Table Of ContentYou had to be there? Reflections on
the ‘legendary’ status of the Glasgow
Apollo theatre (1973-85)
Kenneth Forbes
BA, M.Litt
Submitted in fulfilment of the requirements for the
Degree of Doctor of Philosophy
School of Culture and Creative Arts
College of Arts
University of Glasgow
April 2015
Abstract
The ephemeral nature of live music can, from some perspectives, serve to place
limitations on its lasting socio-cultural impact. This thesis addresses such claims
by analysing the enduring appeal of a ‘legendary’ venue, the Glasgow Apollo
(1973-85), where a series of momentous live music moments from several
decades ago continue to be celebrated. In order to accomplish this, the study
primarily uses semi-structured and focus group interviews to explore the
reminiscences of the audience and artists who shared live music experiences at
the venue. Through the application of Actor Network Theory, the work focuses
on the influence that actors such as locality, technology, industry and music
genre held over these encounters, as well as the manner in which the collective
memories of the events in question have subsequently shaped their cultural
value. The study first establishes the foundation for Glasgow’s cultural
traditions, which thereafter helped to shape the concert experiences at the
Apollo. It then follows the actors through, and beyond, the period of the venue’s
tenure, to argue that the Apollo ‘legend’ lingers due to the manner in which
these live experiences have been collectively framed within several of the
platforms dedicated to the venue’s legacy.
1
Table of Contents
Abstract
1
Table
of
Contents
2
List
of
Figures
5
Acknowledgements
6
Author’s
Declaration
7
Chapter
One:
Introduction
8
1.1
Aim
and
Approach
10
1.2
Glasgow
as
a
City
of
Music
13
1.3
An
Overview
of
Glasgow
16
1.3.1
From
Industrialisation
to
De-‐industrialisation
18
1.4
Leisure
and
Entertainment
in
Glasgow
22
1.4.1
Glasgow,
Music
Hall
and
Variety
Theatre
22
1.4.2
Glasgow
and
Cinema
25
1.5
The
Glasgow
Apollo
(1973-‐85)
30
1.6
Structure
of
the
Thesis
32
1.7
Conclusion
35
Chapter
Two:
Literature
Review
37
2.1
Locality,
Audiences
and
Live
Music
37
2.2
Live
Music,
Liveness
and
Venues
44
2.2.1
Liveness
45
2.2.2
The
Live
Music
Venue
47
2.3.
Music
Genre
50
2.3.1
The
Rock
Genre
51
2.3.2
Genre
Worlds
54
2.4
Legends,
Memory
and
Rock
Heritage
57
2.4.1
Legends
and
Myths
58
2.4.2
Autobiographical
and
Collective
Memory
60
2.4.3
Rock
Heritage
62
2.5
Conclusion
65
Chapter
Three:
Methodology
66
3.1
Personal
Involvement
67
3.2
The
Research
Question
70
3.3
Research
Methodology
71
3.4
Research
Tools
75
3.5
Conducting
the
Research
77
3.6
Ethics
83
3.7
Conclusion
84
Chapter
Four:
1973-‐74
86
4.1
Locality
86
4.1.1
The
Glasgow
Cultural
Wave
1973-‐74
86
4.1.2
The
Local
Apollo
Network
94
4.2
The
Apollo
and
Live
Rock
Music
96
4.2.1
The
UK
Live
Industry
of
1973-‐74
97
4.2.2
The
Apollo
as
a
Rock
Venue
99
4.2.3
The
Apollo
Genre
World
102
4.3
Conclusion
106
Chapter
Five:
1975-‐76
108
5.1
The
Apollo
as
a
Live
Music
Location
108
5.1.1
The
Apollo
Atmosphere
110
5.1.2
The
Apollo
Audience
114
5.2
Live
at
the
Apollo
117
2
5.2.1
Apollo
Liveness
117
5.2.2
Live
Recordings
122
5.3
The
UK
Live
Industry
1975-‐76
127
5.4
Conclusion
129
Chapter
Six:
1977-‐79
131
6.1.
