For the sixth in our series of podcasts in conjunction with Scottish Opera Ali spoke to Staff Director, Roxana Haines. It’s a fascinating and informative discussion with someone whose job brings her into contact and collaboration with most areas of the company.
Roxana explains her professional journey, her training in theatre and how that translates to the specific demands of opera, her role in terms of productions and the challenges that different ones bring – with particular reference to the current ‘Opera Highlights Tour‘ and the opera for young children ‘Fox-tot!‘ – and a lot more.
Through it all her enthusiasm and love for what she does shines through, and we hope you enjoy listening to the conversation as much as we did recording it.
Roxana with the cast of Fox-tot!
These podcasts attempt to give greater understanding into the workings of Scottish Opera and the different roles of those involved, lending a rare and engaging appreciation of Scotland’s largest national arts company.
If you are new round these parts there is quite a substantial back-catalogue of podcasts for you to discover. If you aren’t yet a subscriber you can do so, (or simply listen) at iTunes, on Podbean, with Spotify, or by RSS (but you’ll need to have an RSS reader to do so).
You can also download the podcast by clicking on the relevant link to the right of this post, or, if you want it right here, right now, you can listen on SoundCloud…
For the latest podcast Ali caught up with Richy Muirhead, the founder and creative director of the Scottish Alternative Music Awards (SAMAs) which is celebrating its 10th year. It’s a timely conversation as this year’s nominees have just been announced, and Richy reveals who they are and what awards they are up for.
What follows is a fascinating chat which covers the origins and history of the SAMAs, an explanation of the criteria, the categories, this year’s nominees, notable previous winners, building partnerships, the importance of the live show (this year on October 25th, St Luke’s, Glasgow), and lots more.
There are also 5 tracks from some of last year’s winners, including Declan West and the Decadent West (Rock/Alternative), Lylo (Live Act), The Dunts (Newcomer), Solareye (Hip Hop), and Megan Airlie (Acoustic). Ali also offers the point of view from a SAMAs nominator, so hopefully you’ll end up with a better understanding not only of how the awards work, but also the aims and ideology behind them.
If you are new round these parts there is quite a substantial back-catalogue of podcasts for you to discover. If you aren’t yet a subscriber you can do so, (or simply listen) at iTunes, on Podbean, with Spotify, or by RSS (but you’ll need to have an RSS reader to do so).
You can also download the podcast by clicking on the relevant link to the right of this post, or, if you want it right here, right now, you can listen on SoundCloud…
For the fifth in our series of podcasts with members of Scottish Opera we spoke to Marian Colquhoun, the Head of Props. If you have ever been to a Scottish Opera performance, no matter the scale of the production, you’ll know what an integral, important, and creative part the props department have to play.
Marian discusses her approach to the role, the collaboration with other departments, the joy in creating memorable moments, the demands of different productions, the practicalities and problem solving involved, and the culture of prop making in Scotland and beyond. It’s a fascinating insight into an area of the arts that is rarely discussed but which is crucial to opera, theatre, film, and beyond.
These podcasts attempt to give greater understanding into the workings of Scottish Opera and the different roles of those involved, lending a rare and engaging appreciation of Scotland’s largest national arts company.
If you are new round these parts there is quite a substantial back-catalogue of Scots Whay Hae! podcasts for you to discover. If you aren’t yet a subscriber you can do so, (or simply listen) at iTunes, on Podbean, or by RSS (but you’ll need to have an RSS reader to do so).
You can also download the podcast by clicking on the relevant link to the right of this post, or, if you want it right here, right now, you can listen on SoundCloud…
They say the best things in life are worth waiting for and, although this review is a tad tardy, we hope you’ll find plenty to please you. It’s been a great summer of music and what you are about to hear shows that quality was maintained right up until the turning of the leaves.
