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Clubs and Discos

Recollections 201+

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Recollections

Kazik Walusiak
Falkirk, Stirlingshire, Scotland

The Beachcombers

The Boots

The Hunters

The Scratch

Kazik Walusiak
Falkirk, Stirlingshire, Scotland

The Beachcombers

  -  Sandy

Iain McLeod
Brisbane, Queensland, Australia

Edinburgh in the early-1960s

Glasgow in the early-1960s

Edinburgh in the mid-1960s

The Moonrakers

The Beachcombers

Writing on the Wall  Lennie

Lennie again  1980s

Karen Simon
Toronto, Ontario, Canada

The Top Storey

McGoos

'Groupies'

Ray Graham

The Yellow Carvel

Nicky Tam's

205

Reply 1.

David Bain

Rotherham, South Yorkshire, England

Nicky Tam's

Stuart Tait
Singapore (since 1976)

Maxi's Taxi

206

Reply 1.

Freddie White

Maxi's Taxi

206

Reply 1.

Freddie White

Maxi's Taxi

Malcolm Parkin
Kinnesswood, Kinross,
Perth & Kinross, Scotland

Shane and the Sabres

-  Our Group

-  Venues

Ron Forbes
Pollensa, Mallorca

Nostalgia

School then Work

Music

Retiral

Missing Edinburgh

Val McCabe

The Place and McGoo's

209

Reply 1.

Iain McLeod
Brisbane, Queensland, Australia

The Place, The Gamp and McGoo's

Jim Dunlop
Cd

The Place and The Gamp

Catherine Maitland
Toronto, Ontario, Canada

The International Club

Bill Scott
Australia

Writing on the Wall

The Jury

David J Rogers

'T-Set' and 'Blaze'

Chris
Scottish Borders

Uptown Disco

Archer's Pub

Club in South St Andrew Street

Fire Island

Annabelle's

Bandwagon & Magnolia Peach

Clowns

The Underground

Stuart Lyon
Blackford, Edinburgh

Clowns

Gatsby's

Peaches Band Wagon

Ellen Harvey (née Inglis)

Eastbourne, East Sussex, England
 

The Place

Recollections

201.

Kazik Walusiak

Falkirk, Stirlingshire, Scotland

Thank you to Kazik Walusiak who wrote:

The Beachcombers

"The Beachcombers left for London, under the name The Boots, but things fell apart for them, so Sandy came back to Scotland and joined the band I played with.  It was an Edinburgh band called The Hunters."

The Scratch

"After getting a recording contract, managed by the owner of 'The Place' we were renamed The Scratch.  But we didn’t want to play the music the record company wanted, so we and went to play in Germany for about a year.

When Sandy and I got back to Scotland, we couldn’t manage to get a band of the same quality together, so we packed it in. That was in 1971."

40+ Years Later

"So,for 40-odd years, work got in the way, but last year I started up again and so did Sandy for a bit.  Sandy now drives taxis so that has now taken priority.

I now play in 2 bands, one from Falkirk who occasionally play at The Auld Toll, and the other one from Stirling.

Both Lex Cruden and Mike are now no longer with us, and as you know Kenny is a successful publican, his dad, the manager has also passed on."

Kazik Walusiak, Falkirk, Stirlingshire, Scotland:  August 7, 2014

Recollections

202.

Kazik Walusiak

Falkirk, Stirlingshire, Scotland

After I added this small photo and caption to Recollections 201 above, yesterday:

I sent an email to Kazik, asking him if he knew the surname of Sandy in the Beachcombers' photo above.  He certainly did!

Sandy replied:

The Beachcombers

Sandy

"Sandy is my twin brother and our surname is Walusiak. When playing for the Beachcombers he was given the surname Aleksander!

During the 60's we both lived in Stirlingshire (Polmont), and we now live 5 minutes apart Sandy in Stenhousemuir, and me Falkirk."

