Ray Laidlaw of Lindisfarne

Formed in 1968, the band Lindisfarne, named after a mystical and spiritual island off the north-east coast, achieved a huge amount of success in the early seventies and were seen as being at the centre of the folk/rock movement, greatly popularising this genre along with bands like Jethro Tull, The Strawbs and Fairport Convention. Three very successful albums, Nicely Out Of Tune, Fog On The Tyne and Dingly Dell, spawned chart success and popular acclaim. I can recall, as a schoolboy, everyone in my year having a copy of Fog On The Tyne as the latest 'must have'! it was played until the grooves on the lp wore out.

With poetic and witty lyrics from Alan Hull and an upbeat sound from him and his fellow 'Geordies', the band gained a large following that is loyal to this day. The band effectively split in 1973 but were reformed some years later and achieved more success with a new generation via a collaboration with footballer Paul Gascoigne. The various members continued in various collaborations and projects but these days they are back performing together minus the late lamented Alan Hull. There is a very exhaustive, information-packed, fan-friendly website www.lindisfarne.co.uk

Digger caught up with drummer Ray Laidlaw who kindly agreed to answer a grilling from Digger for www.retrosellers.com The definitive site for retro and nostalgia

Digger: Can you tell us a bit about your early musical influences and how you became a musician? Why did you opt for the drums?

Ray: The first record I really got interested in was King Creole by Elvis Presley. Three of my cousins, all girls, lived nearby and the middle one
was a little older than me. She was getting into music and used me as a jiving partner. Lots of Elvis, Cliff etc. That's what started it but soon
after that I got interested in the mechanics of making music. My younger brother is a very good classical pianist. I knew I could never play a real
instrument anywhere near his standard so I homed in on the drums. I started watching Tony Meehan of the Shadows and then got my first kit when I was 14. An instrumental group, the Aristokats, was my first band (featuring Simon Cowe on home-made electric guitar).

Ray: After meeting Simon I then met his mate Rod Clements when we were about fifteen. He was into rhythm and blues and already had a good record collection. He had a band at school called Downtown Faction. Rod and I formed a new group and pinched the name. We played a lot of Chicago style blues plus covers of Dylan and Zappa songs and a few of Rod's early efforts. Simon, Ray Jackson and Jeff Sadler completed the line-up. By 1969 we had a big local reputation, a lot of songs and ambition. We then got very friendly with Alan Hull who had loads more songs and was looking for a band. Jeff left to go to University, Alan joined and we became Lindisfarne in late '69 early 1970.

Digger: What are your favourite Lindisfarne tracks? Mine are Clear White Light and Lady Eleanor.

Digger: Coming down from Newcastle to record and promote, how would you describe the scene in London in the sixties/seventies?

Ray: London was very exciting in the early seventies. We were in a hot band and were living the dream. It was a good place to be. Loads going on, exciting and interesting people, I really enjoyed those times.

Digger: Can you describe these people, or what you think of their music, in a sentence each please? - Alan Hull, Bob Dylan, Ian Anderson, Carole King, John Lennon, Donovan, James Taylor, Dave Cousins, Kevin Ayers, The Byrds and Joni Mitchell

Digger: Please tell us about your current musical projects and what you have planned.

Ray: Since the demise of Lindisfarne I don't have any musical plans. I'm currently producing TV films with director Geoff Wonfor who is most well known for the Beatles Anthology. We've recently made a documentary on Stella McCartney, a 13 part Best of the Tube and we're filming Jools Holland and Friends at the Albert Hall on 1st April. Lots more in the pipeline.

Digger: What sort of music are you listening to these days?

Ray: Everything from Springsteen to Warren Zevon to Brian Wilson. Not much new stuff apart from Mos Eisley. They're great.

Digger: How would you describe the state of music in the UK?

Ray: In trouble. New bands don't have the opportunity to develop like we did. Labels demand instant success which puts far too much pressure on creativity.

