Part Three..bits and pieces

Some random short bursts and one liners from vans, shows, parties and the like.

After one if the first few gigs, while dropping off the legendary jazzer Tony McLellan, Jimmy Dewar asks me “What do you prefer to be called, is it Ricky, Richie, Richard or what?”

“I don’t really mind” I reply

“Anything but Dick eh?” says Jimmy

I still use that to this day.

***********

A friend of my father once asked George “What height are you”

“About six foot”

“Is that why they call you Big George”?

“Nope”

***********

While searching for a gig somewhere in the Highlands, Shifty enquired of a young local “Do you know where the Copacabana Barn is?”

“Are you Big George?” he replied

“Naw!!! Ahhm Big George!” replied the man in question.

It was an actual barn folks; the gear went in through the farmyard while avoiding all manner of animals. The PA was mounted on haystacks and it was so cold the guitars kept going out of tune; we had to ask the “management” to point the heaters at the “stage” to warm it up now and then.

After spending the night at the Aberdeen home Marlene Ross, late and much-missed Runrig manager, George performed with an all-star local line up at Caesar’s Palace. He had burst his trousers the night before I seem to remember…resulting in an interesting pop out incident.

BG and I were then billeted at a local bed and breakfast, to be awoken the next day by a crazy Welshman offering us a champagne breakfast. “I’ve only got the champagne, mind you,” he explained. This was not a problem.

We were then treated to a mid day strip joint (yes mid day, blazing sunshine and all) where George was initially denied entry on account of not having a shirt on. Having taken our seats in the sparsely attended venue, we were served with a pint and some stovies while an aged exotic dancer tried to drive folk wild. Classy joint…

(Please note that the above three incidents may not have taken place on the same day.or the same week..but they sure add up to a fun packed twenty fours any way you look at it)

******

To pass time during soundchecks, George would often be heard chanting “Biko! Bikoooo!” while bass drums were being done. “Get the juke box on!!” was also used as a pit down for lesser musicians.

*****

I never actually saw this one, but Shifty once told me of a “musical differences” incident between Big G and a drummer..don’t ask me which one.

It got to the stage where George was told to “stick his band up his arse” to which he replied “ Right! That’s it..OUTSIDE!”. The fact that the van was in motion at the time made no odds, and the two scrappers hit the ground with arms and legs flailing. The fact that they were both rather blootered, and wearing rather large and cumbersome greatcoats made sure that no serious damage was done.

There was a wee frisson the next day, but most of it was resolved.

We’ll finish with some true words imparted to me by George Ross Watt the celebrated philosopher.

“Richie, there’s folk that wear glasses..and there’s specky bastards”.

Til the next time troops…