Box and Fiddle
Year 03 No 04
December 1979
Price 15p
8 pages
8 month subscription £2
Editor - Ian Smith, 50 Mount Vernon Road, Stranraer
Editorial
I trust you all noted the change to the Saturday radio show ‘Take the Floor’, it’s now an hour and a quarter long, including Robbie Shepherd, Aberdeen.
Here we are at the end of another year, a year where there was a lot of good music, friendships and bon accord. We also lost a lot of dear companions, but being human beings we can look back and remember them fondly. It was also a difficult year for Club Committees, rising costs, inflation etc. These Committees of ours deserve praise for keeping the clubs going and at the same time spreading our music even wider.
This year saw an upsurge of young talent coming to the fore. In the process cups, shields and all sorts of prizes were snapped up with apparent ease. The ‘O’ level barrier was no longer an unattainable summit.
When midnight strikes on Hogmanay, we will drink a toast to past friends, present friends and absent friends and also a thought of our kin, a long, long way from this land of ours. That is one thing that our king of music does. It binds us all together, no matter where we are.
From the Box and Fiddle may we extend to everyone a most Happy Christmas and may 1980 be the best all round.
Bon Voyage
by Jack Cooper
Farewells are normally highly emotional affairs and the final appearance of Arthur Spink in Dundee before his departure to Australia was no exception.
It was somewhat of a ‘This Is Your Life’ situation for Arthur who was whisked to a local hotel at the end of his show at Dundee’s Whitehill Theatre.
Not a few tears were shed by members of the large gathering of relatives and close friends together with some of the city’s leading lights in show business who had come to pay homage to one of Dundee’s most talented sons – and of course, members of the Dundee and District Accordion and Fiddle Club of which, along with his drummer Jack Cooper, he was co-founder.
“I will be sorry to leave Scotland, make no mistake”, said Arthur. “A lot of people I knew from the days when there were many theatres in Dundee and Scotland, emigrated to Australia and there is now a whole Scottish scene across there. Already I have bookings well into next year.
“Everything I could wish for will be there, but my only regret is leaving my parents behind in Dundee, but we will be coming back every so often.”
Arthur’s professional show business life goes back almost 20 years and although he is still in his early thirties he must surely rank as one of the best accordionists that Scotland has ever produced. He is a natural musician and before his fourteenth birthday he won the East of Scotland Championships for Traditional Scottish and Classical music.
It was in April 1960 that he made his debut appearance in the old Palace Theatre, Dundee, on a bill headed by Alec Finlay. Coincidentally, also on that bill was someone who was to play a big part in Arthur’s life in the years to come – yes, it was his partner to be Dennis Clancy.
Since that day in 1960 Arthur has played every major venue in Scotland and has toured the U.S.A., Canada, Australia and New Zealand many times.
Besides his extensive touring commitments he had a very heavy schedule of appearances on radio and television to fulfil and in recent time guest appearances at the Accordion & Fiddles Clubs. So all in all he was kept very busy.
Many thanks, Arthur, for going on to fulfil that early promise and giving such fine entertainment to many thousands, both here and abroad, over the years.
Arthur and his lovely wife Ray and children Arthur (12) and Steven (8) have already set up house in Sydney and we wish them every success.
Keep well Arthur, and don’t forget us.
J. Cooper
Further to Jack Cooper’s farewell to Arthur may I take the opportunity to add my wee bit and I’m sure I write for everybody in this airt.
It took us two years to persuade Arthur to come to Stranraer Club and it was well worth waiting for. Everyone here will long remember Arthur for his very pleasant manner and his obliging disposition. The wee girl who shyly asked Arthur to play for her while she danced will always cherish the memory.
Arthur says he will be sorry to leave Scotland. So will we be at his departure. In these hard time far too many of our people have to leave to make their way in the world. The only consolation is that our loss is their gain. Arthur leaves us a legacy in recorded form on how the box should be played and I’m sure many of our rising youngsters have listened and improved their own playing as a result.
