Robin Brock
by Jimmy Clinkscale
Robin Brock will turn 41 three days before Scotsman all over the world bring in the New Year, accompanied, no doubt, by the kind of music the East Lothian accordionist and double bass supreme has loved passionately for most of his life.
But Robin himself is taking life very easily at the moment.
He has to, having only recently been discharged from hospital following a gall bladder operation.
When asked jokingly if the old maxim about like beginning at 40 was true, he replied “I thought it was finished three weeks ago!”
The doctor has told him he has not to do anything for the next eight weeks, but, “Ach” says Robin “I don’t like just sitting about”.
He certainly has plenty to keep him going. The farm he bought just outside Penicuik just over seven years ago is thriving and has expanded to 175 acres. He employs 40 people and still operates the landscape contracting business he trained for, for over seven years.
Main Interest
Apart from all this, he co-presents ‘Pure Scotch’ with Steve Jack every Friday night on Radio Forth. The programme is a light-hearted, two hour Scottish request programme. However, his main interest every week is his very own programme called ‘Folks Around Robin.’ Every week Robin plays host to a band or well-known group of musicians and records their music. Each selection of music is interspersed with ‘informal blethers’ when the bandleader is invited to introduce members of the band, tunes they play and recount any interesting or amusing incidents from the past.
“There is anything from ten to twelve hours of hard graft involved in any programme” say Robin, “but I really enjoy it. I have been so many places, met so many marvellous people through Scottish music that I’m only to delighted to be able to put something back into it.”
Robin’s programme is obviously the apple of his eye. It is like another child to his apart from Russell (12) and Susan (9), children of his 15-year-marriage to wife Linda.
Credibility
He says he is trying to rid Scottish dance music of the ‘heather, haggis and hairy knees’ image. He is striving to give the music and the musicians the credibility he feels they deserve.
“It has been portrayed like that for far to long. I have believed, passionately, for a long, long time” he continues “that we have musicians here in Scotland who are as good in their chosen field as any other throughout the world”.
Robin’s aim, when initially approached to do the programme by Radio Forth Producer Sandy Wilkie two years ago, was to try something different. Introduce bandleaders to the public, put a personality to the name. Encourage other people to play.
“If as a result of my efforts I have encouraged people to begin playing again or make even one youngster pick up an accordion than I am well satisfied” he states.
He is particularly proud in respect of getting popular bandleader Angus Fitchet and Bobby MacLeod to do their first broadcast with their own bands for over 25 years. No mean achievement and one which speaks volumes for Robin’s dedication and respect in the Scottish dance scene.
He is delighted to sit and chat about the programme. After all, he is still a relative rookie on the other side of the little glass panel.
Robin is grateful to programme controller Tom Steel of Radio Forth for having enough faith in his suggestions to let him carry then through. He says he felt Scottish music was at its lowest ebb two years ago. Playing standards seemed to have fallen. Bands and production staff cared little how the sound came across.
But Robin is quick to qualify that forthright statement by saying “working with musicians from the lesser-known to the top names over the past few years, my faith in Scottish dane music has been restored ten-fold. I am delighted with the enthusiasm now and the huge talent coming through with the youngsters.
No Worries
“If that is what the general standard is like then Scottish dance music need have no worries about the future. But it’s a pity more youngsters are not joining bands instead of playing solo all the time.”
Most people, of course, are aware of Robin’s own particular talent and versatility. He is best known for his work on double bass and accordion, but says he can get a tune out of almost anything.
He has played alongside, for long spells, three of Scottish dance music biggest names – Jim Johnstone, Jimmy Shand and Jim MacLeod. “It is a privilege to have them as friends” he admits. He also had a spell playing for The Corries and has made countless appearances with many other bands and throughout the years has been very busy as a session musician in recording and television studios.
The days with Shand are recalled as “a dream come true.” His admiration for the man knows no bounds. “Without him Scottish dance music as we know it would not have existed” he says. “We own him a great deal.”
Robin joined the Jim Johnstone band when the Tranent born accordionist left Andrew Rankine. After all, Robin was born only a few miles away, at Thorntonloch, an agricultural community now lost for ever under the construction work for the nuclear power station at Torness.
Many Regrets
The Johnstone Band was exceptionally popular, bit it had its disadvantages. Jim was snapped up by Jimmy Shand for his Australian tours, but on his return it was Robin’s turn to join the legend.
Pressure of work in his landscaping business forced Robin, with many regrets, to call it a day.
“But as one door shut, another one opened” he says. Jim MacLeod asked him to do a radio series, ‘On Tour.’ After that most of his playing time was spent in Jim’s base at Dunblane Hydro.
Seven “very happy years” were spent with Jim. “It suited me just fine” Sys Robin “because with Shand it was Fife one night, Southampton the next. I just couldn’t do that. I like some stability and at least with Jim I knew where I would be playing anything up to a year ahead.”
But business commitments one again began to interfere. He had decided to go freelance again when he was approached by Jim Johnstone to do the ‘Songs of Scotland’ series. Robin played in that band for a second spell of almost three years before he again decided to give it a rest.
New Phase
Billy Craib was able to rejoin Jim’s Band and Robin returned to the peace and quiet of his beloved Mauricewood Farm. The good clean air kept him occupied for almost two years without playing a note professionally before a phone call from old friend Ian Holmes, asking his to do a spot on Radio forth, pulled him back to the studio.
That, as Robin was later to discover, would lead to a new phase in his career and the rest, as they say, is history.
Robin’s programme is now amongst the most popular in Scotland and selling well elsewhere. Radios London, Thames and Tay have all bought it and many others are expressing an interest.
So, having been in the main thrust of the revival, is he pleased with the present set-up in Scotland? What does he think of it now?
Revival
“Magnificent, But I would like to see more village halls opening their doors to Scottish dance music again. There seems to be a move into hotel lounges at the moment, but I think if people had the courage to promote dances in halls then the Scottish scene would boom again.”
And he is right. There is an undercurrent now. People genuinely want to dance to Scottish music again, halls are being booked and the promoters and the dance bands are as busy again as they ever were.
“Scottish music will go on forever” concludes Robin. And the programme? “Who knoe’s, even if it ends tomorrow, I can still look back and say that for a couple of years at least my efforts have done something to help revive the music I love.”
Hear, Hear!
Box and Fiddle
February 1982
But Robin himself is taking life very easily at the moment.
He has to, having only recently been discharged from hospital following a gall bladder operation.
When asked jokingly if the old maxim about like beginning at 40 was true, he replied “I thought it was finished three weeks ago!”
The doctor has told him he has not to do anything for the next eight weeks, but, “Ach” says Robin “I don’t like just sitting about”.
He certainly has plenty to keep him going. The farm he bought just outside Penicuik just over seven years ago is thriving and has expanded to 175 acres. He employs 40 people and still operates the landscape contracting business he trained for, for over seven years.
Main Interest
Apart from all this, he co-presents ‘Pure Scotch’ with Steve Jack every Friday night on Radio Forth. The programme is a light-hearted, two hour Scottish request programme. However, his main interest every week is his very own programme called ‘Folks Around Robin.’ Every week Robin plays host to a band or well-known group of musicians and records their music. Each selection of music is interspersed with ‘informal blethers’ when the bandleader is invited to introduce members of the band, tunes they play and recount any interesting or amusing incidents from the past.
“There is anything from ten to twelve hours of hard graft involved in any programme” say Robin, “but I really enjoy it. I have been so many places, met so many marvellous people through Scottish music that I’m only to delighted to be able to put something back into it.”
Robin’s programme is obviously the apple of his eye. It is like another child to his apart from Russell (12) and Susan (9), children of his 15-year-marriage to wife Linda.
Credibility
He says he is trying to rid Scottish dance music of the ‘heather, haggis and hairy knees’ image. He is striving to give the music and the musicians the credibility he feels they deserve.
“It has been portrayed like that for far to long. I have believed, passionately, for a long, long time” he continues “that we have musicians here in Scotland who are as good in their chosen field as any other throughout the world”.
Robin’s aim, when initially approached to do the programme by Radio Forth Producer Sandy Wilkie two years ago, was to try something different. Introduce bandleaders to the public, put a personality to the name. Encourage other people to play.
