Box and Fiddle
Year 33 No 06
February 2010
Price £2.50
44 Page Magazine
12 month subscription £27.50 + p&p £9.90 (UK)
Editor – Karin Ingram, Hawick
B&F Treasurer – Charlie Todd, Thankerton
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
This has been an unbelievable winter so far! I was snowed in almost non-stop for a month and many of our rural Clubs had to cancel December and January meetings. I hope things are starting to get back to normal for everyone now and you’re all well on your way to breaking your New Year resolutions. I bet a few were broken at Up Helly Aa.
I had another power cut just as I was about to send the magazine to the printers, so apologies if there are any delays, but there’s not a lot you can do if the power line comes down!
Karin Ingram
MG Alba Scots Trad Music Awards 2009
by
l……………….
Fond Memories of Mull and China Eggs
by Lorn McIntyre
The scene is the village hall in Dervaig on the Isle of Mull some 40 years ago. George ‘Faunty’ Smith from Torloisk lifts his hand from his accordion and rolls a couple of china eggs from between his legs before playing The Hens March to the Midden, reproducing the cackling high-pitched calls of the fowls on the keyboard. Is this a true memory, or part of the legend of Faunty I have heard from someone? To find out the answer I took the road to Fort William, to meet up with my fellow Muileach after all those years.
“My mother came from Glasgow, but her folks were originally from Dunoon,” George recalls. “My grandmother played piano for Harry Lauder at one time. My mother Mary taught in Fanmore School in Mull.” Who was in the Smith family band? “Christine, my sister, played the accordion and piano. My mother played the piano. I played the accordion.” George started the accordion in his early teens when he was a pupil at Tobermory School. He played both by ear and sight-reading music, and had no tutor to help him develop his accordion skills. After completing his education at Oban High School he went to Glasgow in the early 1960s. He worked in an office, and on the buses, and then he went into electronics in the early days of that now universal industry.
It was a good city for a young musician to settle in, because Glasgow in the 1960s had a substantial population of expatriates from the Highlands and Islands who were keen and skilled dancers. “I started playing in a band more or less as soon as I arrived in Glasgow,” George tells me. John Carmichael phoned me and asked me to play in Paisley Town Hall for a night. I started playing with Andy MacColl, whose wife was from the Ross of Mull.” I tell George that I noted the popularity of Andy MacColl’s Band while leafing through old copies of The Oban Times, showing the many dances that were held in Glasgow at the time. “Yes, you could be out playing most nights,” George remembers. He played once at a ceilidh in the Highlanders’ Institute in Elmbank Street before it moved to Berkeley Street in the early 1960s. Our conversation recreates those heady nights – midweek as well as weekends – in the Highlanders in Berkeley Street where there would be several hundred accomplished ceilidh dancers on the floor, city residents joined by Highland students – including a contingent from Mull. I can hardly believe George when he discloses that in those days the fee was 10/- for a three piece band for an evening’s dancing. George also played for a Highland Gathering in the St Andrew’s Halls (burnt out in 1962), with Will Starr and Calum Kennedy also on the bill. I was booked to accompany a Highland dancer, but I did a solo spot; it was a big occasion.” He also played in Govan Town Hall, another favoured venue of expatriate Gaels; and there were booking for weddings in hotels. I ask George about his invention of the electronic bagpipes. At the time he was accompanying that wonderful singer Iain Carmichael, Mod Gold Medalist, “Ian was also a piper. We were working on an LP in my house one night. Iain, like many pipers, took ages to tune up. The press made out that the neighbours downstairs were complaining at the noise, but they didn’t actually complain. As soon as they heard the pipes they came up for a ceilidh and a dram. But the pipes were noisy. At that time Rolf Harris has a wee electronic instrument like a xylophone (Stylophone), one of the first electronic instruments. It sounded not unlike a pipe chanter. I thought: matbe I can incorporate this into a chanter. I started off with an old coffee-table leg. I used touch buttons, the kind you used on television sets at the time. I patented it and it was marketed. The system is still available.”
For 30 or so years George has been a full-time musician, a rare achievement in these times. “Over the years I’ve been fairly lucky with work.” But he acknowledges that dancing is diminishing in popularity on the Wast coast. Years ago he was asked to do a summer season in Fort William, and moved up to the town. His musical colleague Annabel Gillan is a superb fiddle player and also calls the dances in the band, The Hebrideans.
George has taken his accordion worldwide, to Israel, Egypt and Russia. He and Annabel have an annual engagement in Vienna to play for a dance for the International English Schools of the United Nations. “These young people in Vienna could show us a few things about dancing.” At home, there are ceilidhs in The Assembly Rooms, Edinburgh and visites to Accordion and Fiddle Clubs. (If you haven’t heard Faunty already, invite him for a splendid evening.)
So how did he acquire the name Faunty, I ask after a sufficient number of whiskies? “On Mull I stayed in Torloisk, which is about 16 miles from Tobermory. We had to stay in Tobermory for schooling during the week. A couple of boys and myself used to cycle over to Tobermory on Sunday night for a new school week and home again on a Friday evening. The other boys had Raleigh and Hercules bicycles, but mine was built from old pieces I salvaged from the dump. Someone asked me: ‘What kind of bike is that?’ and I said: That’s a faunty. ‘What do you mean by that?’ I was asked. It’s fawin’ tae bits I said. The name stuck. I get letters addresses to Faunty.”
When I raise the matter of the china eggs rolled out on to the Dervaig Hall stage to introduce The Hens March to the Midden, Faunty confirms that the story is true. He still does the trick, through nowadays the eggs are plastic. He tells me that at an airport his bags were being checked for bombs. “A rather large foreign lady asked: ‘What are these?’ and I picked up the plastic eggs. I tried to explain in pidgin English: I am a musician, I play accordion, at the same time as doing all these actions. These eggs I use for show. I put them between my legs and made cackling sounds. The next thing, armed policemen were moving towards me.”
