French Murders

Gunmen shot dead 12 people at the Paris office of French satirical magazine Charlie Hebdo in an apparent militant Islamist attack. I don’t know what this achieves…

I don't understand these "extremists" groups or what they hope to achieve through the murders of innocents.

If they feel downtrodden OR unheard they should take a leaf from the Black civil rights movements - they had their voices heard through MUSIC, POETRY and ART - and this works far far better!!

Here is William Bell and the beautiful Josh Stone singing together at the New Year!

http://youtu.be/williambelljoshstone

Apartheid (Afrikaans pronunciation: [ɐˈpartɦɛit]; an Afrikaans word meaning "the state of being apart", literally "apart-hood") was a system of racial segregation in South Africa enforced through legislation by the National Party (NP) governments, the ruling party from 1948 to 1994.

I hope people in large numbers from what ever culture, background or country they come from, can speak against terrorism of any kind for the evil it surely is - and speak up for good, education and rights for all.

ISIS apparently want to kill all non-Muslims? Is this true? If so what on earth is religion about? If religion is connected to culture and tribalism then how can the world be only one tribe – that would means the end of tribes, it all makes no sense at all to me.

The other narrative is that George Bush and Tony Blair, decided to over threo Saddam Hussein to avenge the 9/11 attacks on New York and left a vacuum in Iraq which has been now been filled with people with no education, lots of money and advanced weaponry. 

Glasgow School of Art Restoration

The famed and beautiful Macintosh building was badly destroyed by fire in 2014. On the BBCs Scotland 2014 program recently 3 options were discussed.

(1) to restore the art school to its former glory as all the designs are still here and were kept safe. (2) To build a totally new building. (3) To design a new building around the fire with some of Mackintosh's work included. 

I've asked friends and most reactions I've heard are to restore the Mackintosh building.

I was rather aghast - to me it looks like opportunism by a present day architect to redesign the school. Innovation and creativity such as Rennie MacKintosh and Margaret MacDonald showed us, come along rarely in a life time.

I believe this great historic building should be an Art Library and Research centre and a place for exhibitions and visitors. I don't care whether the school is a workable place for art students and concept instillations. Art students doing risky instillations can do so in another place in my view.    

 http://www.e-architect.co.uk/architects/rennie-mackintosh

President of the Royal Institute of British Architects, Stephen Hodder, said: “The most important work by Charles Rennie Mackintosh, an architect of international significance, Glasgow School of Art, is held in the highest regard by architects and the public alike.“It was rightly judged to be the best building of the past 175 years, in a nationwide poll run by the Royal Institute of British Architects.

“Damage to  building of such immense significance and uniqueness is an international tragedy. It is irreplaceable. 

*Poet Robert Burns and The Romantics

He remains today, not only Scotland's, but one of the world's greatest poets. He notably wrote one of the greatest love poems and songs My Love is Like a Red Red Rose and also Green Grow the Rashes O.

One of the greatest parting songs, Ae Fond Kiss

He also wrote one of the greatest poems ever to friendship, Auld Lang Syne.

I recited and sang Burn's poems at primary school, I remember well, Up in the Mornings' No For Me and To A Mouse as well as Ca the Knowes. Recently the beautiful versions of Ae Fond Kiss by Scottish female singers Eddi Reader and Karen Matheson have brought Burns back into my life. As has the powerful version of Green Grow the Rashes O by Michael Marra. 

He wrote some of the greatest poems on nature such as To a Mouse, Westlin Winds, Mountain Daisy and more

He wrote political poetry, sometimes over looked and even ignored - on slavery Slaves Lament, on selling people down the river and on the rich being bribed in Parcel of Rogues to the Nation.

Few poets have managed to do this so clearly, beautifully or so movingly.  His words have musicality and fit perfectly to melodic tunes (not written by Burns) 

He also wrote one of the greatest poems on equality, A Mans a Man For All That -

that in  another place might have been made into a song

and caused a revolution.

The Romantic Poets and Their Circles

Oddly, I wonder is Burns taught in English schools while we learn Shakespeare here in Scotland. I am reading a book by professor Richard Holmes on 'The Romantic Poets and Their Circles' which includes Burns. Surprisingly Burns's important and world-renowned catalogue of work is squeezed into two simple pages.

Walter Scott is also squeezed in somewhere as another after thought.

Robert Southey is remembered for his Three Bears story, Wordsworth for his daffodils;  

Shelley, To a Lark; Keats, Ode to a Nightingale. I am not sure that many can recite or sing these poets words though.  

There are other errors too - Jerusalem, written by William Blake, is referred to as a substitute British national anthem! 

We understand Burns, he is everyman – he grew up with nothing yet he brought words of magic and spiritualism. I read of the romantic poets, of Shelley educated at Eton and many of them attended Cambridge University and I realise that many of them were men and women of privilege - Shelly in his yacht, Turner travelling Europe. Wheras Burns received a chequered and diverse education as the oldest son of a poor farmer. 

