THE LIST
lETTERS
Justice once
Denis Lawson is, indeed, well cast in The Justice Game (List 116). He is not, however, ‘the silk with a social conscience’. A ‘silk’ can only be one who has taken silk, viz an advocate who has become Senior or Queen’s Counsel. Lawson does not portray an advocate. In fact, he does not even portray a solicitor: he appears, instead, to combine the investigative tendencies of a private detective with the leisure time ofa retired swimming pool attendant.
These captious criticisms, however, will not prevent my following Mr Rossi’s latest escapades. if only because I am especially keen to see whether or not the production team are able to compensate their viewers for the confusing, cliche-ridden and anti-climactic conclusion to the first series.
Stephen Miller Wilton Street Glasgow.
Winner ofthe prize for this issue ‘3 best letter, a J ose C uervo tequila slammer glass.
Soapy bubbles
What the hell is the letters page playing at when it awards the prize bottle oflose Cuervo tequila to a letter such as the one on flares, which you admitted you didn’t have a clue what it was gibbering on about? If that‘s your attitude, what bloody chance do we ordinary folk have?
Yes. The List is just as guilty as other arty-farty magazines where they have forgotten about the ordinary Joe Soaps of the world - like yours truly.
All we want is ordinary. comprehensible reading. so we can enjoy the magazine. Next thing we will know is that you will be charging £2.70 for the mag. just to be hip and trendy.
‘Getting unsatisfied by the edition'. ‘Defender for ordinary punters’. Gordon Craig
Drumfork Court
Helensburgh.
Cleaning fluid
I enjoyed your preview of the new Steven Campbell exhibition. particularly the photo - why does he always manage to look like a rather world-weary Highland cow? But please. next time could you also mention where the exhibition is going to he held'.’ I had to scour the art listings (it took ages to get them clean) to find out.
Jane llall
Morningside (iardens
Edinburgh.
As the Bard so subtly said: Write a letter to The List; win a prize, and then get guttered. Yes, it’s true, the best letter next issue will win a bottle of Jose Cuervo tequila. Letters, which may be edited for publication, should be sent by Friday 30 March to The List, Old Athenaeum Theatre , 179 Buchanan Street, Glasgow 61 2] Z, or Tweeddale Court, 14 High Street, Edinburgh EH1 lTE.
LATTE GOLDSTEIN
for peak-time viewing, is no mean feat.
If being ‘at the cutting edge‘ means appearing in some poky bar and mumbling into a microphone, fair enough. Elton’s not there. In terms of being funny. though, he‘s still one ofthe best. As for the Funny Farm, a pair ofsunglasses and a silly name is no substitute for good material. Robert Somerville Woodlands Road Glasgow.
Scottish letter
I‘m becoming increasingly dissatisfied with both the content and the titles of some of Scottish Television’s programmes. Why does every factual programme they put on have to be called Scottish something or other? Scottish Books, Scottish Women. Scottish Supplement. Scottish Action on something Scottish or other - do they think we‘re senile and need this sort of ‘reality orientation’ to remind us of what country we’re in?
Maybe ifthey thought up some more original titles, that would inspire them into creating different formats for the programmes: at the
Funny peculiar
Comedy may. as Mark Fisher described it in his feature (List 116), be ‘fresh, young, happening (whatever that means), late at night. and in basement bars‘, but the description ‘it‘s a wee bitty dangerous and it makes you laugh‘ doesn‘t, more‘s the pity. apply to comedy in Scotland. God knows who decided the Funny Farm merited their own TV series: Bruce Morton can be pretty funny sometimes. but even he was only the best of a bad bunch - perhaps that was why he left?
Mr Fisher’s feature seemed to display the all-too-frequent attitude that ifsomeone is successful. they can‘t be good any more. Hence his description of John Sessions as ‘smug'. and Ben Elton as ‘no longer at the cutting edge'. [don‘t really mind ifSessions is smug. smarmy or even the most loathsome person ever to have walked the Earth - he‘s still bloody funny, and when he appears on my TV screen that‘s all I‘m bothered about. As for Ben Elton, he still manages to combine sharp political satire with humour, which,
moment they all seem pretty interchangeable. as if the script was the same and they substituted, say. a couple of names of novels instead of newspapers.
Jackie Nathan
Oxford Street
Edinburgh.
All"!!! a grievance
I enjoyed Cailean MacUilleim‘s letter in The List ( l 16) re the Scots with Lobotomies correspondence.
Maybe we’ve had a National Lobotomy. I don’t know, but maybe it’s because I’ve always voted SNP or similar that I don’t feel guilty.
But when on a recent trip I saw British Airways continuing to promote ‘Scottish (aka mean and cheap) Fares’ (Schotten Terrife) between Europe and London but not Edinburgh (‘jeden Haupstadt‘ does mean every capital, nicht wahr?) I wondered to myself: how long will it take us to undo all its subtle, deep damage when SWLs allow such rudeness and racism to continue , on and on and on. Amazing.
Gary McLean Main Street Cumbuslang
Joint responsibility
I read your recent article in The List (1 l6) entitled ‘Clubbers Uneovered’. I found the piece interesting and was surprised by its accuracy. Many points were raised, which I myself recognised and identified with. However, there is one topic which you covered with which I find criticism. Your feature insinuated that drugs were prevalent on the Glasgow club scene and I wholeheartedly agree with that opinion. But it also seemed to come to the conclusion that the sale of these drugs was down to ‘ gangsters‘ and ