Ian Rankin

Up there with Thin Lizzy


‘Better than Josh Pearson!’

That was what it said on the hand-printed sticker. The sticker was attached to an odd-looking CD in the new releases section of the Edinburgh record shop, Avalanche. The shop’s proprietor, Kevin Buckle, was the man behind the claim. I asked him about the album. It was by an Aberfeldy-based group called Star Wheel Press. Their singer also ran a gallery and made his own woodcuts. He had just delivered the albums that morning. If I cared to open the cellophane wrapper, I would smell fresh ink. ‘And the music’s pretty good, too,’ Kevin added.

Reader, I took the CD home with me. The cardboard sleeve was still damp to the touch. The artist, Ryan Hannigan, had signed, numbered and dated each copy. Mine was 101. And, when I got round to playing it, a smile spread across my face. It was fine stuff, witty and wise, with solid tunes and a playful tone leavened by occasional nostalgia.

I said as much on Twitter, then bumped into Ryan at a craft fair in Edinburgh, after which we started to correspond. By summer, he was asking me if I fancied curating a music festival in Aberfeldy.

‘How much work would it be?’

‘You just need to pick the bands; we’ll do the rest.’

‘Deal.’

But which bands? Who would be available and willing? I think my original wish-list had ten names on it, but only six would be needed (three gigs per night over the weekend). The first six we asked all said yes. And that’s why I found myself driving up to misty Perthshire a week or so ago. The town hall was the venue. Hot food and cold drinks could be had. The sound engineer was, I was told, a genius.

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