Box and Fiddle
Year 05 No 02
October 1981
Price 25p
12 pages
8 month subscription £2.37
Editor – Ian Smith, 50 Mount Vernon Road, Stranraer Tele 4098
B&F Treasurer – Mrs Mary Plunkett, 2 Dounan Road, Dunragit, Wigtownshire
The main features in the above issue were as follows (this is not a comprehensive detail of all it contained. The Club reports, in particular, are too time consuming at this stage to retype).
Editorial
Welcome back to the new look ‘Box and Fiddle’. The big experiment is now on. From our humble beginnings we now go on to a 12-page newspaper. So I now look for you support even more in supplying all the news you can send, photographs, music, readers’ letters, technical information and stories – all will be very welcome.
The price has had to rise to 25p, but what you consider what 25p really means (five boxes of matches for example) I’m sure you won’t grudge or regret parting with your hard-earned cash.
Word has come from Australia that Arthur Spink will not be coming home at the turn of the year as he had planned.
Two new Clubs joining the Association this month.
First there is the Islesteps Club, the Dumfries Club has fallen by the wayside at the moment, but in its place is the Islesteps Club, Secretary Mrs D. Dalton, Cargenholm hotel, New Abbey Road, Dumfries Tele 4988. They meet on the first Tuesday. The Islesteps lies about two miles from Dumfries.
Then there is a welcome to Fintry Club, Mr F Farquharson, 1 Spokers Loan, Balfron, Glasgow, G63 0PA. They meet in the Clachan Hote, Fintry on the fourth Monday.
We now have a photographer for the ‘B&F’. He will be going to the Festivals etc to get the winners and visiting Clubs reasonably close. When you see him, welcome him. He is Bill Dickman, 50 Camnethan Street, Stonehouse, Lanarkshire. Tele 0698 792004
Jimmy Clinkscale is well-known in the accordion world, both as musician and seller of instruments and music. His other great interest is the Club scene. So much so that he has very kindly volunteered to submit each month a run-down on some personalities of ours. This month it is John Carmichael. In addition James is a fund of knowledge of the old, all-time greats and he will let us share some of his old photographs. Thanks Jimmy.
New Publications give Value for Money
By Derek Hamilton
Across in Grangemouth there’s a music publishing company set up by Iain Peterson. Iain is an ultra-enthusiast on the Scottish Dance and pipe music scene. If you listen to the Scottish Dance music programmes on the radio you’ll hear his name mentioned many times as one of the most popular modern composers.
Many of the broadcasting bands have included Iain’s tunes in their repertoire. At the A&F Clubs many guest artistes include Peterson compositions in their spots.
Iain Peterson is a man of the sea, having sailed as Master in the Merchant Navy. Nowadays he’s a Forth River Pilot.
Four publications have been produced since the mid-1970’s – two bagpipe music books and two for the accordion and fiddle.
The bagpipe music came first . In 1975 Iain published a Collection of Bagpipe Music followed by a second selection a bit later.
These two books contain between them 40 tunes – marches, jigs, strathspeys and slow airs. The tunes aren’t all composed by Iain himself but have been collected and compiled by him over the years. There are some great pipe tunes in these two books.
These two bagpipe books are published in the normal bagpipe book format and are printed very well indeed. Of course, no left hand harmonies appear since it is bagpipe music, but the top line is the most important thing anyway.
The other two books are for accordion and fiddle and include chord symbols. A total of 42 tunes appear in these two publications and all are Iain Peterson publications.
Although the original artwork has been hand-written rather than printed, the books are very neat and clear for reading and the fact that chords are included makes them very useful for pianists in SDBs too.
There are one or two repeats from the pipe books but there’s no criticism leveled at that. Since the chord sequence has been included (the work of Jack Delaney) it is still value for money.
Iain created a publishing name – Shian Music – for his publications and they can be found on the shelves of all good music shops. The books are attractively priced at £1.50 each.
The Reel Radio
by Derek Hamilton
The new season is on us again, so let me begin with a round-up of the broadcasting events of the close season. Most notable of all broadcasts, for me anyway, was the live session back in April by Alex MacArthur from the hall in Tillicoutry. The band was really jumping that night.
Come to think of it, it’s about the only broadcast in the ‘TTF’ series I’ve fully enjoyed during the summer session. Alex MacArthur, by his own admission, is not the most accurate player in the world, but when he sits down beside his bunch of men, he certainly knows how to make a band swing. His long experience really shows. Mind you, he does surround himself with the best musicians in the business. These lads are always worthy of a mention. Jack Delaney shows he’s not only the best second box player on the scene, but a damned good leader as well. By the way, did you catch the feature on Jack? Very interesting indeed. Well worthy of the repeat it got later in the year. Ian Mearns, the band’s fiddler, is one of the most unassuming chaps I’ve ever met – and a great asset to the front line of the band.
Highest Quality
Ian Wilson, brother of Kenny the fiddler (or Gemmie!) executes the piano parts with a ‘chunkyness’ that suits the music to a tee. Bass player Billy Craib really needs nothing said about him. In fact, it’s all been said before – a professional of the highest quality. To me, however, the man that pulls the whole band together is Bobby Colgan. For me, Bobby is the best Scottish Dance Band drummer on the circuit. His timing is rock steady – his style is never domineering. The best compliment I can pay the man is to say that when I play the drums I try to emulate his style.
The band played a waltz selection that night which included a tune called the ‘Darvel Toll’. I phoned Sandy to find out why that title, because I know it as the ‘Darvel Dam’ and it is said to originate five miles along the road from here in Darvel, the birthplace of Sir Alexander Fleming who discovered penicillin. Sandy tells me that he picked it up from a customer who comes into the Clydesdale Hotel in Biggar (where Sandy is mine host). He hummed it over a few times and called it the ‘Darvel Toll’. I’d be interested, and so would Sandy, to know if anyone can throw further light on this one.
As for the rest of the summer ‘TTF’ was pretty mediocre, except for a rare sparkle injected by John Ellis and the Highland Country Band, who, let’s face it, are always in the upper bracket. Bobby Crowe’s Band had a nice, thicker sound to it and it was his best broadcast for a long time. I enjoyed Fraser McGlynn too from the Corran Halls in Oban.
By the middle of July, though, I was beginning to wonder if the BBC had taken over the rights for that long-running (now obsolete) ITV series ‘All Our Yesterdays’. We, the general public, seem to have a hankering for what is loosely called ‘nostalgia’. I’m just as guilty as the next man, but I’ve come to the conclusion that remembering the good old days of Scottish Dance music is a bit like remembering our school holidays. The nine days of sunshine we had manifests itself as eight weeks. The sad fact, however, is that it rained most of the time and summers were really no better than they are now.
Old Masters
As far as the Scottish Dance music scene is concerned the old masters like MacLeod, Shand, Rennie and whoever were good in their day. They were the forefathers of the bandleaders of the present day who listened and learned and developed the music as it is presented today. But for goodness sake, don’t let us let our hearts rule our heads and ears. They were not all they are now being cracked up to have been (if you see what I mean!)
Listening to Bobby MacLeod and his Band from the Corran Halls proves the point as did the duets (or was it duals?) by Bobby and Jimmy Shand from Dundee’s Caird Hall.
Now I’m sure that, in the hall, on the night, the atmosphere was electric. Fine. Great. But there it ended and there is should have stayed. If that band in the Corran Halls had been led by anyone else and played to that standard the self-same BBC moguls who promoted it would have chucked it out. If two other players had gone to audition and played as Bobby MacLeod and Jimmy Shand did at the Caird Hall, they would have failed and told to come back and try again when they had learned the tune!