There’s the long-awaited return of an old favourite, two great EPs for the price of one, a couple of bands releasing their best songs to date, brand new artists to us, well-kent friends in new guises, and even more ranging across a number of genres and styles. While there may not be something for absolutely everyone, we can guarantee there’s something for you…
Beginning with Dumb Instrument and their new album Doubt – and I think we’ve proved our point already. Dumb Instrument may be best known for their 2014 track ‘Suffering From Scottishness’, an alternative national anthem which seemed to capture a time, a place, and the feelings of many. Just this year it was appropriated by recent podcast guest Kevin P. Gilday as the title of his Edinburgh Fringe show. When you take into consideration other fan favourites such as ‘Jaffa Baws’, ‘Buckfast vs. Hash (The Battle Continues)…’, and ‘Missing Grannies, you’ll begin to realise that this is a Scottish band who are determined to define what that means on their own terms.
But even if you only know them from that one song then you know enough to recognise the poignant, tongue-in-cheek, and often laugh-out-loud lyrics which make them stand apart. The songs on Doubt strengthen that reputation and make clear that this is a band like no other. There is a strong whiff of nostalgia on tracks such as ‘High Jumper’, ‘That Stupid Wee Lassie From Elderslie’, ‘Venus In A Cardigan’ and ‘Drunk In The Playground’, but they never stray into the territory of the maudlin or mawkish. Rather Dumb Instrument play with the past, and the Scottish tendency to mythologise it. It’s what they do best, and it’s great to have them back. No ifs, buts, or doubts. This is ‘High Jumper’:
As regular readers will know, our admiration for Olive Grove Records knows no bounds. The simple reason is that they only release music of the highest quality. The artists they have worked with have impeccable musical credentials making their back catalogue a thing of beauty, and Olive Grove something of a national treasure. To that we can now add The Archipelago EPs 1&2 – Vol 1 from Jared Celosse and Vol 2 from Chrissy Barnacle (with further volumes to follow).
Jared Celosse has appeared on these pages before with his beautifully understated melancholic songs, and his EP shows what many of us have known for some time – that he is one of the finest songwriters around. When you marry these songs to increasingly interesting and intricate production and instrumentation, as happens on Archipelago Vol 1, it makes that point better than ever. From it this is ‘Wave’:
Chrissy Barnacle is another singular talent who once heard is never forgotten. She rightly has garnered a reputation as an artist who holds audiences in the palm of her hand with vivd and personal stories told through song, accompanied suitably by her physical yet intricate style of playing guitar. Great live performers can be difficult to capture on record but Archipelago Vol 2 shows exactly what makes Chrissy Barnacle so special. Her music is an attempt to reconcile conflicting feelings of hope and despair and few do so in such a magical and memorable manner. This is ‘Witches’:
Dundonian duo ST.MARTiiNS have been making classy and canorous pop for a number of years and a new release from them is always a reason for cheer. Their most recent single ‘My Girl‘ is, to these ears, their best yet capturing the essence of their music which has always married melancholy to melody. It has the feel of reverie – with Katy Lynch’s effortless and understated vocals perfectly capturing and enhancing the mood. The song is a celebration of friendship, but there’s also an underlying sadness that such friendships are increasingly rare as time passes. Or maybe I’m just feeling wistful. That’s how good ST.MARTiiNS are – able to effect your mood in just two minutes. Now that’s what I call music… This is ‘My Girl’:
But just when you thought our golden summer of pop was over, CAFOLLA turns up to postpone any thoughts of hibernation or slumber with the single 1985, rightly identifying it as a year when many things began to head south. It’s a belter of a track, like being slapped around the head with a Cameo album. There may be some poetic licence involved lyrically (my milk was snatched many years before) but you get the point clearly, and when it is made in such a catchy and infectious manner then who cares? CAFOLLA offer us a ‘Sign Of The Times’ for our times, and if we ever needed someone to bring the funk it’s now. Send the children and pets from the room, turn on, tune in, and dance as if no one is watching:
Beginning life as the outlet for the music of Ryan Buchanan, Ryan & The Limbs are a breath of fresh air to the Scottish music scene. Having witnessed them live as well as listening regularly to their self-titled EP I can promise you they offer something new, yet reassuringly familiar. Musically they are differently diverse with the influence of indie, jazz, rock, and even classical in evidence, all coming together to make a memorable whole.
