Box and Fiddle
Year 18 No 05
February 1995
Da Fustra Band – The First 25 Years
by Douglas Johnstone
It all began for me on 16th October, 1969. The venue was the Zetland Hall, Pilrig Street, Edinburgh. I arrived nervously to meet the rest of the band, only one of whom I knew. The others had played together. This was to be my first rehearsal – at a dance run by Edinburgh and District Shetland Association. The line-up was : Rob Smith and Cecil Hughson (accordions), Maurice Smith (guitar), Rea MacLeod (piano) and myself, Douglas Johnstone (drums).
Lord knows what it sounded like, but we were asked back regularly, and also to many other venues in the city, until the last of us left Edinburgh in 1973. Apart from Rea, who lived in Edinburgh, we were all students with our roots firmly planted in Shetland. During the student holidays we took bookings in Shetland, Rea being replaced by a second guitarist, John Victor Inkster, who has become on of Shetland’s leading Country and Western musicians. We were joined in 1970 by Ronnie Jamieson, a gifted young Shetland fiddler, also pursuing his studies in Edinburgh.
We were regularly asked ‘What does Da Fustra mean?’ There was an old unnamed fiddle tune which was played in Unst last century by James Smith. His son, also James, wrote it down and named it ‘Da Foostra’ after a sunken rock off the Wester in Unst. (Fuster is an old Shetland word meaning ‘foaming sea’.) The music for this tune is now in the keeping of his son Iain, also a fiddler, and principal teacher of seamanship at the Anderson High School in Lerwick. The band name was inspired by this fiddle tune. Shetland spelling has never been standardised and we opted for Fustra rather than Foostra. In the late 1970s this tune was adopted as signature tune by BBC Radio Shetland, and still introduces its programmes each evening.
Memories of the early days could fill a book – halls with no electricity – band amplifiers powered by car batteries – a near lynching when we put the price for the band up from £10 to £12.50 (or was it £12/10-?) – the Silver Wedding that turned out to be a 21st Birthday Party expecting a pop group – the 3/4 march which we managed to play for the Gay gordons for most of a year before we realised….
One story must be told. We had a severe problem at the beginning of the 1972/73 winter season. Only three of us were left in Edinburgh – Rob, Cecil and me. Two accordions and drums make a viable band today now that electronic bass ends are common, however these were rare in 1972. What to do? Rob and Cecil headed for Clinkscale’s on a Wednesday and bought a bass guitar. On the Friday, our new trio – accordion, bass and drums – had its first outing and Cecil has played bass ever since. How he managed to reach performance standard in two days is one of the mysteries surrounding Cecil!
The end of the first band came in 1973 when Cecil and I returned to Shetland to teach and Rob went globetrotting for the computer industry.
Apart from occasional reunions there was a gap for about two years. In 1975 band number two was formed when Stanley Hunter (accordion) agreed to join Maurice, Cecil and me. This group lasted about two years when Stanley decided to retire and Maurice left to get married.
Our new accordion player was Eric Cooper, pianist in the original Hamefarers, and the new guitarist was Brian Nicolson. Later we added Davie Henry (guitar and vocals). Two more years had passed when Brian and Davie left to become founder members of the folk group ‘Hom Bru’ and Eric retired due to ill health. I had also left a few months before, due to pressure of other commitments, and had been replaced by Alan Ockenden. It seemed like the end.
However, Ronnie Jamieson, our fiddler from the Edinburgh days, and young five-row accordionist Neil Donald approached Cecil and me with a view to forming a band. Why not call it Da Fustra? Band number four was completed by guitarist Norman Goudie. Ronnie left after a few years and we played as a quartet for some time, specializing in the swing music at which Norman was so outstanding. For a while we added a trumpet, Roy Hughson, and became a jazz band which could still play reels, two-steps and waltzes.
The dancing trend was moving back towards the traditional dances however. Quadrilles and Lancers were in. Foxtrots and quicksteps were out. The time had come to change and, for the first time we opted for the standard Scottish line up, expanding eventually to a six piece.
