them at the Flamingo in Cardonald,which was a dance venue .. only problem that night was there was no chance to dance .. it was standing room only ..I had a good friend from Nitshill who was lead guitarist with a group called "The Kismets" ..Who played regularly at the "Big Co" in Paisley..to listen to thier sounds live was indeed a priveledge .. I followed the band for years only to be kidnapped by my wife who still has me tied in knots tae this day ..some lovely posts folks ..brings back some memories ..(sigh) ..Tx ..

"I had a good friend from Nitshill who was lead guitarist with a group called "The Kismets" ..Who played regularly at the "Big Co" "in


You're teasing us group fanatics. Who was in The Kismets and what and exactly where was the "Big Co"? Thanks for your memories.

As an ex member of 'the House of Lords' ..what no mention yet best band at the time was the Blues Council, remember them blowing Georgie Fame & his BF's away...think it was at the old concert hall. Frankie Miller of course our band alternated with the Deljaks early 60's at the Castlemilk community centre. also Alex Harvey's BSS @ the all nighter club top flr(above Forbes the music shop) Leslie Harvey was with the 'Silhouettes' at that gig
also the Pathfinders...sorry to see the main man has passed away!
Somebody should try and pull whats left of the groups and hold a reunion ...ahhh dream on.....and to finish who remembers the Empire Cafe? across from McCormacks when all the bands (incl myself! ) used to fire up in 'poser' mode and swan about on Saturdays

Are you in this Photograph, Linky? Six names and five players.


http://www.howwood.com/paintings/trakkers1.htm

No Frank not that particular picture(out of shot!) but on the other one with Manfred M,Joe McCann the Howwood artist is the ex keyboards/rhythmn guit of my original band.....great site by the way

Re: Christian...The answer to everything.

I remember owning an LP with this song on it, pretty sure it was just called "Christian"
If anyone still has this album i'd appreciate it if they could let me know and we could try and stick it onto cd.
I just love that song and it's pretty impossible to get

Anyone remember the Bay City Rollers, Nazareth etc from the Big O in East Kilbride

My favourite were Beggars Opera who played regularly at Burns Howff. I went to see them every Sat afternoon, then went to the Electric Gardens at night to watch Tiger Tim glide on stage with his black cloak.

I wasn't a big fan of Beggars Opera but my friends were. My girlfriend's pal went out with Ricky Gardner. This would be 1970/71. Was Tiger at the Electric Gardens then? The first time I saw Tiger was at Clouds up above The Green's Playhouse . I'm sure he was in a Frog's suit. And I mean a green costume not a wet suit as worn by a frogman.

You had to get in the Burn's Howff early (6:30) if you wanted a seat to see the band. I rember seeing trays of pint beer glasses 2/3rds full sitting on the bar which they topped up jsut before the waitresses carried them over to your table. Another aquaintance of mine Cliff Hanley jr or Clifford as he was known to his writer dad, painted the illustrations at the Howff. Young Cliff (we were all young then) also played in bands one called the Motels or the Models or something.

Yes Frank, Tiger Tim was at "The Gardens" then, much to my surprise when I think back too. You are right when you say 1971. I was 17 then, plastered in make up trying to look older so as I'd get in to the venue and served at the bar. Wish I looked 17 now. I loved clouds too, going up there in the elevator. Saw loads of bands in Greens Playhouse too, T-Rex, Family, Sailor, to name some.

May, are you sure the "Fireflies" were Glaswegians? I remember seeing them probably in 1966 maybe a year or two later in Sunderland! They were in the "Crowtree" in Sunderland with the Quandowns... both groups had just returned from Hamburg.. I went specifically because an old school pal of mine was in the "fireflies" as drummer!

There were probably more than one set of Fireflies and like the Beatles probably both groups were thinking of a name similar to The Crickets.

I think there's a photo here and a wee bit of a story.



http://www.sunnygovan.com/GF/A-E/Christian.html

remember seein beggars opera at clydebank town hall aug 1970. they were supported by a group called port louis from airdrie. bought the beggars album 'waters of change' at the time. its now worth a few quid
seen the dream police a few times hamilton trocadero etc

Hi to all, thanks for the story on Chris Mclure. My husband Iain went to school (Bellahouston) at the same time as him and Andy Roxborough. He remembers Chris being the goalie and Andy being the centre forward, while Iain played whatever position they would let him LOL.



