A local Paisley Musician remembers Gerry Rafferty. I never met Gerry as I was on the music scene a bit later being a little younger. He was, however, just leaving school as I went in to the same one. At the same sort of time. David Hay was there who played for Celtic and John Reid was there too. He eventually became the manager of Elton John. Great school, what happened to me?
I was in hospital in the same ward at the time that Danny Kyle passed on. He was in a side room. Billy Connolly arrived, completely on his own with neither big entourage nor assistants to see his old mate. I thought that it was a wonderful gesture on his part.Danny was more of a promoter, organising venues.
As the Humblebums, Conolly and Rafferty took the folk scene by storm from the Attic Club in the Watermill Hotel onward to a number of albums. They split, Gerry going solo and Joe Egan moved in to replace Rafferty. Connolly became a comedian and Joe moved on to Stealers Wheel with Rab Noakes. Gerry joined up for a while but still wanted to go solo. They recorded 'Stuck in the Middle with You' as a chart topping single. Recently this track was used in the movie, Resevoir Dogs..
The Paisley Scene was vibrant then and the area has produced a plethora of artists over the years as has Scotland in general. Carol Lollar and Paulo Nutini among the current batch. But there was Kelly Marie who did have a Summer hit. I think I am right in saying that the girl, Aneka, who had a hit with 'Japanese Boy' was from Paisley. Davy Pattison of the band Findo Gask, went to America and joined the Ronnie Montrose Band eventually fronting his own band Omega which were support to Foreigner on a European tour. Davy Colquhoun went to Hong Kong and has made a living in the Far East. Even the wonderman with the gravel voice, Eric Cuthbertson, has gone to America too.
So as I ramble on I hope Gerry gives Ferguslie Park a big wave wherever he is 'right down the line' and continues to be a 'Night Owl' moving from 'City to City' watching over us all !
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