Did Faunty really get so carried away while playing one night at Dervaig that his chair lifted and he fell backwards off the stage? “I don’t remember falling off the stage in Dervaig, but I do remember falling off in Helensburgh one night. I was quite sober, I had my kilt on,” he adds, leaving the rest to my imagination.
After our chat, we adjourn to the Nevisport Bar. George straps on his accordion and gives us a selection of tunes, and there is room between the tables for a Canadian Barn Dance to the beautifully paced tunes Major Manson of Clackantrushal and Father John MacMillan of Barra. On the way back through the gloom of Glencoe my spirits are lifted by playing Highland Fling, the CD of George’s band The Hebrideans, on the car system. The classic West Coast sound is heard in the Gaelic waltz selection, and my wife Mary and I agree that it has been a perfect day of harmony and fond memories.
A Case for the Arts
by Mark Murpurgo
When ………….
See Hear! with Bill Brown
CD Reviews
The 7th Angus Accordion & Fiddle Festival – Various Artistes – No catalogue number
The Silver Spire – Sandy Noxon SDB – HRMCD016
Scapa Flow - The Ronald Anderson Band – ATCD076
Take the Floor – Saturday Evenings 19.05 – 21.00 with Robbie Shepherd (repeated on Sunday’s)
6th Feb 10 – Jim Lindsay SDB
13th Feb 10 – Colin Donaldson SDB
20th Feb 10 – Bruce Peebles SDB
27th Feb 10 – Bruce Londsay SDB – OB from Montrose
CLUB DIARY
Aberdeen (Old Machar RBL) – 23rd Feb 10 – Burns Brothers Trio
Alnwick (The Farrier’s Arms – Shilbottle)
Annan (St Andrew’s Social Club) - 21st Feb 10 – Dick Black Band
Arbroath (Viewfield Hotel) - 7th Feb 10 – Bruce Lindsay SDB
Armadale (Masonic Hall) – 4th Feb 10 – Iain Cathcart SDB
Balloch (St. Kessog’s Church Hall) – 21st Feb 10 – Jimmy Lindsay Trio
Banchory (Burnett Arms Hotel) –
Banff & District (Banff Springs Hotel) – 24th Feb 10 – Graham Geddes Trio
Beith & District (Anderson Hotel) – 15th Feb 10 – Nicol McLaren SDB
Biggar (Municipal Hall) – 14th Feb 10 – David Kennedy SDB
Blairgowrie (Moorfield Hotel) - 9th Feb 10 – Neil Caul SDB
Britannia (Arden House Hotel) -
Bromley (Trinity United Reform Church) -
Button Key (Windygates Institute) – 11th Feb 10 – Wullie Scott
Campsie (Glazert Country House Hotel) - 2nd Feb 10 – Stuart McKeown SDB
Carlisle (St Margaret Mary Social Club) - 4th Feb 10 – Judith Linton Trio
Castle Douglas (Urr Valley Country House Hotel) – 16th Feb 10 – Bon Accords
Coalburn (Miners’ Welfare) - 18th Feb 10 – Seamus O’Sullivan & Friends
Coldingham (Village Hall) - 1st Feb 10 – Gordon Clark SDB
Crieff & District (Crieff Hotel) 4th Feb 10 – Ross MacPherson SDB
Cults (Culter Sports & Social Club)
Dingwall (National Hotel) – 3rd Feb 10 – Andy Kain Duo
Dunblane (Victoria Hall) – 17th Feb 10 – Marian Anderson SDB
Dunfermline (Headwell Bowling Club) – 9th Feb 10 – Iain MacPhail SDB
Dunoon & Cowal (McColl’s Hotel)
Duns (Royal British Legion Club, Langtongate) 15th Feb 10 – Craig Paton SDB
Ellon (Station Hotel) – 16th Feb 10 – Nicky McMichan SDB
Fintry (Fintry Sports Centre) – 22nd Feb 10 – John Stuart SDB
Forfar (The Royal Hotel) - 28th Feb 10 – Deirdre Adamson
Forres (Victoria Hotel) – 10th Feb 10 – Cameron Kellow Trio
Galashiels (Abbotsford Arms Hotel) – 4th Feb 10 – Gordon Pattullo
Glendale (The Glendale Hall) - 25th Feb 10 – Robert Whitehead SDB