Everyone has their own memory of Arthur Spink over the years and fondly remember those happy hours at the club, feet tapping, cheering, clapping, table-thumping and even the emotional moments when he played a haunting melody.
We will miss him, we are sorry he has to go, we don’t want him to go, but as he goes we wish him, his wife and family safe journey, a Merry Christmas and a happy and prosperous life down under.
The Editor
The Reel Radio
by Derek Hamilton
Last month saw the first report on BBC Radio Scotland’s ‘Take the Floor’ and I was delighted to see our Editor had given the column its title. Very apt indeed.
Lindsay Ross must be the unhappiest man in Scotland this week. His first broadcast in some years fell foul of the BBC’s difficulties with broadcasting staff. We had to put up with ‘Desert Island Discs’ instead of our usual helping of ‘Take the Floor’. Never mind, no doubt the Beeb will broadcast it later in the series.
Back on the 20th October. Ronnie Easton made his last appearance before moving down south and starting his new job in Redditch near Birmingham. They made a great show of it despite the nerves that obviously concerned Ronnie during the recording. The popularity of this band has grown immensely during the last year with excellent broadcasts. A very high standard has been set by this great band and their last broadcast came up to expectations.
The sound quality was less than we’ve come to ask of the BBC though and I think it was a shame that Neil McMillan, who is one of the finest bass players around, was ‘missing’ or at least missing from the take. I realise, of course, that the live conditions are not ideal for recording, but I would have expected better than this. The lack of bass, however, contributed well to actually being able to hear more of Colin Finlayson on piano.
The band produced a polished performance all round which undoubtedly made up for the inadequacies of the recording.
The Tain Scottish Dance Band, I confess, never leave me gasping for more and their latest session from Lairg was no exception. They produce a very pleasant but ‘ordinary’ sound. I bet they are great to dance to though.
The Alex MacArthur Band did a session from Kelso and really made the floor bounce. Although there were more inaccuracies in the lead box than usual, they do produce a good, solid, ‘modern’ sound. Sandy, a fine box player himself, surrounds himself with some great musicians. I’ve seen them at work and they really are well organized. Ian Mearns is quiet and unassuming, but a powerful fiddler. Iain Wilson has a great feeling for piano chords and I doubt if there’s a better second box player than Jack Delaney. Bobby Colgan on drums and Billy Craib on bass speak for themselves in the number of recordings they have to their credit. The Alex MacArthur Band sound is unique and instantly recognisable. The tuning of Sandy’s box has a lot to do with this, but so does the verve and enthusiasm of the playing. And, of course, the arrangements of Rhynas Mitchell from Elgin.
Record Review
by Derek Hamilton
Hogmanay Party – Bert Shorthouse and his Band – D.J.M. label
Call of the Clans - Bert Shorthouse and his Band – D.J.M. label
CLUB DIARY
Aberdeen (Queen’s Hotel)
Alnwick (Nag’s Head) – members only
Balloch (Balloch Hotel) – 16th Jan 80 Currie Brothers
Banchory (Burnett Arms Hotel) – 29th Jan 80 Graeme Mitchell Trio
Banff (Royal Oak Hotel)
Beith (Anderson Hotel) –
Biggar (Clydesdale Hotel) – 14th Jan 80 Grace McCleaver Band
Buchan (Buchaness Hotel) –
Coupar Angus (Royal Hotel)
Cumbria (Huntsman Inn - Penton) – 16th Jan 80 Black Family
Cumnock (Tup Inn) – 15th Jan 80 Walter Perrie
Derwentside (Royal British Legion, Consett) closed till March 80
Dumfries (Oughton’s)
Dunblane (Hydro) – 8th Jan 80 Black Family
Dundee (Royal Central Hotel) – 17th Jan 80 Annual Dance
Dunfermline (Kinema Ballroom) – 1st Jan 80 Iain MacPhail SDB
Falkirk (Park Hotel) –
Forres (Brig Motel) – 9th Jan 80 Calum McLean & John Huband 23rd Jan Burns Nicht
Galston (Parakeet, Hurlford)
Glendale (Black Bull Hotel – Wooler) – members only
Highland/ Inverness (Drumossie Hotel)
Kelso (Queen’s Head Hotel)
Kintore (Crown Hotel) – 26th Dec79 W Rutherford & Friends
Langholm (Crown Hotel)
Livingston (Cameron Ironworks Social Club)
Lockerbie (Queen’s Hotel) – 29th Jan 80 Gordon Pattullo
M.A.F.I.A. (Black Bull)
Monklands (Georgian Hotel, Coatbridge) –
New Cumnock (Crown Hotel) – 23rd Dec 79 Variety Concert with Walter Perrie and Dave Scott
Newtongrange (Dean Tavern) –
Newton St Boswells (Railway Hotel)
North East (Seafield Arms) – 8th Jan 80 Calum McLean & John Huband
Oban (Park Hotel) –
Perth (Salutation Hotel) –
Renfrew (Glynhill Hotel)
Rothbury (Queen’s Head Hotel)
Shetland (venue?)
