George Gallacher – Obituaries

Obituaries for the late, great George Gallacher are finally coming through although it’s disappointing that so many seem to have basic errors in them.

Nevertheless, here they all are and I’ll add more as I find them:

The Scotsman – George’s birthday was actually 21 October and not 21 September as originally listed. Otherwise excellent piece by Richie Unterberger.

The Evening Times (Glasgow) – The photo caption in the paper itself (above) is wrong. Tony is the only one that is correct. George is second from the right and Alan Weir wasn’t actually in the photograph. The guy on the far right is Jim Breakey who replaced Alan. Words by Fiona Mackay.

The Glaswegian – Quote attributed to Fraser Watson was actually from Tony Myles, who IS the only surviving member of The Poets. Words by Emma Smith.

The Poets website

The Herald – Words by Allan Brown

Another piece by Allan Brown, this time for The Scotsman, published on Saturday 1 September 2012.

A wonderful piece from Roy Moller on his Pleasures of the Harbor blog, published Tuesday 4 September 2012.

“Those of my mates who know me will be aware that many years ago, in a land far far away, I was a member of a group that emerged from Scotland. I was privileged to be amongst some of the most talented guys in the business and they showed me the path to creativity for which I have been eternally grateful. Far too soon they have been summoned to play in the ultimate rock band and with the sudden death yesterday of GEORGE GALLACHER I am now the only remaining member of the original POETS. Just a few years ago the remaining four of us decided to plan a get-together – then before it happened there were only three of us. Then two. Now there is no one to get together with. One of our fans is quoted as saying – “Life is what happens when you’re making plans” . . . . . Tony Myles

Credit to John Cavanagh and The Poets Facebook page (run by Tony Myles) for spotting the errors.

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The Never Ending Stories

Best 5 Unfinished Scottish Things

1. National Monument, Edinburgh

The capital’s version of the Parthenon has long been an albatross round the neck of The Athens of the North, a rather ironic nom-de-plume when you consider that the Greek original was actually completed before it fell foul of a Venetian mortar. The money ran out on the National Monument project only a few years after work started in 1822 and to this day Edinburgh’s Folly sits unfinished atop Calton Hill. This memorial to the fallen in the Napoleonic Wars seems destined to remain incomplete as local indifference and financial prudence puts paid to any plans to complete it.

2. “Weir of Hermiston” by Robert Louis Stevenson

Stevenson’s sudden death in 1894 put paid to what many regard to be his masterpiece. Published two years after his demise, Weir of Hermiston tells the tale of a fractious relationship between Lord Hermiston (based on the real Lord Braxfield), a “hanging” judge, and his son Archie Weir. Exiled from the family home, Archie becomes a laird and begins a relationship with Christina. This, however, is where the book “ends”. Stevenson died in Upolu in Samoa where he had settled with his wife. David Rintoul, famous for his portrayal as Dr. Findlay, made his small screen debut as Archie Weir in a 1973 made-for-TV film.

3. The Usher Hall, Edinburgh

The Hall was originally built in 1896 and has enjoyed a colourful past. It hosted the 1972 Eurovision Song Contest, the boxing at the 1986 Commonwealth Games and political rallies. Despite the current renovation being incomplete the Usher Hall has opened, at an estimated cost of £600,000, to host four concerts during the Edinburgh International Festival. Work began in 2005 and the proposed “21st century concert hall” should be completed by late summer 2009*. You can see how the work is coming along at the Usher Hall’s blog: http://www.usher-hall.blogspot.com*. (*The work appears to have been completed on the Usher Hall now and is scheduled to officially reopen in October 2010. Shame they didn’t keep up the blog.)

4. Edinburgh Tramworks

Am I the only middle-aged person who wonders if I’ll actually be around to see the completion of one of the contentious projects in Scottish history? Political arguments, countless delays and endless traffic chaos have made this a never-ending story of Mahābhārata proportions. Will it be worth it? Only time will tell. You can keep up to date with its progress at http://www.edinburghtrams.com

5.

This Top 5 originally appeared in early 2009 as a contribution to The Scotsman’s excellent, but sadly departed, Recommends feature.

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