Nigel
Your news that Bella has been seen around Crieff has confirmed some rumours
of long-standing. Information had reached us from several sources (Rod
Paterson and Pete Clark, for example, have recently had to endure some
unpleasant heckling) that she had settled in the Perthshire area. She's a
good age now, but can still rattle a braw pair o speens.
Unfortunately your sighting of her in saltire and corsets does bring back
some painful memories (well, folk memories in our case - we're too young to
have witnessed the original outrages). Here's the story as we understand it
, and as it has been passed down to us.
When Bella started the band just after the war the impact she had on the
Scottish Country Dance scene cannot be overestimated. Justly feted wherever
she went, it seemed to many only a matter of time before she came to the
attention of the BBC and hence to wider national notice. When, however, the
BBC declined to broadcast Bella and her band (citing the absence of
accordions and too many minor seventh chords) it seemed to turn her mind.
Her behaviour became increasingly erratic and bizarre, culminating in the
notorious 'Windygates Button Key Club' incident, when she was last seen
brandishing an axe and a rag-filled petrol can, shouting 'My work is now
done' to anyone who cared to listen. Fortunately widespread damage was
prevented.
After Bella's disappearance following this, the band decided to keep going,
but an adherence to the original name and a sense of indebtedness to the
founder meant that their gigs were largely confined to the various bothans
and shielings of the 'ceilidh underground'. Finally in the mid-nineties
increasingly insistent messages from mysterious go-betweens to the
inheritors of the name prompted the band to emerge into the open. The
climate had changed. We were able to go about our business unhampered by
the bitter memories of a previous generation, and play venues such as
Aberfeldy Town Hall with impunity. With no audience, but impunity
nonetheless.
'Bella, Bella!' indeed!
David Francis
t/f (44) (0)131 557 1050 (o); (44) (0)131 669 8824 (h)
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