Iain Torquil MacPhail
By Charlie Todd
This year’s Guest of Honour at the Association AGM will be one of Scottish Dance music’s most recognizable characters – Iain MacPhail. I was tempted there as I looked at the cover of their first album from 1975 (see photo) to say ‘flamboyant’ but I recall we all looked a bit different back then, so that observation from almost 30 years on may not be entirely fair. Without doubt though, the sound that was unleashed on the listening enthusiast in that album did deserve that title. Although that first album, recorded at the Wick Studios of Grampian Records, lacked any of Iain’s distinctive compositions, the blend of Iain, Brian Griffin, Allan Johnston, Davy Flockhart, Alasdair MacLeod and George Darling (all pictured below) produced a sound that was to become instantly recognisable and which has stayed with us till the present day. Like one of Iain’s favourite malt whiskies, it has matured along the way.
Iain MacPhail SDB
Consistency and loyalty, as regards band personnel, is in itself a theme with Iain. With his roots firmly anchored in the closing scenes of the ‘great’ days of Scottish Dance music, when four and five piece bands were the norm and each was on the road several times a week, Iain endeavours whenever possible to field a consistent team. Indeed, even after all this time, it’s quite possible that you’ll get Brian and Davy, while fiddle and drums have been in the very capable hands of Ron Kerr and Graeme Jamieson for the best part of the last twenty years.
Kilberry Bay
The road to the top has not always been an easy one however, especially in the early years. Iain was born in Argyllshire, the family home being Kilberry, famed for a piping competition run by the local laird, Campbell of Kilberry, which was a sort of ‘Glenfiddich’ of its day. Dad, Dugald, was a very competent button accordion player and had passed his audition with the BBC before being stricken with TB which forced his to relinquish his Civil Service job in Edinburgh and return to the village. He died when Iain was only seven. To make matters worse Iain himself contracted the disease that same year and spent the next three years in Robroyston Hospital, Glasgow with no education whatsoever and, because of the distances involved, only occasional visits from mum and a weekly visit from his grandmother, Mrs Mary Printy. An altogether daunting event for any young lad. Iain’s interrupted primary education at Dunmore and Kilberry primary schools was followed by a period as a ‘boarder’ at Tarbert Academy, but at the age of sixteen he won two bursaries to attend school in Edinburgh. The closest school to where his grandparents stayed in Edinburgh was Broughton and here ‘Fate’ intervened for the first, and certainly not the last time in the form of the School Secretary, Dorothy Leurs, and music teacher Ronald Stevenson. Both were to have considerable influence on the way young Iain’s musical career developed. Ronald, a conventional music teacher of the day, had never touched an accordion but was able to point out possibilities on the instrument that had, up until that point, never even crossed Iain’s mind. More of Dorothy later.
The Hen’s March
Iain’s musical career had started back in Argyll with a wee melodeon at the age of four and the pipes as a member of the Tarbert Scout Pipe Band. Practice for the latter often took place at Ivy Cottage, outdoors and along the path which ran beside his mother’s ‘hen run’ with upwards of a hundred of the inquisitive creatures keeping pace as his first audience. Music had been forbidden during his hospital years but in Edinburgh granddad got things on the move again by purchasing an accordion – unfortunately not knowing the difference he bought a piano keyed Settemio Soprani. No matter, it was sufficient but finding a teacher proved to be more of a problem. Eventually a travelling teacher, Motherwell based Mr McCann, was contacted and lessons began.
By this stage Iain had an excellent ear and could ‘lug’ almost any tune after hearing it once. As was the norm at the time however, classics were the order of the day as far as tuition went. Asked one day by his teacher if he liked other types of music he cautiously replied yes, he liked Scottish traditional music. This was an unknown idiom to Mr McCann who asked Iain to show him such a piece. The High Level Hornpipe was duly produced and immediately played at sight, note perfect, by his teacher. Once again the significance of this was not lost on young Iain who saw new importance in the classical tuition he was receiving.
Keys of the Flat
A year down the line he was made aware of another, more local, teacher, Chrissie Leatham, so lessons moved there. Again, although unaware of their significance at the time, two new factors entered the equation. First was Chrissie’s usage of flat keys, the love of which Iain was to inherit, and secondly was an introduction to playing parts in the Accordion Orchestra and more importantly the art of writing these ’arrangements’. It intrigued Iain, who, also pulling on his school music education saw how various parts for 1st, 2nd, 3rd and 4th accordions and rhythm instruments blended into the whole.