Digger: Do you think that computer technology and the Internet are having a positive impact on music?

Ray: A bit of both. Like all new things it takes a while for the dust to settle. I think music suffers from bad use of technology and gains when it's innovative and sympathetic. Get real people to play and use the gizmos to make the recording process quicker. Whatever new developments are around the corner I think it's safe to say that no computer will ever make a noise like Angus Young.

Digger: Who would you describe as the key players in the sixties/seventies cultural revolution on either side of the Atlantic?

Ray: I could go on forever with this one so I'll pull out a few names that I think have made a difference. No particular order Dylan, Brian Wilson, Bob Marley, Andrew Loog Oldham, Prince, Tony Stratton Smith, Chris Blackwell, Springsteen.

Digger: What are your happiest memories with the band?

Ray: I listened to a bootleg of a 1972 US radio 'Lindisfarne in-concert' session recently. I was taken aback by the energy, invention and overall positive vibe that the band put out. Although I've enjoyed all the incarnations of Lindisfarne, there was a respect and genuine warmth between us in the early days that faded over the years. I know that people change but I honestly think that the real affection between us at the beginning was a big part of our appeal. Maybe some of the people involved more recently didn't quite get the point. With the benefit of hindsight I would have to say that early seventies was not only Lindisfarne's most commercially and artistically successful period, it was also the period that most honestly reflected the band's love of making great music and having a good time together.

Digger: What has been your biggest achievement and what would you still like to accomplish?

Ray: Keeping the band together for thirty three years must be an achievement of sorts. What I want to do now is the same as when I was in the band, to do good work and have fun doing it.

Digger: What makes you laugh, what makes you angry and what makes you sad?

Ray: Eddie Izzard, Dad's Army, Ross Noble, Viz Comics, Buster Keaton etc. Bigotry, racism. Newcastle United letting in goals in the last minute.

Digger: How involved are you with the great website?

Ray: I don't contribute much other than info regarding tours, releases etc. It's Reinhard Groll and Michael Bailey who should get all the credit.

Digger: What has life taught you?

Ray: The value of real friends.

Digger: Which band would you like to have played in that you didn't, if any? Why? And which songs would you like to have written, if any? Why?

Ray: I've been very happy playing drums with Lindisfarne, Jack the Lad, Radiator and now and then with Archie Brown and the Young Bucks. All great, original groups. Never wanted to play with any other bands. Songwriters are born not made. I've been lucky enough to work with one of the very best and I don't feel bad about having no talent in that direction.

Digger: Who are you heroes, male or female, living or dead?

Ray: My wife Lesley. She has kept my head up during the bad times and my feet on the ground during the good ones. She is hugely supportive of me and our two sons who also have the music bug. I could not have survived in the music business without her wisdom and love.

Digger: How has your homeland changed over the last 30 years? I would guess considerably.

Ray: The UK has changed a huge amount in the last thirty years. Much more crowded and USA influenced. One of the reasons I love living in the north east is our proximity to great hills and coastline.

Digger: Do you have any advice for aspiring musicians these days?

Ray: When asked I always suggest to aspiring musicians that the most important thing about a career in music is to retain your enjoyment of what you do. If you don't really get a buzz from what you do, then there's not much chance of surviving the ups and downs of the industry.

Digger: The band achieved a lot of success in the early seventies. What were the highlights of those days for you? How did you deal with the fame and glory?!!!

Ray: I can still remember the fantastic feeling when our first album was released and pulling the van over to the side of the road the first time one of our tunes was on the radio. Things like that were the highlights for me. We never really got famous in a pop star way. We wanted respect as musicians and songwriters but the whole fame thing was of no interest to us. Lindisfarne had and still have many extremely loyal fans. Some of them have become good friends. I have been extremely lucky to have been part of a band that has been so well respected and made so many friends.

Many thanks to Ray Laidlaw for his kindness and cooperation in doing this interview. Continued success in the future Ray. www.lindisfarne.co.uk

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