Let’s take the song ‘Axis and Atlas’ (below) as a prime example. There’s guitar reminiscent of Vini Reilly one moment, Jonny Greenwood the next, there’s the most wonderful rhythm section featuring drumming to die for, and the vocals are understated and mournful in the manner of Mark Eitzel or Elliot Smith. One of the best things about writing these reviews is discovering a new favourite band, and Ryan & The Limbs are the latest to join that club. You’re welcome.
One of the most creatively active groups around are L-Space, not only releasing new music under that name regularly (and you can hear the latest example in next month’s review), but also involving themselves in other projects. Gordon Johnstone has recently made Habitus One as Emi James, Stephen Solo’s third album was released earlier this year, and now bassist Dickson Telfer is involved with a new band, Vulture Party. Remember when Duran Duran split into Arcadia, Power Station and The Devils…actually, probably best not.
But everything the members of L-Space touch at the moment is proving to be memorable, and long may this golden streak of creativity continue. Certainly Vulture Party are well-worth your attention based on the release of their single ‘New Humans’. It’s an atmospheric song which is reminiscent of the great dark-pop bands of the ’80s – early Human League, All About Eve, The Psychedelic Furs, even touching goth with echoes of Bauhaus. Downbeat and dark, and with an excellent, and suitably eerie, video from Adam Stafford, you have a feeling that Vulture Party are one to watch. This is ‘New Humans’.
And finally, Man of the Minch, aka Pedro Cameron, who recently released two singles simultaneously, ‘Undertow’ (below) and ‘Better Off Alone‘. When taken together they make the best music he has made so far, and that is saying something when you consider his album Helping Handswas one of the best of 2017. ‘Better Off Alone’ is indie-folk at its finest – a barnstorming track with melodies, hooks, and riffs all combining and building to a quite stunning crescendo. This is music to keep you warm as the nights draw in.
‘Undertow’ shows the other side of Man of the Minch – the one which doesn’t just break your heart, but rips it out before handing it to you with a sincere apology. There are few musicians who manage to convey the highs and lows of relationships as Man of the Minch can, and there are even fewer who can move me as this Man and his songs. I think this is just gorgeous, and the perfect place to end this review. This is ‘Undertow’:
There goes the summer! But before you know it there’ll be another review along soon.
While you wait, remember that SWH! now has a regular radio show on LP Radio on Tuesday nights, 7-9pm, where you can hear Ali play 2 hours of the best Scottish music around.
You can catch up with the previous shows, along with all the other fantastic LP Radio shows, by following the relevant links in the sidebar.
There are notable examples of films with the same theme being released roughly at the same time. Two Robin Hood movies appeared in 1991 (Kevin Costner’s Prince of Thieves & the lesser-known Robin Hood, with Patrick Bergen in the lead role), two asteroid disaster movies opened within a month of each other in 1998 (Deep Impact & Armageddon), and within months of each other in 1998 -’99 there were two excellent adaptations of Chloderos Laclos’ novel Les Liaisons Dangereuses (Valmont & Dangerous Liaisons), and that’s without even mentioning the volcano film-fad of 1997.
It’s perhaps more rare in literature, but it so happens that there were two Scottish novels published this summer which take the unreliable narration of memory and individual responsibility as two of their central themes. One is a novel from David Cameron (no, not that one) called Prendergast’s Fall (Into Books) which will be reviewed on these pages in the near future, but first I want to discuss Charlie Laidlaw’s latest novel The Space Between Time (Accent Press Ltd).
One of the reasons for the existence of Scots Whay Hae! is to bring to your attention artists, musicians, and writers who deserve to be better known but who are finding it increasingly difficult to be heard. One of those is undoubtedly Charlie Laidlaw, whose novel The Things We Learn When We’re Dead was one of the most interesting and inventive of recent years, and about which SWH! said “..it will have you reflecting on your own past, present and possible future”.