Jimmy Shand WAS good. Bobby @MacLeod WAS good. Of course they were, but they, I’m sure, would be the first to admit that that was THEN. I’m sure that both of them are professional enough to recognise and applaud the improvements in playing standards that have taken place over all those years since they pioneered our music.
When I was a wee boy my first idol was – yea – Jimmy Shand. He, and only he, inspired me to pressurise my father into buying me my first accordion – I was only five years old. At seven I had collected all his records. At eight I was maturing an seeking other ideas. Who then inspired me? Yes, you’re right – Bobby MacLeod. He was a player’s player. More modern in his style than Shand and less rigid in his approach to the music.
Why did I tell you that? Because I treasure my memories of what these two men were to me as a youngster. They were my idols. But I want to remember them and their music the way it was, or at least, seemed to be. I just don’t want the BBC, or anyone else for that matter, making fools of them. Sad to say, however, I think that’s what happened in the broadcasts from the Caird and the Corran Halls.
Critical Mood
Having said all that though, I wish I’d been there on the night and I’m glad the audience cheered and cheered. But as a broadcast ……well…….it just did not come off.
While I’m in a critical mood I suppose I may as well launch another attack and try to retrieve some of the goodwill I’m bound to have lost from that last bit.
In another broadcast of the Caird Hall night (the BBC got some mileage out of that – eh!) another duet was featured. John Huband and Calum McLean (alphabetical order you’ll note) are two very fine individual players. I was seated as usual on the couch in my lounge – the perfect position between the wall-mounted speakers (at ear level of course) to get the best from the living stereo reproduction. My wife – relatively non-musical – but sane – summed it up.
“The chap in the left-hand speaker is having a terrible job keeping the tune going” she said.
“Why’s that” says I.
“Cause the guy in the right speaker keeps practicing scales louder than him!”
It’s amazing what the untrained ear can perceive!
Jimmy Shand and Bobby MacLeod gained fame for their superlative simplicity. Calum McLean and John Huband got theirs for technical trickery. But when you put each of the pairs together it doesn’t seem to work.
I wonder what a quartet…….No! honest Robbie, I’m only kidding……….!!
Goodness me! I’ve come this far through the column and forgotten to say welcome to ‘TTF’s’ new Producer, Freeland Barbour. (Mind you, he didn’t produce any of the shows I’ve been talking about – I think – I hope!) Freeland will be better known to many for his two LPs (the latest of which is reviewed in the Record Review this issue) and for his broadcasts, live appearances and records with the Wallochmore Band. He was also the accordionist with the well-known progressive folk group Silly Wizzard for some time. Freeland has been involved in the production side of things too. He and Sandy Coghill have their own record label which has issued quite a few titles. So he knows the business and should be the right man for the job. I’d like to wish him every success in his new venture (that’s just to make him feel at ease – the onslaught comes in later articles!)
Radio Forth
Across in Edinburgh, ‘Folk’s Around Robin’ (Radio Forth, Monday at 7.02) is still going strong. And although I haven’t been able to catch many of Robin Brock’s shows, I do know that the bandleaders who have had sessions have been very pleased with the results. Fraser McGlynn was so delighted with his recent one – he thought it was somebody else’s band that was playing!
By the way, I wonder if anyone can settle an argument which Robin inadvertently had with Kenny Thomson. Where did the jig ‘Machine Without Horses’ get its title? Robin was heard to say “The Machine Without Horses – that’s a bloody train”.
Pregnant pause.
Kenny says “A what?”
“A train, is it no’?”
“No, it’s a car, I think”.
Well, what is it?
West Sound
Ayrshire listeners will be pleased to know that West Sound, the new commercial station based in Ayr, will have a two hour show every Sunday to be hosted by John Carmichael. John’s busy working on ideas at the moment for the programme which is due to start mid-October this year. The show, provisionally titled ‘Sounds Scottish’ will be on the air from 5 – 7pm every Sunday.
Initially the programme will be record based with requests and dedications, but John hopes to widen this out as time passes, to include interviews, news, reviews and outside broadcasts, all with a Scottish flavour. West Sound chiefs Kenneth Roy (the M.D.) and Robin Wyllie (programme controller) are committed to emphasis on the local rather than national and international without being parochial.
In other words West Sound will serve Ayrshire. It won’t be a predominantly pop orientated station which is great news as far as I’m concerned.
When you start to think about what’s needed to set up a new radio station like West Sound (which will broadcast on 290m medium wave) there must be a million headaches to be suffered before the station gets on the air.
One such headache springs to mind immediately. Where do you get all the older records that are needed for shows like John Carmichael’s ‘Sounds Scottish’? The answer lies in the words of the New Seekers hit song – ‘Beg, Steal or Borrow!’ (with emphasis on the beg or borrow, of course! John is currently engaged in getting his hands on as many records as possible. So if you have some that you think might be of use to him, drop him a line an tell him what you’ve got.
Another programme of interest on West Sound is a Family Show at the weekend hosted by Lou Grant – a well-known Scottish entertainer. This is bound to include Scottish flavoured music. Kathryn Thompson, a Canadian, who is right into the folk scene, has her own show too which will, of course, include a large helping of Scottish folk music. No actual times have yet been set for these two shows but I’ll keep you posted.
Now that local commercial radio is coming to Scotland in a big way (by the end of this year there will be five stations fully operational) your contributions to this column will be greatly appreciated. Obviously, I have great difficulty in hearing Radio Tay, North Sound and for that matter Radio Forth. If you’d like to comment on your local independent radio station drop me a line.
Annual Concert
Radio Forth are holding their annual Accordion 81 concert in the Playhouse, Edinburgh on 14th November. Booked for the occasion are
Jim Johnstone’s Band
John Carmichael
Andrew Rankine
Jack Delaney
Ian Holmes
Kenny Wilson
Gordon Pattullo
The Currie Brothers
Robin Brock
Angus Fitchet
And top of the bill, Andy Stewart.
Robin will present the awards for the tune competition. Looks like being a great night’s entertainment and, of course, Forth will record the whole show for use later in the year as a broadcast.
While on the subject of Radio Forth, Robin Brock tells me that his programme ‘Folks Around Robin’ is still going strong and forthcoming sessions are lined up with David Cunningham, Sandy MacArthur and Paddy Neary. Paddy Neary was on the air on Monday, 12th October, with Sandy the following week and David the week after that (26th Oct).
The production team of ‘FAR’ are certainly getting compliments from all quarters. Particularly the bandleaders themselves. Even the ‘Sunday Standard’ carried a highly complimentary column the other week. More power to their elbow,
Tayside listeners may be interested to know that Radio Tay are due to be taking the show in the near future.
The Radio Clyde area will have to wait a bit longer. Andy Park, who was Head of Light Entertainment there, has moved to London to work on the new breakfast television channel. Result is that new negotiations with his successor will have to be started.
The BBC’s ‘TTF’ series has continued its repeats during September and a couple worth of a mention were Bobby Crowe’s session and George Stirrat.
First Session
I was most impressed by the overall sound of Bobby Crowe’s Band. The addition of Jock Borthwick from Hawick (ex-Eric Goodfellow Band) was a great boost to the sound. The band was both lively and well co-ordinated.
George Stirrat played his first session for a long time in fine style. He was the victim of a relatively poor recording, but I’m pretty sure that this was due to conditions in the Normandy Hotel rather than anything else. I heard this broadcast originally back in May in the car en route for Oban, but getting the second chance recently was worthwhile. Again, like Bobby Crowe’s, the band sounded different from what George’s band sounded in the past. A much thicker sound. Some nice tunes too.
