Short interview [The Scotsman]

Anonymous
The Scotsman

How often do you go out?
Very rarely. I go out to restaurants now and again, but I don't go clubbing at all. I get enough when I'm playing. If there's a good concert on, I'll definitely go.

Favourite restaurant?
La Vigna in Lanark. It's an Italian place and the food is wonderful there.

What's you favourite bar?
I don't really drink much. However, if I feel like a drink in Glasgow, I'll go to the Scotia Bar. It's as close to a folk club as you'll find now and I really like that. People just go there and play and sing. You'll hear lots of Scottish and Irish music, but you'll also get a few Bob Dylan covers thrown in.

Do you go out dancing?
If the music's good I'll go, but I'm not a big dancer. If Tupac was on, I'd go to one of his gigs. I love that kind of hip-hop, gangster rap.

Where do you go to listen to music?
Mostly, Ronnie Scott's in London. If not, I'll just go to a concert wherever it is. I'm getting kind of old for the club game.

What was the last movie you saw?
The Talented Mr Ripley. I went to see it because I sing at the end of it, but I would go and see it again irrespective of that. I loved it. I thought it was very good and very funny. Five out of five.

Have you ever walked out of a film?
Oh yeah. The first film I ever walked out of was The Straw Dogs. I was very hippy in those days and I didn't like the violence. I'm still very much a hippy. I just don't go with all the violence and nonsense.

What's the best night you ever had?
Seeing Miles Davis in Harlem. I was there with my bass player and we were the only white guys in the whole place. We got such a welcome and I just loved the music and the whole vibe. It was a long time ago, but I did meet Miles Davis, although he didn't say much. He was the silent, cool type.

What's the worst night you ever had?
Doing a gig with a band called Foghat.1 It was the same sort of vibe as Spinal Tap, if you can imagine that. The gig was at a place called the Kansas City Cow House and just as we were finishing up it started to burn down, so I swiftly moved my guitar and amp and left.

[transcription: Paul Greenhaff]


1 sitenote:
The gig took place 5th December 1973, at the Cowtown Ballroom.
This was a legendary concert venue in Kansas City, Missouri. It was only open for 38 months, but in its short life span established an incredible musical heritage.
The hall itself was a former jazz club named El Torreon.