Locality
Within
/
Without
the
Apollo
132
6.1.1
New
Locality
132
6.1.2
The
Apollo-‐Glasgow
Audience
136
6.1.3
Local
Dimensions
of
Security
Practice
143
6.1.4
Genre
Dimensions
of
Security
Practice
145
6.2
Genre
Fixity
148
6.3
Conclusion
152
Chapter
Seven:
1980-‐84
154
7.1
Locality
156
7.1.1
The
Local
Apollo
Network
156
7.1.2
Local
Live
Music
Environment
159
7.1.3
Cultural
Agenda
161
7.2
Rock
Music
166
7.2.1
Genre
World
166
7.2.2
Rock
Liveness
170
7.3
Live
Music
Sector
173
7.4
Conclusion
178
Chapter
Eight:
1985
182
8.1
The
Initiation
of
the
Apollo
Legend
182
8.2
Apollo
Liveness
186
8.2.1
New
Pop
Genre
World
187
8.2.2
New
Pop
and
Liveness
188
8.3
The
SECC
193
8.3.1
SECC
Live
Expectations
193
8.3.2
SECC
Live
Experiences
195
8.4
Conclusion
199
Chapter
Nine:
Apollo
Afterlife
202
9.1
Apollo
Memories
202
9.1.1
Apollo
Autobiographical
Memories
203
9.1.2
Apollo
Collective-‐Cultural
Memories
206
9.2
The
Legendary
Apollo
217
9.2.1
Audience
Representation
of
the
Apollo
Legend
217
9.2.2
Media
Representation
of
the
Apollo
Legend
220
9.3
Conclusion
222
Chapter
Ten:
Conclusions
225
10.1
Main
Findings
225
10.2
Reflections
on
the
Study
232
10.3
Suggestions
for
Future
Research
236
Appendix
One:
Focus
Group
Schedule
239
Appendix
Two:
Audience
Questionnaire
240
Appendix
Three:
List
of
Interviewees
242
Appendix
Four:
Plain
Language
Statement
245
Appendix
Five:
Consent
Form
247
Appendix
Six:
Overview
of
Genre
Coding
/
Ticket
Price
Averages
248
Appendix
6A:
Concert
Schedule,
Green’s
Playhouse
1970
249
Appendix
6B:
Concert
Schedule,
Green’s
Playhouse
1971
251
Appendix
6C:
Concert
Schedule,
Green’s
Playhouse
1972
253
Appendix
6D:
Concert
Schedule,
Green’s
Playhouse-‐Glasgow
Apollo
1973
255
3
Appendix(6E:(Concert(Schedule,(Glasgow(Apollo(1974( ( ( ( ( 260(
Appendix(6F:(Concert(Schedule,(Glasgow(Apollo(1975( ( ( ( ( 267(
Appendix(6G:(Concert(Schedule,(Glasgow(Apollo(1976( ( ( ( ( 276(
Appendix(6H:(Concert(Schedule,(Glasgow(Apollo(1977( ( ( ( ( 284(
Appendix(6I:((Concert(Schedule,(Glasgow(Apollo(1978( ( ( ( ( 291(
Appendix(6J:(Concert(Schedule,(Glasgow(Apollo(1979( ( ( ( ( 296(
Appendix(6K:(Concert(Schedule,(Glasgow(Apollo(1980( ( ( ( ( 304(
Appendix(6L:(Concert(Schedule,(Glasgow(Apollo(1981( ( ( ( ( 311(
Appendix(6M:(Concert(Schedule,(Glasgow(Apollo(1982( ( ( ( ( 316(
Appendix(6N:(Concert(Schedule,(Glasgow(Apollo(1983( ( ( ( ( 321(
Appendix(6O:(Concert(Schedule,(Glasgow(Apollo(1984( ( ( ( ( 324(
Appendix(6P:(Concert(Schedule,(Glasgow(Apollo(1985( ( ( ( ( 327(
Appendix(7A:(Genre(Data((Integer)( ( ( ( ( ( ( 329(
Appendix(7B:(Genre(Data((Percentage)( ( ( ( ( ( ( 330(
Appendix(8A:(Average(Ticket(Price((1970U85)( ( ( ( ( ( 331(
Appendix(8B:(Average(Ticket(Price((1970U85)((Adjusted(For(Inflation(2014)( ( 332(
Appendix(Nine:(PhD(PublicationsUConference(Papers( ( ( ( ( 333(
Bibliography( ( ( ( ( ( ( ( ( ( 334(
(
(
4
List of Figures
Figure
1-‐1:
The
Glasgow
Apollo
by
Jim
MacNee
(2009)
8
Figure
1-‐2:
Plans
for
Green’s
Playhouse
27
Figure
1-‐3:
Booking
plan
for
main
auditorium
28
Figure
4-‐1:
Albany
Hotel-‐Radio
Clyde
pathway
91
Figure
4-‐2:
Radio
Clyde-‐Albany-‐Apollo
musical
pathway
92
Figure
5-‐1:
Glasgow
Apollo
concert
schedule
109
Figure
5-‐2:
Rory
Gallagher,
Glasgow
Apollo,
13
December
1975
109
Figure
5-‐3:
The
Sensational
Alex
Harvey
Band,
Glasgow
Apollo,
18
December
1975
119
Figure
5-‐4:
Queen,
Glasgow
Apollo,
16
December
1975
120
Figure
5-‐5:
Status
Quo,
Glasgow
Apollo,
27
October
1976
122
Figure
5-‐6:
The
Ramones,
Glasgow
Apollo,
19
December
1977
125
Figure
6-‐1:
‘Save
Our
Stars’
petition,
Sunday
Mail,
5
March
1978
132
Figure
6-‐2:
The
Police,
Glasgow
Apollo,
31
May
1979
141
Figure
6-‐3:
The
Skids,
Glasgow
Apollo,
16
June
1979
142
Figure
6-‐4:
The
Clash,
Glasgow
Apollo,
4
July
1978
146
Figure
7-‐1:
Gordon
Cullen’s
1984
plans
to
re-‐imagine
Glasgow
city
centre
163
5
Acknowledgements
I would like to thank several people who have helped me through the PhD
process during the last four years. In the first instance, my Supervisors, Amy
Holdsworth and Martin Cloonan, deserve my eternal gratitude for their guidance,
support and encouragement, which was discernible from the initial proposal
onwards. In particular, they warrant special mention for their ability to keep me
‘on track’ during the several occasions when I was liable to lose focus.