Stranraer (Buck’s Head Hotel) – 7th Jan 80 Iain MacPhail
Torthorwald (Torr House Hotel)
Wick (McKay’s Hotel) –
THERE WERE CLUB REPORTS FROM :-
1. Alnwick
2. Balloch
3. Banff
4. Biggar
5. Buchan
6. Coquetdale
7. Cumnock
8. Dunblane & District
9. Dunfermline
10. Dundee
11. Falkirk
12. Forres
13. Galston
14. Highland
15. Kintore
16. Langholm
17. Lockerbie
18. M.A.F.I.A.
19. Monklands
20. New Cumnock
21. Newtongrange
22. North Cumbria
23. North East
24. Oban
25. Stranraer
26. Wick
CLUB DIRECTORY (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. Balloch A&F Club (Sept 1971)
4. Banchory A&F Club (1978)
5. Banff & District A&F Club (Oct 1973)
6. Beith & District A&F Club (Sept 1971)
7. Biggar A&F Club (Oct 1974)
8. Buchan A&F Club
9. Coquetdale
10. Coupar Angus A&F Club
11. Cumnock A&F Club
12. Derwentside A&F Club
13. Dumfries Accordion Club (Oughton’s) (April 1965)
14. Dunblane & District A&F Club (1971)
15. Dundee & District A&F Club
16. Dunfermline & District A&F Club
17. Falkirk A&F Club
18. Forres A&F Club (Jan 1978)
19. Galston A&F Club
20. Glendale Accordion Club (Jan 1973)
21. Greenhead Accordion Club (Hexham)
22. Highland A&F Club (Inverness)
23. Kelso A&F Club (May 1976)
24. Kintore A&F Club
25. Langholm A&F Club (Oct 1967)
26. Livingston A&F Club (Sept 1973)
27. Lockerbie A&F Club (Nov 1973)
28. M.A.F.I.A.
29. Monklands A&F Club
30. Newcastleton Accordion Club
31. New Cumnock A&F Club
32. Newtongrange A&F Club (Oct 1977)
33. Newton St Boswells Accordion Club
34. North Cumbria
35. North East A&F Club aka Keith A&FC (Sept 1971)
36. Oban A&F Club (1975)
37. Ormiston Miners’ Welfare Society A&F Club
38. Perth & District A&F Club (Aug 1970)
39. Rothbury Accordion Club (1974)
40. Shetland A&F Club (Sept 1978)
41. Stranraer & District Accordion Club
42. Torthorwald A&F Club (near Dumfries)
43. Wick A&F Club (Oct 1975)
Not on official list (closed, did not renew membership or omitted in error?)
