Regular readers will know I have followed his fiction closely: indeed he is one of my sub-category entries under Scottish Fiction. I think I have read all of his fiction works.
You will find my reviews of most of his books on the blog if you search.
Massie was also a journalist and critic, especially for the Scotsman newspaper.
A sad loss.
Allan Johnstone Massie: 16/10/1938 – 3/2/2026. So it goes.
One more week, another obituary. This time of the Grateful Dead’s Bob Weir.
The band was primarily known for its live performances and not for its singles. They had a few top 100 hits in the US, though, but never troubled the UK charts.
This was written by Weir.
The Grateful Dead: One More Saturday Night.
Robert Hall Parber (Bob Weir) 16/10/1947 – January 10/1/2026. So it goes.
Founder member of Jethro Tull, Mick Abrahams, died on 19/12/25. He only played on Tull’s first LP This Was before leaving the band due to wanting to pursue more in the line of the blues than flautist, singer and main songwriter Ian Anderson.
This, from that LP, is a song he co-wrote with Anderson.
Jethro Tull: Beggar’s Farm
Abrahams went on to form the unforgettably named Blodwyn Pig. Their first single was Dear Jill.
Blodwyn Pig: Dear Jill
Michael Timothy (Mick) Abrahams: 7/4/1943 – 19/12/2025. So it goes.
Much underrated Scottish footballer, and Nottingham Forest legend, John Robertson died on Christmas Day.
He was never the most athletic looking of men (which probably led to that underrating) but he was described by Brian Clough, the manager who got the most out of him, as “the Picasso of our game” and by his Nottingham Forest teammate John McGovern as “having more ability than Ryan Giggs.” Forest coach Jimmy Gordon rated him as “a better player than Tom Finney and Stanley Matthews.”
He is one of the few Scotsmen to win two European Cups, providing the assist for the winning goal in his first in 1979 and scoring the winner himself in the second a year later.
He also scored a winner for Scotland against England at Wembley. In 1981: Scotland have only won once there since.
John Neilson Robertson: 20/1/1953 – 25/12/2025. So it goes.
Yet another one gone. This time Chris Rea. It somehow seems crueller at this time of year.
Rea is perhaps best known for Driving Home for Christmas and The Road to Hell, jointly his highest chart placing songs but neither of which is appropriate here. His back catalogue is long.
This was his second top 30 hit (no 26 in 1985) and predates both of the above.
Chris Rea: Stainsby Girls
Christopher Anton (Chris) Rea: 4/3/1951 – 22/12/2025. So it goes.
Much loved Scottish comedian, impressionist and actor Stanley Baxter has died. It was only two days ago the good lady reminded me he was still alive.
He had a long career on stage, especially in pantomime, but it was in television that he made his mark, first in Scotland in The Stanley Baxter Show which featured the inspired spoof of the language learning series Parliamo Italiano. Those Parliamo Glasgow sketches susbtituted Glaswegian for the original Italian example. Even at the time the contrast between the highly repressed received English spoken sections and the exuberance of the Glaswegian expressions was notable.
I’m afraid I couldn’t find a clip of the phrase I remember most from the spoofs, “Ah’ll no borra wi a baura chocolate. Ah’ve goat a baur in the hoose and ah’ll buy anurra baurramorra,” one I still trot out when attempting to exemplify Glaswegian speech.
I did find these, though.
Upatra burd’s:-
Mia Farra’s farra, the marra and the barra:-
After moving to London, Baxter went on to make extravagantly costumed and budgeted shows (The Stanley Baxter Picture Show, The Stanley Baxter Series) where he often impersonated women, frequently displaying his legs (of which many women at the time were somewhat envious,) and various other television specials. My two children will remember him best, however, as Mr Majeika.
Stanley Livingstone Baxter: 24/5/1926 – 11/12/2025. Tararanoo, Stanley. Tararanoo.
