THAIR’S nae dout this past year hus seen a sair roup o a wheen o kenspeckle singers an musicians whaes music hus bin the soundtrack tae oor lives. This past few days the media haes bin fludit wi airticles, features an interviews relatin tae the byordnar sad daith o George Michael, a man wha didnae hae tae seek his demons in life. It aye seems that alang wi the fame an siller success brings sic fowk it alsae brings its fair share o problems as weel; drugs, mental or physical health issues, depression, etc…

Michael jynes the lang leet o the past twal month’s bitter hairst; David Bowie, Prince, Rick Parfitt, Greg Lake (o ELP fame!), Leonard Cohen, Craig Gill (Inspiral Carpets), Leon Russell, Pete Burns, Bobby Vee, Prince Buster, Bernie Worrell (Parliament-Funkadelic keyboardist), Dave Swarbrick, Glenn Frey... Aa in aa mair as five hunner musicians hae dee’d this year, the feck o thaim no as weel kent as some o thaim ah hae listed, but a michty toll’s bin taen oan the warld’s musical talent.

An acause music plays sic a big pairt in oor lives, it’s aiblins the maist memorable thing frae oor teenage years. It’s the soundtrack tae aa the big events in oor lives: births, waddins, e’en daiths.When a fawmous musician dees it leas a muckle hole in the warld.

George Michael an Andrew Ridgely’s Wham appeared oan the British scene in the early eichties. Their catchy pop tunes made a big impact in the chairts an they brocht a walcum splash o colour an virr at a time o social an political upheaval in the kintra. Ah wis playin in cuiver-baunds in Ayrshire at that time, roond the hotels, pubs an warkin men’s clubs. Ah wis oot oan strike fir aamaist a year in the 84/85 miners' strike an wid escape frae thae grim ongauns tae play music at the weekends. Ae baund ah wis in, Dance Faction, duin braw versions o Wham’s Club Tropicana an Michael’s solo hit Careless Whisper (whilk made it tae nummer wan in aamaist 25 kintras!). Ah wunner gin some young couple hud their first kiss dancin tae a tune we played? They aiblins did! In yet anither local group, Midnight Express, we cuivered Michael’s Last Christmas that wis nummer wan durin Christmas 1984; the man gien aa the profits frae that muckle-sellin hit tae charity! Fowk mibbes firget whit a big hairt George Michael hud. Aye, the man played a pairt in ma ain musical life an nae dout we played mair o his songs ower the neist decade or sae.

OAN June 17, 2007, we goat tae see George Michael live at Glesga’s Hampden Park. He cam oan stage an stuid in front o a gigantic screen an sang a stunnin version o Song to the Siren that fir certes hud the sell-oot crood in his haund frae the get-go, then went oan tae pit his hairt an sowl intil a twa hour concert, singin aa the great sangs frae a byordnar back-catalogue. A true superstar!

Christmas is aye a time fir me tae try an catch up wi auld friens that ah dinnae see verra aften, sae at this time o year ah’ll scrieve letters, mak telephone calls, send emails/texts etc… an hae fowk roond tae the hoose. Oan Boxing Day evening ane o thae auld friens cam tae veesit, ma pal Big Davie, wha ah’ve kent syne ah wis a bairn. We wir a perr o radge punk rockers back in 1976 (is it really 40 year syne thae days!?) an we’ve aye luved music an still gang tae concerts thegaither yet. Sae whit wi George Michael’s untimely daith, Big Davie, oor Margaret an masel hud a saisonal dram (or three!) an spent the evenin reminiscin anent oor musical past. This wis aided bi the big TV screen, surround-sound an YouTube! We sat til the wee sma hours an watcht films, concerts an clips o great music (weel, it wis great tae us – ither types an forms o music are available dear reader!). The Sex Pistols' 2007 Brixton Academy concert (aye-an-oan a fabulous rock 'n' roll baun!); Morrissey, 2013, Los Angeles; The Ramones live in 1977 – we saw that tour at Glesga Uni’s Queen Margaret Hall, ma lugs nevir recuivert! Bill Nelson’s Be Bop Deluxe; The Clash, London Calling; an a lang leet o ither smash an trash that we hae turnt up tae eleeven fir thae forty year!

Music likesay defines oor lives. We’ll aa hae oor favourite sangs, concert/performance moments an artistes that rax oot til us an touch oor hairts an minds in weys that bide wi us aa oor days. Ah daur say the neist decade or sae wull see this sair roup conteenue. Ah’ll dreid the day when aa the fawmous nems wha’ve bin sic a muckle pairt o oor warlds are aa wede awa; ah can scarce imagine the loss o the likes o The Rolling Stones (mind, ah think they’ll still be rockin when Mick Jagger’s a hunner!).

Sae when ye’se are aa pairtyin lik mad oan Hogmanay, birl the volume knob as haurd as ye can, roll up the rug, an dance lik ye’re 21 agane tae Club Tropicana. We’ll raise a dram tae the likes o George Michael, Bowie an Prince, an aa the ither musicians we hae loast this year, an treasuir oor memories o thaim oan the airwaves, whaur they’ll bide fir aye – an nevir growe auld.

Haud forrit! An aa the best fir 2017!