Monday 20 April 2009

STEVE REID ON GUITAR

In the mid 70's, local guitarist, Steve Reid, used to get a bit of practise in up at Ardler Community Centre where he was joined by Kirkton High School kids, Murray Tosh (later with Street Level) and Allan McGlone (later with Skeets Boliver). These get togethers were purely instrument work-out sessions rather than group rehearsals, as it were, they didn't actually form a band together.
Steve started off in a bunch of punk rascals called, Bread Poultice and the Running Sores. Billy Mackenzie would check out the band from time to time and eventually the two ended up mates. They also played the occasional experimental gig together, just before Billy moved on to form The Associates with Alan Rankine. By this time, Steve & Billy shared a flat along with a few others in Lyon Street.
In 1981 Steve teamed up with another Lyon Street flatmate, Christine Beveridge, and they became an outfit called Orbidoig. They released a couple of singles as Orbidoig in the early 80's, both featuring Billy. Then when Billy & Alan went their separate ways, Steve was called upon to play in The Associates for a while. As a matter of fact, Steve ended up co-writing half of the songs on The Associates 1984 "Perhaps" album.
Tracking back to Orbidoig though, below you can hear Steve in full flow on the B-side of their "Ice Cream Factory" single, a frantic post punk instrumental called - "Excursion Ecosse en route Koblenz via Hawkhill".
A trip we've all made...!!

1 comment:

  1. Al Straker (The captain) posting here......

    On the 'experimental gigs' thing mentioned above I recall that perhaps the first time I saw Stevie Reid and Billy McKenzie playing together was in a band called 'Strange News', who were on at the Student Union of the Art College just before a local Joy Division type band called 'Grey Approach' - then came Boo Hooray, and they were followed in turn by Erasmic Superfoam..... a great night!

    A witty friend at the time referred to Billy McKenzie as 'Bellowin' Bill' if I recall - and Steve Reid was to be seen sporting a Yamaha SG2000, a short bolero jacket complete with severe assymetric 'designer' haircut - very 'Bill Nelson fan' looking he was,lol.......

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