Glenfarg (Lomond Hotel) - 3rd Feb 10 – Jim Quigley SDB
Glenrothes (Victoria Hall, Coaltown of Balgownie) -
Gretna (Athlitic & Social Club) - 7th Feb 10 – David Vernon
Haddington (Railway Inn) - 21st Feb 10 – Gary Sutherland SDB
Highland (Waterside Hotel) – 15th Feb 10 – Gemma Donald Trio
Inveraray (Argyll Hotel) - 10th Feb 10 – Susan MacFadyen SDB
Isle of Skye – (The Royal Hotel, Portree) - 4th Feb 10 – Alan Gardiner Trio
Islesteps (The Embassy Hotel) – 2nd Feb 10 – Iain Anderson & Gemma Donald
Kelso (Cross Keys Hotel) – 24th Feb 10 – Ewan Galloway SDB
Kintore (Torryburn Arms Hotel) – 3rd Feb 10 – Members’ Night
Ladybank (Ladybank Tavern) - 18th Feb 10 – Jim Gold Band
Lanark (Ravenstruther Hall) - 22nd Feb 10 – Wayne Robertson Duo
Langholm (Eskdale Hotel) – 10th Feb 10 – Neil Hardie SDB
Lewis & Harris (Stornoway Legion) - 3rd Feb 10 – Woodland Ceilidh Band
Livingston (Hilcroft Hotel, Whitburn) 16th Feb 10 – Johnny Duncan Duo
Lockerbie (Queen’s Hotel) - 12th Feb 10 – Dance to Robert Whitehead SDB 23rd Feb 10 – Iain Anderson Trio
Mauchline (Harry Lyle Suite) - 16th Feb 10 – Andy Kain Trio
Montrose (Park Hotel) – 3rd Feb 10 – AGM + Graeme Mitchell SDB 21st Feb 10 – Steven Carcary Duo
Newburgh (The Ship Hotel) - 25th Feb 10 – Iain Anderson & Gemma Donald
Newmill-on-Teviot / Teviotdale (Thorterdykes Roadhouse) 17th Feb 10 – Roger Dobson SDB
Newtongrange (Dean Tavern) – 22nd Feb 10 – Jimmy Cassidy
North East (Royal British Legion, Keith) – 2nd Feb 10 - tbc
Oban (The Argyllshire Gathering) – 4th Feb 10 – Michael Garvin SDB
Orkney (Ayre Hotel, Kirkwall) –
Peebles (Rugby Social Club) – 25th Feb 10 – Johnny Duncan Duo
Perth (Salutation Hotel) – 16th Feb 10 – Neil Hardie SDB
Premier NI (Chimney Corner Hotel) -
Reading Scottish Fiddlers (Willowbank Infant School, Woodley) -
Renfrew (Masonic Hall, Broadloan) – 9th Feb 10 – Cameron Kellow Trio
Rothbury (Queen’s Head Hotel) - 4th Feb 10 – Iain Anderon & Gemma Donald
Scottish Accordion Music (Banchory) -
Selkirk (Angus O’Malley’s) - 11th Feb 10 – Neil Hardie SDB
Shetland (Shetland Hotel, Lerwick) - 11th & 25th Feb 10 -
Stonehouse (Stonehouse Violet Football Social Club) - 3rd Feb 10 – David Oswald SDB
Sutherland (Rogart Hall) - 13th Feb 10 – Andrew MacDonald
Thornhill (Bowling Club Hall) - 9th Feb 10 – Jim Gold SDB
Thurso (Pentland Hotel) – 1st Feb 10 – Graeme MacKay + Local Bands Night
Turriff (Commercial Hotel, Cuminestown) – 4th Feb 10 – Kevin Cheyne Band
Tynedale (Hexham Ex Service Club) –
Uist & Benbecula (C of S Hall, Griminish) - 6th & 20th Feb 10 – Local Players
West Barnes (West Barnes Inn) 11th Feb 10 – Tom Alexander
Wick (MacKay’s Hotel) – 16th Feb 10 – Gemma Donald Trio
THERE WERE CLUB REPORTS FROM :-
1. Aberdeen
2. Annan
3. Arbroath
4. Banchory
5. Biggar
6. Blairgowrie
7. Button-key
8. Castle Douglas
9. Coalburn
10. Coldingham
11. Dunfermline
12. Dunblane
13. Fintry
14. Forres
15. Glendale
16. Glenrothes
17. Gretna
18. Highland
19. Inveraray
20. Isle of Skye
21. Islesteps
22. Kelso
23. Lockerbie
24. Mauchline
25. Montrose
26. Oban
27. Peebles
28. Perth
29. Renfrew
30. Rothbury
31. Shetland
32. Teviotdale
33. Thornhill
34. West Barnes
35. Wick
CLUB DIRECTORY AS AT OCT 2009
(Clubs didn’t necessarily notify the Assoc when they closed so the following may not be entirely correct. Only the clubs submitting the reports or in the Club Diary above were definitely open.)
