Doon The Dunny and other places…

This is where it might get a bit fuzzy folks, as there was so much packed into so many spaces, large and small space in such a short period of time.

One such space was a basement bar called Platini’s, part of another bar called Furlongs in West Nile Street in Glasgow. It hadn’t been used regularly for a good while, apart from the odd function and at first glance it didn’t look like it would work as a venue. But we set up the gear and went for it and it began to build, to the point where a health and safety inspector would have just taken early retirement.

The get in and out was fairly horrific, due its basement nature and by God it was cramped but it was one helluvagig. I’ll have to just pick out some random memories, as there are so many.

Rolfy Harris..an epic jam song that featured the immortal line “Rolf Harris, Rolf Harris..disnae get embarrassed” and featured most of the bearded one’s hits. This was performed only a few times, until the punters began to shout for it…time to stop. It was also the venue where the guys first performed Peter Gabriel’s “Biko”. I had to write the lyrics down from memory.

George was once found..after the alarm was raised..having a kip under a table in the kitchen on the top floor of the building. “What time’s this to get a man out of his bed?” was the opening line of the set.

Jimmy Dewar came along night when Shifty was indisposed, bringing with him a 1957 Strat for George to play. He took me aside, saying “If there’s any bother in here tonight, make sure you get that guitar out of here. Never mind us, we’ll cope”

Let’s move a short distance in an Easterly direction…

When I was waiting for the chaps to turn up for the first gig at La Taniere in Fox Street, I again was thinking “This isn’t gonna work”. Another fairly tiny wee bar, with the band being placed right beside the door.

Hower, spatial problems were overcome and many great stories ensued:

An East Enders actor, who played a character called Tony, wandered in one night. I remember George and Stevie Gallagher promising to take him climbing the Yarrow shipyard cranes the next day. That’s tourist information for you.

A load of recording gear was once loaded into the basement and several gigs were recorded. Punky Mendoza of Heavy Pettin’ was on the desk, wonder what happened to those?

You did have to be careful of the pool table on the upper level of the place though. One miscue and a ball could end up in a pint glass below.

The place is gone completely now…apparently the land was owned by the Archdiocese of Glasgow who decided the space would be better used to house an extra City Centre car park.

More venues near and far to come.