A while ago I read an article about the early days of the folk scene in Scotland (in Living Tradition #137). It made me think about my first visit to Scottish clubs which happened a bit later but included many of the clubs mentioned.
I
gave up my job and went professional on the folk scene in 1978 and in the next
couple of years managed to get to most of England between Cornwall and Kent and
as far north as Newcastle. I might have even been into Wales, fleetingly.
Scotland seemed another world though. I’d never been there, not even on
holiday!
Then, I played at the Poynton Folk Centre, just south of Manchester. It was a place I’d been to several times, to both their club and the annual festival. I think it must have been at the festival in 1979 when I did my evening spot and was greeted by a very enthusiastic, slightly tipsy, Scotsman. He said I’d go down a storm in Scotland and his mate could fix me up a tour. Was I interested? Well, of course I was, but I didn’t really expect anything to come of it. It’s the kind of thing people often say late at night when they’ve had a bit to drink, but I gave him my details. To my surprise, a few weeks later, I was contacted by someone called John Barrow in Edinburgh. He could offer me a two week tour the following spring. I didn’t know John Barrow or that he was on the way to becoming one of the biggest names amongst agents and organisers north of the border! All I knew was that he seemed efficient and trust-worthy and was offering me work!
So,
in April 1980, I set off on a tour that included clubs in Edinburgh,
Milnathort, Aberdeen, Dundee, Linlithgow, St Andrews and Glasgow (not
necessarily in that order). To fill in the vacant nights John had also arranged
a couple of shared gigs or floor spots in return for a bed, so my whole
fortnight was sorted out. It was all a great experience.
It’s
a long drive from Luton where I was living then, so I managed to get an extra
gig in NE England to break the journey but I was amazed how far it is from
Teeside to Edinburgh!
I
loved Edinburgh and spent a few days there and have been there for gigs and
things several times since. I stuck a card in my scrap book. That first time I
stayed at Gillvale Guest House, Corstorphine Rd. I can’t remember it at all so
it can’t have been particularly good or particularly bad! I think it must have
been near the zoo because I visited that and was appalled by the... bear or
lion? I can’t remember, in a tiny cell just inside the entrance. I walked out
and don’t think I’ve been to a zoo since!
Other
memories from that tour include an atmospheric drive through Glen Shee to Aberdeen
where Lizzie Higgins dropped in to do a floor spot which made me feel a real
impostor!
And St
Andrews which was interesting: staying near the Old Course and having a walk
round there first thing in the morning. I have no interest in golf but it was
worth seeing. St Andrews was also the only place in Scotland I was aware of
kilts—mainly worn by men with very middle class English accents!
By
contrast, in Glasgow I stayed with Arthur Johnstone and played at the Star
Club—could that be more different to St
Andrews! I was amazed to find the club venue standing alone in the middle of a
demolished wasteland. Again, I knew nothing of the background but knew that
there was a political element to it so I tweaked my set accordingly.
Sadly,
I have very little to show for the tour in the way of souvenirs—half a dozen
rather blurry photos (the Forth Bridge, the Tay Bridge, Glen Shee…) the card
for Gillvale Guest House, and a newsletter for St Andrews Folk Club, is about
the sum total.
St
Andrews said: ‘April 20th: Pete Castle. A young singer/guitarist from south of
the border making his first visit to the club.’
I
was followed by Audrey Duncan, Mike Maran, Wendy Grossman, Heritage, Fraser
Lamont, Cilla Fisher and Archie Trezise, and Finn McCuill—some good names
there!
Gradually
though, I found it increasingly difficult to put together enough gigs to make
the trip worthwhile. I could get three or four bookings but they were spread
over two or three weeks, which isn’t practical. It was due to changing tastes.
Scottish clubs were increasingly looking for Scottish music. This was summed up
on what was, I think, my last solo trip.
It
was for the Glasgow Folk Festival some time around 2000, a
really successful, enjoyable event. Two things stand out for me: one was being
one of two judges for a traditional singer contest. The other judge was a Welsh
woman (Siwsann George?). I think they had deliberately chosen ‘neutral’ judges
and this was born out by the fact that afterwards they made a point of thanking
us for our choice. We had gone for a young woman who seemed to have great
potential rather than an older man. The organisers said that he won every year
and thought it was his right!
The
other memory was a concert in a big greenhouse on the banks of the Clyde. It
was a lovely venue with all the plants around, good acoustics, and I sang well.
But, halfway through my set someone yelled ‘Get off you
Sassenach and let’s hear some good Scots music!” He was quickly ‘escorted’ from
the building and later came and apologised— “It was just the drink talking.” It
didn’t worry me although it has stuck in my memory for more than 20 years!
The last time I was in Scotland was with my occasional Anglo-Romanian band Popeluc. I can’t understand why I can find no mention of it in my scrap books, but I know it wasn’t a figment of my imagination! It was probably a last minute addition to a hectic tour so a lot of it has been lost in the haze! We played in a beautiful old theatre in the centre of Edinburgh—raked stage, audience in boxes, good PA. Generally a memorable event. Except that I can’t!
The
other abiding memory from my early trips is of someone commenting on my
repertoire: “We really love your unusual English versions of our songs.” I
don’t know which ones she particularly meant although at that time one of my
most popular songs was an English version of The Jovial Beggar and when I
wanted a good chorus I did a Scottish song called ‘Gruel’ which I had
translated into English! So instead of ‘The very first nicht that he got wed,
He sat and grat for gruel’ .mine came out as: ‘The very first night that he got
wed, He sat and cried for gruel…. Etc
Well, I couldn’t sing ‘nicht’ and ‘grat’ could I? ‘Gruel’ was foreign
enough!
Nowadays people would accuse me of ‘cultural appropriation’!
Left: a self produced cassette album I was selling around the time of my first Scottish trip which contains The Jovial Beggar
Pete Castle written during Lockdown in February 2021