1. Aberdeen A&F Club (1975 – present)
2. Alnwick A&F Club (Aug 1975 – present)
3. Annan A&F Club (joined Assoc in 1996 but started 1985 – present)
4. Arbroath A&F Club (1991? – present)
5. Armadale A&F Club (Oct 1978? or 80) originally called Bathgate Club (for 2 months) Closed early 08-09
6. Balloch A&F Club (Sept 1972 – per January 1978 issue – present)
7. Banchory A&F Club (1978 – present)
8. Banff & District A&F Club (Oct 1973 – present)
9. Beith & District A&F Club (Sept 1972 – per first edition – present)
10. Belford A&F Club (joined Sept 1982)
11. Biggar A&F Club (Oct 1974 – present)
12. Blairgowrie A&F Club (
13. Britannia B&F Club ( joined 07-08 but much older
14. Bromley A&F Club (joined 95-96 – closed early 08-09)
15. Button Key A&F Club (
16. Campsie A&F Club (Nov 95 – present)
17. Carlisle A&F Club (joined Sept 1993 -
18. Castle Douglas A&F Club (c Sept 1980 – present)
19. Coalburn A&F Club (
20. Coldingham A&F Club (Nov 2008 -
21. Crathes (aka Scottish Accordion Music – Crathes) (Nov 1997 -
22. Crieff A&F Club (cSept 1981)
23. Cults A & F Club (
24. Dalriada A&F Club (Feb 1981)
25. Dingwall & District A&F Club (May 1979 – per first report)
26. Dunblane & District A&F Club (1971 – present)
27. Dunfermline & District A&F Club (1974 – per first edition)
28. Dunoon & Cowal A&F Club (
29. Duns A&F Club (formed 20th Sept 04 – present)
30. East Kilbride A&F Club (Sept 1980 – Closed 04/05)
31. Ellon A&F Club (
32. Fintry A&F Club (Dec 1972 – reformed Jan 1980 – present)
33. Forfar A&F Club (
34. Forres A&F Club (Jan 1978)
35. Galashiels A&F Club (joined Sept 1982 - present)
36. Galston A&F Club (Oct 1969 – per first edition – closed March 2006)
37. Glendale Accordion Club (Jan 1973)
38. Glenfarg A&F Club (formed 1988 joined Assoc Mar 95 -
39. Glenrothes A&F Club (Mar 93?
40. Gretna A&F Club (1991) Known as North Cumbria A&F Club previously (originally called Gretna when started in June 1966 but later had to move to venues in the North of England and changed name. No breaks in the continuity of the Club)
41. Haddington A&F Club (formed Feb 2005 - )
42. Highland A&F Club (Inverness) (Nov 1973 – present)
43. Inveraray A&F Club (Feb 1991 - present)
44. Islesteps A&F Club (Jan 1981 – present – n.b. evolved from the original Dumfries Club)
45. Isle of Skye A&F Club (June 1983 – present)
46. Kelso A&F Club (May 1976 – present)
47. Kintore A&F Club (
48. Ladybank A&F Club (joined Apr 98 but formed earlier
49. Lanark A&F Club (joined Sept 96 – closed March 2015)
50. Langholm A&F Club (Oct 1967 - present)
51. Lewis & Harris A&F Club (Aug 1994 -
52. Livingston A&F Club (Sept 1973 – present)
53 Lockerbie A&F Club (Nov 1973 - present)
54 Maine Valley A&F Club (
55 Mauchline A&F Club (Sept 1983 - present)
56 Montrose A&F Club (joined Sept 1982 - present)
57 Newburgh A&F Club (joined 2002 but founded
58 Newmill-on-Teviot (Hawick) (Formed late 1988 joined Assoc 1999 - closed March 2016)
59 Newtongrange A&F Club (joined Sept 1977 - present)
60North East A&F Club aka Keith A&FC (Sept 1971 - present)
61 Oban A&F Club (Nov 1975 - present)
62 Orkney A&F Club (Mar 1978 - present)
63 Peebles A&F Club (26 Nov 1981 - present)
64 Perth & District A&F Club (Aug 1970 - present)
65 Premier A&F Club NI (April 1980)
66 Phoenix A&F Club, Ardrishaig (Dec 2004 -
67 Renfrew A&F Club (1984 -
68 Rothbury Accordion Club (7th Feb 1974) orig called Coquetdale
69 Selkirk A&F Club (
70Shetland A&F Club (Sept 1978 - present)
71 Stonehouse A&F Club (first report June 05 -
72 Sutherland A&F Club (Nov 1982 -
73 Thornhill A&F Club (joined Oct 1983 – see Nov 83 edition – closed April 2014)
74 Thurso A&F Club (Oct 1981 - present)
75 Turriff A&F Club (March 1982 - present)
76 Tynedale A&F Club (Nov 1980 - present)
77 Uist & Benbecula A&F Club (Dec 2007 but formed 1994 -
78 West Barnes ( - present)
79 Wick A&F Club (Oct 1975 - present)
Not on official list at the start of the season (closed, did not renew membership or omitted in error?)
80. Araharacle & District A&F Club (cMay 1988)
81. Ayr A&F Club (Nov 1983 – per Nov 83 edition) Closed
82. Bonchester Accordion Club (Closed?)
83. Bridge of Allan (Walmer) A&F Club (Walmer Hotel, Bridge of Allan) (c March 1982)
84. Brigmill A&F Club (Oct 1990) Closed
85. Buchan A&F Club
86 Callander A&F Club (
87 Campbeltown & District A&F Club (c Dec 1980)
88 Cleland (cNov 1981 – March 1985) originally called Drumpellier A&F Club (for 2 months)
89 Club Accord
90 Coquetdale A&F Club (Feb 1974 or c1976/77 – 1981/2? – became Rothbury?)
91. Coupar Angus A&F Club (cSept 1978 - ?)
92. Cumnock A&F Club (October 1976 - forced to close cDec 1982 - see Jan 83 Editorial)
93. Denny & Dunipace A&F Club (Feb 1981)
94. Derwentside A&F Club
95. Dornoch A&F Club (first mention in directory 1986)
96. Dumfries Accordion Club (Oughtons) (April 1965 at the Hole in the Wa’)
97. Dunbar Cement Works A&F Club (Closed?)
98. Dundee & District A&F Club (1970? – 1995?)
99. Edinburgh A&F Club (Apr 1981) prev called Chrissie Leatham A&F Club (Oct 1980)
100. Falkirk A&F Club (Sept 1978 - )
101. Fort William A&F Club (21st Oct 1980 – per Dec 1980 B&F)
102. Gorebridge (cNov 1981) originally called Arniston A&F Club (for 2 months)
103. Greenhead Accordion Club (on the A69 between Brampton and Haltwistle)
104. Islay A&F Club (23 Apr 93 -
105. Kirriemuir A&F Club (cSept 1981)
106. Lesmahagow A&F Club (Nov 1979 – closed May 2005)
107. M.A.F.I.A. (1966 – 1993?)
108. Monklands A&F Club (Nov 1978 – closed cApril 1983)
109. Morecambe A&F Club (joined Sept 1982)
110. Muirhead A&F Club (Dec 1994 -
111. Mull A&F Club
112. Newcastleton Accordion Club
113. New Cumnock A&F Club (cMarch 1979)
114. Newton St Boswells Accordion Club (17th Oct 1972 see Apr 1984 obituary for Angus Park)
115. Ormiston Miners’ Welfare Society A&F Club (closed April 1992 – per Sept Editorial)
116. Reading Scottish Fiddlers (cMarch 1997
117. Renfrew A&F Club (original club 1974/5 lapsed after a few years then again in 1984)
118. Stirling A&F Club (Oct 1991 – closed 20000/01?)
119. Straiton Accordion Club (c1968 – closed March 1979)
120. Stranraer & District Accordion Club (1974 – per first edition)
121. Torthorwald A&F Club (near Dumfries)
122. Tranent A&F Club
123. Vancouver
124. Walmer (Bridge of Allan) A&F Club
125. Wellbank A&F Club
126. Yarrow (prev known as Etterick & Yarrow) (Jan 1989 – closed 2001/02)
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B&F Treasurer – Charlie Todd, Thankerton
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
This has been an unbelievable winter so far! I was snowed in almost non-stop for a month and many of our rural Clubs had to cancel December and January meetings. I hope things are starting to get back to normal for everyone now and you’re all well on your way to breaking your New Year resolutions. I bet a few were broken at Up Helly Aa.