“If as a result of my efforts I have encouraged people to begin playing again or make even one youngster pick up an accordion than I am well satisfied” he states.
He is particularly proud in respect of getting popular bandleader Angus Fitchet and Bobby MacLeod to do their first broadcast with their own bands for over 25 years. No mean achievement and one which speaks volumes for Robin’s dedication and respect in the Scottish dance scene.
He is delighted to sit and chat about the programme. After all, he is still a relative rookie on the other side of the little glass panel.
Robin is grateful to programme controller Tom Steel of Radio Forth for having enough faith in his suggestions to let him carry then through. He says he felt Scottish music was at its lowest ebb two years ago. Playing standards seemed to have fallen. Bands and production staff cared little how the sound came across.
But Robin is quick to qualify that forthright statement by saying “working with musicians from the lesser-known to the top names over the past few years, my faith in Scottish dane music has been restored ten-fold. I am delighted with the enthusiasm now and the huge talent coming through with the youngsters.
No Worries
“If that is what the general standard is like then Scottish dance music need have no worries about the future. But it’s a pity more youngsters are not joining bands instead of playing solo all the time.”
Most people, of course, are aware of Robin’s own particular talent and versatility. He is best known for his work on double bass and accordion, but says he can get a tune out of almost anything.
He has played alongside, for long spells, three of Scottish dance music biggest names – Jim Johnstone, Jimmy Shand and Jim MacLeod. “It is a privilege to have them as friends” he admits. He also had a spell playing for The Corries and has made countless appearances with many other bands and throughout the years has been very busy as a session musician in recording and television studios.
The days with Shand are recalled as “a dream come true.” His admiration for the man knows no bounds. “Without him Scottish dance music as we know it would not have existed” he says. “We own him a great deal.”
Robin joined the Jim Johnstone band when the Tranent born accordionist left Andrew Rankine. After all, Robin was born only a few miles away, at Thorntonloch, an agricultural community now lost for ever under the construction work for the nuclear power station at Torness.
Many Regrets
The Johnstone Band was exceptionally popular, bit it had its disadvantages. Jim was snapped up by Jimmy Shand for his Australian tours, but on his return it was Robin’s turn to join the legend.
Pressure of work in his landscaping business forced Robin, with many regrets, to call it a day.
“But as one door shut, another one opened” he says. Jim MacLeod asked him to do a radio series, ‘On Tour.’ After that most of his playing time was spent in Jim’s base at Dunblane Hydro.
Seven “very happy years” were spent with Jim. “It suited me just fine” Sys Robin “because with Shand it was Fife one night, Southampton the next. I just couldn’t do that. I like some stability and at least with Jim I knew where I would be playing anything up to a year ahead.”
But business commitments one again began to interfere. He had decided to go freelance again when he was approached by Jim Johnstone to do the ‘Songs of Scotland’ series. Robin played in that band for a second spell of almost three years before he again decided to give it a rest.
New Phase
Billy Craib was able to rejoin Jim’s Band and Robin returned to the peace and quiet of his beloved Mauricewood Farm. The good clean air kept him occupied for almost two years without playing a note professionally before a phone call from old friend Ian Holmes, asking his to do a spot on Radio forth, pulled him back to the studio.
That, as Robin was later to discover, would lead to a new phase in his career and the rest, as they say, is history.
Robin’s programme is now amongst the most popular in Scotland and selling well elsewhere. Radios London, Thames and Tay have all bought it and many others are expressing an interest.
So, having been in the main thrust of the revival, is he pleased with the present set-up in Scotland? What does he think of it now?
Revival
“Magnificent, But I would like to see more village halls opening their doors to Scottish dance music again. There seems to be a move into hotel lounges at the moment, but I think if people had the courage to promote dances in halls then the Scottish scene would boom again.”
And he is right. There is an undercurrent now. People genuinely want to dance to Scottish music again, halls are being booked and the promoters and the dance bands are as busy again as they ever were.
“Scottish music will go on forever” concludes Robin. And the programme? “Who knoe’s, even if it ends tomorrow, I can still look back and say that for a couple of years at least my efforts have done something to help revive the music I love.”
Hear, Hear!
Box and Fiddle
February 1982