Back at Broughton School, Iain formed his first band with Derek Flynn on piano and Norman Springford on drums. With the encouragement of Dorothy Leurs he began playing for Scottish Country Dance demonstrations. This interest in playing for Country Dancing in turn led to an invitation to join the band of Jim Nicholson, with Jim and Iain on accordions, Roy Dick on fiddle, Ken MacDonald on piano, and the first appearance of one. Gordon Young. on drums. Once again playing only for Country Dancing they travelled widely doing many jobs across the UK and making two EPs.
When Jim retired, Roy took over the band as ‘The Strathedin Dance Band’ until his untimely death. Ken retired, leaving Iain and Gordon who were joined by Allan Johnston on fiddle, Davy Flockhart on piano and Robin Brock on bass. The latter three had played in Jim Johnstone’s Band and their experience was invaluable to the fledgling band leader.
It was Robin Brock who introduced Iain to Jim MacLeod, of Dunblane Hydro fame, and they have been close friends ever since. Last year (2002) Iain and the band were invited to play their inaugural Gillies Ball at Balmoral, at Jim’s recommendation. Along the way he also played with other great names from the scene including Andrew Rankine, Jim Johnstone, Jimmy Shand Jnr and on three memorable occasion Sir Jimmy himself.
In Harmony
All of this served to crystallize ideas already forming about what he wanted for the sound of his own band. In particular ‘second box’ is a term that finds little favour with Iain – particularly after he met Jack Delaney and heard and appreciated what Mickie Ainsworth was doing with the great Powrie band. Thereafter it was to be ‘harmony accordion’ and there can be no finer exponent of that role than long standing colleague, Brian Griffin.
The new band did their first broadcast c1972. I have to say that Iain lives for the future and that dates of past landmarks are all a bit vague. He does recall that the letter from the BBC advising them that they had passed their audition, also contained a warning to avoid non-traditional harmonies i.e. minor seventh chords – for the time being anyway. Their first LP, previously referred to, followed in 1975 with Allan, Davy, Brian, Alasdair MacLeod, George Darling and vocalist George Hamilton as the line up.
Playin’ Awa’ Fae Hame
The years between then and now have passed in a blur for the band. While enjoying, as we all do, the one-off gig, the band’s professional attitude, appearance and presentation have resulted in some remarkably long-standing engagements. From 1974 until 1992 (eighteen years if my arithmetic is correct) the band appeared in the Larry Marshall Show at the King James Hotel in Edinburgh, during which, over the years they met and backed many of the then biggest names in UK show-business (e.g. Rolf Harris, Matt Munro, the Bachelors, Kathie Kay, Dickie Henderson etc). Larry’s preferred singing key was A flat, which would be a problem to many of us, but thanks to the expertise developed by Chrissie’s tuition it presented no difficulties. Another bonus in this regard was the ability to play the melody along with the Show’s pipers on chanters correctly tuned to B flat.
For the last thirty years Iain and friends have played on a Tuesday night for The Atholl Country Dance Club at The Churchill Theater in Edinburgh. Over the last twenty years Iain and the band have made around sixteen visit to South America to play for various Caledonian Societies and other functions (last year taking in Brazil, Argentina, Uruguay and, for the first time, Chile) and Iain himself annually joins Stuart Forbes, Graeme Hamilton and Alistair Forbes to play St Andrew’s Nights in Hong Kong and Taiwan.
The other great love of his musical life are the Shetland Islands where he has played regularly for many years, with great friends Cecil Hughson, Douglas Johnstone, Ronnie Jamieson, Allan Gifford and the Da Fustra Band and often with other bands made up of local players – and we all know what they’re like! – the best of the best. Friends from Shetland regularly drop in when they’re in town.
New Horizons
But new challenges also are what keeps Iain going and he cites as an example the band’s recent recordings for Books 36 and 37 of the R.S.C.D.S. It took Iain six months work to research and arrange tunes from the period of the Original, arrange the band parts and practice with each player individually before the band came together for the recording itself. Have a listen to these if you get a chance – as we would expect, the music has that MacPhail swing and the arrangements, while not overpowering, are none the less captivating.
All of the aforementioned, and much more, were achieved while Iain held down a very responsible Civil Service job as Chief Welfare Officer of the Scottish Prison Service. Having taken early retirement he is presently putting the finishing touches to a Dissertation for a Masters Degree – a long-standing ambition.