I had another power cut just as I was about to send the magazine to the printers, so apologies if there are any delays, but there’s not a lot you can do if the power line comes down!
Karin Ingram
MG Alba Scots Trad Music Awards 2009
by
l……………….
Fond Memories of Mull and China Eggs
by Lorn McIntyre
The scene is the village hall in Dervaig on the Isle of Mull some 40 years ago. George ‘Faunty’ Smith from Torloisk lifts his hand from his accordion and rolls a couple of china eggs from between his legs before playing The Hens March to the Midden, reproducing the cackling high-pitched calls of the fowls on the keyboard. Is this a true memory, or part of the legend of Faunty I have heard from someone? To find out the answer I took the road to Fort William, to meet up with my fellow Muileach after all those years.
“My mother came from Glasgow, but her folks were originally from Dunoon,” George recalls. “My grandmother played piano for Harry Lauder at one time. My mother Mary taught in Fanmore School in Mull.” Who was in the Smith family band? “Christine, my sister, played the accordion and piano. My mother played the piano. I played the accordion.” George started the accordion in his early teens when he was a pupil at Tobermory School. He played both by ear and sight-reading music, and had no tutor to help him develop his accordion skills. After completing his education at Oban High School he went to Glasgow in the early 1960s. He worked in an office, and on the buses, and then he went into electronics in the early days of that now universal industry.
It was a good city for a young musician to settle in, because Glasgow in the 1960s had a substantial population of expatriates from the Highlands and Islands who were keen and skilled dancers. “I started playing in a band more or less as soon as I arrived in Glasgow,” George tells me. John Carmichael phoned me and asked me to play in Paisley Town Hall for a night. I started playing with Andy MacColl, whose wife was from the Ross of Mull.” I tell George that I noted the popularity of Andy MacColl’s Band while leafing through old copies of The Oban Times, showing the many dances that were held in Glasgow at the time. “Yes, you could be out playing most nights,” George remembers. He played once at a ceilidh in the Highlanders’ Institute in Elmbank Street before it moved to Berkeley Street in the early 1960s. Our conversation recreates those heady nights – midweek as well as weekends – in the Highlanders in Berkeley Street where there would be several hundred accomplished ceilidh dancers on the floor, city residents joined by Highland students – including a contingent from Mull. I can hardly believe George when he discloses that in those days the fee was 10/- for a three piece band for an evening’s dancing. George also played for a Highland Gathering in the St Andrew’s Halls (burnt out in 1962), with Will Starr and Calum Kennedy also on the bill. I was booked to accompany a Highland dancer, but I did a solo spot; it was a big occasion.” He also played in Govan Town Hall, another favoured venue of expatriate Gaels; and there were booking for weddings in hotels. I ask George about his invention of the electronic bagpipes. At the time he was accompanying that wonderful singer Iain Carmichael, Mod Gold Medalist, “Ian was also a piper. We were working on an LP in my house one night. Iain, like many pipers, took ages to tune up. The press made out that the neighbours downstairs were complaining at the noise, but they didn’t actually complain. As soon as they heard the pipes they came up for a ceilidh and a dram. But the pipes were noisy. At that time Rolf Harris has a wee electronic instrument like a xylophone (Stylophone), one of the first electronic instruments. It sounded not unlike a pipe chanter. I thought: matbe I can incorporate this into a chanter. I started off with an old coffee-table leg. I used touch buttons, the kind you used on television sets at the time. I patented it and it was marketed. The system is still available.”
For 30 or so years George has been a full-time musician, a rare achievement in these times. “Over the years I’ve been fairly lucky with work.” But he acknowledges that dancing is diminishing in popularity on the Wast coast. Years ago he was asked to do a summer season in Fort William, and moved up to the town. His musical colleague Annabel Gillan is a superb fiddle player and also calls the dances in the band, The Hebrideans.
George has taken his accordion worldwide, to Israel, Egypt and Russia. He and Annabel have an annual engagement in Vienna to play for a dance for the International English Schools of the United Nations. “These young people in Vienna could show us a few things about dancing.” At home, there are ceilidhs in The Assembly Rooms, Edinburgh and visites to Accordion and Fiddle Clubs. (If you haven’t heard Faunty already, invite him for a splendid evening.)
So how did he acquire the name Faunty, I ask after a sufficient number of whiskies? “On Mull I stayed in Torloisk, which is about 16 miles from Tobermory. We had to stay in Tobermory for schooling during the week. A couple of boys and myself used to cycle over to Tobermory on Sunday night for a new school week and home again on a Friday evening. The other boys had Raleigh and Hercules bicycles, but mine was built from old pieces I salvaged from the dump. Someone asked me: ‘What kind of bike is that?’ and I said: That’s a faunty. ‘What do you mean by that?’ I was asked. It’s fawin’ tae bits I said. The name stuck. I get letters addresses to Faunty.”
When I raise the matter of the china eggs rolled out on to the Dervaig Hall stage to introduce The Hens March to the Midden, Faunty confirms that the story is true. He still does the trick, through nowadays the eggs are plastic. He tells me that at an airport his bags were being checked for bombs. “A rather large foreign lady asked: ‘What are these?’ and I picked up the plastic eggs. I tried to explain in pidgin English: I am a musician, I play accordion, at the same time as doing all these actions. These eggs I use for show. I put them between my legs and made cackling sounds. The next thing, armed policemen were moving towards me.”
