Glasgow Buskers

[mustardman]

I remember about 14 years ago, there was two guys who sat outside Argyle st market, ( beside Lewis's) and jammed/busked. Now I am a big funk fan, and these guys wailed.....one played a baritone saxaphone, the other a snare drum, that was all. The sax player would wear dark sunglasses, and by 'eck he was good. That was my earliest memory of liking funk. They grooved, and just played what they felt like...

Now is there anyone out there who could help me and tell me who these guys were??? Would so like to know!

[Bex Bissell]

Whilst out taking lunch today with a couple of colleagues we happened upon Mr Robot up doin the do on Sauchiehall Street, you know the fella, white suite and the cord off hair dryers attached from hip to elbows.
God! He was still pullin of some of the old moves. Moon-walk, bodypop etc. Although on the way back he was taking a pencil to his Garry Numan "Cars" tape.
Not only has he NOT updated his act but he has clearly not even invested in a new Hinari ghetoblater. tsk tsk.
In fact he really isn't busking, more doing a soft shoe shuffle. Hmmm.

[DMcNay]

There was already a thread about this a couple of weeks back....

[duncan]

I remember about 14 years ago, there was two guys who sat outside Argyle st market, ( beside Lewis's) and jammed/busked. Now I am a big funk fan, and these guys wailed.....one played a baritone saxaphone, the other a snare drum, that was all. The sax player would wear dark sunglasses, and by 'eck he was good. That was my earliest memory of liking funk. They grooved, and just played what they felt like...

Now is there anyone out there who could help me and tell me who these guys were??? Would so like to know! :D

I remember these guys, heard them on Buchanan Street about 12-13 years ago. Except there were three of them. Two on sax (think they were both baritone), and one on percussion. He had a metal tube and I think a tambourine on a stand. They all wore shades, and were very excellent.

[DickyHart]

Yeah they where great, they used to sit in a tunnel in gordon street to get the good acoustics.
Quite a crowd used to gather to listen. They might have split up due to musical differences.

[cumbo]

I met an old Glasgow busker 3 years ago in Ayr,I'm sure his name was Jimmy Sherry.He played the accordian in Buchanan st for about 20 years.He wore a tartan shirt ,flat cap and had a big happy red face.
He told me he had been in the Paras and fought on D Day.he was retired now and living in a caravan in Saltcoats I'm sure I have A photo to scan although you could by a post card in Glasgow years ago with him on it
anyone remember?

[DMcNay]

I met an old Glasgow busker 3 years ago in Ayr,I'm sure his name was Jimmy Sherry.He played the accordian in Buchanan st for about 20 years.He wore a tartan shirt ,flat cap and had a big happy red face.
He told me he had been in the Paras and fought on D Day.he was retired now and living in a caravan in Saltcoats I'm sure I have A photo to scan although you could by a post card in Glasgow years ago with him on it
anyone remember?

Aye! Was his "patch" not just outside Marks and Sparks on Argyle Street? I was about to post asking if anyone remembered him?

Remember the one man band guy? He was interviewed for "The Glaswegian" and refused to give his name in case the DSS stopped his money!

He was p1sh. I can't stand one man bands...

[AMcD]

Aye... I remember seeing him outside Marks and Sparks in Argyle Street Christmas time many years ago. I think he'd had more than a few Christmas spirits as he kept swearing at the Salvation Army band playing carols, claiming they'd "Stolen ma fuckin' pitch.... Bastards!"

Certainly brought a smile to many passers by. He kept staggering to the side with the more completed stuff he played... fantastic !

I had a pal that did casual work in the Christmas pantos that also refused to give his name, or pose for photos for "Security reasons".
Social Security reasons !

[Fossil]

I think Combos guys different from the chap outside M and S.
Combos chap did have a postcard made of him. (Red faced cheerier chap)
The other chap did play the accordion as well but was thinner with a red nose

Does anyone remember the old guy who played the two penny whistles at the same time?


-F-

[cumbo]

Remember him well Foss and his selective memory for tunes depending on what old firm team was top of the table,havent seen him about for a couple of years ?

[mustardman]

Well, the one man band guy is actually from a place called Foyers, outside of Inverness. Did you know that he actually built his whole setup even down to the amplifier!

[Seamey]

Sauchiehall Street, Feb 2005

Some guy who thinks he's Ry Cooder, but only knows four tracks outside M&S playing at the same time as two newbies on xylophone and drum playing Carmen outside the old Dixons.

The blind couple will be along soon and then the Chilean pan-pipers will join in.

It's also been a while since the bagpiper who always hits the wrong note in Highland Cathedral and the Spanish? piper have been along.



I'm off to Boots for a paracetemol

[Bex Bissell]

[quote="Seamey"]Sauchiehall Street, Feb 2005



It's also been a while since the bagpiper who always hits the wrong note in Highland Cathedral and the Spanish? piper have been along.

I'm not sure if that chap is Spannish, I reckon he may well be French as those are Breton pipes he is trying to coax a tune out of.

It's a bad day when we get out done on home soil by a Frenchy playing the Bagpipes.
Come on all you pipers, mobilise and get out on the streets and claim them back instead of playing at weddings and lining your pockets the easy way.
Fair play to the young laddie though he does his bit, although he is a bit a fair weather piper.

[yourebarred]

the best two buskers in glasgow have stopped for a while. wee andy used to do sauchiehall, fingerpicking like hell, hes amazing, and jonny, the man with the single best busking voice in the city now cooking up a storm in a kitchen instead!
how do you all like the piazzola guys on buchanan last week and before, how good are they!!
my mate told me he saw the supposedly blind keyboard player and singer couple drive off in a motor once!anyone shed any light on this?

[duncan]

my mate told me he saw the supposedly blind keyboard player and singer couple drive off in a motor once!anyone shed any light on this?

let me guess, was it a big motor, maybe a Jag or Mercedes? This is the famous apocryphal urban myth of stinking rich beggars, as witnessed by someone else who saw them in a fancy car / going to their luxury mansion.