highlandrover

John Menzies didnt 'get' the deal whereby all record shops released singles on the same release date.The Pistols single cover for 'Holidays in the sun' was taken from a belgian tourist brochure without permission so had to be withdrawn.I read this in the NME and had noticed Menzies were already selling it with the banned cover.I phoned my brother and , realising this single could end up being worth a few bob, between us we bought the lot.Sure enough with only 4,500 released our 69p per single investment quickly was being snapped up for £2.50 .My brother was experiencing some cash flow problems so sold all his.I figured I'd make much more by holding onto mine for a bit longer.A couple of years on I'd developed into a hippy complete with long hair down my back, love beads, psychedelic t shirts , the 'full biffter'.I was listening to Jefferson Airplane, The Greatful Dead, Country Joe Macdonald and the fish etc (this was 1980 so I was deeply unfashionable and stood out like a sore thumb next to the post punk new romantics).I'd recently been fired from T.O.R.S so was short of cash so I advertised my 'Holiday in the sun' singles in NME.Nobody phoned, there were no takers.Months later I had just stumbled into my folks about 3am and, to my horror, the phone rang.I picked it up and the caller launched into a lengthy tirade against pathetic punks and their crap bands.My folks were awake and listening in wondering what one of my hippy cronies were thinking about calling in the middle of the night so I couldn't respond to the abuse I was getting and defend myself and point out that infact I was one of the only hippies north of the great glen and all I was guilty of was a bit of opportunistic capitalism (man !) I never did manage to sell the singles apart from the odd copy at the record fairs.I've still one or two warped copies in my attic.

I dont.When I started as a teenager in Balloch Mr Bartniczeck (senior) would pick us up in his wee van and deliver us and the rolls to wherever we were selling them.He had triple glazed glasses on and struggled to see out the window.Laterly his son took over the driving and would run the rolls all over town to the kids I'd recruited houses.The Bartniczecks were hard working , up every day at 4am.I was 'sleeping for Scotland 'at the time rarely rising before mid day.Mrs Roll would occasionally phone me and my mother would wake me up and I'd have to sound as if I'd been up for hours .

I used to sell Telford rolls all over Inverness.At any one time I'd have 25 or so teenagers delivering rolls to houses I'd previously canvassed.I'd cycle all over town every couple of weeks picking up all the cash for the previous fortnights sales.By the end of my trip my rucksack would be full of small change and be so heavy I could hardly lift it.I'd spend the next day counting it all out and bagging it.I'd then cycle into The Clydesdale Bank and get there just as they were closing.I'd plead with them to let me in because otherwise I was stuck with this pack full of change.I'd then head down to see 'Mrs Roll/Bartniczeck, give her the bakeries 'cut' and then blether about life for a while.The Bartniczecks were lovely people.How they put up with me and my appearance (straight out of Woodstock 1969 ) I often wonder.10 or more years after I'd finished this enterprise people would come out their houses and ask me if I'd any rolls for sale.

RECORD SHOPS I worked in The Other Record Shop (TORS) at the start of 1980 .It was like being in a sitcom.There was Billy Peg, Clayton the Punk, Spock with his embroidered jeans, the two Susans who managed the shop.I got the job on the strength of my recent LP playlist and because I'd read Playpower by Richard Neville (hippie manifesto).IOne of my jobs was to take a leather satchel full of the previous days takings to the bank and on the way back pick up coffees from The Coffee Pot for the 'two Susans'.One day the satchel was missing.I'd left it somewhere and couldn't remember whether I'd lost it before or after banking the cash.My short term memory was impaired due to indulging in too much Afghani black! .The bag turned up at The Coffee Pot and I had banked the takings but the game was up.I was fired on my 20th birthday. Heck! I've lots of tales that relate to some of these archived posts.More later if anyone is interested.

Great posts.Here are a few more, Carl Perkins and Bo Didley at Eden Court 1978 (we went round back of Theatre to caravan met the legends and got their autographs. The Pretenders at the Icerink 15 May 1981. (Got job for the day being a roadie, ran about town with one of their fixers picking up electrical stuff and their costumes.Met two of the band pottering about town not being bothered/recognized by anyone These two guys were dead within a couple of years due to Cocaine intolerance! Had a few pints, fell asleep in the sun round the back of the rink.Went to the Gig then it took us till about 3am to load up all the gear back into the lorriesIt was a hard day and made me realise I wouldn, t want to ever do that again! Nbody has mentioned all the amazing gigs at The Muirton Motel I.e The Intrinsic intellectuals and The Tools.How about the incredible Julian Cope playing un amplified at the Ice rinkMore later......