Did Faunty really get so carried away while playing one night at Dervaig that his chair lifted and he fell backwards off the stage? “I don’t remember falling off the stage in Dervaig, but I do remember falling off in Helensburgh one night. I was quite sober, I had my kilt on,” he adds, leaving the rest to my imagination.
After our chat, we adjourn to the Nevisport Bar. George straps on his accordion and gives us a selection of tunes, and there is room between the tables for a Canadian Barn Dance to the beautifully paced tunes Major Manson of Clackantrushal and Father John MacMillan of Barra. On the way back through the gloom of Glencoe my spirits are lifted by playing Highland Fling, the CD of George’s band The Hebrideans, on the car system. The classic West Coast sound is heard in the Gaelic waltz selection, and my wife Mary and I agree that it has been a perfect day of harmony and fond memories.
A Case for the Arts
by Mark Murpurgo
When ………….
See Hear! with Bill Brown
CD Reviews
The 7th Angus Accordion & Fiddle Festival – Various Artistes – No catalogue number
The Silver Spire – Sandy Noxon SDB – HRMCD016
Scapa Flow - The Ronald Anderson Band – ATCD076
Take the Floor – Saturday Evenings 19.05 – 21.00 with Robbie Shepherd (repeated on Sunday’s)
6th Feb 10 – Jim Lindsay SDB
13th Feb 10 – Colin Donaldson SDB
20th Feb 10 – Bruce Peebles SDB
27th Feb 10 – Bruce Londsay SDB – OB from Montrose
CLUB DIARY
Aberdeen (Old Machar RBL) – 23rd Feb 10 – Burns Brothers Trio
Alnwick (The Farrier’s Arms – Shilbottle)
Annan (St Andrew’s Social Club) - 21st Feb 10 – Dick Black Band
Arbroath (Viewfield Hotel) - 7th Feb 10 – Bruce Lindsay SDB
Armadale (Masonic Hall) – 4th Feb 10 – Iain Cathcart SDB
Balloch (St. Kessog’s Church Hall) – 21st Feb 10 – Jimmy Lindsay Trio
Banchory (Burnett Arms Hotel) –
Banff & District (Banff Springs Hotel) – 24th Feb 10 – Graham Geddes Trio
Beith & District (Anderson Hotel) – 15th Feb 10 – Nicol McLaren SDB
Biggar (Municipal Hall) – 14th Feb 10 – David Kennedy SDB
Blairgowrie (Moorfield Hotel) - 9th Feb 10 – Neil Caul SDB
Britannia (Arden House Hotel) -
Bromley (Trinity United Reform Church) -
Button Key (Windygates Institute) – 11th Feb 10 – Wullie Scott
Campsie (Glazert Country House Hotel) - 2nd Feb 10 – Stuart McKeown SDB
Carlisle (St Margaret Mary Social Club) - 4th Feb 10 – Judith Linton Trio
Castle Douglas (Urr Valley Country House Hotel) – 16th Feb 10 – Bon Accords
Coalburn (Miners’ Welfare) - 18th Feb 10 – Seamus O’Sullivan & Friends
Coldingham (Village Hall) - 1st Feb 10 – Gordon Clark SDB
Crieff & District (Crieff Hotel) 4th Feb 10 – Ross MacPherson SDB
Cults (Culter Sports & Social Club)
Dingwall (National Hotel) – 3rd Feb 10 – Andy Kain Duo
Dunblane (Victoria Hall) – 17th Feb 10 – Marian Anderson SDB
Dunfermline (Headwell Bowling Club) – 9th Feb 10 – Iain MacPhail SDB
Dunoon & Cowal (McColl’s Hotel)
Duns (Royal British Legion Club, Langtongate) 15th Feb 10 – Craig Paton SDB
Ellon (Station Hotel) – 16th Feb 10 – Nicky McMichan SDB
Fintry (Fintry Sports Centre) – 22nd Feb 10 – John Stuart SDB
Forfar (The Royal Hotel) - 28th Feb 10 – Deirdre Adamson
Forres (Victoria Hotel) – 10th Feb 10 – Cameron Kellow Trio
Galashiels (Abbotsford Arms Hotel) – 4th Feb 10 – Gordon Pattullo
Glendale (The Glendale Hall) - 25th Feb 10 – Robert Whitehead SDB