‘TTF’ sessions to look out for this month are
Sat 17th Oct Rob Gordon
24th Oct The Olympians
31st Oct Robert Whitehead
7th Nov Hebbie Gray
14th Nov The Lothian SDB
21st Nov George Bell
Wide Variety
I always feel that Robbie Shepherd’s ‘Reel Blend’ doesn’t get a fair crack of the whip primarily due to its allocated slot of 9.30 on a Friday evening. An earlier spot would, I’m sure, help the audience figures. But it must be said that Robbie has a good programme which you must try to hear if you can. He features a wide variety of records from the old to the new and links them well with a heap of good information.
Now that Freeland Barbour produces both ‘TTF’ and ‘The Reel Blend’ he may be able to sort out some of the difficulties that have arisen by tying the two shows more together. They are, after all, brother and sister to each other and should be allowed to have some continuity. No doubt after the turn of the year we’ll see changes – hopefully for the better.
Albie Tedham Memorial Concert
by Ian Smith
The Albie Tedham Memorial concert was held in the Parish Church Hall, Langholm, on 9th April, 1981.
There was a record attendance of almost 1,000 people. After enjoying the concert the sum that was raised was announced as £1,742.
Part of this money will be used towards a Silver Cup which will be competed for at the Perth Festival on 24th October.
A fine reminder of Albie’s faithful attendance at this competition and dedication to traditional music. The remainder of the money goes to Cancer Research.
John Carmichael – the smile on STV’s ‘Thingummyjig’ programme
by Jimmy Clinkscale L.B.C.A.
October sees the start of a whole new career for Scotland’s John Carmichael.
A top-class accordionist, producer, arranger and writer, he begins a new chapter of his life on Sunday, 17th October, as presenter of ‘West Sound’s’ Scottish music programme. ‘West Sound’ in Ayr being Scotland’s newest local radio station.
John’s obviously looking forward to this new challenge and it’s one that should acquaint him with an even wider audience than he knows at present.
As music adviser to STV’s ever popular ‘Thingummyjig’ and ‘Sounds Gaelic’ programmes, John is no stranger to broadcasting, but the West Sound appointment excites him a lot.
He plans to present a ‘fairly-middle-of-the-road’ show in his two-hour slot, but is prepared to be adaptable to the needs of his audience. A career spanning over 20 years during which he has toured the world with some of Scotland’s top artists, should also give him a rich vein of stories with which to pelt his listeners.
It’s all a far fling from his childhood in Govan he describes as ‘ordinary’. Born there 42 years ago of Highland parentage, he attended Bellahouston Academy, the same school that taught the likes of Jimmy Logan, comedian Ronnie Dale and ‘Thingummyjig producer Bruce McClure, the elements of readin’, ‘ritin’ and ‘rithmetic.
John left Bellahouston at 15 to start an engineering apprenticeship with Rolls Royce, following similar footsteps to his father who was a motor mechanic.
It was three years later that he first took an interest in the accordion and Scottish music. “It’s always been my first love” he says.
Archie Duncan, who is in the ‘Thingummyjig Squad’ with John, was John’s teacher, until his studies began clashing with the time spent pounding away at the chords in his bedroom.
John inherited some of his mother’s musical talent – she was a pianist with a band in her younger days – playing by ear at first. He saved up for, and bought, his first accordion – cost £22 – in a second hand shop. Quite a commitment for a young teenager, considering he was earning only £3 10/- a week at the time.
He eventually began to read music and joined a band.
“We learned the hard way” he says, that familiar Glasgow ‘twang’ cutting through the memories. “We played the same six tunes all night and went anywhere – weddings, socials, dances”.
John eventually succeeded in cobbling together a wee three piece of his own, rising to the dizzy heights of playing Govan Town Hall after three years.
Then came the big break. John was Senior Scottish Champion in 1964, following in the wake of some of those he had admired for so long – Jimmy Blue and Ian Holmes, for example.
John didn’t stay around to take advantage of his new-found success however. The travel bug bit and he was off to Australia with the Merchant Navy.
After four years down under he came home on leave – “just for a wee while”.
The ‘wee while’ turned into ‘fir good’ – at least until return trips as a player on tour – because John received an offer from Jim Johnstone to spend a 14 week season with the band in Brighton.
John returned north after his sojourn in the deep south and went back to teaching – “they are both in the entertainment business” he laughs.
It was only his impending promotion to Assistant Headmaster in 1970 which made him look long and hard at the direction his life was taking.
“I made up my mind” he recalls “and have never regretted it since”.
John’s decision to go time was well founded. He spent months in Canada cutting tracks for Alasdair Gillies’ highly popular ceilidh programme, Grampian TV’s ‘Round at Calum’s’ signed him up for his first ever television appearance in this country in 1969 and he was offer tours with Andy Stewart’s ‘White Heather’ show in Canada and America.
He then changed direction and moved south to Australasia with Jimmy Shand prior to three more tours in that part of the world and a more settled existence back in Scotland.
And quite an existence it is too. Even when he gets home after a hard day’s work, John can’t get away from the music.
His wife, Freena, whom he married in 1961, is from a famous Mull piping family, the MacFadyens, and she has carried on the tradition. His two sons and two daughters – the eldest is 17 – are also well acquainted with the ‘box’ being pupils of Jimmy Blair, and having accompanied John on ‘Thingummyjig’.
John himself is delighted to see so many youngsters taking an interest in the instrument these days.
“The youngsters here are more enthusiastic than ever. They are taking up the accordion earlier than ever before and that can only be a good thing for the future”.
As to the future, well, John prefers to take things as they come.
After all, he is due something of a rest after five years hard work since 1976 on summer theatre tours.
“Still” he adds “if you had told me seven yours ago I would be doing as much radio and television work as I am doing at the moment, I wouldn’t have believed you. The same thrill is not there once you achieve those ambitions, but I still enjoy it.
“There are massive gaps in my musical education which can never be filled. Well, they could, but I just don’t seem to have much time these days to get on with it!”
Successful Tobermory Music Festival
By Sgt John McIntee
The Fourth Annual Music Festival took place at Tobermory……………
Newtongrange Festival
by Margaret Smith (Secretary)
Sunday, 12th April brought a large crowd of competitors and spectators to the Dean Tavern for our annual competitions. The two previous years we had a big entry for accordions and this year was no exception. Sixteen competitors in the Junior Class, 12 in the Intermediate Class and 14 in the Seniors. This was the first year we had a fiddle section and we were overwhelmed by the entry. 10 competitors in the Juniors, 13 in the Seniors and 14 in the Slow Air Class.
Alec MacArthur adjudicaled the accordion section and Alan Johnston the fiddlers and a very difficult job they had, the standard was so high.
The results are as follows :
Accordion Juniors
Diane Armstrong (Armadale)
Tracy Aitken (Bathgate)
Accordion Intermediate
Colin Dewar (Kingskettle)
Ian Skinner (Blackridge)
Accordion Seniors
Gordon Wardlaw (Edinburgh)
James Bell (Dunbar)
Fiddle Juniors
Isla Purdie (Mid Calder)
David McDougall (Muir of Ord)
Fiddle Seniors
Gordon Hutchison (Bonnyrigg)
John Lincoln (Newtongrange)
Slow Air
Donald McAllister (Haddington)
Richard Rutter (Edingurgh)
The first meeting of the new season is Monday, 28th September in the Dean Tavern when the guest spot is filled by the Wallochmore Ceilidh Band. It is hoped all our regular players and audience will keep the date free.