Kazik Walusiak, Falkirk, Stirlingshire, Scotland:  August 8, 2014

Recollections

203

Iain McLeod

Brisbane, Queensland, Australia

Iain McLeod who played with Gully Foyle, on drums,  and with other Edinburgh bands in in the 1960s.

Iain  has already written Recollections 68 about The Hunters, but here he takes a broader look at the Edinburgh band scene in the 1960s. Thank you, Iain, for taking the time to  send me your comments below.

Iain wrote:

Edinburgh
in early 1960s

"We all used to think of ourselves as 'the best bands ever'.  We were all so rapt up in ourselves that we would never entertain that there could be any other bands as good as 'us'.

There were really only about a dozen bands in Edinburgh in the early-1960s who might be considered as 'First Division'.  Those at the top of the tree then were:

-  The Embers

-  The Commodores

-  The Athenians

-  The Avengers

-  The Crusaders.

-  The Abstracts
The Abstracts' singer wore a toilet chain from his waist.  He should have been a major star!

-  Boston Dexters
They were a bit like Jim Diamond in the 1980s.
You had to hear them to realise how fabulous they  were.  It wasn't just Tam White but the whole band from Toto to Gus Rennie and the leader.  I can't  remember his name but he was brilliant.

Here's a short clip of a Boston Dexters record, recorded at Craighall Studios, Edinburgh, that I found on YouTube.
- Peter Stubbs, Edinburgh:  29 Dec 2014

Glasgow
in early 1960s

"In the early-1960s, Glasgow bands were so far ahead of us Edinburgh bands.  Glasgow had:

-  Dean Ford and The Gaylords.

-  Chris McLure Section (formerly 'Studio Six')

-  Lulu and the Luvvers"

Edinburgh
from the mid-1960s

"In Edinburgh there had been not too many places for the bands to play, up to the mid-1960s.  There was Top Story, Holy Corner, but most of the clubs were in church halls or scout halls.

Then it all started to become major in Edinburgh, with:

-  The International (Nash)

-  TheGamp

-  The Place

-  Bungies

and one or two others including

-  The Ceafast (I think) at the West End, Edinburgh.

I have strong memories The Bootleggers (roadies and me) being beaten up by the rockers there. I remember that the rockers chased us to the International in Princes Street and the lovely big bouncer (who I knew quite well) charged down the stairs and scared them away."

Edinburgh
in the late-1960s

"Top Bands in Edinburgh in the late-1960s included:

-  Ech and the Echoes

-  Memphis Soul Band

-  The Bootleggers

-  Three's a Crowd

-  Writing on the Wall

More brilliant musicians and bands than England ever had, bar none!  But Edinburgh also had so many rubbish bands that people remember just because they were the bands the 'wee hairies' went for."

The Moonrakers

"The Moonrakers (latterly The Moonies - to get away from the dreaded tax man) were actually a pretty good band with decent musicians from Heriots.   (Their drummer was involved in a car accident and was left as a paraplegic.)

I actually did a public audition with a couple of thousand other drummers at McGoos. I didn't get the job, of course - but the bass player of the Moonies decided to quit and start a band with me and some of the other failures from The Bootleggers.

We did eventually play as one of the backup bands for The Who at McGoos incidentally."

The Beachcombers

"I never actually heard The Beachcombers' play, but Eccles' father did get me some gigs."

Writing on the Wall

Linnie

"I'll never forget Linnie of 'Writing on the Wall'.   I think the band I was playing with at the time was Memphis Soul Band (I sacked most of them and brought in the incredible Johnny Sutherland).

There were three stages at McGoos, but when they weren't busy they would close off the main stage.  McGoos' best stage was the one we were given. 'Writing on The Wall' were given the opposite stage. I laughed (not nastily) at Linnie because we had the better stage. Linnie got me in the changing rooms upstairs.  Anyone who knew Linnie would know what he said!"

Linnie again
1980s

"I emigrated to Australia in 1982.  Two years later, I went back to Edinburgh and was drinking in the Steak House, at the West End.

