Iron Virgin?...

Denise · Post by **Denise** » 18 Dec 2006, 17:42

http://news.scotsman.com/edinburgh.cfm?id=1877612006

from today's evening news, looking for contacts from 70's Porty band

SoupDragon · Post by **SoupDragon** » 18 Dec 2006, 18:03

Anyone recognise anyone?

bearcub · Post by **bearcub** » 18 Dec 2006, 18:15

Thought Sandra has posted the pics from Friday's POL night-out for a minute there.

Bob Jefferson · Post by **Bob Jefferson** » 18 Dec 2006, 19:38

Would you admit to being any of these guys?

Iron Virgin

Izzie · Post by **Izzie** » 18 Dec 2006, 19:47

I remember Lawrie Riva he lived in Magdalene at the time.

Cleopas · Post by **Cleopas** » 18 Dec 2006, 20:04

Bob wrote:

Would you admit to being any of these guys?

No!

Yuccch!

SoupDragon · Post by **SoupDragon** » 18 Dec 2006, 20:50

You mean you don't look like that, Cleopas?

There goes my mental picture of you

Cleopas · Post by **Cleopas** » 18 Dec 2006, 21:15

Soupdragon wrote:

You mean you don't look like that, Cleopas?

There goes my mental picture of you

Thank goodness. I'm WAAAAAAAAAY prettier than ANY of those guys!

Pal of Porty · Post by **Pal of Porty** » 19 Dec 2006, 00:29

One year at the PHS school disco, they played a live gig at really reduced rates because of the local connection. I still have an autographed single to this day!

They told me they were seriously brassed off with Paul McCartney because he had given them permission to release the single 'Jet'. However, once he saw how well it was doing, he then rushed out his own version of Jet which obviously killed off theirs. They felt he had stitched them up.

Life is full of near misses and close things and perhaps this was one of them.

Porty · Post by **Porty** » 19 Dec 2006, 00:37

This is not the first mention of Iron Virgin here on POL, we discussed them a couple of years ago and ECM, the fountain of knowledge of all things pop musical, didn't remember them.

I distinctly remember them playing a gig at Portobello High School around the time that "Jet" made the charts. They were not a punk band in fact nothing like it. As Izzie says Lawrie Riva (although I thought it was spelt Reever) lived in magdalene. He was one of three or four brothers, the youngest of whom: Alex, has children who attend PHS at the moment.

For a few years I pal-ed about with one of the brothers; Roy who I see from time to time and he knows me well enough to say "awright mate" but thats about it.

One of the brothers, i think it was Lawrie (the one in the middle of the pic), died very young, he had a heart condition. He was the goalie in the Brunstane Primary team that won the Inspectors cup in the very same year that they also won the School Board cup. Which for a small school was a remarkable achievement. (this may or may not have been Lawrie, if not it was Brian). At primary he was very tall, well over 6ft. John Ferrier, who runs Portobello Thistle, would be able to furnish all the details. I clearly recall the teams parading the trophies around Magadalene and the Christians on the back of John Ferrier (senior) open-top builders van.

Magdalene produced at least 2 pop "stars" Pat McGlynn, who still lives in the area, was a Bay City Rollers recruit in the latter stages of their success. "Whats Up" were another Scottish Band who were massive in Japan but had almost no success here in the UK. My friend; Brian Spence, who lived in Christian Crescent was the drummer of the band. Brian was killed in a car accident when he was about 22 or 23.

At the time the story was Paul McCartney had given Iron Virgin permission to cover the song. They then released Band On the Run which became a phenomenally succesfull seller and as a money saving maneovere Wings released the song too. Apparently macca did the dirty. I have no idea if there is any truth in this but in my view there is something deeply distrustful about paul mccartney. I would not be surprised if it is subsequently discovered that Heather Mills has two complete legs or even that she is actualy Jake the Pake in. However, if I had to choose, I would trust her more than him. JMPO.