My friends and colleagues within the Commercial Music team at the University of
the West of Scotland also deserve more than sufficient credit for their high
levels of support and capacity to motivate me during the study. In this instance,
Jim Prime, Michael Mavor, Alan McCusker-Thompson and Holly Tessler all merit
both mention and appreciation.
Of course, the thesis could not have been completed without the contributions
made by the numerous interviewees, who were more than willing to speak to me
about their Apollo memories. Whilst there are too many names to mention, I
would like to pay special thanks to Colin Robertson, Gerry Tait, Ronnie Simpson,
Russell Leadbetter and Martin Kielty, who were all especially helpful.
Lastly, and most importantly, I would like to express my heartfelt appreciation
to my family for their continued support throughout the study. My sons Tom and
Rory may well have wondered on several occasions whether their Dad was a
‘working’ member of the family, but declined to highlight the obvious gap in
their domestic arrangements with customary good grace. This thesis is dedicated
to my wife Gillian, who, more than anything, has been a key inspiration
throughout our thirty-plus years together. Suffice to say, my various academic
achievements in the last ten years are a testament to her high levels of support
and encouragement. Put simply, I could not have achieved any of this without
her by my side.
6
Author’s Declaration
I declare that, except where explicit reference is made to the contribution of
others, this dissertation is the result of my own work and has not been submitted
for any other degree at the University of Glasgow or any other institution.
Kenneth Forbes
April 2015
7
Chapter One: Introduction
Figure 1-1. The Glasgow Apollo by Jim MacNee (2009)
The music venue, generally perceived as the focal point for the production and
consumption of the live representation of music, could be regarded in its most
basic form purely as a site where these activities happen to take place. It could
also be said that, inevitably, live music venues can ‘come and go.’ Nonetheless,
numerous ‘lost’ venues which are no longer operating, such as CBGB (New York,
1973-2006), the Winterland (San Francisco, 1971-78), and London’s Rainbow
Theatre (1971-81) can be lamented by those who frequented them, and
thereafter incline to form part of rock’s mythical template (Frith 2007, p.9). For
some commentators, such as Tim Burrows, author of From CBGB to the
Roundhouse, such grieving for venues of this type can be considered to be both
transient and pointless (2009, p.202).
It is the contention of this thesis however that, depending on its location,
timeframe, musical reference points and the levels of artist and audience
interaction that manifest, a venue can, for at least some of its stakeholders,
embody a great deal more than Burrows allows. It can exemplify the essence of
a city, symbolise the spirit of musical age, and assume a mystical presence that
8
is still evident decades after the venue ceased to exist. The fact that such deep
levels of emotion endure for any music environment where live music is
experienced via a fleeting series of discrete and unique musical instants (Attali
1999, p.41) can serve to magnify the power and the potency that these live
music moments emit.
This thesis focuses on a city (Glasgow), a venue (the Apollo Theatre), a time
frame (1973-85) and an afterlife (1985-), all of which infuse these live music
moments to some degree. To provide a very brief overview as a means of
introduction, the Glasgow Apollo Theatre (Fig 1-1) operated during the period
1973-85, and hosted numerous live performances by a range of major artists.
The venue subsequently gained a global reputation for its unique atmosphere
and the high levels of vocal appreciation demonstrated by local audiences
(Leadbetter 1995). In short, this venue was an era-defining live music location
that deserves our attention as well as further scrutiny.
As an outcome of such a reputation the history of the venue continues to be
feted within a range of locally produced media texts, where the term
‘legendary’ is frequently attributed to the Apollo, almost in the form of a
compulsory prefix.1 Unsurprisingly, this is a practice that serves to confer and
confirm this status for the venue, and thus create a platform for the various
forms of confirmation content to follow. In this respect, a certain amount of
textual interplay is evident within the Apollo histories, with the unofficial fan
website devoted to the venue (www.glasgowapollo.com) sharing related content
with the series of Apollo Memories books (Kielty 2005; 2009; 2011).
Furthermore, this process also leads to similar narratives being reiterated across
many other accounts.
Such depictions of the venue’s ‘legendary’ components inevitably include its
down-at-heel environment, elevated stage, ‘bouncing’ balcony, and the heavy-
handed reputation of its security staff. Notions of locality also permeate these
histories, with the venue being regarded as an exemplar of the city’s unique
socio-cultural fabric, to the extent that the Apollo is said to symbolise Glasgow’s
1 These includes television, radio and DVD documentaries (BBC Scotland 1985; 2009; Talisman
Films 2005), a series of books (Leadbetter 1995; Kielty 2005; 2009; 2011), a stage musical
(McGrory 2009; 2010) and a popular website (Glasgow Apollo 2014A) that had attracted over
6.6 million hits by the end of 2014.
9
Description:This thesis addresses such claims by analysing the enduring appeal of a 'legendary' venue, the Glasgow Apollo. (1973-85), where a series of