The Space Between Time has similar concerns. It looks back at the life and times of Emma Maria Rossini, a girl who, to the outside world, seems to have it all. Her father is an A-List film star, hanging and working out with the likes of Tom Cruise and Sandra Bullock, and featuring in the list of ‘The World’s Top 20 Sexiest Men, although “only number 18” as his beleaguered wife comments. It’s a small moment but one which indicates how Emma’s mother struggles to cope with her husband’s level of fame. This feeling translates to their daughter who sees it as the central reason that family life has come to be unfulfilled and often unhappy.
As her adult life progresses, fairly unspectacularly, Emma continues to be tied to the past, changing her name and hiding her identity from others in an attempt to be judged on her own merits. But those ties bind fast and she never manages to escape fully. Most of us have moments in our life that come to be seen as defining, but can they be trusted? Are they pure memory, learned stories told to us repeatedly over the years, or, perhaps most likely, a mixture of both?
Emma remembers a traumatic trip to the cinema that comes to define the distance between her life with her mother and that of her often absent father, both physically and emotionally. Add to that a family picture which, on reflection, disproves the saying that “the camera never lies”, and other childhood reminiscences which are less than reliable, and it becomes clear that Emma’s past does not necessarily reflect the narrative created.
Her mother’s tragic death offers another puzzle where all may not be as it seems. Questions are not only asked about individual motives, but how feelings of responsibility, guilt, and grief in others are linked to those – the version of a story you choose to believe often being as selfish as it is prudent. Laidlaw once again asks readers to consider just how reliable their own memories are and should other possible narratives be considered. There is even the suggestion that our lives are little more than a collection of stories which we either choose to believe or dismiss.
However, The Space Between Time offers hope for the future no matter the tricks and tribulations of the past. As Emma begins to understand more about her family history she begins to learn more about herself. Pictures, events, and remembrances are reappraised and a different story emerges, one which will have the reader returning to the book’s earlier sections to see if they could have read them differently.
It’s a novel which also examines the nature of fame, atheism, philosophy and science (Emma’s grandfather’s theorem on the nature and substance of the universe brings him his own version of fame in later life, something she draws comfort from). It’s a lot to take on, and some strands are less successful than others, but what holds everything together is the strength of the central characters. Despite their differences you have empathy with Emma, both her parents, and her grandfather, which is some achievement when you take into account how divided they appear, and how Emma’s perception of them changes.
With The Space Between Time Charlie Laidlaw has proven once again he is a writer of whom to take note. He writes literary fiction that is serious in its intention, yet has a humanity, a knowing sense of humour, and a warm heart that makes you feel as well as think, and there’s little more you can ask from any novel.
The Scottish Opera Highlights tour has quickly become an annual musical must-see. Taking opera around the country, this season they go from Motherwell to Musselburgh with multiple stops in-between. This was the opening night at Motherwell Theatre and it had a lot to live up to as previous tours have been notable and memorable events. It clear from the get-go that there was no need for concern as this set of highlights may just be the most magical yet.
From the beginning, with the singers emerging from among us, there was a real connection between the stage and audience which remained throughout. The premise of the show was one familiar to any Agatha Christie fan, with invited guests turning up at an event with no host to be found. The cast construct the set as they go, lending the performance a real sense of “let’s do the show right here”, but there’s nothing amatuer about what follows.
As any one who has been to an Opera Highlights show before will know, the premise is a simple one with four of the company’s finest singers, accompanied by piano, performing scenes from a variety of operas, this time united loosely under common themes of love and nature. At the beginning there is a sense of strong sense of fun and farce about proceedings, ‘A Midsummer Night’s Dream’ meets Moliere – a comedy of errors with lovers mistaken for others, and practical jokes gone wrong.
But as events unfold the comedy is interspersed with more serious meditations on love, and even obsession. The wonderfully varied programme features the work of Mozart, Handel, Britten, Vaughan Williams and Gilbert & Sullivan, as well as less well-known names such as Mildred Jessup, Leo Delibes, Carlisle Floyd and Aaron Copland, and there is also new work from Scottish Opera’s Composer in Residence Samuel Bordoli.
