STEWART
Lead Accordion, and the band worrier. If you're wanting your wiring checked for free, just book us. Stewart has more meters and circuit breakers than Cockenzie power station, mind you considering some of the venues we've played, he may well be right. He hates being unprepared (c/f Malc), practises religiously, and was a British and Scottish Champion on the Accordion, which just goes to show what can be achieved if you practise folks. You also need talent. Stewart is the instrumental mainstay of the Band, just watch those fingers dance over the keyboard, even hits the right notes, (told you he had talent). Mostly plays his older Accordion, which has character, and an infinite number of notes, (mostly pitched in the cracks between the keys), depending on how it feels. However, he now has a new one with go faster stripes, which is pretty boring and plays in tune! A Microchip designer (as in Computers, not as in deep fried Mars Bars), Stewart hails from Ormiston in East Lothian, also teaches the accordion, and has played with various bands over the years before meeting Malc at a pub session in Gifford (quaint East Lothian village - excellent pub). Claims he has never regretted it.
E mail: stewart@LismoreCeilidhBand.com
Lead Fiddle , recorders and composer. Alison is the band musical / dance perfectionist. Has this idea that the music should actually match the dance in style, number of bars and tempo, and can get quite annoyed when they don't, which if Malc. has anything to do with it, can happen quite often. She is a Classically trained violinist who has seen the light, and she studied both Violin and Recorder to advanced level. Alison comes from a musical family, a brother leads one of Scotland's top ceilidh bands, is a prolific composer, and some of his tunes are in our repertoire. Although a Lismore fixture she also occasionally guests for him in the Occasionals. She was brought up near Blair Atholl, and in her student days, used to show people round Blair Castle, where Neil Gow's fiddle is on display, and some of his magic has obviously rubbed off. Now living near Gullane, she started her own business teaching German to company executives, also doing translation work and assessing students (for German we think). Met the rest through various East Lothian musical events, and wasn't quick enough running away.
Drummer, newest band member, young, good looking, popular with bride's mothers, house trained, well behaved, politely spoken, makes you sick!! Where did we find him!? Good question, blame Stewart. In fact thank Stewart. Ian brings a disciplined, but still radical, beat to the band, and helps maintain our distinctive sound. Early photos show him learning on a Fisher Price drum kit, but he has now progressed to an adult kit (last week !), which is new and very shiny, but we'll soon sort that. Used to use his mothers knitting needles for practice, and following this, when knitting Ian a sweater, she unintentionally invented the string vest. Where other drummers of a similar age were inspired by Cozy Powell, Ian was inspired by Cosy Jumpers (he admits to owning an Arran Sweater) and Scottish Music. Joined the pipe band at Balfron High School, (the girls liked the uniform) served his apprenticeship marching behind Gala parades, played in various pipe bands culminating in a GMTV - Hogmanay special on the banks of Loch Lomond at 7 am in minus 19 degrees. Got a bit cold, and decided to move on from pipe band drumming (what a wimp). Lured into Ceilidh Band drumming by the prospect of warm halls, home baking, wedding buffets, and older women. Has been a session drummer for various bands over the last couple of years before realising his musical destiny lay with us. Has a fair selection of drums which he plays as though he knows what he is doing, and has a little folder which he claims contains his notes on each set, but the rest of us think contains either his colouring book, or a magazine of dubious provenance, just watch out for him whapping his bongos during the eightsome! Lives in Croftamie near Loch Lomond - handy, the rest of the band being in East Lothian. E mail ian@LismoreceilidhBand.com
Second Accordion, but also plays first accordion in a number of sets. The sensible one in the Band, (Says who !). She also comes from a musical family, her father being a prominent East Lothian fiddle player of some renown, she has a sister who plays the clarinet, and a mother who wears ear plugs. Has also been known to enjoy a small (?) libation. Having three children, Morag is heavily involved with the various children's groups in Gullane, and recently broke her arm playing tennis. She subsequently got plastered (no comment) which cramped her style on the accordion, until it was removed, but played keyboard in the interim. An accordion player to teaching level, she has played in various groupings around East Lothian, (that's groupings not gropings, although, there is this malicious, and obviously untrue rumour............! ), lives in Gullane, and like Alison joined the band via getting to know the rest at East Lothian events. E mail morag@LismoreCeilidhBand.com
Fiddle and Mandolin, plus Caller. The voice (some would say mouth) of the band, Malc. does the calling, until we get to the easier tunes in any set, then he plays the fiddle. Born in Ayrshire (just along the road from Alloway), then moving to Dumfries, Edinburgh and now East Lothian, Malc. has followed in the path of Robert Burns. Unfortunately, from the bands point of view, Burn's skill in poetry and music did not rub off on Malc., and unfortunately from Malc's point of view, neither did his success with women. He learned the fiddle at an early age, and has come back to playing, now he is too decrepit to play rugby. Malc. is still involved in rugby, both at Lismore and the SRU, hence the band name, and various other odd links around the site. Malc. complimented by the band's driving sound, is an expert at getting an event going, keeping it going, and building it up, to create an evening that ensures people enjoy themselves, and leave wanting more. Can appear laid back and unconcerned, but underneath his generous exterior, is the honed body of an athlete just waiting to get out. Now living near Haddington, he also has the van, which makes him indispensable, and space to store the gear, which makes him even more indispensable. Met the rest of the band as described above, and kept their phone numbers. E mail malcolm@LismoreCeilidhBand.com