44. Bonchester Accordion Club (Closed?)
45. Club Accord
46. Dunbar Cement Works A&F Club (Closed?)
47. Fintry A&F Club
48. Gretna (June 1966)
49. Renfrew A&F Club
50. Straiton Accordion Club (opened? 3rd club to open – closed March 1979)
51. Wellbank A&F Club
I trust you all noted the change to the Saturday radio show ‘Take the Floor’, it’s now an hour and a quarter long, including Robbie Shepherd, Aberdeen.
Here we are at the end of another year, a year where there was a lot of good music, friendships and bon accord. We also lost a lot of dear companions, but being human beings we can look back and remember them fondly. It was also a difficult year for Club Committees, rising costs, inflation etc. These Committees of ours deserve praise for keeping the clubs going and at the same time spreading our music even wider.
This year saw an upsurge of young talent coming to the fore. In the process cups, shields and all sorts of prizes were snapped up with apparent ease. The ‘O’ level barrier was no longer an unattainable summit.
When midnight strikes on Hogmanay, we will drink a toast to past friends, present friends and absent friends and also a thought of our kin, a long, long way from this land of ours. That is one thing that our king of music does. It binds us all together, no matter where we are.
From the Box and Fiddle may we extend to everyone a most Happy Christmas and may 1980 be the best all round.
Bon Voyage
by Jack Cooper
Farewells are normally highly emotional affairs and the final appearance of Arthur Spink in Dundee before his departure to Australia was no exception.
It was somewhat of a ‘This Is Your Life’ situation for Arthur who was whisked to a local hotel at the end of his show at Dundee’s Whitehill Theatre.
Not a few tears were shed by members of the large gathering of relatives and close friends together with some of the city’s leading lights in show business who had come to pay homage to one of Dundee’s most talented sons – and of course, members of the Dundee and District Accordion and Fiddle Club of which, along with his drummer Jack Cooper, he was co-founder.
“I will be sorry to leave Scotland, make no mistake”, said Arthur. “A lot of people I knew from the days when there were many theatres in Dundee and Scotland, emigrated to Australia and there is now a whole Scottish scene across there. Already I have bookings well into next year.
“Everything I could wish for will be there, but my only regret is leaving my parents behind in Dundee, but we will be coming back every so often.”
Arthur’s professional show business life goes back almost 20 years and although he is still in his early thirties he must surely rank as one of the best accordionists that Scotland has ever produced. He is a natural musician and before his fourteenth birthday he won the East of Scotland Championships for Traditional Scottish and Classical music.
It was in April 1960 that he made his debut appearance in the old Palace Theatre, Dundee, on a bill headed by Alec Finlay. Coincidentally, also on that bill was someone who was to play a big part in Arthur’s life in the years to come – yes, it was his partner to be Dennis Clancy.
Since that day in 1960 Arthur has played every major venue in Scotland and has toured the U.S.A., Canada, Australia and New Zealand many times.
Besides his extensive touring commitments he had a very heavy schedule of appearances on radio and television to fulfil and in recent time guest appearances at the Accordion & Fiddles Clubs. So all in all he was kept very busy.
Many thanks, Arthur, for going on to fulfil that early promise and giving such fine entertainment to many thousands, both here and abroad, over the years.
Arthur and his lovely wife Ray and children Arthur (12) and Steven (8) have already set up house in Sydney and we wish them every success.
Keep well Arthur, and don’t forget us.
J. Cooper
Further to Jack Cooper’s farewell to Arthur may I take the opportunity to add my wee bit and I’m sure I write for everybody in this airt.
It took us two years to persuade Arthur to come to Stranraer Club and it was well worth waiting for. Everyone here will long remember Arthur for his very pleasant manner and his obliging disposition. The wee girl who shyly asked Arthur to play for her while she danced will always cherish the memory.
Arthur says he will be sorry to leave Scotland. So will we be at his departure. In these hard time far too many of our people have to leave to make their way in the world. The only consolation is that our loss is their gain. Arthur leaves us a legacy in recorded form on how the box should be played and I’m sure many of our rising youngsters have listened and improved their own playing as a result.
Everyone has their own memory of Arthur Spink over the years and fondly remember those happy hours at the club, feet tapping, cheering, clapping, table-thumping and even the emotional moments when he played a haunting melody.