CLUB DIARY
Aberdeen (Queen’s Hotel) –
Alnwick (Nag’s Head) – members only
Armadale (Rob Roy Inn) –
Balloch (Loch Lomond Hotel) –
Banchory (Burnett Arms Hotel) –
Banff (Royal Oak Hotel) –
Beith (Anderson Hotel) – 19 Oct 81 Jim Cleland (accordion)
Biggar (Clydesdale Hotel) –
Buchan (Buchaness Hotel) –
Campbeltown (Argyll Arms) –
Castle Douglas (Ernespie Hotel) – 29 Oct 81 June McKay Trio (Wick)
Coupar Angus (Royal Hotel) –
Crieff (Arduthie Hotel) – 5 Nov 81 Jim Lindsay (fiddle)
Cumbria (Huntsman Inn – Penton) –
Cumnock (Tup Inn) – 20 Oct 81 Lothianaires
Dalriada (Royal Hotel, Lochgilphead) – 20 Oct 81 Willie Lawrie
Denny & Dunipace (Dunipace Junior Social Club) –
Derwentside (Working Men’s Club, Consett) – 29 Oct 81 Kenny Thomson & Ian Muir 26 Nov 81 50-50 Dance to Robert Whitehead and the Danelaw Band
Dingwall ( ) – Wallochmore Ceilidh Band
Dunblane (Hydro) –
Dundee (Royal Central Hotel) –
Dunfermline (Unitas Hall) –
East Kilbride (Stuart Hotel) – 29 Oct 81 Jimmy Yeaman (fiddle) & George Stirrat (Accordion)
Edinburgh (Hearts Supporters Club, 99 Slateford Road) -
Falkirk (Plough Hotel, Stenhousemuir) –
Fintry (Clachan Hotel) – 26 Oct 81 Currie Brothers
Forres (Brig Motel) –
Fort William (Highland Hotel) – 20 Oct 81 Currie Brothers
Galston (Barr Castle Social Club, Galston) –
Glendale (Black Bull Hotel – Wooler) – members only
Highland/ Inverness (Drumossie Hotel) – 19 Oct 81 Donaldson Brothers
Kelso (Cross Key’s Hotel) – 28 Oct 81 Jim Cleland
Kintore (Crown Hotel) – 4 Nov 81 Eric Bell
Langholm (Crown Hotel) –
Lesmahagow (Craignethan Hotel) – 5 Nov 81 Fireworks from Iain MacPhail
Livingston (Cameron Ironworks Social Club) –
Lockerbie (Queen’s Hotel) –
M.A.F.I.A. (Black Bull, Milngavie) – 5 Nov 81 Neil Sinclair Trio
Monkland (Eastercroft Hotel, Airdrie) – 2 Nov 81 Sandy MacArthur SDB
New Cumnock (Crown Hotel) –
Newtongrange (Dean Tavern) –
Newton St Boswells (Railway Hotel)
North East (Seafield Arms, Keith) –
Oban (Park Hotel) –
Orkney ( ) –
Ormiston (Miners’ Welfare Social Club) –
Perth (Salutation Hotel) – 20 Oct 81 Bobby Coghill (3 row), Les Currie (fiddle) 17 Nov 81 Iain MacPhail SDB
Renfrew (Glynhill Hotel)
Rothbury (Queen’s Head Hotel)
Shetland (venue?)
Stranraer (Buck’s Head Hotel) – 2 Nov 81 Kenny Thomson & Ian Muir
Torthorwald (Torr House Hotel)
Wick (McKay’s Hotel) –
THERE WERE CLUB REPORTS FROM :-
1. Alnwick
2. Armadale
3. Balloch
4. Banchory
5. Beith & District
6. Castle Douglas
7. Crieff & District
8. Cumnock & District
9. Dalriada
10. Derwentside
11. Dingwall
12. Dunblane
13. Dundee & District
14. East Kilbride
15. Falkirk
16. Fintry
17. Fort William
18. Forres
19. Glendale (Wooler)
20. Highland
21. Islesteps
22. Kelso
23. Kintore
24. Lesmahagow
25. Livingston
26. M.A.F.I.A.
27. Monklands
28. Newtongrange
29. North East
30. Perth & District
31. Premier (N.I.)
32. Stranraer
33. Thurso
CLUB DIRECTORY AS AT SEPT 1981 (Clubs didn’t necessarily notify the Assoc when they closed so the following may not be entirely correct. Only the clubs submitting the reports above were definitely open.)
1. Aberdeen A&F Club (1975)
2. Alnwick A&F Club (Sept 1976)
3. Armadale A&F Club (Oct 1980) originally called Bathgate Club (for 2 months)
4. Balloch A&F Club (Sept 1971)
5. Banchory A&F Club (1978)
6. Banff & District A&F Club (Oct 1973)
7. Beith & District A&F Club (Sept 1971)
8. Biggar A&F Club (Oct 1974)
9. Buchan A&F Club
10. Campbeltown & District A&F Club (c Dec 1980)
11. Castle Douglas A&F Club (c Sept 1980)
12. Crieff A&F Club (cSept 1981)
13. Cumnock A&F Club
14. Dalriada A&F Club (cMar 1981)
15. Denny & Dunipace A&F Club (c Nov 1980)
16. Derwentside A&F Club
17. Dingwall & District (Aug 1979)
18. Dunblane & District A&F Club (1971)
19. Dundee & District A&F Club
20. Dunfermline & District A&F Club
21. East Kilbride A&F Club (Sept 1980)
22. Edinburgh A&F Club (Apr 1981) prev called Chrissie Leatham A&F Club (Oct 1980)
23. Falkirk A&F Club
24. Fintry A&F Club ( rejoined Oct 1981 but there had been an earlier Fintry Club)
25. Forres A&F Club (Jan 1978)
26. Fort William A&F Club (Oct 1980)
27. Galston A&F Club (1969)
28. Glendale Accordion Club (Jan 1973)
29. Greenhead Accordion Club (Hexham)
30. Highland A&F Club (Inverness)
31. Islesteps A&F Club (cOct 1981)
32. Kelso A&F Club (May 1976)
33. Kintore A&F Club
34. Kirriemuir A&F Club (cSept 1981)
35. Langholm A&F Club (Oct 1967)
36. Lesmahagow A&F Club (Oct 1980)
37. Livingston A&F Club (Sept 1973)
38. Lockerbie A&F Club (Nov 1973)
39. M.A.F.I.A.
40. Monkland A&F Club
41. Newcastleton Accordion Club
42. Newtongrange A&F Club (Oct 1977)
43. Newton St Boswells Accordion Club
44. North Cumbria A&F Club
45. North East A&F Club aka Keith A&FC (Sept 1971)
46. Oban A&F Club (Nov 1975)
47. Orkney A&F Club
48. Ormiston Miners’ Welfare Society A&F Club
49. Perth & District A&F Club (Aug 1970)
50. Premier A&F Club NI (cNov 1980)
51. Rothbury Accordion Club (Feb 1974)
52. Shetland A&F Club (Sept 1978)
53. Stranraer & District Accordion Club
54. Thurso A&F Club (cSept 1981)
55. Tynedale A&F Club (Nov 1980)
56. Wick A&F Club (Oct 1975)
Not on official list at the start of the season (closed, did not renew membership or omitted in error?)
57. Bonchester Accordion Club (Closed?)
58. Club Accord
59. Coquetdale
60. Coupar Angus A&F Club
61. Dumfries Accordion Club (Oughton’s) (April 1965 – closed by Oct 1981)
62 Dunbar Cement Works A&F Club (Closed?)
63 Gretna A&F Club (June 1966)
64 New Cumnock A&F Club
65 Renfrew A&F Club
66 Straiton Accordion Club (opened? 3rd club to open – closed March 1979)
67. Torthorwald A&F Club (near Dumfries)
68. Wellbank A&F Club
Advertising rates
Full Page - £70
Half Page - £35
Quarter Page - £17.50
B&F Treasurer – Mrs Mary Plunkett, 2 Dounan Road, Dunragit, Wigtownshire
The main features in the above issue were as follows (this is not a comprehensive detail of all it contained. The Club reports, in particular, are too time consuming at this stage to retype).
