From the Glasgow herald courtesy of Keith Bruce plus another article from The Scotsman courtesy of Simon
Pia.
Marra focus
For his many fans, any recognition has never been significant enough of Michael Marra, bard of Tayside, and one of Scotland's foremost songsmiths. So it's good news that BBC Radio Scotland has a Marrathon planned for December 30 to January 1. There's a documentary, Hermless, at 1.05pm on Hogmanay. Produced and presented by Billy Kay, it has lots of anecdotes and eulogies by Barbara Dickson, Liz Lochhead etc as well as great songs.
Mick is also appearing on Travelling Folk on Thursday December 30 and will be joining his old friend and fellow Dundonian, St Andrew, on the Janice Forsyth Show on New Year's Day at 10am a riot in the making, with Wout Slaughterhouse (Mick's wee brither, guitar) and one Mitch Porgy (M Marra himself, if Billboard is not mistaken). St Andrew's CD, The Word on the Pavey, is one of Janice's most frequently requested items, apparently
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The princess and the Arabs
SIMON PIA
ITS a tale worthy of Christmas itself, about the night a princess came amongst the Arabs - though most of them were from Dundee if you catch our drift.
It was Princess Grace of Monaco, no less, the legendary film actress Grace Kelly, who was supporting FC Monaco "in a European tie in the howling rain". The vignette features in the Radio Scotland tribute to legendary Dundonian songwriter Michael Marra on Hogmanay. Monaco were playing Dundee United, who have been affectionately referred to as the Arabs since nineteen-canteen as the surface at Tannadice was so poor they always used to play on sand.
Marra tells us it was easy to spot the glamorous Grace, as she was wearing a white turban ... "and no monie Dundee women wore white turbans in those days."
It is hardly surprising this story surfaces, as mine host is Billy Kay, another well known Arabist, who is conducting the celebration of Marras work with fans, musicians and fellow artists like Liz Lochhead and Barbara Dickson.
The vignette is called Hermless? A Portrait of Michael Marra, and Kays Dundee United leanings have seen him include Marras epic Hamish the Goalie, about United legend Hamish McAlpine which includes that night in Monaco, another tangerine dream.
Its up there with the night Liz Taylor joined Celtic fans in Budapest in 1972, when they were playing Ujpest Doza in the European Cup quarter-final.
Liz and Richard Burton joined players and fans at the hotel bar to throw a champagne-and-caviar party.
Jock Stein said it was the clubs finest moment in Europe since Lisbon, but this might have been because he was spotted doing the cha-cha with Liz while Richard was trapped at the bar.
Copyright@The Scotsman