We will miss him, we are sorry he has to go, we don’t want him to go, but as he goes we wish him, his wife and family safe journey, a Merry Christmas and a happy and prosperous life down under.
The Editor
The Reel Radio
by Derek Hamilton
Last month saw the first report on BBC Radio Scotland’s ‘Take the Floor’ and I was delighted to see our Editor had given the column its title. Very apt indeed.
Lindsay Ross must be the unhappiest man in Scotland this week. His first broadcast in some years fell foul of the BBC’s difficulties with broadcasting staff. We had to put up with ‘Desert Island Discs’ instead of our usual helping of ‘Take the Floor’. Never mind, no doubt the Beeb will broadcast it later in the series.
Back on the 20th October. Ronnie Easton made his last appearance before moving down south and starting his new job in Redditch near Birmingham. They made a great show of it despite the nerves that obviously concerned Ronnie during the recording. The popularity of this band has grown immensely during the last year with excellent broadcasts. A very high standard has been set by this great band and their last broadcast came up to expectations.
The sound quality was less than we’ve come to ask of the BBC though and I think it was a shame that Neil McMillan, who is one of the finest bass players around, was ‘missing’ or at least missing from the take. I realise, of course, that the live conditions are not ideal for recording, but I would have expected better than this. The lack of bass, however, contributed well to actually being able to hear more of Colin Finlayson on piano.
The band produced a polished performance all round which undoubtedly made up for the inadequacies of the recording.
The Tain Scottish Dance Band, I confess, never leave me gasping for more and their latest session from Lairg was no exception. They produce a very pleasant but ‘ordinary’ sound. I bet they are great to dance to though.
The Alex MacArthur Band did a session from Kelso and really made the floor bounce. Although there were more inaccuracies in the lead box than usual, they do produce a good, solid, ‘modern’ sound. Sandy, a fine box player himself, surrounds himself with some great musicians. I’ve seen them at work and they really are well organized. Ian Mearns is quiet and unassuming, but a powerful fiddler. Iain Wilson has a great feeling for piano chords and I doubt if there’s a better second box player than Jack Delaney. Bobby Colgan on drums and Billy Craib on bass speak for themselves in the number of recordings they have to their credit. The Alex MacArthur Band sound is unique and instantly recognisable. The tuning of Sandy’s box has a lot to do with this, but so does the verve and enthusiasm of the playing. And, of course, the arrangements of Rhynas Mitchell from Elgin.
Record Review
by Derek Hamilton
Hogmanay Party – Bert Shorthouse and his Band – D.J.M. label
Call of the Clans - Bert Shorthouse and his Band – D.J.M. label
CLUB DIARY
Aberdeen (Queen’s Hotel)
Alnwick (Nag’s Head) – members only
Balloch (Balloch Hotel) – 16th Jan 80 Currie Brothers
Banchory (Burnett Arms Hotel) – 29th Jan 80 Graeme Mitchell Trio
Banff (Royal Oak Hotel)
Beith (Anderson Hotel) –
Biggar (Clydesdale Hotel) – 14th Jan 80 Grace McCleaver Band
Buchan (Buchaness Hotel) –
Coupar Angus (Royal Hotel)
Cumbria (Huntsman Inn - Penton) – 16th Jan 80 Black Family
Cumnock (Tup Inn) – 15th Jan 80 Walter Perrie
Derwentside (Royal British Legion, Consett) closed till March 80
Dumfries (Oughton’s)
Dunblane (Hydro) – 8th Jan 80 Black Family
Dundee (Royal Central Hotel) – 17th Jan 80 Annual Dance
Dunfermline (Kinema Ballroom) – 1st Jan 80 Iain MacPhail SDB
Falkirk (Park Hotel) –
Forres (Brig Motel) – 9th Jan 80 Calum McLean & John Huband 23rd Jan Burns Nicht
Galston (Parakeet, Hurlford)
Glendale (Black Bull Hotel – Wooler) – members only
Highland/ Inverness (Drumossie Hotel)
Kelso (Queen’s Head Hotel)
Kintore (Crown Hotel) – 26th Dec79 W Rutherford & Friends
Langholm (Crown Hotel)
Livingston (Cameron Ironworks Social Club)
Lockerbie (Queen’s Hotel) – 29th Jan 80 Gordon Pattullo
M.A.F.I.A. (Black Bull)
Monklands (Georgian Hotel, Coatbridge) –
New Cumnock (Crown Hotel) – 23rd Dec 79 Variety Concert with Walter Perrie and Dave Scott
Newtongrange (Dean Tavern) –
Newton St Boswells (Railway Hotel)
North East (Seafield Arms) – 8th Jan 80 Calum McLean & John Huband
Oban (Park Hotel) –
Perth (Salutation Hotel) –
Renfrew (Glynhill Hotel)
Rothbury (Queen’s Head Hotel)
Shetland (venue?)
