Motherwell - Deborah Orr

Reading a posthumous memoir covering a period of time that you knew someone often results in enlightenment.

That was certainly the case for me Reading Deborah's memoir. Deb's had done the make up for the band in St Andrews and was far too sophisticated and bohemian for any of us to hang out regularly. 

As she ably recounts Scottish students were outnumbered at St Andrews and those who were Scots often disguised themselves with accents from a wee bit further south.

The band were all comprehensive kids, well except the northern Irish boy, but his accent was just fine for covering the Undertones!

We had grown up listening to music that often saw us taking sides eg Mods or punks etc. Very few could do leonard skynrds free bird followed by London's Burning or Pretty Vacant. We were all a bit tribal and when it came to the yahs in St Andrews, much merriment was had.

What comes out loud and clear in "motherwell" is just how much some of our generation never felt we belonged anywhere, and we were very articulate about not fitting in. This phenomenon is a well trodden path of youth but finding yourself isn't really very easy and it's anxiety strewn. It's no surprise that suicide is so high and in our day at the University there were enough sad examples documented during stressful and lonely periods.

The person Deborah describes is not someone I remember but then having looked at my own diaries it's clear I don't remember much. It's always assumed when someone comes over as very confident and sassy that they are and as Deborah articulates the truth is often very different.

We all put a front on and in the early 80's everyone was choosing a gang with whom to hang. I'd have described her gang as the hippy goths and as the pictures show elsewhere on the life support page, she done us up like kippers! 

We looked like extras from a bela Lugosi film. It was all part of the fun and  there was plenty in amongst the angst.

I'm sure I sold Debs copies of Deadbeat but surprised I never got her into writing for it, especially as our paths occasionally crossed after uni in Edinburgh. I guess there was such a diverse music scene it was easy to hang with the same gang at the same venues. She might've been more sneaky Pete's while I was next door in La Sorbonne.

Either way it's hats off to Motherwell and so sad she's not around to receive the plaudits.

BBC to be privatised?

Not a surprise to Deadbeat readers but it's on it way.

Many thought Boris bought his way with promises of share options as he dodged bullets and watched them being fired at everyone else.

Never mind the MPs or xabinet ministers, Auntie Beeb had correspondents who seemed to be guilty of electoral fraud as they just joked their way through the whole analysis of postal voting papers.

Selling the BBC off in one big bulk sale could generate a significant one of bonus for the treasury as it's a big media company. Other options include parcelling up sections and selling it quietly off to a friendly fox or hound.

Surely the law will ensure the independence and any tinkering with their charter will be met with fierce resistance.

Oh aye, here's mud in yer eye!

None of it's likely to be held up by red tape, not with the blagger in Chief willing to grease palms with those valuable share options.

Let's face it, once it's out of public ownership the equal pay issues become someone else's problems.

I can't help thinking about all the programmes that won't be made, or worse still the ones that will be commissioned.

Is it convenient that the head for 7 years has stepped down, I'm sure in the words of that famous Life Support song "Time will tell".

Deadbeat's first Christmas annual 2020

Yes the interviews begin this year for the great retrospective!

Over the course of the year we will be interviewing some of our favourite Fanzine covers 40 years on.

There are many questions to ask of these stars from the 1980's not least the fundamental one for hibs fans.

When all's said and done, back in 1982 if we had given you two choices before you hit 60 would you have liked a number one single or see Hibs lift the Scottish Cup- which would yours have been!

We've got a number of interviews lined up with people who continued on music, who drifted out and back in and some legends that have grown over the years.

2020 hindsight is going to be fun for sure and at the end of the year I'll be looking to publish the hard back with Deadbeat's 1,2 & 3 from 1980's as well as a new compilation of bands from today.

Enjoy!