Martin Kielty - SAHB Story: The Tale of the Sensational Alex Harvey Band&quot

Neil Wilson Publishing Lt
www.nwp.co.uk

Martin Kielty, 2013

First published in 2004

The author has asserted his moral right under the Design, Patents and Copyright Act, 1988, to be identified as the Author of this Work.

A catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library.

ISBN 978-1-906476-76-2 (ebook)
ISBN 978-1-903238-77-6 (2004 trade paperback edition)
ISBN 978-1-903238-88-2 (2004 casebound limited edition)

Typeset in 10 on 13pt Georgia and Helvetica

Designed by Martin Kielty

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

SAHB Story contains material which appears in Zals novel, Hail Vibrania.

The portrait of Alex on page 163 was painted by Catherine Heffernan, who explains the work by saying: What do you get if you cross a misspent youth with a seven-foot canvas?

Photography: Ronnie Anderson, Ian Dickson, Peter Ball, Daily Record, Ray Conn, Martin Kielty, Lee Hagan, Mike Drew, Mandy Hathway, Stefan Pawlata, Barry McCulloch. Where uncredited, pictures come from the bands collection. Every effort has been made to establish and respect copyright.

Thanks to the editorial and library staff of the Daily Record and Sunday Mail.

Thanks: Firstly, of course, to Ted, Zal, Chris, Hugh, Billy, Dave, Le Roi and Eddie I hope you enjoyed it as much as I did. Well, more, actually, because you only had to talk while I had to listen. Then the fan club guys, who I rely on for feedback, opinions and input: Id love to namecheck you all but Ill only miss someone and get into trouble. Still hi to Lori, Wade, Jeff, Ash, Lindsey, Mandy, Jack and Gerry. Allan Jones and Charles Shaar Murray for covering and caring. Jon Dore and Barry Brightmore for swelling the archives. John Neil Munro and Joe Black for just doing their jobs, but still managing to show how much they mean it. Barry and Keith for helping me deal with Billy and helping him drink. Tom and Miffy at rockingscots.co.uk. All the contributors for volunteering information and content. Frank Morgan for proof reading, and Joe Owens and David Coyle for helping. (What exactly do you mean, pedantic?) The crew at the Solid Rock, the Copy Cat and Fix for keeping the beer flowing. Alec for kickstarting proceedings.

Special thanks to Nick Low for giving me access to his private archive. Anyone who finds themselves quoted here, but doesnt remember talking to me, actually spoke to Nick; which was lucky for you.

Regards to Trudy, Alex and Tyro.

Double-special thanks to Gibby for actually shutting up while I was whining about this project.

And to Damien Kielty, Ali Bear, Tim Collins, Steve Banaghan and Brian Mackenna, because I said I would.

All the above people helped make this book worth reading. In a departure from the norm, Id like to make sure they get the blame for any errors or innaccuracies too.

Dedicated to Claire.

2004 INTRODUCTION

It was a dreich afternoon in Edinburgh when I met John Neil Munro to interview him about his Alex biography. We sat in an old-fashioned wee pub and talked our talk, and as people nearby became aware of our subject matter, John Neils standing in the pub rose and rose. He ended up with an impressive amount of respect (and drinks) from perfect strangers. I wanted to be like that.

Well, no I didnt, actually, and still dont. You couldnt describe me as an Alex fan. I didnt meet him, and Im not convinced I would have liked him. Being magnetically attracted to someone isnt the same as loving them, and so I cant promise to have loved Mr Harvey.

I am, however, a SAHB fan. And Id like to stress the massive difference. There was a magical period of five years, 1972 until 77, when the best frontman in the world performed with the best band in the world. That they and significantly, he could not achieve the same successes alone serves to underline how magical those five years were.

Those five years started the day I was born, 29 June 1972. For another coincidence, its taken just about five years for this here book to make it into the world. The tale has grown in the telling, and its not the only thing around here.

My respect and understanding for the utterly singular thing that is SAHB has grown. Time and tide just do not get in the way of how these four guys communicate, even if they havent seen each other for years. Their bond, and their bond with Alex, is the one and only instance in which the word awesome is not hyperbole.

The position of Alex and SAHB in cultural history has grown - theres been something of a rennaisance. Some of that was me, of course (heh) but the re-release of almost everything the guys ever did has been a major event in everyones lives this side of the word processor. Pity about Fourplay, but we live in hope.

The list of major acts they influence; the people willing to talk about the band and its music; the number of younger folk, hearing their dads CD remasters, whove become fans; all these statistics are on the up too.

So, to repeat what Ive constantly been saying over the years on the website, this books not about Alex. Its about SAHB, and theres maybe more of a distinction than a lot of people understand. I hope theyll find some of what theyre looking for here; but I reckon some peoples Alex isnt to be found outside their own hearts.

Meanwhile, as a record of what happens when you offer five Glesga boys unlimited power, and they trade it in to be rocknroll stars, Ive tried to make sure its a bit more fun than some of the band biogs you get.

Vambo, as I have observed for some time now, still rool.

Martin Kielty, July 2004

2013 INTRODUCTION

Maybe I couldnt have professed to have loved Mr Harvey in 2004. I can now and thats not the only thing to have changed since I wrote this book.

There were always plans to revise the title once the farewell tour ended in 2005; but as SAHBsters everywhere will know, it didnt work out like that. Max Maxwell became the bands final frontman; the tour continued for several more years; and SAHB even saw the release of a new live album, a live DVD and the release of the fabled lost album.

I wound up managing them for a good whack of those significant times. It changed my life, and as a result there was never time to write that revise. There will be soon very soon.

It doesnt seem like a mere seven years. The journey has been incredible and I still havent had the opportunity to take stock, and work out just how much it all changed me.

When I started on the book I was determined not to let SAHBs legacy be forgotten. I think thats been achieved with the help of this publication and others, and the passion, belief and support of fans who seemed to be just waiting for an excuse to muck in, the bans position in cultural history seems assured.

It would be nice to do the same for Alex himself; and I know work is afoot on that too.

I begin to hope Vambo will always rool.

Martin Kielty, 2013

SCOTLANDS
TOMMY STEELE

ITS 1956 and every teenager in Scotland is looking for a fight. Or at least, thats what the powers-that-be seem to think. Young post-war post-ration Scotland is bored, frustrated and pissed off, and its venting itself through a satanic new music movement.

That year the newspapers were mad about it. The Daily Record invented a correspondent called Pat Roller, who superhumanly patrolled every town and city every weekend, finding horror stories of barnies, slashings, murders and fearsome loud music.