Managed a rare trip into Glasgow today with an old school friend, and embarked on a wee tour around some familiar spots, including the area in the West End where I lived in as a toddler back in prehistoric times. (At least, that's what it feels like.) Took a few photos, and the above one shows what once used to be The Odeon Cinema in Renfield Street, though before that, it was known as The Paramount Cinema until it changed hands after World War II. It was built in 1934 and closed in 2006.
The above photo shows part of Kelvingrove Park, as do the following six. I really should do some research and tell you something about it, but am far too lazy to bother. Anyway, all you really need to know is that it's a very pleasant-looking spot and the higher level just off Park Circus has some nice views of Glasgow University. I used to live just around the corner from both the park and university light years ago, but was far too young to know about the unsavoury reputation of parts of the park at certain times, and in fact, only learned of it as an adult. (Not as a participant, I hasten to add.)
Below is a nice-looking stairway next to the subway (no, not the eaterie) on Great Western Road, running over the River Kelvin. Next is a couple of pics of the Glasgow Coat Of Arms, followed by a few of Glasgow University and the flowerbed in the grounds. In times past I used to sit in the quadrangle of the uni, and it was like being in an episode of Inspector Morse (or Lewis). The Greek/Roman-looking building 11 pics down is further along the street just across the road from the university and ties into (sort of) this post's title.
Okay, I've kept the worst 'til last. Below is the landing of the flat my family lived in a long, long time ago in a galaxy far, far away, followed by my good self standing in the entrance to the building. I really should've hitched up my trousers before the photo was taken, but that apart, the role of James Bond has surely got my name written all over it. What do you mean, no? Cheeky Crivvies! Okay, that's your lot for now. (Maybe not the best blog post in the world, but hey, it filled a space.)
34 comments:
It was a shame when the Odeon on Renfield St closed as it was a pretty iconic Glasgow building. I saw pictures of the original cinema recently and it looked stunning in its Art Deco glory, I can only imagine what it must have been like with 2,800 people all watching the same film (and no doubt watching it quietly unlike today). By the time I got around to visiting it I think it had been split into 3 screens of about 500/700 per screen for a while . I think the Beatles and Rolling stones played here in the early 60s. I have only been in Glasgow for 2 short visits (one to the new Forbidden Planet) since the lockdown and I have to say I miss the old place.
I'd only ever been in the foyer of The Odeon to see if there were any freebie postcards or leaflets of movies available, but my pal who was with me on Saturday had seen loads of films there, McS. As you say, it was iconic. Another cinema building where I'd only ever been in as far as the foyer was the old one in Ashton Lane, part of which is still a cinema, but nowhere near as grand as it was. Shame. Haven't been in the new FP as I tend to get my stuff online now, on account of my trips to Glasgow being far less frequent. Walked past it on Saturday, but didn't even bother looking in the window. Funny how easy it is to shake off old habits sometimes, eh? I now prefer to look forward to the arrival of the post - much more of a thrill.
Yeah I know what you mean. Saying that I found a stall selling old comics at the local antique store relatively cheaply so I have been popping in there now and then. Got a few good back issues Witching Hour 5 and 6 for £5 each and a few others. Annoying thing though the stall owner has a half price sale but has obviously increased all the prices in felt pen on the stickers.
I don't know what people like that are thinking when they do that. (Well, yes, I do - they're trying to con their customers in order to make some money.) Thing is, you noticed it, so probably don't have a high opinion of the guy's integrity, perhaps making you a bit wary about buying from him again (unless it's a comic you really want).
Exactly, I only bought items that were an ok price even with the pre sale mark up added.I managed to purchase 2 Mighty Comics (Crusaders and the Web)I was after from my childhood, terrible comics but they have that nostalgic appeal to them for me.
Sometimes nostalgia is the only appeal, whether it be comics, TV shows, or movies, McS. When I look at old issues of Pow!, I'm appalled at the butchery of Ditko's art on the Spidey pages when they were resized for the UK format. Whoever 'drew up' (extended) some of the panels clearly had no idea what they were looking at a lot of the time.
