The late Kenny Macdonald played a crucial part in the city’s most vibrant music period

BOUGHT BEGGED AND STOLEN – remembering Kenny MacDonald. 60 North Radio 7.00pm UK time, on Radio Garden, the 60 North app and on Mixcloud – link below.

If you remember the 80s Glasgow music scene, were you really there?

For a mere three years, from 1984 to late 1987, I was immersed in it all. Or at least I think I was: the gelled imitation Rita Rusk hair, oversized Oxfam or unaffordable Warehouse suits, tequila slammers, Red Stripe and nightclubbing from Tuesdays to Sundays, Bennett’s to Henri Afrikas via Fury Murray’s, Maestro’s, Rooftops and the Sub Club. Bars from the Heathery in Wishaw to The Fixx in…where was The Fixx? Miller Street. The Apollo and Barrowlands, of course. Student unions from Level 8 at Strathclyde to the QM. And all for the music, gig after gig at what was a phenomenally creative time in and around the city. I was writing for the weekly Melody Maker and that was a plus one on any guest list. Even if you had no fashion sense and continually wore bad ties from Flip with dodgy jeans by What Everyone Wants, and reeking suede jackets from a Paddy’s railway arch.

But the engines for all the grimy glitter and display of those after dark performances were the rehearsal rooms and recording studios of the city. Ca Va had been on the go for a while, memorably spawning the Cuban Heels and the wonderful Shakin’ Pyramids, but Park Lane, behind the Bay Horse pub, opposite Queen’s Park on the south side, was born in the 80s. It was where the record company scouts, who flocked to the Holiday Inn every weekend, funded demo sessions, then albums and soundtracks. Deacon Blue, Hipsway, Love and Money, Del Amitri, The Painted Word, Kevin McDermott, The Bluebells, Hue and Cry…and dozens more contenders, many now just surviving as memories on hoarded cassettes, digitized as Christmas gifts by amused grandchildren. I have such a tape myself…

The control room at Park Lane was presided over by Kenny MacDonald, self-effacing drummer, engineer and producer and the studio’s co-founder and builder, with Rab Andrew and Jim Peden. Kenny died unexpectedly in his adopted home of New Zealand three weeks ago.

As another escapee from 1980s Glasgow told me, so many musical careers were nurtured and established by this one man. The breadth and depth of the Glasgow scene at the time seems difficult to take in, and gave rise to other businesses too: Guitar Guitar, Sound Control, GR Management, Jimmy Moon’s luthiers, handily right next door to Park Lane – built on the bedrock of developed talent and success that Kenny and the studio helped bring to fruition.

This edition of Bought, Begged and Stolen features tributes to Kenny not so much from star musicians as folk who knew him well and wanted to record their friendship. The music, though, speaks for itself.

Phil Ochs — Chords of Fame
Taylor Swift — High Infidelity
Cardigans — For What It’s worth
James Yorkston and Nina Persson — Hold Out for Love
Sam Fender — Wild Grey Ocean
Dry Cleaning — Kwenchy Kups
Unthanks — The Great Silkie of Sule Skerrie
The Lathums — Say My Name
Johnny Taylor and the Soul Stirrers — The Love of God
Steiner Albrigsten — Cold Cold Rain
Milk Carton Kids — Running on Sweet Sweet Smile
Bourgie Bourgie — Breaking Point
Primevals — Diamonds, a Fur Coat, Champagne
Deacon Blue — Ribbons and Bows
Texas — I Don’t Want a Lover
Love and Money — Candybar Express (alt 7” mix)
Gun — Watching the World Go By
Hipsway — The Honeythief
Slide — Down so Long
Kissing Bandits — The Only thing That Keeps Me Alive
Led Zeppelin — When the Levee Breaks
Lana Del Ray — Cinnamon Girl
Cigarettes After Sex — K
Judee Sill — The Kiss
Monica Queen — Fly Away
https://www.mixcloud.com/tom-morton2/tom-mortons-bought-begged-and-stolen-4-november-kenny-macdonald-tribute/