#14

Reading back, this issue, 14 has been a joy. The description of Mike Scott's staying power in 1983 clearly was a bit of understatement, writing about the Waterboys in 2020 that way may make some sense! At long last we had time to review Aztec Camera's High Land Hard Rain and askwho had the bright idea to release "Walk out to Winter" in May.

Issue 14 like many were, self indulgent but in a more joyous way.

It was quite simply a wonderful experience and release from my ever spiralling confusion at being at University. The exams I was due to fail were being failed successfully, I'd passed the ones I thought I might and reading the hiccups column I had a huge relief knowing we were back in your hands and not that of the psychology department who were busy passing me as being competent to pass exams. ...not that they'd let me do Economic s and Psychology...it was 1983 and I was still raging about how little Thatcher's government understood about building an economy for the long term.

I'm over it now......not

Continued below

There were always in jokes like the cartoon built around the tayside bar and the bands of the day, ours. included Luke Atme deserved all the abuse he took not to be confused with the interview with the dum dum boys.

KB had a blast at his saint siouxsie Sioux and the Wild Indians were playing up a storm.

Check out www.southendpunk.com to see a full copy of Blam as well as many other fanzines from the era.

Hilary's depictions of the characters involved in Deadbeat's Dundee (and St Andrews) did wonders for me getting free drink from all the aspiring bands of the day. Looking back it's a glorious piece of folklore for us all although I really should've sent that picture of KB with his mailing list and a few of the Glasgow and Edinburgh contributors.

Deadbeat didn't have an opinion, it just was. We always tried to get music to the people who'd appreciate it and were willing to write a review. Obviously Gary Joyce is still due a few for all the gigs we got him into but fair play to all the promoters as without them giving us access we couldn't have afforded to go to as many gigs as we did. If only I'd remembered when Caitlin started going to gigs, that would've been great craic for her at 13. As it was we just rocked up like the adoring public do everywhere, paid our dowh and enjoyed!

Latterly when we were mostly working we'd pay to see a gig but be too lazy to review it. We were really lucky that people like Karen McD and others out west sent in great  reviews and interviews.

This issue was a time of optimism. Michael Foot was surely going to replace Thatcher and surely no jingoistic nonsense would get in the way. It ushered in a very dark period.

 The main reason as documented elsewhere, that Deadbeat ground to a halt was work and also taking on the printing. I'd never trained as a printer and how I never did myself an injury with the big AB Dick machine I don't know. 4 of us lifted it out of the van that day and although KB put his end down very quickly it was solid and printed 6 issues from Marchhall Road. That work got in the way was inevitable but a salutary lesson as downing street beckons for Boris, is we can't just down tools. With hindsight we need to find a way to unite. When the only left leaning prime Minister of the last 30 years is John Major you know you've got problems.

If we had put the price of Deadbeat up to 25p we would've continued as it could almost have been a paying job, but it wasn't supposed to be. It was a mouthpiece for the community we were in and we kept it going while the bands contributers, shops, venues and promoters wanted it. It was as I say, such a joy during the summer of 1983 against the political backdrop. We had a big change in the media with the Tube, MTV and video generally during the early 80's and local live music was still thriving. Nowadays there's a revival as our generation cashes in their pension and want to relive the glory days and help the next generation have theirs.

Vive la France!