Editorial
Welcome back to the new look ‘Box and Fiddle’. The big experiment is now on. From our humble beginnings we now go on to a 12-page newspaper. So I now look for you support even more in supplying all the news you can send, photographs, music, readers’ letters, technical information and stories – all will be very welcome.
The price has had to rise to 25p, but what you consider what 25p really means (five boxes of matches for example) I’m sure you won’t grudge or regret parting with your hard-earned cash.
Word has come from Australia that Arthur Spink will not be coming home at the turn of the year as he had planned.
Two new Clubs joining the Association this month.
First there is the Islesteps Club, the Dumfries Club has fallen by the wayside at the moment, but in its place is the Islesteps Club, Secretary Mrs D. Dalton, Cargenholm hotel, New Abbey Road, Dumfries Tele 4988. They meet on the first Tuesday. The Islesteps lies about two miles from Dumfries.
Then there is a welcome to Fintry Club, Mr F Farquharson, 1 Spokers Loan, Balfron, Glasgow, G63 0PA. They meet in the Clachan Hote, Fintry on the fourth Monday.
We now have a photographer for the ‘B&F’. He will be going to the Festivals etc to get the winners and visiting Clubs reasonably close. When you see him, welcome him. He is Bill Dickman, 50 Camnethan Street, Stonehouse, Lanarkshire. Tele 0698 792004
Jimmy Clinkscale is well-known in the accordion world, both as musician and seller of instruments and music. His other great interest is the Club scene. So much so that he has very kindly volunteered to submit each month a run-down on some personalities of ours. This month it is John Carmichael. In addition James is a fund of knowledge of the old, all-time greats and he will let us share some of his old photographs. Thanks Jimmy.
New Publications give Value for Money
By Derek Hamilton
Across in Grangemouth there’s a music publishing company set up by Iain Peterson. Iain is an ultra-enthusiast on the Scottish Dance and pipe music scene. If you listen to the Scottish Dance music programmes on the radio you’ll hear his name mentioned many times as one of the most popular modern composers.
Many of the broadcasting bands have included Iain’s tunes in their repertoire. At the A&F Clubs many guest artistes include Peterson compositions in their spots.
Iain Peterson is a man of the sea, having sailed as Master in the Merchant Navy. Nowadays he’s a Forth River Pilot.
Four publications have been produced since the mid-1970’s – two bagpipe music books and two for the accordion and fiddle.
The bagpipe music came first . In 1975 Iain published a Collection of Bagpipe Music followed by a second selection a bit later.
These two books contain between them 40 tunes – marches, jigs, strathspeys and slow airs. The tunes aren’t all composed by Iain himself but have been collected and compiled by him over the years. There are some great pipe tunes in these two books.
These two bagpipe books are published in the normal bagpipe book format and are printed very well indeed. Of course, no left hand harmonies appear since it is bagpipe music, but the top line is the most important thing anyway.
The other two books are for accordion and fiddle and include chord symbols. A total of 42 tunes appear in these two publications and all are Iain Peterson publications.
Although the original artwork has been hand-written rather than printed, the books are very neat and clear for reading and the fact that chords are included makes them very useful for pianists in SDBs too.
There are one or two repeats from the pipe books but there’s no criticism leveled at that. Since the chord sequence has been included (the work of Jack Delaney) it is still value for money.
Iain created a publishing name – Shian Music – for his publications and they can be found on the shelves of all good music shops. The books are attractively priced at £1.50 each.
The Reel Radio
by Derek Hamilton
The new season is on us again, so let me begin with a round-up of the broadcasting events of the close season. Most notable of all broadcasts, for me anyway, was the live session back in April by Alex MacArthur from the hall in Tillicoutry. The band was really jumping that night.
Come to think of it, it’s about the only broadcast in the ‘TTF’ series I’ve fully enjoyed during the summer session. Alex MacArthur, by his own admission, is not the most accurate player in the world, but when he sits down beside his bunch of men, he certainly knows how to make a band swing. His long experience really shows. Mind you, he does surround himself with the best musicians in the business. These lads are always worthy of a mention. Jack Delaney shows he’s not only the best second box player on the scene, but a damned good leader as well. By the way, did you catch the feature on Jack? Very interesting indeed. Well worthy of the repeat it got later in the year. Ian Mearns, the band’s fiddler, is one of the most unassuming chaps I’ve ever met – and a great asset to the front line of the band.
Highest Quality
Ian Wilson, brother of Kenny the fiddler (or Gemmie!) executes the piano parts with a ‘chunkyness’ that suits the music to a tee. Bass player Billy Craib really needs nothing said about him. In fact, it’s all been said before – a professional of the highest quality. To me, however, the man that pulls the whole band together is Bobby Colgan. For me, Bobby is the best Scottish Dance Band drummer on the circuit. His timing is rock steady – his style is never domineering. The best compliment I can pay the man is to say that when I play the drums I try to emulate his style.
The band played a waltz selection that night which included a tune called the ‘Darvel Toll’. I phoned Sandy to find out why that title, because I know it as the ‘Darvel Dam’ and it is said to originate five miles along the road from here in Darvel, the birthplace of Sir Alexander Fleming who discovered penicillin. Sandy tells me that he picked it up from a customer who comes into the Clydesdale Hotel in Biggar (where Sandy is mine host). He hummed it over a few times and called it the ‘Darvel Toll’. I’d be interested, and so would Sandy, to know if anyone can throw further light on this one.
As for the rest of the summer ‘TTF’ was pretty mediocre, except for a rare sparkle injected by John Ellis and the Highland Country Band, who, let’s face it, are always in the upper bracket. Bobby Crowe’s Band had a nice, thicker sound to it and it was his best broadcast for a long time. I enjoyed Fraser McGlynn too from the Corran Halls in Oban.
By the middle of July, though, I was beginning to wonder if the BBC had taken over the rights for that long-running (now obsolete) ITV series ‘All Our Yesterdays’. We, the general public, seem to have a hankering for what is loosely called ‘nostalgia’. I’m just as guilty as the next man, but I’ve come to the conclusion that remembering the good old days of Scottish Dance music is a bit like remembering our school holidays. The nine days of sunshine we had manifests itself as eight weeks. The sad fact, however, is that it rained most of the time and summers were really no better than they are now.
Old Masters
As far as the Scottish Dance music scene is concerned the old masters like MacLeod, Shand, Rennie and whoever were good in their day. They were the forefathers of the bandleaders of the present day who listened and learned and developed the music as it is presented today. But for goodness sake, don’t let us let our hearts rule our heads and ears. They were not all they are now being cracked up to have been (if you see what I mean!)
Listening to Bobby MacLeod and his Band from the Corran Halls proves the point as did the duets (or was it duals?) by Bobby and Jimmy Shand from Dundee’s Caird Hall.
Now I’m sure that, in the hall, on the night, the atmosphere was electric. Fine. Great. But there it ended and there is should have stayed. If that band in the Corran Halls had been led by anyone else and played to that standard the self-same BBC moguls who promoted it would have chucked it out. If two other players had gone to audition and played as Bobby MacLeod and Jimmy Shand did at the Caird Hall, they would have failed and told to come back and try again when they had learned the tune!