Izzie · Post by **Izzie** » 19 Dec 2006, 06:37

I know the Riva's well.The youngest brother still lives in Magdalene and Lawrance as I know him is doing really well.It was one of his brothers who died while he was playing football with a massive heart attack.
Not only was there the Bay City Rollers in Magdalene but there was also Phil and John Cunningham and at that time we all live within yards of each other.

Bob Jefferson · Post by **Bob Jefferson** » 19 Dec 2006, 08:05

Porty wrote:This is not the first mention of Iron Virgin here on POL

Ah yes, your 2000 Post Celebration Quiz

Maria · Post by **Maria** » 19 Dec 2006, 10:24

Porty wrote:I have no idea if there is any truth in this but in my view there is something deeply distrustful about paul mccartney.

I know someone who taught his kids. She had nothing but good things to say about him and the way he raised his family out of the media spotlight. Said he was very unaffected and easy to treat as a 'normal' parent at consultation nights and so on.

Porty · Post by **Porty** » 19 Dec 2006, 10:39

Izzie wrote:I know the Riva's well.The youngest brother still lives in Magdalene and Lawrance as I know him is doing really well.It was one of his brothers who died while he was playing football with a massive heart attack.

I think it was Brian and I didn't realise that he was playing football when he died. How young was he?

And the youngest brother is Alex and I think he still lives in the family home with his family.

Izzie wrote:Not only was there the Bay City Rollers in Magdalene but there was also Phil and John Cunningham and at that time we all live within yards of each other.

So you must know my best friend Alistair Fyfe who lived on the same side as Phil and John but in the last house. That street was full of characters.

Porty · Post by **Porty** » 19 Dec 2006, 10:43

Marya wrote:
Porty wrote:I have no idea if there is any truth in this but in my view there is something deeply distrustful about paul mccartney.
I know someone who taught his kids. She had nothing but good things to say about him and the way he raised his family out of the media spotlight. Said he was very unaffected and easy to treat as a 'normal' parent at consultation nights and so on.

I've formed an impression over many years from interviews etc I may be miles out but i don't trust him. For example, he is about to face an unsavoury divorce case, we have all known about it for ages but he insists that only yesterday his troubles seemed so far away. Something's not right.

Pal of Porty · Post by **Pal of Porty** » 19 Dec 2006, 12:43

Paul McCartney tried to change all the songs he had written with John Lennon to 'McCartney/Lennon' instead of the current 'Lennon/McCartney'. How could you trust someone who would do that to their dead colleague?

Porty · Post by **Porty** » 19 Dec 2006, 13:10

I can only Imagine.

I didn't realise that you had similar aspersions about Macca. I'm tempted to suggest that its something in the way he moves but it can't be as that was the only song that george wrote, I think.

I will say that the man has remarkable foresight. Around 40 years before he kicked Heather out he was telling us that she was leaving home. If she ends up relocating to a Norwegian Wood I may well review my position.

susie · Post by **susie** » 19 Dec 2006, 14:07

SoupDragon wrote:

Anyone recognise anyone?

John lovatt is the one on the far left. He lived in tower street, which is now called figgate street and his mum was a driving instructor. I was in the same class as john at towerbank.

ali · Post by **ali** » 19 Dec 2006, 14:10

Porty wrote:I can only Imagine.

I didn't realise that you had similar aspersions about Macca. I'm tempted to suggest that its something in the way he moves but it can't be as that was the only song that george wrote, I think.

I will say that the man has remarkable foresight. Around 40 years before he kicked Heather out he was telling us that she was leaving home. If she ends up relocating to a Norwegian Wood I may well review my position.

Wouldn't the last three posts fit this thread better?

http://porty.org.uk/forum/viewtopic.php?t=2920

PS "something" was only one of the songs wot George wrote.

SoupDragon · Post by **SoupDragon** » 23 Dec 2006, 17:52

from tonights news
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Porty · Post by **Porty** » 23 Dec 2006, 20:13

Is it true that Gordon Nicol, the second guitarist from Iron Virgin was the Gordon in that song by Jilted John?

http://scotchproductions.com/scottish-poet.html