Venue founder Paul’s blessing is music to our ears
Joy as the man behind The Bungalow backs new stage production
The brains behind The Bungalow has given his blessing to a musical based on the famous bar.
Paul Humphreys ran the pub which became an iconic venue for punk and new wave bands.
He set Paisley up as a destination for acts heading out on UK and European tours.
And he has given the seal of approval to a new stage show telling the tale of the iconic boozer.
Paul said: “It is remarkable that The Bungalow is still remembered, never mind being turned into a musical.
“When The Bungalow was in full swing, we had bands on every night and on weekend afternoons.
“Every Sunday we had our jam session with Eric Cuthbertson and The Hoochie Coochie Men.
“We turned the house upstairs into a rehearsal space.
“Midge Ure was one of our regulars and he signed-up the group Modern Man, who became The Messengers.
“He ended up taking them on as his support for Ultravox on their Monument World Tour. “We really had some great times then. “We were known as a punk venue, but we had a wide range of bands play – from prog to country. “I can’t wait to see the musical.” Tommy McGrory, boss of music charity Loud ‘n’ Proud, is producing the show at Paisley Town Hall.
He met with the former boss of the pub – which is now La Rambla tapas restaurant – after a pal put them in touch on social media.
Paul brought along a scrap book full of newspaper cuttings detailing performances from bands, including The Fall, Annie Lennox, Buzzcocks, Orange Juice and Simple Minds.
He told how he started booking acoustic gigs to pull in punters, but took a leap after a local group asked to play and packed out the pub with pals.
Paul added: “The band turned up with a pile of fans and it was a huge success, so I thought this was the way to go and, as they say, the rest is history.”
The show is punctuated with punk classics and celebrates the history of the Renfrew Road pub.
Loud ‘n’ Proud helps musicians access facilities, equipment and expertise, giving them a platform to play live and hone their skills.
The show follows I Was There, which was staged by the group and told the story of the legendary Glasgow Apollo.
Tommy said: “The story has never been told before and this will be the first show of its kind showcasing this iconic venue’s rise to fame.
“It’s a nostalgic trip for those who were there and captures the imagination of those who weren’t.
“Those amazing days are being brought to life with a full cast of live bands, dancers and actors.
“It is an amazing story punctuated with music that is timeless and also takes a look at what life was like in Paisley during the 70s and 80s.
“It is a tale that has become local folklore and put Paisley on the music map of Britain.”
The Bungalow is being staged at 7.30pm in Paisley Town Hall from March 1 to 3.
Tickets are £15 for adults and £7.50 for under-16s and are available from www. tickets-scotland.com.
Those wishing to join the cast or crew
It is remarkable The Bungalow is still remembered, never mind being turned into a musical