Tayside’s music scene is mourning its second loss of a legendary musical figure in the space of a week after Angus Foy died on Friday.
Fellow band-mate and friend Stewart Ivins added: ”Gus was a wonderful singer with a really fluid style of guitar playing a real strength in the band and, just as importantly, had a wicked sense of humour which would keep us entertained in the long hours sitting in a Transit van.
”Gus Foy was a great musician and one of nature’s gentlemen. Over all the years, I never saw him in a bad mood. He will be sorely missed.”
Gary Clark, lead singer with Danny Wilson who now lives in Los Angeles, said: ”Dougie Martin and Gus Foy were independently responsible for giving me my very first paid musical gigs. They were incredibly encouraging to a very shy young teenager with little experience of life or the music world.
”I will keep them both in my grateful heart forever. RIP Dougie and Gus.”
Angus was born in Montrose in July 1941 but moved to Dundee with his family when he was two.
After leaving Stobswell Boys’ School he served his apprenticeship as a painter and decorator, retiring from the trade six years ago.
A promising footballer, Gus played two trial matches for Forfar Athletic and featured against Berwick Rangers the week after they famously dumped Glasgow Rangers out of the Scottish Cup in 1967.
However, a serious knee injury ended his career prematurely and he substituted the leather ball with a guitar.
Self-taught, he also mastered bass guitar and piano and played in various other bands, including Gus Foy and the Handsome Strangers, The Fabulous Specky Boys, The Birddogs and Marra Foy and Ivins (MFI).
He met and married his wife Anne in the mid 1960s and the couple had four boys, Gary, Paul, Graham and Greig.
Gary said: ”I remember growing up and seeing musicians in the house rehearsing, including Michael Marra and Dougie MacLean. He was a very well-liked man and no one would have a bad word to say about him.”
Angus and Anne latterly lived in Inchture.
Gus, as he was known to generations of fans and friends, passed away in the early hours aged 71.
It’s the second blow for music lovers across the region after the news of singer Dougie Martin’s death just one day before at the age of 70.
A multi-instrumentalist and singer, Gus (nicknamed Gorgeous by his good friend Andy Pelc) was a member of bands such as Hen’s Teeth, Skeets Boliver and St Andrew and The Woollen Mill.
Michael Marra was in all three bands with him, while Dougie MacLean was also a member of Hen’s Teeth.
Mr Marra said: ”His nickname was appropriate because he was a beautiful person. Anyone who knew him would understand that.
”He taught me such a lot. I watched him talking to the audiences at wee gigs in Fife and in an intimate setting, he was brilliant. He was also blessed with a beautiful voice.
”He kept an eye on me because I was just a daft wee laddie. He introduced me to Gerry Rafferty at the folk club in the Woodlands Hotel in the 1960s and he gave Billy Connolly his first solo gig there.
”Gus was a real gem of a man. It was a privilege to know him.”
Andy Pelc, aka St Andrew, said: ”Gus was a great musician, singer and friend, a consummate professional who gave 100% regardless of the task in hand, whether it be bass playing or paper hanging.
”Many people over the years have benefited from his musicianship, sense of humour, calming influence, guidance and warmth I certainly did. Gus will be greatly missed and fondly remembered.”
Continued…