Soprano Charlie Drummond, Mezzo-soprano Martha Jones, Tenor Alex Bevan & Baritone Mark Nathan work beautifully together, prompting laughs and tears in all the right places. Proving themselves to be as talented actors as they are singers, they played each scene to perfection. It is rare to see performers so clearly enjoying what they do as was evident on this night, and the audience responded in kind. It would be wrong to single any individual out as this was a truly ensemble performance, although it should be said that Alex Bevan gives good horse!
If you haven’t yet been to one of these nights then I can’t recommend it highly enough. If you already love opera than it’s a chance to sit through an evening of some of your favourites as well as discovering something new. If you think opera isn’t your cup of tea then this is the perfect place to discover that it is. You have nothing to lose and a whole new world to discover. Check out all the details at the Scottish Opera website to find out when they are coming to a venue near you. If you’re a music lover then I can’t think of a better way to spend two hours.
You can listen to our ongoing series of podcasts which are interviews with members of Scottish Opera discussing and explaining their roles in the company – Scottish Opera Podcasts.
Last Tuesday night saw the Tandem Writing Collective back at the Tron Theatre in Glasgow with another night of comedy, tragedy, music and song. We’ve said it before, but if you want an evening of theatre which is immediate, vibrant and vital then these are nights not to miss.
The Tandem Writing Collective consist of three playwrights – Jennifer Adam, Amy Hawes and Mhairi Quinn – who regularly put on events in Glasgow and Edinburgh which allow them to showcase their latest work in front of a live audience. With a cast and crew who have only a day to rehearse, they are fizzing with creative ideas and the sort of first-night nerves that heighten the atmosphere in the room. They get to the heart of what is magical about live theatre – a sense of the unknown and that anything could happen.
Amy Hawes, Jennifer Adam, and Mhairi Quinn – photo credit: The Skinny
The evening started with ‘Air’ (Mhairi Quinn), a two-hander with John Love and Sarah McCardie as Greg and Lianne, two people coming to terms with a terrible event and having to deal with guilt, grief, and the need to apportion blame. It’s a powerful piece which uses the theatre space fully, involving the audience from the start.
Next is ‘Mosaics’ (Jennifer Adam) which examines the dangers of unquestioningly accepting the ‘progress’ of science, without full consideration of the ethical and moral implications attendant. What starts as the promise of a relatively small medical procedure, undertaken with the best of intentions, becomes literally life-changing for all those involved. The phrase “Your life in their hands”, takes on an unsettling and disturbing meaning.
The first half ends with ‘Home Shopping’ (Mhairi Quinn) which entertainingly spoofs home shopping channels and the promises made for the products they sell. The theatre audience becomes the TV audience, whooping, hollering and cheering in the appropriate places. The product for sale is ‘Bitches Get Stuff Done’, which promises to release your inner bitch and make your life better, while making other’s worse – but you won’t care. It’s a clever piece of writing, making you think as you laugh, something which is not easy to achieve.
The second half continues with ‘Stella The Stargazer’ (Jennifer Adam), where Barry Robertson’s logical and practical boy meets the unfettered imagination and creativity of Stella, a girl who looks at the stars and dreams of another life, with the underlying sense that her present one is at the root of this need to escape.
The night ends in style with ‘Introverts: The Musical’ (book by Amy Hawes, music by Aaron McGregor), which sees the whole cast on stage. Imagine Pixar’s ‘Inside Out’ (or ‘The Numskulls’ from The Beezer for older readers) with those internal voices in charge and you have some idea as to the format. Making a musical about being introverted may seem a brave, some may say contrary, choice but it certainly struck a chord with this reviewer, and it would be great to see it expanded to a full-length piece. More Dennis Potter than Rodgers and Hammerstein, it could just be the musical we need right now.
If you haven’t been to the theatre in a while then a night at the Tron with Tandem is the perfect way to reacquaint yourself with what makes it so special. The next opportunity to do so is on the 5th November, and you can find out more here – Tandem @ The Tron.
Cast: John Love, Sarah McCardie, Linda McLaughlin, Kim Allan, Barry Robertson, Director: Sarah Rose Graber
For the latest SWH! podcast Ali headed to Edinburgh to speak to the American writer Elle Nash who was in the country for the city’s International Book Festival.