Jimmy Shand WAS good. Bobby @MacLeod WAS good. Of course they were, but they, I’m sure, would be the first to admit that that was THEN. I’m sure that both of them are professional enough to recognise and applaud the improvements in playing standards that have taken place over all those years since they pioneered our music.
When I was a wee boy my first idol was – yea – Jimmy Shand. He, and only he, inspired me to pressurise my father into buying me my first accordion – I was only five years old. At seven I had collected all his records. At eight I was maturing an seeking other ideas. Who then inspired me? Yes, you’re right – Bobby MacLeod. He was a player’s player. More modern in his style than Shand and less rigid in his approach to the music.
Why did I tell you that? Because I treasure my memories of what these two men were to me as a youngster. They were my idols. But I want to remember them and their music the way it was, or at least, seemed to be. I just don’t want the BBC, or anyone else for that matter, making fools of them. Sad to say, however, I think that’s what happened in the broadcasts from the Caird and the Corran Halls.
Critical Mood
Having said all that though, I wish I’d been there on the night and I’m glad the audience cheered and cheered. But as a broadcast ……well…….it just did not come off.
While I’m in a critical mood I suppose I may as well launch another attack and try to retrieve some of the goodwill I’m bound to have lost from that last bit.
In another broadcast of the Caird Hall night (the BBC got some mileage out of that – eh!) another duet was featured. John Huband and Calum McLean (alphabetical order you’ll note) are two very fine individual players. I was seated as usual on the couch in my lounge – the perfect position between the wall-mounted speakers (at ear level of course) to get the best from the living stereo reproduction. My wife – relatively non-musical – but sane – summed it up.
“The chap in the left-hand speaker is having a terrible job keeping the tune going” she said.
“Why’s that” says I.
“Cause the guy in the right speaker keeps practicing scales louder than him!”
It’s amazing what the untrained ear can perceive!
Jimmy Shand and Bobby MacLeod gained fame for their superlative simplicity. Calum McLean and John Huband got theirs for technical trickery. But when you put each of the pairs together it doesn’t seem to work.
I wonder what a quartet…….No! honest Robbie, I’m only kidding……….!!
Goodness me! I’ve come this far through the column and forgotten to say welcome to ‘TTF’s’ new Producer, Freeland Barbour. (Mind you, he didn’t produce any of the shows I’ve been talking about – I think – I hope!) Freeland will be better known to many for his two LPs (the latest of which is reviewed in the Record Review this issue) and for his broadcasts, live appearances and records with the Wallochmore Band. He was also the accordionist with the well-known progressive folk group Silly Wizzard for some time. Freeland has been involved in the production side of things too. He and Sandy Coghill have their own record label which has issued quite a few titles. So he knows the business and should be the right man for the job. I’d like to wish him every success in his new venture (that’s just to make him feel at ease – the onslaught comes in later articles!)
Radio Forth
Across in Edinburgh, ‘Folk’s Around Robin’ (Radio Forth, Monday at 7.02) is still going strong. And although I haven’t been able to catch many of Robin Brock’s shows, I do know that the bandleaders who have had sessions have been very pleased with the results. Fraser McGlynn was so delighted with his recent one – he thought it was somebody else’s band that was playing!
By the way, I wonder if anyone can settle an argument which Robin inadvertently had with Kenny Thomson. Where did the jig ‘Machine Without Horses’ get its title? Robin was heard to say “The Machine Without Horses – that’s a bloody train”.
Pregnant pause.
Kenny says “A what?”
“A train, is it no’?”
“No, it’s a car, I think”.
Well, what is it?
West Sound
Ayrshire listeners will be pleased to know that West Sound, the new commercial station based in Ayr, will have a two hour show every Sunday to be hosted by John Carmichael. John’s busy working on ideas at the moment for the programme which is due to start mid-October this year. The show, provisionally titled ‘Sounds Scottish’ will be on the air from 5 – 7pm every Sunday.
Initially the programme will be record based with requests and dedications, but John hopes to widen this out as time passes, to include interviews, news, reviews and outside broadcasts, all with a Scottish flavour. West Sound chiefs Kenneth Roy (the M.D.) and Robin Wyllie (programme controller) are committed to emphasis on the local rather than national and international without being parochial.
In other words West Sound will serve Ayrshire. It won’t be a predominantly pop orientated station which is great news as far as I’m concerned.
When you start to think about what’s needed to set up a new radio station like West Sound (which will broadcast on 290m medium wave) there must be a million headaches to be suffered before the station gets on the air.
One such headache springs to mind immediately. Where do you get all the older records that are needed for shows like John Carmichael’s ‘Sounds Scottish’? The answer lies in the words of the New Seekers hit song – ‘Beg, Steal or Borrow!’ (with emphasis on the beg or borrow, of course! John is currently engaged in getting his hands on as many records as possible. So if you have some that you think might be of use to him, drop him a line an tell him what you’ve got.
Another programme of interest on West Sound is a Family Show at the weekend hosted by Lou Grant – a well-known Scottish entertainer. This is bound to include Scottish flavoured music. Kathryn Thompson, a Canadian, who is right into the folk scene, has her own show too which will, of course, include a large helping of Scottish folk music. No actual times have yet been set for these two shows but I’ll keep you posted.
Now that local commercial radio is coming to Scotland in a big way (by the end of this year there will be five stations fully operational) your contributions to this column will be greatly appreciated. Obviously, I have great difficulty in hearing Radio Tay, North Sound and for that matter Radio Forth. If you’d like to comment on your local independent radio station drop me a line.
Annual Concert
Radio Forth are holding their annual Accordion 81 concert in the Playhouse, Edinburgh on 14th November. Booked for the occasion are
Jim Johnstone’s Band
John Carmichael
Andrew Rankine
Jack Delaney
Ian Holmes
Kenny Wilson
Gordon Pattullo
The Currie Brothers
Robin Brock
Angus Fitchet
And top of the bill, Andy Stewart.
Robin will present the awards for the tune competition. Looks like being a great night’s entertainment and, of course, Forth will record the whole show for use later in the year as a broadcast.
While on the subject of Radio Forth, Robin Brock tells me that his programme ‘Folks Around Robin’ is still going strong and forthcoming sessions are lined up with David Cunningham, Sandy MacArthur and Paddy Neary. Paddy Neary was on the air on Monday, 12th October, with Sandy the following week and David the week after that (26th Oct).
The production team of ‘FAR’ are certainly getting compliments from all quarters. Particularly the bandleaders themselves. Even the ‘Sunday Standard’ carried a highly complimentary column the other week. More power to their elbow,
Tayside listeners may be interested to know that Radio Tay are due to be taking the show in the near future.
The Radio Clyde area will have to wait a bit longer. Andy Park, who was Head of Light Entertainment there, has moved to London to work on the new breakfast television channel. Result is that new negotiations with his successor will have to be started.
The BBC’s ‘TTF’ series has continued its repeats during September and a couple worth of a mention were Bobby Crowe’s session and George Stirrat.
First Session
I was most impressed by the overall sound of Bobby Crowe’s Band. The addition of Jock Borthwick from Hawick (ex-Eric Goodfellow Band) was a great boost to the sound. The band was both lively and well co-ordinated.
George Stirrat played his first session for a long time in fine style. He was the victim of a relatively poor recording, but I’m pretty sure that this was due to conditions in the Normandy Hotel rather than anything else. I heard this broadcast originally back in May in the car en route for Oban, but getting the second chance recently was worthwhile. Again, like Bobby Crowe’s, the band sounded different from what George’s band sounded in the past. A much thicker sound. Some nice tunes too.