Linnie of 'Boston Dexters' came in with his lead player.  I wish I could remember his name.  He was our backup guitarist with 'Three's a Crowd'. They were playing in some pub (in Morrison Street?)

I hadn't seen either of them for about ten years.  Linnie came straight over and put his arms around me.  I can't remember if he then punched me in the kidneys but .... that was Linnie.

A few years later I discovered that Linnie had died. Another couple of years later and I was devastated that the wonderful Tam White had also died.  I know that Toto also died a few years ago. I was always in awe of Toto and first met him when he was playing at the Hearts Club."

Iain McLeod, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia: December 28, 2014

Recollections

204.

Karen Simon (née Booth)

Leith

Thank you to Karen Simon who wrote:

The Top Storey

"My brother and I both saw Van Morrison at the Top Storey (where I practically lived) in my early teens."

McGoos

"We also saw James Brown at McGoos."

'Groupies'

"I was one of a group of girls (I guess we were 'groupies') used to go in a van to most of the Beachcomber venues. 

At one such venue (somewhere in the 1960s) we saw Nazareth. I thought they were fantastic and it came as no surprise when they rose to fame.

 I have a picture of Mike who all the girls were smitten by. I 'bagged off' with wee Davy one night, just kissing.  (I was an innocent then  -  well almost )

Karen Simon (née Booth), Toronto, Ontario, Canad:  May 4, 2015

Recollections

205.

Ray Graham

(Raymo)

 Billingham, Durham, England

Thank you to Ray Graham who wrote:

The Yellow Carvel

"Does anyone remember folk nights in the Yellow Carvel?  Tremendous!"

Nicky Tam's

"...  and Nicky Tam's.  It was always packed."

Ray Graham (Raymo), Billingham, Durham, England:  May 5, 2015

Update 1
20 May 2015

I originally wrote Micky Tam's above.

Thank you to David Bain for giving me the correct name:  Nicky Tam's.

David explained:

Recollections

206.

Stuart Tait

Singapore

Thank you to Stuart Tait:

Maxi's Taxi

"I see no recollections yet of Maxi's Taxi in the 'Clubs & Discos' Recollections, although they were very popular".

I used to roadie for them.  They had a few line ups.  I remember:

-  Gilly and Dino - singers

-  Donald ? - lead

-  Brian Mcintosh

-  Freddie White - on drums bass

-  Martin Speck - on organ

-  Tony Cassar - on sax, some nights!"

Stuart Tait, Singapore (left Edinburgh in 1976)  July 1 + 3, 2015

Recollections

207.

Malcolm Parkin

Kinnesswood, Kinross, Perth & Kinross

Thank you to Malcolm Parkin for sending me the photo below of the group that he played with in the 1960s.

Malcolm wrote:

Shane and The Sabres

1961

©  Reproduced with acknowledgement to Malcolm Parkin                                                  Photographer not known

Our Group

"Here is a photo from my archive.  It's 'Shane and The Sabres' taken in 1961 at the Fettesian Boys Club in Ferry Road.

We are, from left to right:

-  Bill Buckner (Rhythm Guitar)

-  Malcolm Parkin (Lead Guitar) *

-  Bob (Min) Munro (Vocals)

-  Lyn Milne (Bass) **

-  Bob Smith (Drums).

As you can see, there are  'Stagecraft Zero' cables everywhere!

Venues

We played at the Gamp Club, and Bungy’s and the Locarno Ballroom in Edinburgh, and at other small venues, but also at The Reid Hall in Forfar, and at numerous Border Dance venues.

Our highlight was Newcastle City Hall, and a final (for me) great gig supporting Danny Rivers at the Miners' Welfare Hall at Newtongrange.

By far our best gig in Edinburgh was a residency at the Greenhill Dance Club, up a lane off Morningside Road.  By then I had a Stratocaster and could play a lot better.  Needless to say, the Club is now a block of flats.

After being promoted at work, I decided to give up playing."