Stranraer (Buck’s Head Hotel) – 7th Jan 80 Iain MacPhail
Torthorwald (Torr House Hotel)
Wick (McKay’s Hotel) –
THERE WERE CLUB REPORTS FROM :-
1. Alnwick
2. Balloch
3. Banff
4. Biggar
5. Buchan
6. Coquetdale
7. Cumnock
8. Dunblane & District
9. Dunfermline
10. Dundee
11. Falkirk
12. Forres
13. Galston
14. Highland
15. Kintore
16. Langholm
17. Lockerbie
18. M.A.F.I.A.
19. Monklands
20. New Cumnock
21. Newtongrange
22. North Cumbria
23. North East
24. Oban
25. Stranraer
26. Wick
CLUB DIRECTORY (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. Balloch A&F Club (Sept 1971)
4. Banchory A&F Club (1978)
5. Banff & District A&F Club (Oct 1973)
6. Beith & District A&F Club (Sept 1971)
7. Biggar A&F Club (Oct 1974)
8. Buchan A&F Club
9. Coquetdale
10. Coupar Angus A&F Club
11. Cumnock A&F Club
12. Derwentside A&F Club
13. Dumfries Accordion Club (Oughton’s) (April 1965)
14. Dunblane & District A&F Club (1971)
15. Dundee & District A&F Club
16. Dunfermline & District A&F Club
17. Falkirk A&F Club
18. Forres A&F Club (Jan 1978)
19. Galston A&F Club
20. Glendale Accordion Club (Jan 1973)
21. Greenhead Accordion Club (Hexham)
22. Highland A&F Club (Inverness)
23. Kelso A&F Club (May 1976)
24. Kintore A&F Club
25. Langholm A&F Club (Oct 1967)
26. Livingston A&F Club (Sept 1973)
27. Lockerbie A&F Club (Nov 1973)
28. M.A.F.I.A.
29. Monklands A&F Club
30. Newcastleton Accordion Club
31. New Cumnock A&F Club
32. Newtongrange A&F Club (Oct 1977)
33. Newton St Boswells Accordion Club
34. North Cumbria
35. North East A&F Club aka Keith A&FC (Sept 1971)
36. Oban A&F Club (1975)
37. Ormiston Miners’ Welfare Society A&F Club
38. Perth & District A&F Club (Aug 1970)
39. Rothbury Accordion Club (1974)
40. Shetland A&F Club (Sept 1978)
41. Stranraer & District Accordion Club
42. Torthorwald A&F Club (near Dumfries)
43. Wick A&F Club (Oct 1975)
Not on official list (closed, did not renew membership or omitted in error?)
44. Bonchester Accordion Club (Closed?)
45. Club Accord
46. Dunbar Cement Works A&F Club (Closed?)
47. Fintry A&F Club
48. Gretna (June 1966)
49. Renfrew A&F Club
50. Straiton Accordion Club (opened? 3rd club to open – closed March 1979)
51. Wellbank A&F Club