Track 21 on Disc 1 of the Big Gold Dreams box set.
‘Band with A Difference’ went the legend on the promotional keyrings put out by this Edinburgh four-piece, whose acronym stood for Thick Pink Ink. TPI were originally fronted by a man known only as Curtis, who was resident DJ at Edinburgh New Town nightspot Tiffany’s which on Monday nights became the best gig venue in town.
Once Curtis left, guitarist Billy Barker stepped up to front this sixties-tinged first-person study in being romantically out of one’s depth, produced by original Bay City Rollers vocalist Nobby Clark. The song’s prettified melodies and ringing guitars resembled the likes of The Flaming Groovies particular brand of power pop.
mp3: TPI – She’s Too Clever For Me
As far as I know, this was the only 45 ever released by TPI. I’ve tried, without success, to track down You Rool Me, the other side of the Double AA single.
I enjoyed that!
That’s not a bad way fo start Saturday.
Tiffanys was a legendary Edinburgh venue that staged loads of post-punk gigs back in the day, before my time sadly. When I lived just round the corner, mid-80s, it was a hideous disco called Cinderellas. I went once to see if any of the old magic remained, but the bouncers didn’t like the (indie-kid) look of me. Can’t say I blame them. I was a long way away when it burned down. Honest.
If that was played at about 1/3 speed it would be ‘Common People’ by Pulp. Just leaving that out there.
Hi JC!
You can find ‘You Rool Me’, the other side of the single, here:
https://www.kbdrecords.com/2009/10/27/tpit-p-i-st-7/
Cheers!
If anybody even dare care t know the real story behind this outfit – it was created by that wee guy McVicar who worked wi their long haired Hippie lookin bassy (rip) Willie Taylor who he knew fi the ICE RINK in Edinburgh and in late 76 /77 let Me work at his new wee second hand record shop in that other Hippie joint called Greyfriars Market or rather Oddfellows Hall where the HARRY KRISHNA ORANGE ANKLE BELL’D HIPPIES would invite other fuckin Hippies furra free scran up the stair / i mind when Graham Parker & The Rumour were considered almost Punk so were The Motors (but) Willie was a major Jimi Hendrix fan and I had young ideas so he showed me his basement rehearsal facility which was the best kept secret on the Capitals Music Scene at the time The Valves / Ronnie Gurr / him fi Bilbo Baggins / then Polydor rep aw usty think they were kool wi their Nils Lofgren & Little Feet albums under their arms while i was chorin Damned Damned Damned wi a photie y Eddie & The Hot Rods on the back coz Stiff had fucked up! Right backty the top THICK PINK INK was originally Ma idea wi Willie – how Curtis got involved in cannae mind but I knew him fi havin awready jammed wi SHADOWFAX at Craigmount High School where they rehearsed when their bassy Dougie M was still alive before Acid thru him ooty a windy! I played the first 2 or 3 gigs / Gruppo Sportivo at Tiffany’s and The Only Ones at The Astoria but I left ma own band when some guy called Eric (another like Allan Campbell – aw these Ultra straight arrow ‘would be hip’ when they realised they’d actually missed “PUNK” and Lenny Love/ Bruce Findlay etc had labels – Bla Bla The Skids anaw Bla / ) who thought or was it Bert Muirhead suggested THICK PINK INK cover a Van Morrison tune called Brown Eyed Girl by which time id set ma sights on tryin t hustle a gig wi THE CONTORTIONS in NYC – i got the Fuck outta there & thats when homeboy Billy Barker came on board – i moved onto seein how far I could trick the entire music industry wi 13 minutes of not a lot but every major label wanted t invest loadsa money in ! Aw good fun & yes it might be 2026 & Curtis still keeps in touch wi me! Willie was kool so was Gooch but I never knew Billy Barker! The only credit I’ll take for My involvement is the name THICK PINK INK 💗 & NOT T.P.I. / just remember i maybe also played wi that Aberdeen outfit APB whatever that meant at Tiffany’s anaw – Aberdeen’s Pinky Barker???? 😜🤪😝
Cheers for this!!! The only info I had was from the Big Gold Dreams booklet. This is priceless. 🙂