Malcolm Parkin, Kinnesswood, Kinross, Perth & Kinross, Scotland:  12 September 2015 (2 emails)

Recollections

208.

Ron Forbes

Pollensa, Majorca

Thank you to Ron Forbes who wrote:

Nostalgia

"Maybe it's time for me to send a few comments to the EdinPhoto web site, as I'm now in my nostalgia years, aged 73, but still enjoying a few breaks to Edinburgh.

School then Work

I mis-spent my youth at Canonmills School 1947-1953, then Broughton until 1957.

I started work as apprentice letterpress printer at Howie & Seath in Swinton Row, then later at Duncan Street, South Side, then Alna Press in Cumberland Street.

Music

I became a pro musician after working with various rock groups, playing guitar with Ron Forbes Quartet.

-  I had thousands of gigs all over the area, then left to join ships. Canberra, Chusan, Spiro, Sky, Ocean Monarch etc.

-  I moved to London and got Alex Harvey back to work with me at 800 Club, then Mecca bands all over.

-  I moved to Durban, South Africa, with night club band. then back to London with Quaglinos' band, Johnny Howard and London Rooms.

Retiral

I eventually retired from the music scene, took up teaching Spanish and bought a house here in Pollensa, Mallorca. I'm still here now,27 years later, with my family.

Missing Edinburgh

I'm still missing Edinburgh.  I spent last New Year there with my family, after having made previous visits there, I'll be visiting Edinburgh again next year.

Ron Forbes, Pollensa, Majorca

Recollections

209.

Val McCabe

Edinburgh

Thank you to Val McCabe who wrote:

Question

The Place and McGoo's

Which came First?

"Can you settle an argument please?  What opened first, the Place or McGoo's?    Any idea?

I went to both, and think it was the Place, but my friends think it was McGoo's.

Both were great!  I saw Spencer Davis in McGoo's. 

All great memories!"

Val McCabe, Edinburgh:  4 April 2016 (2 emails)

Reply to Val?

If you can help to answer Val's question, please email me to let me know, then I'll pass n your email to Val.

Thank you.

Peter Stubbs, Edinburgh:  17 April 2016

Recollections

209.

Reply

1.

Iain McLeod

Thank you to Ian Mcleod for writing again, this time replying to Val McCabe's question above.

Iain  wrote:

'The Place',   'The Gamp',   'McGoos'

"'The Place definitely opened before McGoos. 

The Gamp opened at around the same time as The Place."

Iain McLeod, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia:  November 16 + December 21, 2014

Recollections

210.

Jim Dunlop

Cowley, Oxford, Oxfordshire, England

Thank you to Jim Dunlop who wrote:

The Place and The Gamp

Visitors from Glasgow

"Just a little mention of my good friend Davi Peters.  We used to go from Glasgow to Edinburgh every weekend to visit the Gamp club and the Place, in the 1960s.

We had to put on good old Gorgi accents, as the clubs were not too keen on Glasgow boys.

We used to stop at the Morningside area with twin girls called Jan and Christine.  I'm not too sure of second name.  We had a great time.  I remember being chucked out of the Place for heavy petting, by a little strong bouncer, but I got back  in later.

We also used to follow a group called the Blues Council.  What a great band!  Their singer was killed in road accident, coming back from Edinburgh."

Jim Dunlop, Cowley, Oxford, Oxfordshire, England:  11 October 2016

Recollections

211.

Catherine Maitland

Cowley, Oxford, Oxfordshire, England

Thank you to Catherine Maitland who wrote:

The International Club

"George Best was supposed to do the official opening for The International Club.  I saw him come in the front door and disappear into a room/office.  He never did officially open the club. 

It was an interesting club.  I believe it had a casino on the upper level"

Catherine Maitland, Toronto, Ontario, Canada:  11 November 2017

Recollections

212.

Bill Scott

Sydney, NSW, Australia

Thank you to Bill Scott for sending several emails to me telling me about the time when he was a member of the groups   'Writing on the Wall' and 'The Jury'.