The conversation focused on her powerful novel Animals Eat Each Other, which is published by 404 Ink. The two discuss the novel’s themes and content, Elle’s intentions, how her style developed, the importance of names and language, the psychology of desire, the quest for identity, and much more.
You’ll also hear 404 Ink’s Laura Jones explaining why they felt they had no choice but to publish Elle once they had read her book. We consider it an instructive and insightful discussion which will interest writers, readers, and book lovers of all kinds. Have a listen and see if you agree.
Here’s an extract from the SWH! review of Animals Eat Each Other, “Elle Nash has written the literary equivalent of a great Punk single – fast, furious, and unforgettable, one which sticks in your head and creeps beneath your skin. Animals Eat Each Other – you couldn’t ignore it if you tried.” And you can read the full review here…
If you are new round these parts there is quite a substantial back-catalogue of podcasts for you to discover. If you aren’t yet a subscriber you can do so, (or simply listen) at iTunes, on Podbean, or by RSS (but you’ll need to have an RSS reader to do so).
You can also download the podcast by clicking on the relevant link to the right of this post, or, if you want it right here, right now, you can listen on SoundCloud…
A quote which came to shape the nation’s politics was Margaret Thatcher’s claim in 1987 that, “..there’s no such thing as society”. Even as a teenager who was just beginning to get interested in politics this rang as a deeply suspicious and bogus claim, one made to justify the policies not only of Conservative governments, but also, sadly, future Labour ones as well, placing the wants and desires of individuals and big business ahead of any idea of communal benefits and shared social responsibility. That may be politicly simplistic and naive (and if it’s deep political insight you’re looking for, I suggest you look elsewhere), but that doesn’t make it untrue.
Jemma Neville‘s Constitution Street (404 Ink) rightly turns that claim on its head. Its subtitle is “finding hope in an age of anxiety”, and at a time when global, and national, politics seem to be spiralling out of control, or at least out of our control, then it may seem impossible to affect any change or make a difference. If democracy has not failed us, then it’s fair peching heavy. Neville proffers that a difference can still be made, and the place to start is outside your front door. She looks at the local to make commentary on the global, taking individual stories to make universal points. By marrying the personal with the political, and fleshing out statistics with individual stories, she presents us with a book that engenders empathy and anger in equal measure.
It’s a tour around the urban landscape of her neighbourhood, and it is one that will be familiar to many. The ‘Constitution Street’ of the title is a thoroughfare in Leith, Edinburgh, and it is where the author calls home. Neville feels that if she is to better understand the wider world she needs to better understand her world – one which has undergone significant social and cultural shifts and changes over the years. By the simple, and increasingly overlooked, act of talking to those who live and work on the street, and hearing their own points of view and ideas, she asks us to consider the fluid nature of all communities, and therefore what a social contract for our times should consist of as it becomes clear through these conversations and stories that the current balance between the state and the individual is clearly out of whack.
Using the United Nations’ Universal Declaration of Human Rights as an ideological map, she looks at how those rights have increasingly been eroded and neglected over time. These include the ‘Right to Housing’, the ‘Right to Education’, the ‘Right to Food’, ‘Health’, ‘Work’, and even ‘Life’! They seem so bleeding obvious that you would hope that they don’t even need mentioning, never mind written into a Bill of Rights, but our political systems are failing people in every example. You won’t have to walk very far from your own residence to realise that is the case, no matter where you live. But that is exactly what Jemma Neville is suggesting you should do – engage with your community, get to know those who, like you, make it what it is and discuss how you can make it better.
Constitution Street is a book for our times, a socio-political work with humanity at its heart, and a timely reminder that there is more that unites than divides us. It’s a call to care, for ourselves and others, and where better to start than at your own front door. It’s a fascinating and intrinsically human approach to examining the practical applications and implications of social contracts in modern society. It learns from the past, examines the present, and looks to the future, offering the hope that by better understanding each other we will come to better know ourselves. How many books have you read lately that offer that?
