Saturday night, Sunday morning
The River Detectives, Sam Corry and Dan O’Neill, were one of my favourite Scottish bands from the 1980s and I’m delighted that the pair of them are still hale, hearty, healthy and in touch, though not performing as a band these days.
Sam’s in Australia and Dan’s in Scotland, but between them they made three extraordinary albums – great songwriting, classic vocals, amazing live performances. The first of these, Saturday Night, Sunday Morning, has just been made available on streaming services after nigh on 40 years, and sounds as brilliant as ever. One track features on the show, plus there’s a rare B-side played from the vinyl release of the album’s title track. Full playlist at the end:
Here’s a wee picture by the great Stewart Cunningham of the pair of them playing in The Booth, Hillswick, Shetland during a tour I organised for them back in the day. If you look very closely, you may spot a young Tom Morton and indeed Susan Bowie, right in the middle of packed crowd in what was one of the best venues for live music anyone could imagine.
The band I was in, the Zetland Beat and Rhythm Kings, supported Sam and Dan on that tour. There was one gig they did on their own, at the Hilltop Bar in Yell, and their 25 minute set, honed in Glasgow joints, was greeted with shouts of…”where’s the other two and a half hours?” Shetlnd was used to Scottish danceband all-night culture at the time. The River Detectives just about escaped with their lives…
A Deeper Love — The River Detectives
Need to Believe — PJ Moore & Co
Cars Are in the Garden — Paul Buchanan
Let’s Go out Tonight — The Blue Nile
Homelands — Lacunas Music Society
In a Different Voice — Lies Damned Lies
Innocent Love — Talking Drums
Squall Critical — Alex Cornish
When We Dance — Sarah/Shaun
Shetland Night — Blazin’ Fiddles
Leaving Lewis — Willie Campbell
Ailsa Craig (by Cuddy’s Cave) — Sulidae
Sister Sneaker Sister Soul — My Latest Novel
Gasoline — Hook and Pull Gang
Terminal Eyes — Al Stewart
Coulter’s Candy — The Alexander Brothers
He Still Needs You — River Detectives
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