Deep and Meaningless*

Whilst trying to arrange lessons for my pupils over the next few weeks, quite a few of them informed me that they could not make next weekend as they are going to the Belladrum Festival. This is a very family-orientated festival near Beauly, about ten miles from Inverness. It never has the most prestigious line-up, but it has a fantastic, fun atmosphere.
Jane and I went a couple of years ago. James had just reformed and were one of the headline acts, but the band I really wanted to see were Misty in Roots. 31 years ago (I can't believe it is so long) they released Live at The Counter Eurovision  (Cirque Royal, Brussells), which is such a great album and sounds fresh and vibrant even now. I was dumbstruck that they were even still going, let alone touring, but the idea of them playing just down the road from us was just far too good an opportunity to waste. Some of their dreadlocks had more than a touch of grey in them, but, musically, they were so tight and energetic and had me dancing the whole way through (not a pretty sight).
This year I was more inclined towards the Loopallu Festival (try spelling it backwards), until I saw, a long, long way down the list of acts at Belladrum, the name John Otway. Otway has probably been going even longer than Misty in Roots (I think he is about 57 now), first 'bursting' into the nation's consciousness with his "hit" Really Free, with its refrain "Cor Baby, that's really free!" in the late '70s. Despite such subsequent gems as  Beware of the flowers (cause I'm sure they're gonna get you, yeah) and Oh my body is making me, and an appearance on The Young Ones (performing Body Talk), fame still eluded him.
In 2002, with his 50th birthday approaching, when asked what he would like for his birthday, he said "Another hit". So, with his loyal fans buying several copies each of Bunsen Burner, he finally made the top ten and even had an appearance on Top of the Pops.
However, it is his live shows that make him the legend that he is. Whether it is placing electronic drum pads around his body, sawing the bottoms off two guitars then joining them with a hinge for an exaggerated tremelo, or climbing to the top of a step-ladder then somersaulting off while still playing guitar, he more than makes up for his lack of vocal prowess.
Just go on Youtube and search for John Otway, but here is a quick link to the b-side (The House of the Rising Sun) of his 'hit'.

Unfortunately, I was too slow deciding whether or not to go to Belladrum and it is now sold out. To all my pupils who I know are going, I have given them one of my appointment cards with 'GO AND SEE JOHN OTWAY' written on it. I fully expect most of them to turn up at the next lesson giving me strange looks and perhaps even pitying me, but I hope at least one of them 'gets it'.

(* Deep and meaningless  was one of his 'classic' albums)