The Big Dish Served Up a Treat
Around 29 years ago, I found myself in a large, draughty room in a building on Blythswood Square. It was part of a building that served as an annex to Glasgow School of Art, which I had just started.
I started chatting with the guy next to me, who it transpired, was like me, in a band. I guess the lecture wasn’t too exciting as we got chatting about the music we liked.
I asked him where he lived.
“Airdrie” he replied.
“Really? I live in Airdrie too. Which part of Airdrie?
“Petersburn.” He replied.
“Jeeze, I stay in Petersburn too. Where in Petersburn?
“Mull.”
“You’re taking the pish! Someone has told you that’s where I live, haven’t they?
“No really, I’m from Mull”.
This was my opening conversation with Steven Lindsay. We went on to become good friends and for a time anyway, shared a common career path in music.
Steven’s band, The Big Dish, were signed to Virgin in 1984, when we were both in second year in the Drawing and Painting Department of GSA. Later my band, Wild River Apples would sign to Chrysalis.
During this time I also met Brian McFie, who was three years ahead of Steven and me and also studying drawing and painting. Brian was from Glenmavis and was (and remains) a very talented painter and also a wonderful guitar player. At the time he was playing with his own band, Valerie and the Week of Wonders. He would go on to become the guitarist in The Big Dish (incidentally, the name comes from the family name for Steven’s dad’s famous soup).
Move forward 29 years.
The Big Dish comeback tour. Well, actually, more of a comeback gig at the ABC on Sauchiehall Street. The venue couldn’t have been more apt, being immediately in front of the Art School.
Clearly Big Dish fans are passionate and loyal. Even 15 years or so after their break up, they managed to sell out the ABC, which was packed with forty and fifty something couples.
The question was, would The Big Dish live up to these fans heightened expectations. Fans needn’t have worried. From the opening chords of a beautifully pared down Prospect Street, it was clear that The Big Dish had lost none of their appeal and in particular, Steven’s voice remained one of the greatest pop voices ever to have come out of Scotland.
The crowd were clearly in the mood to show their love for the band, reliving the memories associated with each of Steven’s wonderfully crafted songs.
Brian rocked like only Brian can, caressing his big, fat Gretch, coaxing beautiful melodic lines which complemented Steven’s vocals. Alan Dumberck (on keyboards) and Raymond Docherty (on bass), who had both played in early Big Dish line ups, ensured that the sonic experience of the albums were recreated. Ross McFarlane, who hadn’t been part of the original Big Dish line up and who had played in The Loved Ones along with me and Stuart MacLeod, was sensational on drums. He provided a solid and exciting rhythmic foundation for the rest of the band.
But above all this, were the songs. For some reason, Steven and The Big Dish never quite made it into the big time. However, many people agree that he is one of Scotland’s greatest songwriters.
Highlights last night were a beautiful semi-acoustic version of Jealous, a song which explores the vulnerability and fragility of love; a sing along version of the best song ever written about sex, Slide; and a plaintive and sublime version of one of Steven’s solo songs, Breakdown.
By the time the band played Bowie’s ‘All the Young Dudes’ the crowd (including me) were singing along and hoping the night wouldn’t end.
I am sure that they all shared my view that this comeback gig, should be followed by a comeback tour and a comeback album.
The Big Dish, Airdrie’s finest - well, after Wild river apples ;)
Around 29 years ago, I found myself in a large, draughty room in a building on Blythswood Square. It was part of a building that served as an annex to Glasgow School of Art, which I had just started.
I started chatting with the guy next to me, who it transpired, was like me, in a band. I guess the lecture wasn’t too exciting as we got chatting about the music we liked.
I asked him where he lived.
“Airdrie” he replied.
“Really? I live in Airdrie too. Which part of Airdrie?
“Petersburn.” He replied.
“Jeeze, I stay in Petersburn too. Where in Petersburn?
“Mull.”
“You’re taking the pish! Someone has told you that’s where I live, haven’t they?
“No really, I’m from Mull”.
This was my opening conversation with Steven Lindsay. We went on to become good friends and for a time anyway, shared a common career path in music.
Steven’s band, The Big Dish, were signed to Virgin in 1984, when we were both in second year in the Drawing and Painting Department of GSA. Later my band, Wild River Apples would sign to Chrysalis.
During this time I also met Brian McFie, who was three years ahead of Steven and me and also studying drawing and painting. Brian was from Glenmavis and was (and remains) a very talented painter and also a wonderful guitar player. At the time he was playing with his own band, Valerie and the Week of Wonders. He would go on to become the guitarist in The Big Dish (incidentally, the name comes from the family name for Steven’s dad’s famous soup).
Move forward 29 years.
The Big Dish comeback tour. Well, actually, more of a comeback gig at the ABC on Sauchiehall Street. The venue couldn’t have been more apt, being immediately in front of the Art School.
Clearly Big Dish fans are passionate and loyal. Even 15 years or so after their break up, they managed to sell out the ABC, which was packed with forty and fifty something couples.
The question was, would The Big Dish live up to these fans heightened expectations. Fans needn’t have worried. From the opening chords of a beautifully pared down Prospect Street, it was clear that The Big Dish had lost none of their appeal and in particular, Steven’s voice remained one of the greatest pop voices ever to have come out of Scotland.
The crowd were clearly in the mood to show their love for the band, reliving the memories associated with each of Steven’s wonderfully crafted songs.
Brian rocked like only Brian can, caressing his big, fat Gretch, coaxing beautiful melodic lines which complemented Steven’s vocals. Alan Dumberck (on keyboards) and Raymond Docherty (on bass), who had both played in early Big Dish line ups, ensured that the sonic experience of the albums were recreated. Ross McFarlane, who hadn’t been part of the original Big Dish line up and who had played in The Loved Ones along with me and Stuart MacLeod, was sensational on drums. He provided a solid and exciting rhythmic foundation for the rest of the band.
But above all this, were the songs. For some reason, Steven and The Big Dish never quite made it into the big time. However, many people agree that he is one of Scotland’s greatest songwriters.
Highlights last night were a beautiful semi-acoustic version of Jealous, a song which explores the vulnerability and fragility of love; a sing along version of the best song ever written about sex, Slide; and a plaintive and sublime version of one of Steven’s solo songs, Breakdown.
By the time the band played Bowie’s ‘All the Young Dudes’ the crowd (including me) were singing along and hoping the night wouldn’t end.
I am sure that they all shared my view that this comeback gig, should be followed by a comeback tour and a comeback album.
The Big Dish, Airdrie’s finest - well, after Wild river apples ;)
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