Dundee Music Hall of Fame guitarist Bruce Money has died aged 72.
The bass player who appeared on Opportunity Knocks most recently had jam sessions in Dundee’s Club 83 and Baxter Park Bowling Club, marking a lifetime love affair with music.
Peddie Street
Bruce David Money was born on August 26 1950 in Dundee. He was the second of four children for Davina and David Money, a carpet weaver.
Bruce and his siblings, Morag, Fiona and Keith lived with their parents in a Peddie Street tenement. In common with most wee boys of the time Bruce enjoyed playing in the street – often inspired by TV shows such as Zorro. He also attended Cubs and The Boys’ Brigade.
He attended Hawkhill Primary then Harris Academy, at which point the family moved to Menzieshill.
Musical memories
Bruce’s brother Keith said: “Sharing a bedroom at Earn Crescent with Bruce I remember vividly hearing lots of fantastic music played on his Dansette record player. I can remember very clearly Bruce playing Stevie Wonder and in particular the track Golden Lady which is still my favourite Stevie Wonder song.”
Bruce stayed on at school, excelling in technical drawing, but left half way through sixth year with the intention of joining the Merchant Navy.
He was accepted as a cadet for officer training but changed his mind and instead took a job in a lemonade factory.
Music in his blood
From an early age Bruce longed for a guitar. Music seemed to be part of his DNA but he would be 14 before the dream became a reality. From then on he spent “every waking minute” teaching himself to play.
He very quickly switched from acoustic to bass guitar. Some of the bands he joined early in his musical career were The Living Memory and Blues Junction in his teens, and Souled and Heeled.
All about the bass
From the lemonade factory he took on a few jobs including working in a jute mill. He was never afraid of hard work as long as he had time to play his bass.
In later years he undertook an electronics course in Dundee, after which he started work with Marconi in Inverkeithing.
His sister Morag said: “As a young teenager, the answer to every question, including what do you want for tea, was ‘bass guitar’. It was a huge relief when said guitar finally arrived and we no longer heard these words.”
By the early 1970s Bruce joined Exhibition then Stan and de Liver. Later that decade he was asked to join Tivvy, with whom he appeared on TV’s Opportunity Knocks.
Fun loving
However, joining Exhibition brought more than just musical success to Bruce’s life. It was during a gig at Caird Hall, where his future wife Anne would first see “the love of her life”.
Anne said: “They were supporting Argent who were riding high in the charts. We properly met not long after that. I was 18 and Bruce was 22. We didn’t actually get together until we both had moved to Edinburgh, six years later. In those early days he was always clad top to toe in faded Levi denim and had long straight that hair I was a wee bit envious of!
“Bruce said to me more than once that when he was 18 he felt like he’d gone to a party and never came home again. Certainly, when I first knew him I could see that fun was what characterised his life.
“A career wasn’t hugely important to him, unless it was to imagine himself playing music professionally.”
Home to Dundee
From a bedsit on Dalkeith Road in Edinburgh, they moved to a flat in Leith. Already in the electronics industry by this time Bruce began studying at Leith Nautical College to further his training and qualifications.
He loved being a student, and at 32 discovered a talent for maths and problem solving. However, the music scene in Edinburgh had nothing much to offer so Bruce and Anne returned to Dundee.
He quickly reconnected with old friends. He played regularly with Poker Alice, Crawler, Tivvy, the Mivvies and Two Wheels Good.
“Getting back to playing in a band was important to Bruce,” said Anne. “Music and playing the bass was his first and enduring love.”
‘In a different league’
In a tribute to Bruce, members of Tivvy wrote that he joined the band in 1978, playing all over Scotland.
They said: “We quickly realised Bruce was an outstanding bass player, in another league from us.
“In February that year we went to London to appear on the talent show of the day, Opportunity Knocks. It was a great experience. We came in fourth with a quick change artist miming to songs from Al Jolson, and others, winning the show.
“We had many a good night with Bruce in the band and we will all sorely miss him forever more.”
An audio recording still remains from the day:
In the 1990s Bruce was part of rock outfit Poker Alice and maintained an appreciation for quality musical instruments.
One of his favourite stories – about his Lakland bass – took place during a work trip in Chicago.
Keith Richards’ guitar
“He went to the Lakland workshop to buy a replacement tuner and met the guy in charge called Dan Lakin,” Anne explained.
“Bruce asked about a specific new model of Lakland bass and was told there was one in for repair. Dan invited Bruce to try it out.
“He initially declined, but then, when told the guitar was going back to its owner – Keith Richards – Bruce told him to plug it in.
“That was quite the thrill for Bruce, and he loved telling the story, although he would joke that the thrill was all Keith’s!”
Still jamming
In 2012 the old Tivvy band members reunited for a nostalgia gig and decided to stay together often playing in No 57 Dock Street Dundee.
They disbanded in May 2019 and Bruce went on to join Two Wheels Good who played pubs in and around Dundee, and at bikers events.
More recently Bruce had been jamming with friends at Club 83 in Dundee and in Baxter Park bowling club.
Dundee Music Hall of Fame
Recent developments to honour Dundee musicians and bands by engraving their names on granite stones in the city centre were welcomed by Bruce.
Dundee’s Music Hall of Fame recognised the wealth of talent to come from the city so Bruce was chuffed when his own name was included.
Aside from music Bruce loved to travel. India, Vietnam, Thailand, the Maldives and the USA were among his favourite destinations. Though California held special significance.
It was there, in 1996, that Bruce and Anne married.
Generous and kind
Over the years they enjoyed trips to France and loved cooking together.
Bruce was politically minded. A proud Scot – passionate about the future of Scotland – he kept his eye on current affairs and was always happy to share his thoughts and opinions. He valued friendships and was a loyal friend himself.
His sister Fiona added: “In later years, he was always there for me, always willing to help out with anything at all that I asked of him, without any fuss or a word of complaint. He always looked out for me, his ‘wee sis’, and I loved him for it.”
Final farewell
Bruce died on February 16 at Ninewells Hospital.
Anne added: “Bruce would always say there is only two kinds of music – good music and bad. But there was only one kind of Bruce: the one who is already sorely missed and who has left a big hole in our lives.”
You can read the family’s announcement here.
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