So what has a lifetime spent in Scottish Dance music meant to Iain? He emphasizes the “wonderful experiences” gained from traveling the world; venues and locations on the one hand , which would never have been possible otherwise and, importantly, on the other hand “communicating with other people from different walks of life through the medium of music”. It has also enabled him to express creativity through composing and arranging, in a way that creates an instantly recognizable sound.
When we gather in Perth on the afternoon of Sunday 29th June, we do so to recognize the achievements of one of the truly great figures of our music scene – Iain MacPhail.
Box and Fiddle
May 2003
Consistency and loyalty, as regards band personnel, is in itself a theme with Iain. With his roots firmly anchored in the closing scenes of the ‘great’ days of Scottish Dance music, when four and five piece bands were the norm and each was on the road several times a week, Iain endeavours whenever possible to field a consistent team. Indeed, even after all this time, it’s quite possible that you’ll get Brian and Davy, while fiddle and drums have been in the very capable hands of Ron Kerr and Graeme Jamieson for the best part of the last twenty years.
Kilberry Bay
The road to the top has not always been an easy one however, especially in the early years. Iain was born in Argyllshire, the family home being Kilberry, famed for a piping competition run by the local laird, Campbell of Kilberry, which was a sort of ‘Glenfiddich’ of its day. Dad, Dugald, was a very competent button accordion player and had passed his audition with the BBC before being stricken with TB which forced his to relinquish his Civil Service job in Edinburgh and return to the village. He died when Iain was only seven. To make matters worse Iain himself contracted the disease that same year and spent the next three years in Robroyston Hospital, Glasgow with no education whatsoever and, because of the distances involved, only occasional visits from mum and a weekly visit from his grandmother, Mrs Mary Printy. An altogether daunting event for any young lad. Iain’s interrupted primary education at Dunmore and Kilberry primary schools was followed by a period as a ‘boarder’ at Tarbert Academy, but at the age of sixteen he won two bursaries to attend school in Edinburgh. The closest school to where his grandparents stayed in Edinburgh was Broughton and here ‘Fate’ intervened for the first, and certainly not the last time in the form of the School Secretary, Dorothy Leurs, and music teacher Ronald Stevenson. Both were to have considerable influence on the way young Iain’s musical career developed. Ronald, a conventional music teacher of the day, had never touched an accordion but was able to point out possibilities on the instrument that had, up until that point, never even crossed Iain’s mind. More of Dorothy later.
The Hen’s March
Iain’s musical career had started back in Argyll with a wee melodeon at the age of four and the pipes as a member of the Tarbert Scout Pipe Band. Practice for the latter often took place at Ivy Cottage, outdoors and along the path which ran beside his mother’s ‘hen run’ with upwards of a hundred of the inquisitive creatures keeping pace as his first audience. Music had been forbidden during his hospital years but in Edinburgh granddad got things on the move again by purchasing an accordion – unfortunately not knowing the difference he bought a piano keyed Settemio Soprani. No matter, it was sufficient but finding a teacher proved to be more of a problem. Eventually a travelling teacher, Motherwell based Mr McCann, was contacted and lessons began.
By this stage Iain had an excellent ear and could ‘lug’ almost any tune after hearing it once. As was the norm at the time however, classics were the order of the day as far as tuition went. Asked one day by his teacher if he liked other types of music he cautiously replied yes, he liked Scottish traditional music. This was an unknown idiom to Mr McCann who asked Iain to show him such a piece. The High Level Hornpipe was duly produced and immediately played at sight, note perfect, by his teacher. Once again the significance of this was not lost on young Iain who saw new importance in the classical tuition he was receiving.
Keys of the Flat
A year down the line he was made aware of another, more local, teacher, Chrissie Leatham, so lessons moved there. Again, although unaware of their significance at the time, two new factors entered the equation. First was Chrissie’s usage of flat keys, the love of which Iain was to inherit, and secondly was an introduction to playing parts in the Accordion Orchestra and more importantly the art of writing these ’arrangements’. It intrigued Iain, who, also pulling on his school music education saw how various parts for 1st, 2nd, 3rd and 4th accordions and rhythm instruments blended into the whole.
Back at Broughton School, Iain formed his first band with Derek Flynn on piano and Norman Springford on drums. With the encouragement of Dorothy Leurs he began playing for Scottish Country Dance demonstrations. This interest in playing for Country Dancing in turn led to an invitation to join the band of Jim Nicholson, with Jim and Iain on accordions, Roy Dick on fiddle, Ken MacDonald on piano, and the first appearance of one. Gordon Young. on drums. Once again playing only for Country Dancing they travelled widely doing many jobs across the UK and making two EPs.