Anne Perth Aussieland

I have to agree with Linky on this one, the best band at the time, for me, was the Blues Council.

The Clydevalley Stompers

They did it for me back in the 50's


still here in glesca

BBC 4 are doing a series on British jazz and it featured a great interview with saxophonist Bobby Wellins.

Talking about the Clyde Valley Stompers, does anybody remember the Paisley Back O' Town Syncopators? Think the drummer's name was John McKay, who I worked with in a Glasgow shipping office. He also was a trumpet player.

No one has mentioned "The Average White Band" although from the mid 1970 -77 era. Seemingly Billy Connolly recorded a few tunes with them. We in Canada missed a lot of the Scottish entertainers in their beginnings. However, Gerry Rafferty and Donovan Leitch and of course Lulu were mega stars in North America. And lets not forget Sheena Easton. Fabulous voice and wonderful "Eye Candy". Someone mentioned "Marmalade" a few letters back. Just a humungous hit their "Reflections Of My Life". It still holds up even today. Been away for awhile. Just dropped by to say "Hello". SEEYA! Russ

Hope I'm not to late regarding this Forum but reference the Blues Council definatelly the best band in Glasgow in 1964 1965 I remember them playing as the resident band in The Bagatelle Club (the old church at the top of Dundas Street where the Buchanan Gallerys are now) also the Scene Club West Nile Street (building demolished recently).
Purchased their single "Baby Dont Look Down" at a benefit gig for the band after the accident.(still have the single)They were involved in a crash on the A8 heading back to Glasgow after a gig in Edinburgh.
Cant remember if the benefit gig was in the Locarno or Barrowlands but it was a who's who of Glasgow bands at the time.
Thought theyd be the next big thing at the time but not to be.

Thanks for that. There's been a wee bit of discussion where ballrooms were and I think before everything is demolished we should pin down where the clubs were. The Scene Club was where in relation to the Bay Horse pub which was the bit of West Nile Street recently demolished?

Where was La Cave? Midland Street?

I was in the Sub Club on Thursday night at 18 Jamaica Street seeing a sixties styled R&B band the Boogaloo Invetsigators. And i was talking to the club manager about the similarities of his basement club to places where groups played in the sixties. He had been informed that the club was on the site of the old Jamaica Inn. I'm thinking that was in the seventies. Can anyone tell me what was on that side of Jmaica street. Further south towards the Bridge was McSorley's then the Australian consulate than a department store.

The Scene Club was about 2 closes down from the junction at Bath Street just before the pub it was 2 flights of stairs up a close.( If my memory serves me well)
Was closed down after a horrific murder of a bouncer.
As for the Boogaloo Investigators great wee band remind me of my lost youth!!!

i was there at the scene club the night of the murder.the guys who did it.ran past us on the stairs.a well known sculptor was charged with it

Are you sure about this Aaron?

In 1977 Hugh Collins murdered William Mooney in a fight in the Lunar Seven, a pub which was just 50 yards away from The Bay Horse.It was on the corner of Buchanan Street and Bath Street. The Scene club was long gone by then.

Whilst in jail Collins took up Sculpting.

aye dexter the doorman was a young man from milngavie.he got murdered by jimmy boyle.the doormans name was paton

A while back I stated that Ian Clews had passed away....I was speaking with a family member yesterday, who told me that he had a drink with him and Timmy Donald[ex Pathfinders} in the '"Oran Mhor' in the west end of Glasgow, a couple of weeks ago.
I read the info on his so called passing on another site, Glasgow Bands.
Apologies for the wrong info.

You were not the only one who thought he had passed but a fellow sixties fan got news he was alive and well and breeding horses in the USA.

Here he is in the sixties

Hi Dexter,.........My brother-in-law in the sixties, managed a shop where all the band members would hang out, it was called 'skin' they sold leather jackets etc, also Jan, my brother-in-law, got to know the band well, and became a roadie with the Pathfinders, he lives in the Clyde Valley now, so does not hang out much in Glasgow, He mentioned that Ian Clews frequents the Oran Mhor on a regular basis, with Timmy Donald, and some other musicians from that era.
A far cry from breeding horses in America I would say!!!!!!!!!

