Collectormania Glasgow 2014

[paw broon]

23rd. and 24th. Aug. at Brahead Arena, Glasgow. Here's the website:-
http://www.collectormaniaglasgow.co.uk/
This was a great event last year and looks likely to be even bigger and better this year. If any of you are going and fancy a chat, I'm always up for coffee and buns. I have a feeling that queues will be long, so I plan on getting there early for an early bird ticket. Rumour has it that there will be a few piles of pocket libraries, amongst all the other stuff. Can't wait.

[paw broon]

This was a busy one and the venue was absolutely packed at times. By the time I was paying my entrance fee - 09.20 am - the queue was out the back door. Punters who bought the standard entry said it was the same all,of 2 hours later.
More importantly there was a good selection of British comics. I spent rather a lot on pocket libraries and a few other items, but I saw various first issues incl. 2000 ad, Misty, Cheeky. A box full of commando at very reasonable prices, I thought. Small piles of Victor, some Wizard, lots of Beano and Dandy at knock down prices, 2 boxes of pocket libraries incl. Super Detective, Thriller Picture, Cowboy Picture, more obscure publisher offerings. Also things like WDL British reprints, an Aus Superman, a Frew Phantom - too much to remember. Lots of guests, where some of the party I was with spent a lot on photos and autographs. A really good day and a decent lunch, which I didn't have to pay for.

[colcool007]

Sounds like a good time was had by all. Alas, the bawbees are in short supply over here, so I couldn't even afford Couter's candy, let alone the ticket for that event!

[Phoenix]

Couter's candy

The famous folk song from your side of the border, Colin, is called Coulter's Candy. I think I first heard it sung live by The Spinners.

[paw broon]

This is the version I remember:-
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sLgRHK_0iQI

[colcool007]

Couter's candy

The famous folk song from your side of the border, Colin, is called Coulter's Candy. I think I first heard it sung live by The Spinners.

All depends on where you are from. Ally Bally Bee has several versions in Scotland and they depend on where you are from. Ours (from north of the Tay) has always been Couter's. It is pronounced to rhyme with Soutar (Soo-tah). Just pull up the song on Google and you will see that there are variations just within the first page of hits.

I must admit that I never heard it sung professionally until the last few years. It was always either ceilidh bands or kids singing it. So the variation could be unique to Angus (or Tayside if you prefer).

One of the few things that I feel saddened by is that if regional variations are not recorded now, then many will be lost forever as we move towards a more homogenous society.

For example, would you believe what is considered to be the drinking song (Brochan Lom) in Whiskey Galore is actually a children's song about porridge! It was only picked as the scansion fitted the moment of the movie. Now if that piece of information had not been recorded, many would think that the lyrics are about drinking whiskey!

[Phoenix]

This is the version I remember:-
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sLgRHK_0iQI

Ahhh! They don't make music like that anymore in the mainstream, do they, Paw? Around the time they recorded that album Hall and MacGregor were on BBC television most nights, if memory serves, at the end of the evening News, when they would sing just one song, a different one every day naturally.

One of the few things that I feel saddened by is that if regional variations are not recorded now, then many will be lost forever as we move towards a more homogenous society.

I think you may be worrying unnecessarily, Col, because there are always people taking the trouble to find and record all these variants for posterity, just as Cecil Sharp did all those years ago.