There are similarities between Scots, Irish, Welsh and `English but there are also profound differences.

I was surprised to learn during the referendum that Scotland is a third of Britain's land mass. I was saddened that the better Together campaigners knocked on old lady pensioners doors to scare them about loosing the pound and their pensions.  A fight based on fear and lies does not produce harmonious results.  

Robert Burns (1759-96) remains Scotland's greatest poet, songwriter and song-collector. Regarded by Keats and Wordsworth as a morning star of the Romantic Movement in verse, he was also admired by Beethoven and Haydn who set accompaniments for many of his songs. A farmer turned excise officer, he attracted censure for his outspoken advocacy of electoral and parliamentary reform, yet he died a serving soldier in a Volunteer Regiment during the wars with post-revolutionary France. The Burns Encyclopaedia was first published in 1959 by Maurice Lindsay and this is the fourth edition - the first since 1980. All aspects of the poet's biography and literary output are covered, as are his correspondents and contemporaries, many of the latter set against the backdrop of Enlightenment Edinburgh. The present edition has been thoroughly

2014: Scotland’s High Profile Year

The Hydro Glasgow

2014 has proved a dramatic year of change with big highs and lows and expectations.

Winds of change have swept away old orders with a tide of political engagement in Scotland the like of which I have never experienced in my lifetime. Scotland 2014 proved to be a world record in democratic voting, with over 82% turned out to vote.

Iain MacWhirter writes Sunday Herald 28.12.14, comparing 2014 to the Summer of Love in 1967 - when social and political landscapes were changed forever, ' The old order of deference, conformity, convention was swept away by a colourful tide of positivity and sometimes wacky togetherness.'

Scottish Independence is a journey we have taken massive leaps towards. As it becomes clearer and clearer how unworkable devolution is, and with the SNP, Greens and others now holding the narrative it is only a matter of time on the road to Independence. 

Ten years ago I wondered was devolution enough but not today. Scotland's voice has woken up from centuries of silence and apathy and of believing our voices made no difference - and will not now be easily silenced. Many now realise they can have a voice and can shape their future.  

Highlights

Glasgow hosted an ecstatic summer of the 2014 Commonwealth Games. Later in October Gleneagles held the golfing highlight of the Ryder Cup amid the splendour of the Perthshire countryside.

The Glasgow Hydro brought in 130m for Glasgow with big acts like Beyonce, Rod Stewart, Justin Timberlake.  

Del Amitri

There was great tragedy too with the fire at the iconic Rennie MacIntosh Glasgow Art School which left the beautiful library destroyed. We hope the building can be rebuilt. Then also just three days before Christmas tragedy struck in George Square Glasgow when a bin lorry lost control and ploughed through shoppers, sadly killing six and injuring seven. Glasgow grieved again just a year after the Clutha tragedy when a helicopter landed on the bar. We are reminded of the fragility of life. 

MUSIC 2014

Music icons tended to over shadow younger artists this year.

Bob Dylan released his Basement Tapes of 1967 (also the Summer of love) Kate Bush performed a month of theatrical sold out shows in London.

Sometimes it is no easy task to rediscover innovative creativity with clear, meaningful messages.  I also enjoyed this year - Mary Chapman Carpenter, White Denim, Sarah McLachlan, Head and Heart, Hozier,

The Big Dish

SCOTTISH MUSIC 2014 - produced many top quality and award winning albums, completely ignored by the London mainstream Record Labels and the BBC Sound of Poll.

There was rather bland London singer songwriters like Ed Sheeran, I am no fan of, and he received a lot of attention this year – but for myself give me these Scottish singer songwriters to listen to -  Withered Hand, King Creoste, Hazey Janes, RM Hubbert, Poalo Nutini, Julie Fowlis, Chvrches, Biffy Clyro.   

Alan Morrison, writing in the Herald lists his top Scottish albums of 2014 here –

http://www.heraldscotland.com/arts-ents/music/top-50-scottish-albums-of-2014

I attended many top quality gigs art Celtic Connections and at my local folk club.

The National

A new newspaper was launched in Scotland offering a new voice and democracy of press. Great to see.

99% of the Scottish media and press during the Scottish referendum questions was controlled by a hostile Westminster - this was anti-democracy.  In Scandinavia it is illegal not to have a balanced press.

The Referendum and the Open Revolution #indref

I met many interesting women and men activists for Scottish independence in 2014. I believe like the Greens, that independence is the only way forward for Scotland to achieve devolved and de-centralised governance - this does not mean rule from London moving to rule to Edinburgh. This means more voices for the Highlands and Islands and for Perthshire - with more local radio and improved local infrastructure. 