‘TTF’ sessions to look out for this month are
Sat 17th Oct Rob Gordon
24th Oct The Olympians
31st Oct Robert Whitehead
7th Nov Hebbie Gray
14th Nov The Lothian SDB
21st Nov George Bell
Wide Variety
I always feel that Robbie Shepherd’s ‘Reel Blend’ doesn’t get a fair crack of the whip primarily due to its allocated slot of 9.30 on a Friday evening. An earlier spot would, I’m sure, help the audience figures. But it must be said that Robbie has a good programme which you must try to hear if you can. He features a wide variety of records from the old to the new and links them well with a heap of good information.
Now that Freeland Barbour produces both ‘TTF’ and ‘The Reel Blend’ he may be able to sort out some of the difficulties that have arisen by tying the two shows more together. They are, after all, brother and sister to each other and should be allowed to have some continuity. No doubt after the turn of the year we’ll see changes – hopefully for the better.
Albie Tedham Memorial Concert
by Ian Smith
The Albie Tedham Memorial concert was held in the Parish Church Hall, Langholm, on 9th April, 1981.
There was a record attendance of almost 1,000 people. After enjoying the concert the sum that was raised was announced as £1,742.
Part of this money will be used towards a Silver Cup which will be competed for at the Perth Festival on 24th October.
A fine reminder of Albie’s faithful attendance at this competition and dedication to traditional music. The remainder of the money goes to Cancer Research.
John Carmichael – the smile on STV’s ‘Thingummyjig’ programme
by Jimmy Clinkscale L.B.C.A.
October sees the start of a whole new career for Scotland’s John Carmichael.
A top-class accordionist, producer, arranger and writer, he begins a new chapter of his life on Sunday, 17th October, as presenter of ‘West Sound’s’ Scottish music programme. ‘West Sound’ in Ayr being Scotland’s newest local radio station.
John’s obviously looking forward to this new challenge and it’s one that should acquaint him with an even wider audience than he knows at present.
As music adviser to STV’s ever popular ‘Thingummyjig’ and ‘Sounds Gaelic’ programmes, John is no stranger to broadcasting, but the West Sound appointment excites him a lot.
He plans to present a ‘fairly-middle-of-the-road’ show in his two-hour slot, but is prepared to be adaptable to the needs of his audience. A career spanning over 20 years during which he has toured the world with some of Scotland’s top artists, should also give him a rich vein of stories with which to pelt his listeners.
It’s all a far fling from his childhood in Govan he describes as ‘ordinary’. Born there 42 years ago of Highland parentage, he attended Bellahouston Academy, the same school that taught the likes of Jimmy Logan, comedian Ronnie Dale and ‘Thingummyjig producer Bruce McClure, the elements of readin’, ‘ritin’ and ‘rithmetic.
John left Bellahouston at 15 to start an engineering apprenticeship with Rolls Royce, following similar footsteps to his father who was a motor mechanic.
It was three years later that he first took an interest in the accordion and Scottish music. “It’s always been my first love” he says.
Archie Duncan, who is in the ‘Thingummyjig Squad’ with John, was John’s teacher, until his studies began clashing with the time spent pounding away at the chords in his bedroom.
John inherited some of his mother’s musical talent – she was a pianist with a band in her younger days – playing by ear at first. He saved up for, and bought, his first accordion – cost £22 – in a second hand shop. Quite a commitment for a young teenager, considering he was earning only £3 10/- a week at the time.
He eventually began to read music and joined a band.
“We learned the hard way” he says, that familiar Glasgow ‘twang’ cutting through the memories. “We played the same six tunes all night and went anywhere – weddings, socials, dances”.
John eventually succeeded in cobbling together a wee three piece of his own, rising to the dizzy heights of playing Govan Town Hall after three years.
Then came the big break. John was Senior Scottish Champion in 1964, following in the wake of some of those he had admired for so long – Jimmy Blue and Ian Holmes, for example.
John didn’t stay around to take advantage of his new-found success however. The travel bug bit and he was off to Australia with the Merchant Navy.
After four years down under he came home on leave – “just for a wee while”.
The ‘wee while’ turned into ‘fir good’ – at least until return trips as a player on tour – because John received an offer from Jim Johnstone to spend a 14 week season with the band in Brighton.
John returned north after his sojourn in the deep south and went back to teaching – “they are both in the entertainment business” he laughs.
It was only his impending promotion to Assistant Headmaster in 1970 which made him look long and hard at the direction his life was taking.
“I made up my mind” he recalls “and have never regretted it since”.
John’s decision to go time was well founded. He spent months in Canada cutting tracks for Alasdair Gillies’ highly popular ceilidh programme, Grampian TV’s ‘Round at Calum’s’ signed him up for his first ever television appearance in this country in 1969 and he was offer tours with Andy Stewart’s ‘White Heather’ show in Canada and America.
He then changed direction and moved south to Australasia with Jimmy Shand prior to three more tours in that part of the world and a more settled existence back in Scotland.
And quite an existence it is too. Even when he gets home after a hard day’s work, John can’t get away from the music.
His wife, Freena, whom he married in 1961, is from a famous Mull piping family, the MacFadyens, and she has carried on the tradition. His two sons and two daughters – the eldest is 17 – are also well acquainted with the ‘box’ being pupils of Jimmy Blair, and having accompanied John on ‘Thingummyjig’.
John himself is delighted to see so many youngsters taking an interest in the instrument these days.
“The youngsters here are more enthusiastic than ever. They are taking up the accordion earlier than ever before and that can only be a good thing for the future”.
As to the future, well, John prefers to take things as they come.
After all, he is due something of a rest after five years hard work since 1976 on summer theatre tours.
“Still” he adds “if you had told me seven yours ago I would be doing as much radio and television work as I am doing at the moment, I wouldn’t have believed you. The same thrill is not there once you achieve those ambitions, but I still enjoy it.
“There are massive gaps in my musical education which can never be filled. Well, they could, but I just don’t seem to have much time these days to get on with it!”
Successful Tobermory Music Festival
By Sgt John McIntee
The Fourth Annual Music Festival took place at Tobermory……………
Newtongrange Festival
by Margaret Smith (Secretary)
Sunday, 12th April brought a large crowd of competitors and spectators to the Dean Tavern for our annual competitions. The two previous years we had a big entry for accordions and this year was no exception. Sixteen competitors in the Junior Class, 12 in the Intermediate Class and 14 in the Seniors. This was the first year we had a fiddle section and we were overwhelmed by the entry. 10 competitors in the Juniors, 13 in the Seniors and 14 in the Slow Air Class.
Alec MacArthur adjudicaled the accordion section and Alan Johnston the fiddlers and a very difficult job they had, the standard was so high.
The results are as follows :
Accordion Juniors
Diane Armstrong (Armadale)
Tracy Aitken (Bathgate)
Accordion Intermediate
Colin Dewar (Kingskettle)
Ian Skinner (Blackridge)
Accordion Seniors
Gordon Wardlaw (Edinburgh)
James Bell (Dunbar)
Fiddle Juniors
Isla Purdie (Mid Calder)
David McDougall (Muir of Ord)
Fiddle Seniors
Gordon Hutchison (Bonnyrigg)
John Lincoln (Newtongrange)
Slow Air
Donald McAllister (Haddington)
Richard Rutter (Edingurgh)
The first meeting of the new season is Monday, 28th September in the Dean Tavern when the guest spot is filled by the Wallochmore Ceilidh Band. It is hoped all our regular players and audience will keep the date free.