Bill wrote:

Writing on the Wall

"Here is one of the first photos taken of our group 'Writing on the Wall.'  It was taken in a quarry in Edinburgh’s West.

I was in a pub in Penicuik last year when a guy come up to me and said ‘I was the photographer on these shoots of your band’.  Wow!"

©  Reproduced with acknowledgement to Bill Scott, Sydney, NSW, Australia:            Photographer not known

"You'll see that it says Tetragrammaton Records on the bottom right. This was an American Company that Bill Cosby had put money into.

We were all set to do an American Tour, with Thin Lizzy, starting in San Diego, when Cosby seemingly lost interest and pulled his money out. Hence no tour.

Many things like this happened to 'The Wall' that made us ‘nearly famous'."

Writing on the Wall

The Meadows - 1969

"I've just found this  photos of 'Writing on the Wall' playing  in the Meadows, Edinburgh  in 1969.  This was the first ever Meadows Concert.

The photo was taken with my wee camera, as you probably can tell by the quality.  But this has to be a piece of history."

©   Bill Scott, Sydney, NSW, Australia

The Jury

"This is a photo of 'The Jury' taken somewhere up the A68 road to Jedburgh where we used to rehearse.  It was taken with my old ‘Brownie’ type of camera."

©   Bill Scott, Sydney, NSW, Australia

Bill added:

Photos and Memories

"I have many 'Jury' / 'Writing on the Wall' photos. I was the only one who took them and I was the only one who kept the professional ones. I have diaries from 1967 all the way through, listing every gig we played.

There are many taken in London by myself, and also in Rio de Janeiro in Brazil where 'Writing on the Wall' represented Britain in the Rio Song Festival in 1972.

We moved to London in 1969.  I left the band in 1973 and pursued other things in music. I played with Johnny Wakelin of ‘In Zaire’ fame for a year and played with Lonnie Donegan from 1979 till 1985.

I did the Royal Variety Performance with Lonnie in 1981 which was a big experience, as was playing in Caesars Tahoe in Nevada.  We did many TV shows as well.

In 1980 I played for six weeks in Australia with Lonnie. I have lived in Sydney since 1987, and are still here. I married an Aussie singer who I met on the first tour with Lonnie.

We were a double act and then I was her musical director for some big production shows that we produced ourselves and won many awards."

Bill Scott, Sydney, NSW, Australia:   emails:17+17+19+20+20+20+20 May 2018

Recollections

213.

David J Rogers
Sydney, NSW, Australia

Thank you to David J Rogers who wrote:

'T-Set' and 'Blaze'

"I’m compiling information and photos of the Edinburgh group who played under the names, 'T-Set' and 'Blaze'.  They were managed by Dougie McDonald and fronted by :

-  Sinky, along with

-  George and Charlie Smith, guitars,

-  Brian Henderson, Bass and

 -  Dex on drums.

If it’s possible can you add this request to your EdinPhoto page in the hope that I can acquire some information.

I was friends with Dougie and some of the lads.  I drove them around to gigs quite a lot.  I know that lots of pics were taken but I can’t find copies of them anywhere."

David J Rogers,  13 December 2018

Reply to David?

If you'd like to send a reply with any information to David, please email me to let me know, then I'll pass on his email address to you. 

Thank you.

Peter Stubbs

Peter Stubbs, Edinburgh:  13 December 2013

Recollections

214.

Chris

Scottish Borders

Thank you to Chris who wrote:

Uptown Disco

and

Arches Pub

"I’m blown away to see that there is a picture of Uptowns on the EdinPhoto web site. "

©

"I worked in Edinburgh at what used to be known as the Arches pub (I don't know what its called now) not far from uptowns.  If I'm remembering right, it was an 'over 21' club.

I was 16/17 at the time but  the lads on the door knew me quite well' and knew I just wanted to go for a boogie an' bite to eat after work.  I don't remember too much now as I'm a young 52 year old , but I loved this place, and was so happy to see the photo of it.