I remember our local really tiny old local cinema, I think it was an Odeon. I knew it's days were numbered even then as a newer multi screen opened up.
It looks like we may be looking at the end of cinemas as we know them. We may never see a movie like the Avengers ever again . No point in spending all that money on effects and actors for streaming , you can't see the detail.
Kelvin eh. So was Kelvin the physicist a hereditary lord or was he made one later? Did you know there's a brand of fridge over here called Kelvinator? I was listening to a science podcast about how you can never get to absolute zero or 0 kelvin because it takes too much energy to get that cold and no one has done it because it's just not worth it. The law of increasingly infinitesimal returns. I also vaguely recall some formula that needs to be in Kelvin not centigrade or it doesn't calculate correctly but I can't remember . It was forty years ago I took Physics.
Egad I'm boring.
My father was born in Edinburgh in 1927 but he grew up in Glasgow. He moved to London around 1950 but he always remained a patriotic Scot and a Glaswegian boy at heart :)
Don't know whether Kelvin was a hereditary lord or not, PS, because the only thing I know about him is that a Scottish river was named after him. It would be a shame if cinemas disappeared completely, because (people talking, coming in late, and mobile 'phone screens lighting up aside) there's nothing to beat seeing a movie on the big screen. As for Physics, it was over 40 years ago that I DIDN'T take it.
******
So was his favourite song 'I Belong Tae Glasgae', CJ? Just think, if he were alive today, he'd only be three years older than Sean Connery.
Kid, he thought that "Maybe It's Because I'm A Londoner" was just a pathetic attempt to copy "I Belong To Glasgow".
Three years older than Sean Connery but a mere TWO DAYS older than Roger Moore!
I wonder which song was written first? I'll have to check. Just think - now Sean has gone from being three years younger than Roger to a year older. (I think Rog was 89 when he died.)
Kelvin was made a Lord by Queen Victoria. He was actually born in Belfast although spent most of his life in Scotland. Fair to say the lad was a mathematical genius. I think M"it's because I'm a Londoner" was written after "I belong to Glasgow" I think it was a music hall song
I think they were both music hall songs, McS. I remember Kirk Douglas singing 'Londoner' on, I think, the Parkinson show once. Then he sang it again on (maybe) Russell Harty's show not too long after. Thing is, it was pretty much the same interview, word for word, so maybe because it went down well on Parky, he asked if he could do it the same on Harty.
I remember seeing a recording of Danny Kaye singing "I belong to Glasgow" seemed strange. Checked and Glasgow was written in 1920 and Londoner in the 1940s
I've got Danny singing it on a CD - he's no' a bad wee chanter. Comes as no surprise to learn that we were 20 years ahead of the English (he said, jokingly).
I thought he was named after the river !
He was, PS - which shows that I knew absolutely nothing about him. I did have a feeling it was a possibility that he was named after the river, but I couldn't be bothered checking. (Let that be a lesson to you all - Wikipedia is there for a reason.)
I Belong To Glasgow isn't quite as old as I'd thought - I'd have placed it in the late 19th Century but, as Paul said, it was actually written in 1920. According to Wikipedia it's also been sung by Kirk Douglas, Gracie Fields and Eartha Kitt!
And 'Maybe It's Because I'm A Londoner' first came out in 1950 - I knew 'Londoner' was the more recent song because it was written by Hubert Gregg who had a weekly show on Radio 2 until about 15 years ago. I listened to it sometimes and he always referred to CDs as "shaving mirrors".
So this year is the 100th anniversary of 'I Belong To Glasgow'.
Ta for that, CJ, saves me having to do any research to answer any questions. Far too lazy most of the time. Does Wales have an equivalent song to 'Glasgow' and 'London'?
Yes, 'I Belong To Caerphilly' and 'Maybe It's Because I'm A Cardiffian' (only kidding). If there is such a song I'm unaware of it.
Now's your opportunity to write one, CJ. Apply your mighty brain and post the result on Crivens.
