See Hear! with Judith Linton & Bill Brown
New Year – New CD Reviewer
B&F December 2007
As 2008 approaches the B&F magazine is delighted to announce that Bill Brown is to take over the ‘See Hear!’ feature from Judith Linton, who has decided to stand down after six years.
Bill, who was born and educated in Falkirk, is currently employed by Channel 5 as Head of Broadcast Operations, a position he has held since the channel launched in 1997.
Bill’s broadcasting career started in 1980 when he became part of the operational team that launched Radio Tay in Dundee. Two years later he joined Radio Forth in Edinburgh as a Technical Operator before moving south to train as a television Sound Engineer. He then went on to spend highly successful periods working at TV-AM, ITN and Central Independent Television in Birmingham.
During his career Bill has worked on a wide variety of well-known programmes including Good Morning Britain, News at Ten, Crossroads, Blockbusters, Bullseye, Spitting Image and New Faces to name but a few. After spending many years in television production Bill joined Carlton Television as Presentation director when they took over the London weekday ITV franchise from Thames Television. One of the many highlights of Bill’s career took place on 28th November 2001 when he was invited to a reception for the broadcasting industry which was hosted by the Queen and the Duke of Edinburgh at Buckingham Palace.
Bill has very fond memories of being taken to see an Alexander Brothers show in Falkirk Town Hall in the autumn of 1968 when he was only 10 years old. From that point onwards he was completely hooked on Scottish music and the wonderful sound of the accordion. Bill’s memory of that show is so vivid that he can still recall the cast line-up to this day. The show that night comprised of a young Johnny Beattie, accordion player Lawrie Adam, Mal Hollander, Josephine McQueen and, of course, the top of the bill, The Alexander Brothers, who were also young! At that stage Tom and Jack were only 10 years into what turned out to be an outstanding career which has lasted an amazing 5 decades.
Bill’s passion for the accordion inevitably developed in him a strong love of Scottish dance band music and he would list among his favourites the bands of Bobby More, John Ellis, Nicol McLaren, Iain Cathcart, Colin Dewar and Robert Whitehead. Bill also holds in high esteem the superb skill and talent of players such as Tom Alexander, Gordon Pattullo, Phil Cunningham, Blair Douglas, Deirdre Adamson, Sandy Brechin and Gavin Piper.
Despite loving and listening to accordion music all his life, Bill surprisingly only started learning to play the instrument in adult life. Bill’s accordion mentor and greatest source of encouragement has been Bobby More from Kirkcaldy whose enthusiasm and passion for the accordion seems to know no bounds. Bill cannot talk highly enough of Bobby, or thank him enough, for all the help, support and encouragement he has given him. Bobby recently composed a tune for Bill called Bill Brown’s Scottish Special, which Bobby and his band have recorded on their latest CD entitled 50 Years Non-Stop Dancing.
In what little spare time Bill has left in his busy life he also finds time to present a weekly radio show. You will not be surprised to learn that Bill’s show is a specialised one that features all forms of Celtic music from around the world, a genre clearly heavily influenced by both Scotland and Ireland. Bill never ceases to be amazed by the wonderful array of dynamic young talent that is emerging from a new, modern, contemporary Scotland and has no doubt that the future of traditional Scottish music is in safe hands.
He also strongly believes that we all have a great responsibility placed upon us to ensure we pass on Scotland’s musical heritage in an exciting way to the next generation. After all, our musical tradition is a living evolving thing which needs nurturing if it is to continue to grow and develop. A big part of achieving that and inspiring young people to get involved in traditional Scottish music is ensuring the genre gets sufficient media coverage on radio and television both at home and abroad. Sadly, that has not happened in recent times, which has denied some of our finest young talent much needed media exposure. It has also done nothing for keeping our great musical tradition in the public’s consciousness. We especially need to get Scotland’s music back on TV on a regular basis, in some form, even if it is only available as downloadable content through Video on Demand services or via the many other technologies that are now available. There are no barriers to entry in the broadcasting world nowadays and Bill strongly believes, that we as a nation, need to embrace those exciting opportunities to promote and pass on the great musical heritage we all so greatly enjoy.