The present members are Neil Donald and Andrew Hughson (accordions), Alan Gifford (fiddle), Derek Hendry (late of Forfar and Bill Black’s Band - piano), Cecil Hughson (bass guitar and boss) and Douglas Johnstone (drums).
When we sat down to make a guest list for our 25th anniversary party this October, Cecil and I were amazed by the number of musicians who had played for us over the years. We tried to include not only regular members but also the large number of reserve players so vital to the life of any dance band. Without the willing help of so many local musicians, our band would have died years ago. I must mention in particular Colin Sutherland and Alan Nicolson, two brilliant accordion players, who have saved our bacon on many occasions, and Ian Tulloch who shared the drumming with me in the late 70s and early 80s.
One of the delights of playing in Shetland is meeting visiting musicians. Cecil has a way of kidnapping accordionists and seating them in the front line of our band. Mickie Ainsworth, John Carmichael, David Hume, Gordon Pattullo, Sandy Noxon, Peter Wood, Bruce Peebles and especially Iain MacPhail have all suffered this treatment. Iain keeps coming back for more. He joined us first to play at the Up Helly Aa Festival on 1978 and has been a regular, and very welcome, visitor since. This year he was guest of honour at our 25th Anniversary party – his third visit in 12 months.
So how have we managed to survive for 25 years? Simple – we have Cecil as business manager and boss. A bandleader needs infinite patience (certainly if I am playing for him), enthusiasm and luck. Cecil has all three in abundance. His chaotic disorganization means that every outing is tinged with an air of excitement. Will he remember to bring his bass? Who is playing for us tonight? Has he remembered to find a replacement accordionist? Am I driving or do I sit here till someone picks me up? Where was the P.A. system last seen? Do we have one dance to play at or two (simultaneous) dances? Is Cecil actually playing tonight or is he on yet another business trip? If he is playing, will he leap from his chair in the middle of the grand march to take photographs of the wedding party? (Cecil left teaching many years ago to become a professional photographer). Life with Da Fustra is never boring. I look forward to the next 25 years!
by Douglas Johnstone
It all began for me on 16th October, 1969. The venue was the Zetland Hall, Pilrig Street, Edinburgh. I arrived nervously to meet the rest of the band, only one of whom I knew. The others had played together. This was to be my first rehearsal – at a dance run by Edinburgh and District Shetland Association. The line-up was : Rob Smith and Cecil Hughson (accordions), Maurice Smith (guitar), Rea MacLeod (piano) and myself, Douglas Johnstone (drums).
Lord knows what it sounded like, but we were asked back regularly, and also to many other venues in the city, until the last of us left Edinburgh in 1973. Apart from Rea, who lived in Edinburgh, we were all students with our roots firmly planted in Shetland. During the student holidays we took bookings in Shetland, Rea being replaced by a second guitarist, John Victor Inkster, who has become on of Shetland’s leading Country and Western musicians. We were joined in 1970 by Ronnie Jamieson, a gifted young Shetland fiddler, also pursuing his studies in Edinburgh.
We were regularly asked ‘What does Da Fustra mean?’ There was an old unnamed fiddle tune which was played in Unst last century by James Smith. His son, also James, wrote it down and named it ‘Da Foostra’ after a sunken rock off the Wester in Unst. (Fuster is an old Shetland word meaning ‘foaming sea’.) The music for this tune is now in the keeping of his son Iain, also a fiddler, and principal teacher of seamanship at the Anderson High School in Lerwick. The band name was inspired by this fiddle tune. Shetland spelling has never been standardised and we opted for Fustra rather than Foostra. In the late 1970s this tune was adopted as signature tune by BBC Radio Shetland, and still introduces its programmes each evening.
Memories of the early days could fill a book – halls with no electricity – band amplifiers powered by car batteries – a near lynching when we put the price for the band up from £10 to £12.50 (or was it £12/10-?) – the Silver Wedding that turned out to be a 21st Birthday Party expecting a pop group – the 3/4 march which we managed to play for the Gay gordons for most of a year before we realised….