I'll shall pass your comments on to my more informed mate and I shall look out for the boys in the Oran Mor the next time I'm talking to Colin Beattie.

Rocking Scots


And here's Clewsy on his ranch

I remember "Dream Police" playing in my home county of Cumbria (am I allowed to say that), another band I remember in the early 70`s were "Inner Sound", I used to roadie for a Cumbrian band called "Pendulum" and we were very friendly with Inner Sound, and played some gigs with them (the Lido at Silloth, Kendal Pop Festival etc,) they were a great band, and a great bunch of lads, if fact the bass guitarist Davie Powe, married a Cockermouth (my home town) girl and still lives here in Cockermouth, one of Pendulum`s gigs was a one night stand at Portree on Skye, I now have a albino rat (Westie) called Skye, so there must have something about that night, if any of this rings a bell please reply..... Charlie

I am sorry to say that I have not heard of Inner Sound or Pendulum but I would not have expected you to hear about some of the Glasgow bands mentioned. Was it the Gathering Hall you played in Portree and did the gig start at 10 O'Clock when the pubs closed. I'm presuming it was a Friday night as Saturday evening was part of the Sabbath and enjoying yourself was frowned upon.I take it the gig was unlicensed and half the crowd would spend half teh night in the Starlight Lounge or th Car park as it was known during daylight hours?

As far as I can remember we played Portree on a Saturday night, we had played Millom green (near Barrow in Furness) on the Friday night, and back down to a club in Workington (Cumbria) on Sunday, the hall we played was just outside Portree, we set the gear up late afternoon, and we thought no one was going to turn up, but later on at night they came in from all directions, it was a good night and a good crowd, we went down very well, our (late) bass guitarist used to joke that before we started the crowd sang "will ye no come back again" but after we played they sang "will ye definitely no come back again" while waiting for the ferry over to Skye the lads in the band found the Tennents Bar, and had a good go at the whisky shelf, we had been told the first ferry back on Sunday was at about 7.30 am, it was actually at about 12 noon, we only just made the Sunday night booking.... Charlie

Excellent stuff.

I recall the Henry Gorman band from Greenock whose van ended up in a ditch in our attempts to get it started. We were in B&B in Broadford. I was encouraging the band to give it a good push so as we could catch the ferry from Uig to Tarbert. One of the band members said "Och we'll catch the next one". My respone (expletives deledted)was "It ain't Greenock to to Dunoon" (hourly service) the next one to Stornaway was Thursday.

We got there anyway. Sixties agents , promoters etc would send bands anywhere from one end of the counry to the other without a thought as to how they got there and when.

Inner sound were from Greenock/Gourock area... Charlie

Chanced upon this site by accident, and doesn't it bring back memories. My first experiences of local bands were in Lenzie, Kirky and Glasgow. Went to various clubs in the town - mostly the Maryland which had some awesome bands, not all local - picture Muddy Waters in a place the size of your living room! The Lindella I remember, which was off a wee lane between Buchanan Street and Union Street. I can recall seeing Hamish Stewart singing in a band called the In Crowd in Lenzie. Also the Jaygars - Jimmy McCulloch was about 12 and dwarfed by his guitar. Later saw the Dream Police and got totally blown away - whoever was supposed to be playing at the maryland didn't turn up, so there was a pathetic band doing Pink Floyd covers. Then about 10 o clock the Dream Police turned up and blew the roof off, so good. Kirky town hall had the Pathfinders and other good local bands. The best thing about most of them was that they were doing little known Motown/Atlantic/Stax songs that were just brilliant - You got me humming (Sam & Dave), Cool Jerk (The Cats), Land of 1000 dances, Walking the dog and such like. I still get a shiver when I hear some of them. Also roadied for a band (whose name escapes me) and can remember doing a gig somewhere down the left hand side of St Enoch Square (where the St Enoch Centre steps are). And that brings back memories of the Old Eagle, just round the back a bit!!

PS anyone else see Cream at the Locarno circa 1967?