Bill is thrilled to be replacing Judith in the New Year and would like to take this opportunity of thanking her for her well written reviews during the past six years.
Bill, who was born and educated in Falkirk, is currently employed by Channel 5 as Head of Broadcast Operations, a position he has held since the channel launched in 1997.
Bill’s broadcasting career started in 1980 when he became part of the operational team that launched Radio Tay in Dundee. Two years later he joined Radio Forth in Edinburgh as a Technical Operator before moving south to train as a television Sound Engineer. He then went on to spend highly successful periods working at TV-AM, ITN and Central Independent Television in Birmingham.
During his career Bill has worked on a wide variety of well-known programmes including Good Morning Britain, News at Ten, Crossroads, Blockbusters, Bullseye, Spitting Image and New Faces to name but a few. After spending many years in television production Bill joined Carlton Television as Presentation director when they took over the London weekday ITV franchise from Thames Television. One of the many highlights of Bill’s career took place on 28th November 2001 when he was invited to a reception for the broadcasting industry which was hosted by the Queen and the Duke of Edinburgh at Buckingham Palace.
Bill has very fond memories of being taken to see an Alexander Brothers show in Falkirk Town Hall in the autumn of 1968 when he was only 10 years old. From that point onwards he was completely hooked on Scottish music and the wonderful sound of the accordion. Bill’s memory of that show is so vivid that he can still recall the cast line-up to this day. The show that night comprised of a young Johnny Beattie, accordion player Lawrie Adam, Mal Hollander, Josephine McQueen and, of course, the top of the bill, The Alexander Brothers, who were also young! At that stage Tom and Jack were only 10 years into what turned out to be an outstanding career which has lasted an amazing 5 decades.
Bill’s passion for the accordion inevitably developed in him a strong love of Scottish dance band music and he would list among his favourites the bands of Bobby More, John Ellis, Nicol McLaren, Iain Cathcart, Colin Dewar and Robert Whitehead. Bill also holds in high esteem the superb skill and talent of players such as Tom Alexander, Gordon Pattullo, Phil Cunningham, Blair Douglas, Deirdre Adamson, Sandy Brechin and Gavin Piper.
Despite loving and listening to accordion music all his life, Bill surprisingly only started learning to play the instrument in adult life. Bill’s accordion mentor and greatest source of encouragement has been Bobby More from Kirkcaldy whose enthusiasm and passion for the accordion seems to know no bounds. Bill cannot talk highly enough of Bobby, or thank him enough, for all the help, support and encouragement he has given him. Bobby recently composed a tune for Bill called Bill Brown’s Scottish Special, which Bobby and his band have recorded on their latest CD entitled 50 Years Non-Stop Dancing.
In what little spare time Bill has left in his busy life he also finds time to present a weekly radio show. You will not be surprised to learn that Bill’s show is a specialised one that features all forms of Celtic music from around the world, a genre clearly heavily influenced by both Scotland and Ireland. Bill never ceases to be amazed by the wonderful array of dynamic young talent that is emerging from a new, modern, contemporary Scotland and has no doubt that the future of traditional Scottish music is in safe hands.
He also strongly believes that we all have a great responsibility placed upon us to ensure we pass on Scotland’s musical heritage in an exciting way to the next generation. After all, our musical tradition is a living evolving thing which needs nurturing if it is to continue to grow and develop. A big part of achieving that and inspiring young people to get involved in traditional Scottish music is ensuring the genre gets sufficient media coverage on radio and television both at home and abroad. Sadly, that has not happened in recent times, which has denied some of our finest young talent much needed media exposure. It has also done nothing for keeping our great musical tradition in the public’s consciousness. We especially need to get Scotland’s music back on TV on a regular basis, in some form, even if it is only available as downloadable content through Video on Demand services or via the many other technologies that are now available. There are no barriers to entry in the broadcasting world nowadays and Bill strongly believes, that we as a nation, need to embrace those exciting opportunities to promote and pass on the great musical heritage we all so greatly enjoy.
Bill is thrilled to be replacing Judith in the New Year and would like to take this opportunity of thanking her for her well written reviews during the past six years.