Links, Friends and Good Guys

This section links to some people who have helped along the way, some people we know and some we just like. When Euan and I went with a friend, Jim Reid, to see Paul and Fred of Little Feat at the Ferry in Glasgow, the guys circulated at their break, going round the tables chatting to everyone. Paul Barrere came to our table and chatted. That was very cool - especially for me, a Little Feat fan since I was thirteen. And what a good guy. If Paul ever reads this, I was the Scotsman who said I had played Willin' in that same venue. Near the end of the show they got the support band, a bunch of young guys from Edinburgh, to come up and back them for some of the great Little Feat songs, including Dixie Chicken. A great gig and a memorable night.

In the late nineties I was sent to Nashville five times and Austin once to co-write songs. These trips were suggested by Ralph Murphy, VP ASCAP Nashville, who I met in London (and many times after that in The Sportsman's Bar and Grill on 21st Ave South). So I was sent by a friend, Bobo, who owned Big Bang Records at that time. Martin Hanlin, former drummer with Scottish Band the Silencers, was working at Hamstein Music in Austin back then. He opened many doors for me and I wrote with a lot of very nice and very talented people including Spencer Gibb, Johhny Goudie, Keith Gattis, Mike Whitty, Stacey Earle, Andrea Rhodes and Jon Robben. Several of the people I worked with were based at Ten Ten and some of them feature in the list below.

Other links include local talent such as Ian Smith and Colin Kennedy who have been out there performing music their whole lives. Also, check out Fatherson whose new album is due to be released on Easy Life Recordings/Sony Music. And although we don't know the guys, we have to mention the most successful band ever to come out of our area, Biffy Clyro. (Come to think of it, Gregor got his picture taken with Simon Neil in the Ayr branch of Asda.)

It is sometimes said that family should always come first, so the top two links are to my Uncle Hugh, sports journalist with the Sunday Times, and my Uncle Willie, celebrated Scottish author. As I got the job of creating this website, I got to choose the links.


Our Youtube Jukebox

We could change this selection every week for the next year and we still wouldn't have to repeat a single track as there are so many good ones out there. This first playlist is mainly retrospective and includes some great Scottish tracks. When Alan the drummer uploads his track list there is likely to be some Iron Maiden in there.

Neil McIlvanney

Thanks to...

Fiona, Murph, Linda, Rachel, Brian, Bobo, Martin Hanlon, Ralph Murphy, David & Audra, Willie & Jakki, Jim Reid, Douglas Coulter, Gregor, Brian & Karen, Alan & Elaine, Robbie G.

Thanks also to those I have worked with along the way: Richie Snyder, Spencer Gibb, Stacey Earle, Mark Moffat, Andrea Rhodes, Jon Robben, Scarlet Keys, Joe Scutella and a whole lot more.

Different writers and players at Number 20 have different likes and influences. Stevie Robson is "Toto in the brain" and he takes great pride in the picture on his Facebook page of a very young and undernourished looking Stevie with his hero Steve Lukather. I grew up on a rich and varied musical diet. From the United States I listened to Neil Young, CS&N, The Eagles, Little Feat, Warren Zevon, Dan Fogelberg, Joni Mitchell, James Taylor, Jackson Browne, Bruce Springsteen, The Beach Boys, Tom Petty, John Fogerty, Steely Dan, Johnny Winter, Steve Earle, Emmy Lou Harris... and I could go on.

And the UK has been just as inspirational with the likes of the Trashcan Sinatras, David Bowie, Led Zeppelin, Pink Floyd, The Rolling Stones, The Bee Gees, Coldplay, The LAs, The Big Dish, Biffy Clyro, Elvis Costello and many more. Hats off to them all.

Neil McIlvanney