Tuning in…
Tuning in…
Castaway
1 appearance
Scottish musician who began as a classical pianist, turned to jazz, formed a band at 11, turned pro at 15, worked as arranger and accompanist, and had a hit sol
On the island
Eight records
The keepsakes
The book
No book choice is mentioned in the transcript.
Because it's a wonderful escape. And I think, you know, on a desert island I want a world that I can lose myself in.
The luxury
Not recorded.
In conversation
Presenter asks
0:08Do you come from a musical family?
Uh my mother was a piano teacher.
Presenter asks
0:38What was your very first appearance in public?
I think about the age of eleven and a half I formed a band, my own band, a trio or a quartet and we used to play school dances.
Presenter asks
1:02And when you moved out of the Toffee League?
I became a professional musician at the age of fifteen, nearly sixteen, yeah. Well, uh well I joined a junior band and we toured all over Britain and uh Scandinavia and Holland.
Presenter asks
1:25Arranging, where did you learn about arranging?
Well, do you know, honestly, I don't know. Uh I've scenes that I've always known about arranging, it's a it's a God-given gift, which I, of course, I studied a bit when I got to a difficult bit, uh, like how do you write for a bass trombone? I had to r read a book, but in fact it's all in my mind and it has not by any uh studying on my part.
Presenter asks
4:01What inspired you to become a solo artist?
I wasn't inspired to become one. I was sort of pushed into it. I really had no aims to be a solo artist at all. … So one day a record man said, uh, do you ever fancy making a record on your own? … So we've made a record and it was a it was a success, uh I'm very happy to say.
Presenter asks
5:10When did your nickname, Mr. Piano, originate?
This happened in Holland, uh, just about the time when I was making my first record, and I was over there doing a television show, or television series, and uh … the hotel porter … couldn't remember my name … But he knew I was a piano player, so he said, telephone for Mr. Piano. … And uh my record manager thought that was uh uh quite a fair name and it stuck.
“I think about the age of eleven and a half I formed a band, my own band, a trio or a quartet and we used to play school dances. And I remember our fee for the first school dance was a big tin of toffees.”
“Well, do you know, honestly, I don't know. Uh I've scenes that I've always known about arranging, it's a it's a God-given gift, which I, of course, I studied a bit when I got to a difficult bit, uh, like how do you write for a bass trombone? I had to r read a book, but in fact it's all in my mind and it has not by any uh studying on my part.”
“I wasn't inspired to become one. I was sort of pushed into it. I really had no aims to be a solo artist at all.”
“I have set myself up, say I must write a song today, just because I ought to write a song, and I set myself up with manuscript paper, the sharpened pencil, the everything, the piano there, and I sit there, as you said, with a blank mind, nothing happens. When the the ideas happen … It's about um driving the car from Glasgow to London at three o'clock in the morning, you're tired and trying to keep awake, then the ideas tumble out like mad. I don't think I've ever written a song with a piano in front of me.”