When Jim retired, Roy took over the band as ‘The Strathedin Dance Band’ until his untimely death. Ken retired, leaving Iain and Gordon who were joined by Allan Johnston on fiddle, Davy Flockhart on piano and Robin Brock on bass. The latter three had played in Jim Johnstone’s Band and their experience was invaluable to the fledgling band leader.
It was Robin Brock who introduced Iain to Jim MacLeod, of Dunblane Hydro fame, and they have been close friends ever since. Last year (2002) Iain and the band were invited to play their inaugural Gillies Ball at Balmoral, at Jim’s recommendation. Along the way he also played with other great names from the scene including Andrew Rankine, Jim Johnstone, Jimmy Shand Jnr and on three memorable occasion Sir Jimmy himself.
In Harmony
All of this served to crystallize ideas already forming about what he wanted for the sound of his own band. In particular ‘second box’ is a term that finds little favour with Iain – particularly after he met Jack Delaney and heard and appreciated what Mickie Ainsworth was doing with the great Powrie band. Thereafter it was to be ‘harmony accordion’ and there can be no finer exponent of that role than long standing colleague, Brian Griffin.
The new band did their first broadcast c1972. I have to say that Iain lives for the future and that dates of past landmarks are all a bit vague. He does recall that the letter from the BBC advising them that they had passed their audition, also contained a warning to avoid non-traditional harmonies i.e. minor seventh chords – for the time being anyway. Their first LP, previously referred to, followed in 1975 with Allan, Davy, Brian, Alasdair MacLeod, George Darling and vocalist George Hamilton as the line up.
Playin’ Awa’ Fae Hame
The years between then and now have passed in a blur for the band. While enjoying, as we all do, the one-off gig, the band’s professional attitude, appearance and presentation have resulted in some remarkably long-standing engagements. From 1974 until 1992 (eighteen years if my arithmetic is correct) the band appeared in the Larry Marshall Show at the King James Hotel in Edinburgh, during which, over the years they met and backed many of the then biggest names in UK show-business (e.g. Rolf Harris, Matt Munro, the Bachelors, Kathie Kay, Dickie Henderson etc). Larry’s preferred singing key was A flat, which would be a problem to many of us, but thanks to the expertise developed by Chrissie’s tuition it presented no difficulties. Another bonus in this regard was the ability to play the melody along with the Show’s pipers on chanters correctly tuned to B flat.
For the last thirty years Iain and friends have played on a Tuesday night for The Atholl Country Dance Club at The Churchill Theater in Edinburgh. Over the last twenty years Iain and the band have made around sixteen visit to South America to play for various Caledonian Societies and other functions (last year taking in Brazil, Argentina, Uruguay and, for the first time, Chile) and Iain himself annually joins Stuart Forbes, Graeme Hamilton and Alistair Forbes to play St Andrew’s Nights in Hong Kong and Taiwan.
The other great love of his musical life are the Shetland Islands where he has played regularly for many years, with great friends Cecil Hughson, Douglas Johnstone, Ronnie Jamieson, Allan Gifford and the Da Fustra Band and often with other bands made up of local players – and we all know what they’re like! – the best of the best. Friends from Shetland regularly drop in when they’re in town.
New Horizons
But new challenges also are what keeps Iain going and he cites as an example the band’s recent recordings for Books 36 and 37 of the R.S.C.D.S. It took Iain six months work to research and arrange tunes from the period of the Original, arrange the band parts and practice with each player individually before the band came together for the recording itself. Have a listen to these if you get a chance – as we would expect, the music has that MacPhail swing and the arrangements, while not overpowering, are none the less captivating.
All of the aforementioned, and much more, were achieved while Iain held down a very responsible Civil Service job as Chief Welfare Officer of the Scottish Prison Service. Having taken early retirement he is presently putting the finishing touches to a Dissertation for a Masters Degree – a long-standing ambition.
So what has a lifetime spent in Scottish Dance music meant to Iain? He emphasizes the “wonderful experiences” gained from traveling the world; venues and locations on the one hand , which would never have been possible otherwise and, importantly, on the other hand “communicating with other people from different walks of life through the medium of music”. It has also enabled him to express creativity through composing and arranging, in a way that creates an instantly recognizable sound.
When we gather in Perth on the afternoon of Sunday 29th June, we do so to recognize the achievements of one of the truly great figures of our music scene – Iain MacPhail.
Box and Fiddle
May 2003