Ah. The old cinema. Oh to be back in the 1960s . Running into the stalls to roll a coke bottle down the aisle till you hear it go thump against the stage . And watching the movie whilst breathing in the smell of dead ice cream wafting from the floorboards. I think I must have watched Ice Station Zebra about 20 times back then. They're all gone now .Just damn Cineplexes. See you later fellas I'm off in my TARDIS back to 1969 to watch Ice Station Zebra in a real cinema.
As I said previously, LH, I only got as far as the foyer, but I always wished I'd been right inside to see a movie. If The Odeon showed The Sound Of Music in 1968, then I was, but my research leads me to believe that I saw that film in whatever cinema used to occupy the space of The Savoy Centre. Think I'll jump into my TARDIS too and visit the '60s.
I remember when folk smoked in cinemas so it's not all bad. Also recall being given a 2 minute warning to stand for the UK national anthem or head out. The GFT and Grosvenor cinemas in Glasgow whilst both being modern have that old school vibe. There's also the Everyman cinema in Princess Sq that's a cracker , it's posh but at least its not one of these faceless cineplexes.
I've never smoked, McS, but I didn't really mind people smoking then. A couple of my girlfriends smoked, so it never really bothered me. (It would now, 'cos it affects my eyes, though it never used to.) What really annoys me in cinemas is mobile 'phone screens lighting up as people check for messages instead of watching the bloody picture. I find it totally distracting. Don't think I've been in The Everyman, must check it out.
Nice pics, Kid. I've been wandering aimlessly around Glasgow for decades and still notice something new every time.
Ta, DS. The architecture is something to behold. Depending on which part of Glasgow you're in, you could be fooled into thinking you're in any country in the world depending on just what building you're looking at.
Have you seen this? https://thebeautyoftransport-com.cdn.ampproject.org/v/s/thebeautyoftransport.com/2013/06/26/lost-beauty-4-the-railway-terminus-by-charles-rennie-mackintosh/amp/?amp_js_v=a3&_gsa=1&usqp=mq331AQFKAGwASA%3D#aoh=15984707210798&referrer=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.google.com&_tf=From%20%251%24s&share=https%3A%2F%2Fthebeautyoftransport.com%2F2013%2F06%2F26%2Flost-beauty-4-the-railway-terminus-by-charles-rennie-mackintosh%2F
Rennie Mackintosh's unused design for a train station, and its it's a thing of beauty. It looks like it should be in the Gotham City from the Michael Keaton Batman film
You're right. And in the 2nd pic, the ground level part of the building actually reminds me of the outside of Central Station where the taxi stance is.
Your right the lower part of the building (pic 2) does look similar to the front of the current Central station and Gordon Street. The glass dome design is stunning and would have looked better than what we have for the St Enoch's centre. There are so many amazing buildings in Glasgow (and other UK cities and towns) just going to waste and lying empty while new (mostly) generic type buildings are put up that will be lucky to last 30 years.
Gordon Street - I don't know why (cough), but that name has a certain appeal to me, McS. Yes, far too many great-looking buildings lying neglected, too many examples of soulless crap being built instead. For example, all of my old schools had character, the new replacements are just boxes with fewer windows. I reckon they'll need replaced in about 20 years, so hardly cost-effective.
Just noticed you have a blog, McS. Hurry up and do your first post so's I can leave a comment.
I’m working on it Kid but as usual as soon as I started it things got really busy at work and home (getting a total house refurb and it’s a living nightmare) . I'm not too happy with the blog name (was all I could think of) and the design but will sort that out as I go along. - I will have a wee think about my first blog but really only using it as a bit of an areas to note things I liked and did back in the day looking at them via rose tinted glasses of course. I didn’t realise you’ve been doing the “Crivens” blog for over 10 years! that is some feat well done.
It doesn't feel like 10 years, McS - 2 or 3 at the most. Time flies, eh? Let me know when your first post is up so that I can leave an erudite, articulate, well-considered, educated and informed comment. (That'll be a first, eh?)
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