One story must be told. We had a severe problem at the beginning of the 1972/73 winter season. Only three of us were left in Edinburgh – Rob, Cecil and me. Two accordions and drums make a viable band today now that electronic bass ends are common, however these were rare in 1972. What to do? Rob and Cecil headed for Clinkscale’s on a Wednesday and bought a bass guitar. On the Friday, our new trio – accordion, bass and drums – had its first outing and Cecil has played bass ever since. How he managed to reach performance standard in two days is one of the mysteries surrounding Cecil!
The end of the first band came in 1973 when Cecil and I returned to Shetland to teach and Rob went globetrotting for the computer industry.
Apart from occasional reunions there was a gap for about two years. In 1975 band number two was formed when Stanley Hunter (accordion) agreed to join Maurice, Cecil and me. This group lasted about two years when Stanley decided to retire and Maurice left to get married.
Our new accordion player was Eric Cooper, pianist in the original Hamefarers, and the new guitarist was Brian Nicolson. Later we added Davie Henry (guitar and vocals). Two more years had passed when Brian and Davie left to become founder members of the folk group ‘Hom Bru’ and Eric retired due to ill health. I had also left a few months before, due to pressure of other commitments, and had been replaced by Alan Ockenden. It seemed like the end.
However, Ronnie Jamieson, our fiddler from the Edinburgh days, and young five-row accordionist Neil Donald approached Cecil and me with a view to forming a band. Why not call it Da Fustra? Band number four was completed by guitarist Norman Goudie. Ronnie left after a few years and we played as a quartet for some time, specializing in the swing music at which Norman was so outstanding. For a while we added a trumpet, Roy Hughson, and became a jazz band which could still play reels, two-steps and waltzes.
The dancing trend was moving back towards the traditional dances however. Quadrilles and Lancers were in. Foxtrots and quicksteps were out. The time had come to change and, for the first time we opted for the standard Scottish line up, expanding eventually to a six piece.
The present members are Neil Donald and Andrew Hughson (accordions), Alan Gifford (fiddle), Derek Hendry (late of Forfar and Bill Black’s Band - piano), Cecil Hughson (bass guitar and boss) and Douglas Johnstone (drums).
When we sat down to make a guest list for our 25th anniversary party this October, Cecil and I were amazed by the number of musicians who had played for us over the years. We tried to include not only regular members but also the large number of reserve players so vital to the life of any dance band. Without the willing help of so many local musicians, our band would have died years ago. I must mention in particular Colin Sutherland and Alan Nicolson, two brilliant accordion players, who have saved our bacon on many occasions, and Ian Tulloch who shared the drumming with me in the late 70s and early 80s.
One of the delights of playing in Shetland is meeting visiting musicians. Cecil has a way of kidnapping accordionists and seating them in the front line of our band. Mickie Ainsworth, John Carmichael, David Hume, Gordon Pattullo, Sandy Noxon, Peter Wood, Bruce Peebles and especially Iain MacPhail have all suffered this treatment. Iain keeps coming back for more. He joined us first to play at the Up Helly Aa Festival on 1978 and has been a regular, and very welcome, visitor since. This year he was guest of honour at our 25th Anniversary party – his third visit in 12 months.
So how have we managed to survive for 25 years? Simple – we have Cecil as business manager and boss. A bandleader needs infinite patience (certainly if I am playing for him), enthusiasm and luck. Cecil has all three in abundance. His chaotic disorganization means that every outing is tinged with an air of excitement. Will he remember to bring his bass? Who is playing for us tonight? Has he remembered to find a replacement accordionist? Am I driving or do I sit here till someone picks me up? Where was the P.A. system last seen? Do we have one dance to play at or two (simultaneous) dances? Is Cecil actually playing tonight or is he on yet another business trip? If he is playing, will he leap from his chair in the middle of the grand march to take photographs of the wedding party? (Cecil left teaching many years ago to become a professional photographer). Life with Da Fustra is never boring. I look forward to the next 25 years!