Outrageous prices

“I was attracted to Fraser Elder’s reminiscing around the Beatles in Dundee,” emails Andi Lothian. “I first brought the Beatles to Scotland in January 1963, before they were famous, to play at dances.

“It was a disaster financially, especially an evening at the Bridge of Allan Burgh Museum Hall where a chandelier was wrecked. But that’s another story. I paid the group £40 for their session – £800 in today’s money.

“Having heard them play I rebooked them immediately for concerts in Scotland. By the October concerts, the Beatles had topped the musical charts three times and the concerts sold out everywhere. I paid the Beatles £500 a night this time, £10,000 in today’s money. Caird Hall ticket prices started at 12p for the back balcony and rose to 62p for the front stalls. More than 5000 youngsters were prepared to pay these outrageous prices!

“At that time I was also the manager of the Hi-Four group from Dundee that Fraser mentions. Despite recording a wonderful Decca record ‘When my Baby Cries’, the boys’ fame was to remain localised around Dundee. What they didn’t realise was that the group owed the change of name that defined their incredible sound thereafter to my late mum, Frances.

“I had been thinking of a more appropriate name to reflect the music the Hi-Four were creating. Shortly after the Beatles event, two of the band were involved in a minor accident. I told the news of their plight to my mother who acclaimed sympathetically: ‘Oh, the poor souls’.

“That was the moment that legendary band, and the incredible vocal sound of Dougie Martin, was born.”