Tuesday, July 23, 2013

A video highlight from Glusstonberry...

I've a feeling that Glusstonberry will become one of those dream-like legends, remembered for decades to come beside winter Rayburns:

Aye, mind how it was thick fog all that week, and then the sun came out and shone for the festival, and then it was foggy again...and the music and food and craic was great...and there was no trouble...how wonderful it all was...

From Ray-Bans to Rayburns, indeed...

This video captures the spirit of it, I think. But watch out for the arse-scratching!

Saturday, July 20, 2013

Some snapshots from Glusstonberry - and it's live on the net now!

...It's Saturday evening, and I'm home preparing for my radio show after a day at Shetland's first open air music festival, Glusstonberry. Which has proved today that no-one can organise a party like Northmavine folk.

And it's online live! Well done to Andy, Iain and all the team for getting the live stream from the Knowes (main) stage up and running despite some scary moments earlier on. And how good does it look? http://www.shetland.org/60N/gluss/index.htm

Congratulations to all involved. The logistical issues were enormous, but so far, and with the help of some fantastic weather, things have gone brilliantly. The food has been magnificent, the setting is wonderful, the music a stunning illustration of what makes Shetland such a magical place, culturally.

Here's a few wee snaps:
Helly by da Sea open the Fitchens Stage

Trookers

Toni Sidgwick

A packed Fitchens for Steven Robertson

View of the site from the top of the campsite, about 7.00pm



Friday, July 19, 2013

Some old ticket stubs....

The Stones in 1976, Upper Circle of the Apollo in Glasgow. Utterly terrifying. Bits of plaster falling off the ceiling, the whole balcony moving up and down by about 12 inches in time with the beat. 

UB40 at the SECC - that was the first ever gig at the venue. Chrissie Hynde was a surprise guest.

Ry Cooder - Harry Dean Stanton sang Across the Borderline....

Culture Club - didn't go...

Monday, July 08, 2013

In Murrayland: A new song by Zander 'Blind Boy' Flugga



Nobody wants a baseball bat, everybody wants a racquet
Every politician has a flag inside his jacket
Playing football on a tennis court, there's now an official ban
In Murrayland

Nobody drinks any alcohol, they've given up for good
Everyone's eating Milky Bars and other healthy food
Fred Perry Polo shirts, imported from Taiwan
De rigeur in Murrayland

Everybody wants a mum who looks like Judy
Fierce and funny and for her age she's quite a cutie
Everybody wants an Andy Murray haircut 
Barbers everywhere are going bankrupt

Everybody's trying to make their service faster
Neds are shouting '40-love ya bastard'
They face off with sharpened Slazengers, and end up shaking hands
Here in Murrayland

No more Deep Fried Mars Bars, it's strawberries and cream
 Pimms instead of Buckfast in every housing scheme
You never get a battering, just a backhand
Here
In Murrayland
Here
In Murrayland

Copyright Zander 'Blind Boy' Flugga 2013

Saturday, July 06, 2013

25 years ago...

...press night at The Shetland Times, where I was news editor. Busy. An oil supply boat had rammed the Ord of Bressay, the skipper drunk and the editor and I had just returned from a trip out there by inflatable boat to take pictures. One last call to the coastguard to check on what was happening with the wreck.

What I remember is the voice at the other end of the line saying "wait a minute..." And then. "We're getting reports of a fire..."

And that was the first inkling that anything was happening at a platform called Piper Alpha.

I remember trying to get through to national newsdesks, and how bored and uninterested they were at that time of night.

But not for long.

Tuesday, July 02, 2013

Malt and Barley Revue site, Tom's books and A Whisky in Monsterville

Quick note to say that The Malt and Barley Revue is now lurking in all its drink-sodden fullness at maltandbarleyrevue.co.uk and that all my books  - including Kindle editions of some hitherto unavailable - are on my Amazon author page here. The new novel, A Whisky in Monsterville, is available in print and on Kindle here.