CLUB DIARY
Aberdeen (Queen’s Hotel) –
Alnwick (Nag’s Head) – members only
Armadale (Rob Roy Inn) –
Balloch (Loch Lomond Hotel) –
Banchory (Burnett Arms Hotel) –
Banff (Royal Oak Hotel) –
Beith (Anderson Hotel) – 19 Oct 81 Jim Cleland (accordion)
Biggar (Clydesdale Hotel) –
Buchan (Buchaness Hotel) –
Campbeltown (Argyll Arms) –
Castle Douglas (Ernespie Hotel) – 29 Oct 81 June McKay Trio (Wick)
Coupar Angus (Royal Hotel) –
Crieff (Arduthie Hotel) – 5 Nov 81 Jim Lindsay (fiddle)
Cumbria (Huntsman Inn – Penton) –
Cumnock (Tup Inn) – 20 Oct 81 Lothianaires
Dalriada (Royal Hotel, Lochgilphead) – 20 Oct 81 Willie Lawrie
Denny & Dunipace (Dunipace Junior Social Club) –
Derwentside (Working Men’s Club, Consett) – 29 Oct 81 Kenny Thomson & Ian Muir 26 Nov 81 50-50 Dance to Robert Whitehead and the Danelaw Band
Dingwall ( ) – Wallochmore Ceilidh Band
Dunblane (Hydro) –
Dundee (Royal Central Hotel) –
Dunfermline (Unitas Hall) –
East Kilbride (Stuart Hotel) – 29 Oct 81 Jimmy Yeaman (fiddle) & George Stirrat (Accordion)
Edinburgh (Hearts Supporters Club, 99 Slateford Road) -
Falkirk (Plough Hotel, Stenhousemuir) –
Fintry (Clachan Hotel) – 26 Oct 81 Currie Brothers
Forres (Brig Motel) –
Fort William (Highland Hotel) – 20 Oct 81 Currie Brothers
Galston (Barr Castle Social Club, Galston) –
Glendale (Black Bull Hotel – Wooler) – members only
Highland/ Inverness (Drumossie Hotel) – 19 Oct 81 Donaldson Brothers
Kelso (Cross Key’s Hotel) – 28 Oct 81 Jim Cleland
Kintore (Crown Hotel) – 4 Nov 81 Eric Bell
Langholm (Crown Hotel) –
Lesmahagow (Craignethan Hotel) – 5 Nov 81 Fireworks from Iain MacPhail
Livingston (Cameron Ironworks Social Club) –
Lockerbie (Queen’s Hotel) –
M.A.F.I.A. (Black Bull, Milngavie) – 5 Nov 81 Neil Sinclair Trio
Monkland (Eastercroft Hotel, Airdrie) – 2 Nov 81 Sandy MacArthur SDB
New Cumnock (Crown Hotel) –
Newtongrange (Dean Tavern) –
Newton St Boswells (Railway Hotel)
North East (Seafield Arms, Keith) –
Oban (Park Hotel) –
Orkney ( ) –
Ormiston (Miners’ Welfare Social Club) –
Perth (Salutation Hotel) – 20 Oct 81 Bobby Coghill (3 row), Les Currie (fiddle) 17 Nov 81 Iain MacPhail SDB
Renfrew (Glynhill Hotel)
Rothbury (Queen’s Head Hotel)
Shetland (venue?)
Stranraer (Buck’s Head Hotel) – 2 Nov 81 Kenny Thomson & Ian Muir
Torthorwald (Torr House Hotel)
Wick (McKay’s Hotel) –
THERE WERE CLUB REPORTS FROM :-
1. Alnwick
2. Armadale
3. Balloch
4. Banchory
5. Beith & District
6. Castle Douglas
7. Crieff & District
8. Cumnock & District
9. Dalriada
10. Derwentside
11. Dingwall
12. Dunblane
13. Dundee & District
14. East Kilbride
15. Falkirk
16. Fintry
17. Fort William
18. Forres
19. Glendale (Wooler)
20. Highland
21. Islesteps
22. Kelso
23. Kintore
24. Lesmahagow
25. Livingston
26. M.A.F.I.A.
27. Monklands
28. Newtongrange
29. North East
30. Perth & District
31. Premier (N.I.)
32. Stranraer
33. Thurso
CLUB DIRECTORY AS AT SEPT 1981 (Clubs didn’t necessarily notify the Assoc when they closed so the following may not be entirely correct. Only the clubs submitting the reports above were definitely open.)
1. Aberdeen A&F Club (1975)
2. Alnwick A&F Club (Sept 1976)
3. Armadale A&F Club (Oct 1980) originally called Bathgate Club (for 2 months)
4. Balloch A&F Club (Sept 1971)
5. Banchory A&F Club (1978)
6. Banff & District A&F Club (Oct 1973)
7. Beith & District A&F Club (Sept 1971)
8. Biggar A&F Club (Oct 1974)
9. Buchan A&F Club
10. Campbeltown & District A&F Club (c Dec 1980)
11. Castle Douglas A&F Club (c Sept 1980)
12. Crieff A&F Club (cSept 1981)
13. Cumnock A&F Club
14. Dalriada A&F Club (cMar 1981)
15. Denny & Dunipace A&F Club (c Nov 1980)
16. Derwentside A&F Club
17. Dingwall & District (Aug 1979)
18. Dunblane & District A&F Club (1971)
19. Dundee & District A&F Club
20. Dunfermline & District A&F Club
21. East Kilbride A&F Club (Sept 1980)
22. Edinburgh A&F Club (Apr 1981) prev called Chrissie Leatham A&F Club (Oct 1980)
23. Falkirk A&F Club
24. Fintry A&F Club ( rejoined Oct 1981 but there had been an earlier Fintry Club)
25. Forres A&F Club (Jan 1978)
26. Fort William A&F Club (Oct 1980)
27. Galston A&F Club (1969)
28. Glendale Accordion Club (Jan 1973)
29. Greenhead Accordion Club (Hexham)
30. Highland A&F Club (Inverness)
31. Islesteps A&F Club (cOct 1981)
32. Kelso A&F Club (May 1976)
33. Kintore A&F Club
34. Kirriemuir A&F Club (cSept 1981)
35. Langholm A&F Club (Oct 1967)
36. Lesmahagow A&F Club (Oct 1980)
37. Livingston A&F Club (Sept 1973)
38. Lockerbie A&F Club (Nov 1973)
39. M.A.F.I.A.
40. Monkland A&F Club
41. Newcastleton Accordion Club
42. Newtongrange A&F Club (Oct 1977)
43. Newton St Boswells Accordion Club
44. North Cumbria A&F Club
45. North East A&F Club aka Keith A&FC (Sept 1971)
46. Oban A&F Club (Nov 1975)
47. Orkney A&F Club
48. Ormiston Miners’ Welfare Society A&F Club
49. Perth & District A&F Club (Aug 1970)
50. Premier A&F Club NI (cNov 1980)
51. Rothbury Accordion Club (Feb 1974)
52. Shetland A&F Club (Sept 1978)
53. Stranraer & District Accordion Club
54. Thurso A&F Club (cSept 1981)
55. Tynedale A&F Club (Nov 1980)
56. Wick A&F Club (Oct 1975)
Not on official list at the start of the season (closed, did not renew membership or omitted in error?)
57. Bonchester Accordion Club (Closed?)
58. Club Accord
59. Coquetdale
60. Coupar Angus A&F Club
61. Dumfries Accordion Club (Oughton’s) (April 1965 – closed by Oct 1981)
62 Dunbar Cement Works A&F Club (Closed?)
63 Gretna A&F Club (June 1966)
64 New Cumnock A&F Club
65 Renfrew A&F Club
66 Straiton Accordion Club (opened? 3rd club to open – closed March 1979)
67. Torthorwald A&F Club (near Dumfries)
68. Wellbank A&F Club
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