The Better Together side knocked on old ladies doors during the referendum campaign and told them that they would loose their pensions and their pound.  The unionists also had nice catchy phrases for those who can't be bothered to read up on the issues. 

1) Pooling and Sharing Recourses - which meant pulling resources into London and giving us pocket money in return.

2) Best of Both Worlds - supposedly meant a prosperous Scotland within a strong UK but actually means a dependent weaker Scotland in a more fragile union.   

3) Solidarity cross borders means solidarity with Osborne's Austerity, the big Banks and Big Business.

A democratic conversation has developed in Scotland in 2014. As the divide between rich and poor has widened greatly the past few decades, it is imperative we have this conversation for democratic change. 

There is much work to do towards land reform, de-centralize government, improve access to quality education (especially in the early years) and to reducing housing rents. 

A younger generation woke up to political engagement and activism and on social media they are not easily fooled by fear campaigns or lies and they are not afraid. They now express their voice on online websites such as The Common Weal, National Collective and Radical Independence Convention.

Unionist may try to claim the referendum was all simply a blip from normality, but they simply miss (or ignore) what the energised movement in 2014 has been and is all about. They claim the debate was bitter and divisive (being 
against change) - while if you are for democracy and a fairer more equal society, then informed energised debate is a huge positive.  Meanwhile those doing quite well thank you, mostly voted against change - no surprise there then.  

Ian Bell (The National 31.12.14) writes, the fear fell away and we saw through the false facades  of unionist claptrap.  Like Bell, and as one who also voted for a Scottish Assembly in 79, I was astonished by the weakness and shameful tactics of the Unionist side. Their slogan of  'No Means No' as the best they could come up with. The case for Britain and the union was meekly shown as a black and white ad for nostalgia for the past war and past glories.

The new generation don't care about that and it does not effect their futures. Bell feels we should say more why Scots would not want to be British. Monuments and looking backwards do not take us forward to a hopeful future. 

The Smith Commission, while set up to establish ‘extensive new powers’ has only offered devolved Income Tax, which cannot easily be varied and therefore effectively meaningless. EVEL (English Votes for English Laws) further weakens the Union, and with the Conservatives hope for SNP successes to weaken Labour in Scotland.

Writing in the Times (28.12.14) Jenny Hjul wonders why Unionists haven't been celebrating their hollow victory - there's a clear reason for this and that is that a campaign waged on fear and lies does not lead to harmonious or happy outcomes. It makes not only a mockery of voters but is also illegal.   

The Yes side campaigned positively for an inclusive, more equal society, both ethically and culturally. it took the moral high ground campaigning against food banks, child poverty and the out dated ‘them and us’ culture.

The nationalists have hijacked the conversation with the yes sides’ positive campaign. Meanwhile Scottish Labour is now a Monument rather than a Movement.

Iain MacWhirter compares 2014 to the Summer of Love in 1967 - when social and political landscapes were changed forever, ' The old order of deference, conformity, convention was swept away by a colourful tide of positivity and sometimes wacky togetherness.'

Scottish Independence is a journey we have taken massive leaps towards. As it becomes clearer and clearer how unworkable devolution is - and with the SNP, Greens and others now holding the narrative, it is only a matter of time on the road to Independence.  

Ten years ago I wondered was devolution enough but not today. Scotland's voice has woken up from centuries of silence and apathy and of believing our voices made no difference - and will not now be easily silenced. Many now realise they can have a voice and can shape their future.   

Linn Records

Independent Record Label Linn Records, Glasgow, have secured Grammy nominations for outstanding recording quality. Linn Records was started in 1982 - http://www.linnrecords.com

  

IN 2010 GRAMOPHONE NAMED LINN LABEL OF THE YEAR

In October 2010 at the annual Gramophone Awards, Linn was named Label of the Year. For Linn, winning this prestigious award was the culmination of nearly three decades of work, and represents the dedication of a team striving to give the you the best music, with no compromises on quality or support of our artists.

While Linn engineers were testing their flagship product, the Sondek LP12 turntable, they became frustrated with some of the specialist test LPs they were using. Work began on an LP cutting lathe as a research product to improve testing for the LP12. The first albums to be cut and subsequently released was A Walk Across the Rooftops by The Blue Nile. They also released Carol Kidd's award-winning debut album.

Today they are an audiophile label, specialising in classical, jazz and Celtic music, and won the Record Label of the Year award at the 2010 Gramophone Awards. Release formats include CD, SACD, HDCD, vinyl and digital downloads.

Studio Masters

With a Studio Master, you get to hear more of the music. It's the closest we can get to capturing the artist's original performance. In fact, it's recorded with such accuracy that you'd think the artist was performing in your room.

Customers tell us that the quality of sound on our recordings has encouraged them to expand their listening habits. They find themselves exploring new music and enjoying classical as well as rock, pop, electronic and jazz.