Big Gold Dream - 4

Shop Assistants

As Brian correctly predicted in last week's comment section I had an enjoyable problem choosing jut three songs from Disc 4.
We are now slap bang in C-86 territory as it covers the period 1985 - 1987.

I could have chosen at least a dozen songs but I've decided to start with two bands from Bellshill the town in Lanarkshire which gave us a number of great bands including the two below, the Vaselines, Teenage Fanclub and of course Sheena Easton.
The town features as part of the John Peel Sound of the Suburbs TV series. Here's a snipet . The whole programme is available over two clips on You Tube




The first band to feature is the band fronted by dufflecoated Sean Dickon above. The Soup Dragons were named after a character in the wonderful TVcartoon the Clangers which can also be accessed via You Tube.
From May 1986 Whole Wide World was their debut single on theSubway Organisation label

The BMX Bandits are described as a Bellshill super group in waiting (although that honour ultimately went to Teenage Fanclub)
Frontman Duglas T Stewart is described in the sleevenotes as courting a wilfully naive persona.. I think he would approve of that description. Still leading a later lineup of the band Duglas is a Scottish music stalward who you often bump into at gigs across Glasgow.

Finally we are off to Edinburgh to touch base with the Shop Assistants earning a nod of approval from Brian. Somewhere in China was the b-side to the single Safety Net and confirms to me that they require to be on the shelves.

Concluding disc next Saturday

The Soup Dragons - Whole Wide World

BMX Bandits - Strawberry Sunday

Shop Assistants -Somewhere in China (LP version)