- By the Time I Get To Greenock “When people hear good music, it makes them homesick for something they never had and never will have” – Edgar Watson Howe. Having been coaxed out of ‘self imposed exile’ by Dear Scotland, this was the first of many brilliant articles by Alec Downie on the joys of Scottish music . Happy Birthday Alec.
- Vote for Scotland’s Greatest Ever Vocalist Stuart Adamson on guitar. Paul Thompson on drums. Derek Forbes on bass. On vocals…? From almost a hundred suggestions we finally came up with this shortlist: Liz Fraser, Alex Harvey, Jim Kerr, King Creosote, Annie Lennox, Billy Mackenzie, Frankie Miller, Paolo Nutini, Bon Scott and Rod Stewart. Voting closes Jan 5, 2010.
- Who is Scotland’s Greatest Ever Male Vocalist? – The Frontmen and Singers Alec’s final article in the “Greatest Ever” series is an epic. So much so that we’ve had to break it into two pieces for fear that our readers’ heads may explode. Following last week’s list of females, Alec provides 50 of the greatest ever Scottish male vocalists for you to consider. In part 1 he […]
- Frankie Miller – In My Own Crazy Way Pt 2 Alec Downie continues the story of the enigmatic Frankie Miller: During the next few years Miller produced a number of quality albums including, Easy Money (1980), Standing On The Edge (1982), Dancing In The Rain (1986), and BBC Radio1 in Concert (1994). He also had a major hit with the single Caledonia written by Dougie McLean […]
- Frankie Miller – In My Own Crazy Way Pt 1 Rod Stewart said of Frankie Miller, “He is the only white guy that ever brought a tear to my eye!” The widow of the late great Otis Redding reckoned: “that little ole white boy Frankie has the the blackest voice since Otis”. Alec Downie tells the story of a true Glasgow legend.
- Take Me Out – Alec Downie’s Top 20 Scottish Cover Versions (20-11) I was watching a clip of Bowie & Annie Lennox, doing a rehearsal of Under Pressure for the Freddie Mercury Tribute and in the background George Michael, oblivious to the fact he is being filmed, is singing every word with them. Rockstars are just like us, they are fans first and musicians second and the […]
- By the Time I Get To Greenock “When people hear good music, it makes them homesick for something they never had and never will have” – Edgar Watson Howe Following our tragic national tradition that sees our brightest minds scattered like wilting heather around the globe, I recently put myself into self imposed exile in Didim Turkey and spent 21 months […]