Plus ca change
In 1970s East Kilbride town centre was a pub called The Tower. It later became “My Father’s Moustache” (I know) and is now, I believe, once again The Tower.
Anyway, The Tower was the place to go for live music which, in the late seventies, was always heavy music (not Metal: Metal hadn’t been invented yet). On a Saturday a band would usually play a lunchtime and an evening show upstairs, and the sets would mix covers and self-penned stuff. The standard was generally pretty high and often exceptional.
One of the remarkable things about it was that anything could be bought and sold in there and we all knew it, whether we took part or not. This was usually under the noses of the local Drug Squad who were always recognisable because they were the only ones who looked like hippies; everyone else looked like bikers.
The reason I bring this up is because I went to see Wilko Johnson the other night and was mightily impressed by the support act, Joanne Shaw Taylor. For some reason I found myself reminded of Saturdays in the Tower. But with two notable differences. Firstly, the lead vocalist and guitarist in those days would not have been a woman; secondly, she is better than any of them were.
This is Joanne:
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