As birds bring forth the sun

what a lovely sunny day ! And mild.


I mentioned the untimely death of Tam White in response to a comment, and feel the old bugger deserves a bit more.
Google his life story - apprentice stone mason, 60's pop group, solo "pop" career including TOTP, own TV series, acting career including Braveheart, and Godfather of the Scottish Blues Scene for 4 decades.
I particularly associate him with wild nights at the much lamented Preservation Hall down Victoria Street. We would both be in our late-thirties - the age when you are a Master of the Universe.


I found this clip on U-Choob and at first I thought - I was there !. However, the last time I saw yer man was indeed at the String Jam Club (upstairs at the Salmon Inn in Gala), but it must have been more like 2004. His anecdotes ranged from the Galais Palais dancin' in the '60s to Albert King in a club on Beale Street.









Was it the Scottish Disease? Strangely no. He quit the demon many years ago and was a regular at the gym.
Shows tae go ye, eh ?


Whither Scottish blues ?
Looks like Sandy carries the banner forward.

The dog ate my blog.

Honest.


I left my kit on the bus.
 I.ve got a note from my mum saying I am to be excused blogging for a couple of weeks 'cos I've got dyreah.
And also my internet seems to be running as slow as molasses at the moment.


But "I'll be back"


In the meantime, the lovely Avril will pass among you with assorted confectionery and drinks on sticks.


Heres some more hippy shit

Little things...

Can fair cheer ye up, eh.


Found both volumes of Moir's Scottish Hilltracks (Bartholemews 1975) in a charity shop for 49p each.
I have no idea what happened to my original well thumbed copies, but these seem so familiar.
I know there is a revised combined edition, and I could end up in the middle of a reservoir or a motorway using 1974 data, but that's not the point is it ?


Enough to make me go and rescue the boots and the rucksack from the wheelie bin !


Isn't life strange ? (or is it all a Question of Balance ?)







It was at a party in Glasgow,'65. I was trying to impress the knickers off the young ladies present with my my fretboard skills, when the hostess introduced this guy. " This is Iain. He plays the guitar too." Talk about understatement ! Our paths crossed a few times after that. He had everything in those days - the looks, the talent, the vision, the charisma. But he never quite fulfilled the potential - another victim of the Scottish Disease. It's about two years now since he died.

and on a lighter note

Backward steps

I had hoped to be sitting down this evening and regaling both of you with the details of a circuit of 3 or 4 2000 tops. The long awaited weather window had arrived, and the trip was a realistic follow on from my previous post. However it was not to be. Only a few yards up Mill Road and I  realised that it was a "Bad Day".

I tried to "walk it off", but after an hour it had become rather silly so I baled out.

Another precious day wasted.

Bastard.