After all these years, I don't recall any of the bands that played  there at that time, but it was definitely one of the better clubs in Edinburgh back then.

I never saw and don't remember any of the squabbles or fights, but I'd like to thank the individual who managed to get the photograph of this much loved but forgotten club, and a big thanks for helping bring back some very happy memories of Uptowns."

 Chris added:

Uptown Disco

"I've been thinking more about Uptowns. I'm sure it was all beautiful wood inside.  The restaurant was upstairs and I'm sure the disco was on the ground level, but I must admit your site has got me going now."

Club

on South Saint Andrew Street

"I also remember a club on South Saint Andrew Street back in the day (early/mid-1980s) but I cant remember the name of it for the life of me

I'd be curious to know if anyone else remembers this club.  It  had a tiny, small doorway on the above street and had a big flight of stairs going up to the club with the windows of the club facing back out on to Princes Street.  It wasn't a very big club as I recall, but it was always chok a blok wi' degenerates like myself   -  style punks,  new romantics, goths, futurists."

Fire Island

"The only club that's mentioned on the EdinPhoto site that had windows looking out to Princess Street was Fire Island, but I can assure you the club I recall above was not Fire Island."

Annabelle's

"I'm surprised to find no reference to Annabelle's, another good club on Semple Street.  Does anyone out there remember this one?  It was around at about the same as Outer Limits in Tollcross."

Bandwagon & Magnolia Peach

"I was the resident DJ at what used to be the old Bandwagon & Magnolia Peach on Morrison Street (usually just known as Peaches back then to the crowd),

-  Ali was the resident DJ there, at street level.

-  On the third level, there was a restaurant that was co-owned by Gordon and Ernest."

Clowns

"I'm also curious to know if anyone remembers a club/pub called Clowns on the royal mile  -  or is my memory kaput?"

The Underground

"There was also a small club called The Underground  (which I believe is now a sauna).  It was just down from the Tron.  I'm sure there was also a club called the Underground in Rose Street.  The main DJ there ,I think, was a big guy called Ian."

Chris, Scottish Borders:  8+21 January 2019

Recollections

215.

Stuart Lyon

Scottish Borders

Thank you to Stuart Lyon for replying to Recollections 214 from Chris, above.

Stuart wrote:Chris who wrote:

Clowns

"The pub called Clowns was at 50 High Street.  I think it was t was the Lorna Doone, before that.

It is a shop now, just down from the Radisson Hotel."

Gatsby's

"The club in South Saint Andrews Street might have been Gatsby's."

Stuart added:

Peaches Band Wagon

"I've just found out that 8-14a Morrison Street (now Henry's Cellar Bar) used to be Peaches Band Wagon."

Stuart Lyon:  30 January 2019 (2 emails)

Recollections

216.

Ellen Harvey (née Inglis)

Eastbourne, East Sussex, England

Thank you to Ellen Harvey who wrote:

The Place

"I used to work at The Place in the 1960s,  'Big Dougie' was the manager.  it was just such an exciting time with all the live bands, Beachcombers, The Hipple People, The Jury,

I remember Bill from The Jury taking me to the pictures, where he bought me a box of chocolates called Rewards.  It's funny how some things stick in your mind  -  Stoics, Pathfinders, Poets,  to name a few.

I remember after work we used to go to The Metropole restaurant  I think it was In Torphichen Street., opposite the police station, where we used to order the spaghetti bolognese,(delicious)  and meet up with the bands from the other clubs.

I also remember Vic who was the DJ at The Place.  I used to love a dance with him, in between working in the downstairs cafe. I also remember Dougie hiring a mini bus and we went through to Greens Playhouse in Glasgow to see the incredible Jimi Hendrix...absolutely brilliant...thank you for helping me re live memories. Ellen ( Inglis at that time)

Ellen Harvey (née Inglis), Eastbourne, East Sussex, England :  21 September 2019

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