Glenfarg (Lomond Hotel) - 3rd Feb 10 – Jim Quigley SDB
Glenrothes (Victoria Hall, Coaltown of Balgownie) -
Gretna (Athlitic & Social Club) - 7th Feb 10 – David Vernon
Haddington (Railway Inn) - 21st Feb 10 – Gary Sutherland SDB
Highland (Waterside Hotel) – 15th Feb 10 – Gemma Donald Trio
Inveraray (Argyll Hotel) - 10th Feb 10 – Susan MacFadyen SDB
Isle of Skye – (The Royal Hotel, Portree) - 4th Feb 10 – Alan Gardiner Trio
Islesteps (The Embassy Hotel) – 2nd Feb 10 – Iain Anderson & Gemma Donald
Kelso (Cross Keys Hotel) – 24th Feb 10 – Ewan Galloway SDB
Kintore (Torryburn Arms Hotel) – 3rd Feb 10 – Members’ Night
Ladybank (Ladybank Tavern) - 18th Feb 10 – Jim Gold Band
Lanark (Ravenstruther Hall) - 22nd Feb 10 – Wayne Robertson Duo
Langholm (Eskdale Hotel) – 10th Feb 10 – Neil Hardie SDB
Lewis & Harris (Stornoway Legion) - 3rd Feb 10 – Woodland Ceilidh Band
Livingston (Hilcroft Hotel, Whitburn) 16th Feb 10 – Johnny Duncan Duo
Lockerbie (Queen’s Hotel) - 12th Feb 10 – Dance to Robert Whitehead SDB 23rd Feb 10 – Iain Anderson Trio
Mauchline (Harry Lyle Suite) - 16th Feb 10 – Andy Kain Trio
Montrose (Park Hotel) – 3rd Feb 10 – AGM + Graeme Mitchell SDB 21st Feb 10 – Steven Carcary Duo
Newburgh (The Ship Hotel) - 25th Feb 10 – Iain Anderson & Gemma Donald
Newmill-on-Teviot / Teviotdale (Thorterdykes Roadhouse) 17th Feb 10 – Roger Dobson SDB
Newtongrange (Dean Tavern) – 22nd Feb 10 – Jimmy Cassidy
North East (Royal British Legion, Keith) – 2nd Feb 10 - tbc
Oban (The Argyllshire Gathering) – 4th Feb 10 – Michael Garvin SDB
Orkney (Ayre Hotel, Kirkwall) –
Peebles (Rugby Social Club) – 25th Feb 10 – Johnny Duncan Duo
Perth (Salutation Hotel) – 16th Feb 10 – Neil Hardie SDB
Premier NI (Chimney Corner Hotel) -
Reading Scottish Fiddlers (Willowbank Infant School, Woodley) -
Renfrew (Masonic Hall, Broadloan) – 9th Feb 10 – Cameron Kellow Trio
Rothbury (Queen’s Head Hotel) - 4th Feb 10 – Iain Anderon & Gemma Donald
Scottish Accordion Music (Banchory) -
Selkirk (Angus O’Malley’s) - 11th Feb 10 – Neil Hardie SDB
Shetland (Shetland Hotel, Lerwick) - 11th & 25th Feb 10 -
Stonehouse (Stonehouse Violet Football Social Club) - 3rd Feb 10 – David Oswald SDB
Sutherland (Rogart Hall) - 13th Feb 10 – Andrew MacDonald
Thornhill (Bowling Club Hall) - 9th Feb 10 – Jim Gold SDB
Thurso (Pentland Hotel) – 1st Feb 10 – Graeme MacKay + Local Bands Night
Turriff (Commercial Hotel, Cuminestown) – 4th Feb 10 – Kevin Cheyne Band
Tynedale (Hexham Ex Service Club) –
Uist & Benbecula (C of S Hall, Griminish) - 6th & 20th Feb 10 – Local Players
West Barnes (West Barnes Inn) 11th Feb 10 – Tom Alexander
Wick (MacKay’s Hotel) – 16th Feb 10 – Gemma Donald Trio
THERE WERE CLUB REPORTS FROM :-
1. Aberdeen
2. Annan
3. Arbroath
4. Banchory
5. Biggar
6. Blairgowrie
7. Button-key
8. Castle Douglas
9. Coalburn
10. Coldingham
11. Dunfermline
12. Dunblane
13. Fintry
14. Forres
15. Glendale
16. Glenrothes
17. Gretna
18. Highland
19. Inveraray
20. Isle of Skye
21. Islesteps
22. Kelso
23. Lockerbie
24. Mauchline
25. Montrose
26. Oban
27. Peebles
28. Perth
29. Renfrew
30. Rothbury
31. Shetland
32. Teviotdale
33. Thornhill
34. West Barnes
35. Wick
CLUB DIRECTORY AS AT OCT 2009
(Clubs didn’t necessarily notify the Assoc when they closed so the following may not be entirely correct. Only the clubs submitting the reports or in the Club Diary above were definitely open.)