Today (25/08/2019) marks the 10th anniversary of Scots Whay Hae!, making it the perfect time to thank all those who have supported and helped along the way.
So – with a sharp intake of breath – thanks to every writer, poet, and publisher, who has shared their words, wit and wisdom with us. The same goes to all the bands, musicians, record labels and promoters who have sent us music and songs to listen to and review. Similarly, those artists, filmmakers, theatre companies, comedians, and festivals, who have invited us to view their previews and shows. We know your art and work is something which is vital and central to who you are and we appreciate you choosing to share it with us. It’s a privilege to be able to write, review, discuss, and celebrate it, and it’s a responsibility that SWH! takes seriously.
Huge thanks to all our podcast guests, some of whom you can see in the pictures at the top of the page (as well as some ever-evolving facial hair). The first was recorded in July 2011 and we are at 122 and counting. Number 123 is with American writer Elle Nash and will be with you soon.
If you have missed any you can find them here – SWH! Podcasts. When taken together we like to think they are an informative and entertaining record of a contemporary Scottish culture which is thrilling, thriving, and diverse.
Special thanks must go to our sound guru Ian Gregson (right), without whom there would only be silence, and Sarah Jane Gregson for her undying support and advice. Also to our regular end of year reviewers Chris Ward, Vikki Reilly, and Wesley Shearer, and our resident ‘Dr Books’ Ronnie Young, all of whose expertise has been essential.
We are grateful to, and thankful for, our various partners over the years, including Dear Scotland, ASLS, Scottish Opera, LP Radio, and Braemar Gallery. If I have forgotten to mention others then please remind me and I will add them to this list, with sincere apologies for a memory failing.
Also kudos to the bloggers, podcasters, critics, journalists, broadcasters, and other cultural contributors, who have inspired and supported SWH! over the years. It means more than you could possible know and I hope that you feel the support and appreciation is mutual.
But most of all thanks to you, Dear Reader and Listener, as it would be fairly pointless doing this without you (although we probably still would). We value and treasure each and every one of you.
Before moving on, it’s worthwhile reflecting on the very first post which set out the aims and ideas behind Scots Whay Hae!’s inception. It’s encouraging to find that it is as relevant now as it was a decade ago, and hasn’t really changed at any time. Here it is in full so you can decide for yourself. In the meantime, ‘Cheers!’ & here’s to 10 more…
Why Hae?
This is a little mission statement as to the reason for creating this website. Contemporary writing and commentary that deals with Scottish art and culture often obsess over questions of inclusion and exclusion, questions that usually arise from the thorny issue of nation. This blog aims to, if not ignore such questions, demote them to the sidelines as all aspects of art and culture are discussed and dissected.
I cannot deny that I am Scots, writing in Scotland, and will concentrate (although not exclusively) on Scottish writers, poets, music, films, TV, art, comedy etc, but ‘where and when’ is of far less importance to me than ‘what and why’. Discussions can be had elsewhere as to what is or is not Scots and often they become a barrier to the enjoyment of that which is under discussion.
And that is what this blog is really for, to celebrate, debate and enjoy art in its widest sense. To deal with the art itself, and allow discussion and comment that looks at the old and new anew. To not take too seriously something which I take very seriously indeed. We have an ongoing relationship with our respective cultures throughout our lives and it is important to remember the relationship as it was when first consummated. The joy, wonder and the reason we fell in love in with bands, films, poems and books. Like all relationships it changes, becomes more ‘serious’ as time goes by, and although I cannot pretend that a wary, weary and cynical side will be suppressed fully, (nor would I wish it so – where is the fun in that?) I want to focus on my belief that art in all its forms can give us a reason for living better lives.
The first post proper are thoughts on John Byrne’s Tutti Frutti. What struck me is the way that Byrne created a thoroughly Scottish drama, one that wears its roots and knowledge easily, giving reference to outside cultural influence without apology, and does so with a light touch and a self-mocking sense of humour.
It is in this spirit that I write this blog. Of course this may change at any time, but until it does please excuse the indulgence and read on…
