REVIEW FROM www.livingtradition.co.uk

ARTHUR JOHNSTONE & THE STARS BAND - Doon Through The Years
Fair Pley  FP003

What a pleasure it is to hear Arthur Johnstone, veteran of years of great singing in the Socialist tradition producing this collection of classic Scots material of the genre, and, being recorded live, at the STUC, this CD has all the inherent advantages of relating direct to its very sympathetic (!) listeners. Arthur has been on the Glasgow scene for many years, but this CD is a real landmark as a 'solo' performance of some note. Not entirely solo, admittedly, as he's accompanied by the Stars Band, some of the most experienced musicians in Scotland in Charlie Soane on fiddle, Gavin Livingstone on guitar, banjo & keyboards, and that great guitarist Brian Miller - fine performers in their individual rights, but as a band, a bit special!

The title track is Arthur's own, written in honour of Jimmy Reid and Jimmy Airlie, stalwarts of the Clydeside shipyard workers' struggle, and honour is quite rightly paid to another 'Red Clydesider' by way of Hamish Henderson's John MacLean's March - what a stirring anthem this still is!  Matt McGinn and Tommy Sands, campaigners both, have songs here, and there's homage to the International Brigade in the shape of The Valley Of Jarama and that classic anthem of those times Bandierra Rossa. The whole very enjoyable performance ends with another Henderson classic Freedom Come All Ye - yes you've heard it before, but never with as much feeling as this!

Many will love the political songs, but this CD has more than that, with scurrilous parodies from John Murphy, and another modern classic song of unrequited love in Annie McKelvie. Whoever decided that this setup was a natural for a 'live' recording was absolutely spot on - this is a classic of its kind, and I am quite sure it will become exactly that over the years, so sit back, enjoy it and keep up the struggle!

Jim Bainbridge