1. Aberdeen A&F Club (1975 – present)
2. Alnwick A&F Club (Aug 1975 – present)
3. Annan A&F Club (joined Assoc in 1996 but started 1985 – present)
4. Arbroath A&F Club (1991? – present)
5. Armadale A&F Club (Oct 1978? or 80) originally called Bathgate Club (for 2 months) Closed early 08-09
6. Balloch A&F Club (Sept 1972 – per January 1978 issue – present)
7. Banchory A&F Club (1978 – present)
8. Banff & District A&F Club (Oct 1973 – present)
9. Beith & District A&F Club (Sept 1972 – per first edition – present)
10. Belford A&F Club (joined Sept 1982)
11. Biggar A&F Club (Oct 1974 – present)
12. Blairgowrie A&F Club (
13. Britannia B&F Club ( joined 07-08 but much older
14. Bromley A&F Club (joined 95-96 – closed early 08-09)
15. Button Key A&F Club (
16. Campsie A&F Club (Nov 95 – present)
17. Carlisle A&F Club (joined Sept 1993 -
18. Castle Douglas A&F Club (c Sept 1980 – present)
19. Coalburn A&F Club (
20. Coldingham A&F Club (Nov 2008 -
21. Crathes (aka Scottish Accordion Music – Crathes) (Nov 1997 -
22. Crieff A&F Club (cSept 1981)
23. Cults A & F Club (
24. Dalriada A&F Club (Feb 1981)
25. Dingwall & District A&F Club (May 1979 – per first report)
26. Dunblane & District A&F Club (1971 – present)
27. Dunfermline & District A&F Club (1974 – per first edition)
28. Dunoon & Cowal A&F Club (
29. Duns A&F Club (formed 20th Sept 04 – present)
30. East Kilbride A&F Club (Sept 1980 – Closed 04/05)
31. Ellon A&F Club (
32. Fintry A&F Club (Dec 1972 – reformed Jan 1980 – present)
33. Forfar A&F Club (
34. Forres A&F Club (Jan 1978)
35. Galashiels A&F Club (joined Sept 1982 - present)
36. Galston A&F Club (Oct 1969 – per first edition – closed March 2006)
37. Glendale Accordion Club (Jan 1973)
38. Glenfarg A&F Club (formed 1988 joined Assoc Mar 95 -
39. Glenrothes A&F Club (Mar 93?
40. Gretna A&F Club (1991) Known as North Cumbria A&F Club previously (originally called Gretna when started in June 1966 but later had to move to venues in the North of England and changed name. No breaks in the continuity of the Club)
41. Haddington A&F Club (formed Feb 2005 - )
42. Highland A&F Club (Inverness) (Nov 1973 – present)
43. Inveraray A&F Club (Feb 1991 - present)
44. Islesteps A&F Club (Jan 1981 – present – n.b. evolved from the original Dumfries Club)
45. Isle of Skye A&F Club (June 1983 – present)
46. Kelso A&F Club (May 1976 – present)
47. Kintore A&F Club (
48. Ladybank A&F Club (joined Apr 98 but formed earlier
49. Lanark A&F Club (joined Sept 96 – closed March 2015)
50. Langholm A&F Club (Oct 1967 - present)
51. Lewis & Harris A&F Club (Aug 1994 -
52. Livingston A&F Club (Sept 1973 – present)
53 Lockerbie A&F Club (Nov 1973 - present)
54 Maine Valley A&F Club (
55 Mauchline A&F Club (Sept 1983 - present)
56 Montrose A&F Club (joined Sept 1982 - present)
57 Newburgh A&F Club (joined 2002 but founded
58 Newmill-on-Teviot (Hawick) (Formed late 1988 joined Assoc 1999 - closed March 2016)
59 Newtongrange A&F Club (joined Sept 1977 - present)
60North East A&F Club aka Keith A&FC (Sept 1971 - present)
61 Oban A&F Club (Nov 1975 - present)
62 Orkney A&F Club (Mar 1978 - present)
63 Peebles A&F Club (26 Nov 1981 - present)
64 Perth & District A&F Club (Aug 1970 - present)
65 Premier A&F Club NI (April 1980)
66 Phoenix A&F Club, Ardrishaig (Dec 2004 -
67 Renfrew A&F Club (1984 -
68 Rothbury Accordion Club (7th Feb 1974) orig called Coquetdale
69 Selkirk A&F Club (
70Shetland A&F Club (Sept 1978 - present)
71 Stonehouse A&F Club (first report June 05 -
72 Sutherland A&F Club (Nov 1982 -
73 Thornhill A&F Club (joined Oct 1983 – see Nov 83 edition – closed April 2014)
74 Thurso A&F Club (Oct 1981 - present)
75 Turriff A&F Club (March 1982 - present)
76 Tynedale A&F Club (Nov 1980 - present)
77 Uist & Benbecula A&F Club (Dec 2007 but formed 1994 -
78 West Barnes ( - present)
79 Wick A&F Club (Oct 1975 - present)
Not on official list at the start of the season (closed, did not renew membership or omitted in error?)
80. Araharacle & District A&F Club (cMay 1988)
81. Ayr A&F Club (Nov 1983 – per Nov 83 edition) Closed
82. Bonchester Accordion Club (Closed?)
83. Bridge of Allan (Walmer) A&F Club (Walmer Hotel, Bridge of Allan) (c March 1982)
84. Brigmill A&F Club (Oct 1990) Closed
85. Buchan A&F Club
86 Callander A&F Club (
87 Campbeltown & District A&F Club (c Dec 1980)
88 Cleland (cNov 1981 – March 1985) originally called Drumpellier A&F Club (for 2 months)
89 Club Accord
90 Coquetdale A&F Club (Feb 1974 or c1976/77 – 1981/2? – became Rothbury?)
91. Coupar Angus A&F Club (cSept 1978 - ?)
92. Cumnock A&F Club (October 1976 - forced to close cDec 1982 - see Jan 83 Editorial)
93. Denny & Dunipace A&F Club (Feb 1981)
94. Derwentside A&F Club
95. Dornoch A&F Club (first mention in directory 1986)
96. Dumfries Accordion Club (Oughtons) (April 1965 at the Hole in the Wa’)
97. Dunbar Cement Works A&F Club (Closed?)
98. Dundee & District A&F Club (1970? – 1995?)
99. Edinburgh A&F Club (Apr 1981) prev called Chrissie Leatham A&F Club (Oct 1980)
100. Falkirk A&F Club (Sept 1978 - )
101. Fort William A&F Club (21st Oct 1980 – per Dec 1980 B&F)
102. Gorebridge (cNov 1981) originally called Arniston A&F Club (for 2 months)
103. Greenhead Accordion Club (on the A69 between Brampton and Haltwistle)
104. Islay A&F Club (23 Apr 93 -
105. Kirriemuir A&F Club (cSept 1981)
106. Lesmahagow A&F Club (Nov 1979 – closed May 2005)
107. M.A.F.I.A. (1966 – 1993?)
108. Monklands A&F Club (Nov 1978 – closed cApril 1983)
109. Morecambe A&F Club (joined Sept 1982)
110. Muirhead A&F Club (Dec 1994 -
111. Mull A&F Club
112. Newcastleton Accordion Club
113. New Cumnock A&F Club (cMarch 1979)
114. Newton St Boswells Accordion Club (17th Oct 1972 see Apr 1984 obituary for Angus Park)
115. Ormiston Miners’ Welfare Society A&F Club (closed April 1992 – per Sept Editorial)
116. Reading Scottish Fiddlers (cMarch 1997
117. Renfrew A&F Club (original club 1974/5 lapsed after a few years then again in 1984)
118. Stirling A&F Club (Oct 1991 – closed 20000/01?)
119. Straiton Accordion Club (c1968 – closed March 1979)
120. Stranraer & District Accordion Club (1974 – per first edition)
121. Torthorwald A&F Club (near Dumfries)
122. Tranent A&F Club
123. Vancouver
124. Walmer (Bridge of Allan) A&F Club
125. Wellbank A&F Club
126. Yarrow (prev known as Etterick & Yarrow) (Jan 1989 – closed 2001/02)
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