:‘v.v‘v V."v “
The furore over the Gallery of Scottish Art looks set to run and run; why not add your ha’ penny’s worth to the debate. Alexei Sayle has claimed he invented alternative comedy — he’s joking, surely? And Absolutely Fabulous is
the sit-com with street- cred, but is it funny? Write us a letter and you stand to win yourself a bottle of Jose Cuervo tequila for your troubles.
Wrong conclusion
The last paragraph of Carol Main's article about the Scottish Symphony Orchestra's special Christmas performance for charity is both misleading and inaccurate (The List 2I7).
True. over the last three years. the BBC SSO has promoted ‘Christmas Classics' concerts at the Glasgow Royal Concert Hall (and indeed elsewhere). but to ‘draw one‘s own conclusions as to why that is not happening this year‘. with the obvious implication that this has something to do with the merger proposal. is a mistake.
The repertoire of really popular
L
MIST Scottish Music Guide a useful tome — with BT charging 50p a time to use directory inquiries. it should soon
Queen Margaret Drive 3 Glasgow
. Gig guidance
recording contract — oh. bugger it. I can't find the number so I‘m off down
returning to our screens as .
LETTERS
orchestral music for Christmas is quite limited. All our concerts are broadcast. mainly on BBC Radio 3. and they are. understandably. not interested in repeating the same pieces from year to year. This year. therefore. we decided to give that format a rest and instead presented a complete ‘Messiah‘ at one of our regular venues. Ayr Town Hall. Chris Dale
Promotions Assistant
BBC SSO
I‘m sure some people will find the
pay for itself for music industry bods. But the question is. does that really further the cause of Scottish music? Are Scotland‘s talented musicians really saying ‘I think I'll try to get a
south"? i Hardly likely. lfbands have enough i persistence to make it in the business. they should at least be able to get the phone numbers for themselves. The slacker slouch may be a fashionable
1 pose to adopt when the record company
hardly force them to.
; venue which would put the city back on . the touring map and giye local bands . support slots. That would improve
is distributing your publicity stills but it 7 takes determination to get to that stage in the first place. Similarly. if London execs really want to get hold of someone. they will: ifthey don‘t. a directory sitting on their desk will
What‘s lacking. particularly in Edinburgh. is a decent medium-sized
Edinburgh's music profile and increase the chances of London A&R men
: making the trip. Sponsoring gigs. as
Tennent‘s Live. to their credit. have
' c'bntinued to do. is a big help but how
: about putting money into providing a
: 700 or 800 capacity venue. We would
i all promise to drink lots of beer when i we were there.
Ronnie Davidson
East Preston Street
Edinburgh
5 Edinburgh
The hells, the bells
It was great to be part ofthe festival carnival atmosphere of Edinburgh at Hogmanay. For once crowds of people having a good time at New Year did not mean everyone had to be disgustingly drunk. nor that the streets had to be littered with beer cans and bottles.
I‘ve no idea how the proposals got past the staid old city fathers who normally seem to be concemed to stop anything exciting happening in the capital. But let‘s hope this is a sign of a changing approach.
One small suggestion for next year‘s celebrations. assuming they go ahead. How about arranging for the numerous church bells around the city centre to chime on the stroke of midnight and ring in the new year. At the moment we all eagerly wait for the bells only to be greeted with silence. A while back many churches were organised to join in the firework concert; couldn't they be brought back to life again?
Alison MacKenzie Marchmont Crescent
Jose
.v.
_ BUERVU
You sound like someone who tteeds a bottle of tequila. You may not need to
; be “disgustingly drunk' to have a good . time. but why not try anyway. Remember. as salt first. then the Jose
('uervo. and finish off with the lemon. Repeat several times. Happy New Year.
L Alison. Step into our offiee to receive
your prise.
. No to the Big Yin
l hope the decision to use Billy
Connolly to make Scottish an accessible in The Bigger Pieture means people who would otherwise not have watched stay with the series. l’opularisation is a worthy aim but I‘m afraid I'm in the reverse category. I was very interested in the subject matter —
; visited the galleries. will be reading the
book. might even buy the T—shirt ifthey produce one. Unfortunately when I i watched the TV programme I couldn't rid my mind of the image of a Beverly
NEXT ISSUE OUT THURSDAY 27 JANUARY
Bad Girls: Art gets a sound grrrling at the CCA.
Hills dilettante who has bought into the showbiz lifestyle completely. I know he was just reading someone else‘s script. as any choice of presenter would have done. but for me. it was a case of the medium getting in the way ofthe message. ljust hope the number of Connolly-lovers outweighs those who think that he is the last person that should be let loose on Scottish culture. Patrick Carmichael
White Street
Glasgow
Sailing by
Did anyone watch/listen to that Arena programme about radio? Talk about labouring the point! These days TV controllers — and it was an idea that could only have come from a TV exec. never a radio person — seem to operate on the basis that more is more. and as much as possible. please. Themed evenings — there was another load of guff under the Catnp Christmas tag on Channel 4. so we can‘t blame it on the BBC — are the surest sign of people who no longer have the confidence in their ability to make interesting programmes. Instead they go for a blizzard of bits and bobs which could never stand alone. The gimmick of the TV talking to the radio was surely the most puerile attempt at attracting an audience since 3-D Dr Who went to EastEnders.
Fiona Taylor
Cumberland Street
Edinburgh
Address your letters to The List Letters at:
14 High Street
' Edinburgh EH1 ITE
0!
()Id Athenaeurn Theatre
I79 Buchanan Street
Glasgow GI 2JZ
0!
Fax them to: ()3l 557 8500
We will not print your/id! address or
phone number but you must itu'lude
I them. Deadline is the Friday before
i publieation. Keep them pithy. as
‘ over/orig letters may be (at. The best letter next issue will win a bottle of
i Jose C uervo tequila and a natty
baseball eap.
All the way from America: Your in-depth lowdown on the magic and mystery of US TV. Atlantic-hopping exclusives on NYPD Blue. Northern lisposure. Home Improvement and more. Get outta here!
Wayne "s World I]: Nerdish slackcrdom returns for second Iielpings with Mike Myers.
Mrs Doubt/ire: Robin Williams as the cross—dressing nanny in the film of Anne Fine’s novel.
PLUS: Manic Street Preachers. The Age ()f'lrt/tot'enee (left). Kenny G. B/utji ()n The Beach. and your lowdown on Lisbon. European City of Culture I994.
80 The List l4—27 January I994
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