BALLOCHMYLE HOSPITAL

 

In the autumn of 1965 whilst in the process of commencing my second year exams as a 17 years old nurse at Ballochmyle Hospital, Ayrshire - out of the blue - I was visited in my dormitory room in the male block by four scruffy individuals. They said they were The Hi-Fi Combo - I had never heard of them - and having heard that I had previously played piano in my own Rock’n’Roll band up until 1964 prior to my nursing studies they told me that the reason they were visiting was that they were searching for the perfect organist. They then asked me if I could play some tunes on the piano for them.

                                                                          

I was extremely flattered and guided them down to the hospital recreation hall which held a grand piano. I proceeded to play the lovely Theme from Exodus & my current piece by Mozart which had been my final TCM exam piece. The cat's version is better than mine was.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

When they had finished laughing at my joke [?] one member of the band, Dick, asked in a strange Scottish brogue “Dae ye wahnt tae jine oor bonn?  He went on "We have been searching for the perfect organist for months without any luck . . .  so you'll have to dae". "We will be performing a great new style of music called Tamla Motown Soul". I later found out that Tamla Motown was the record label name for an exclusively black music genre simply called 'Soul'.

                                                                       

As their demeanor indubitably did rather frighten me somewhat I declined their offer, however they persisted and collectively bullied me - a naive 17-year old - into joining by offering me [1] Stardom in both Germany and Britain, [2] A record deal with Polydor Records and [3] Millions of pounds. I did feel that it was a reasonably generous offer, considering all five guys standing there - except one of us - looked poverty stricken. However at that time it did seem so much better than my immediate prospects of gaining my RGN Certificate and £2 a week at the end of it.  Consequently I bade farewell forever to my current nursing girlfriends [yes I'm ashamed to admit there were two - I'm sorry . . . but it was fun], Katie Girvan from Ayrshire, who had recently presented me with The Beatles latest LP 'Help!' [sorry Katie, wherever you are for that scribbled note I put under your door, you were much better off without me anyway], and another fellow student nurse, Joy Major from South Africa [I got fed up taking her home every other night], and resigned that same week from my post at the Hospital . . . joined the Hi- Fi Combo, and set out seeking fame and fortune as a star. Here are a few of the songs we would soon be playing.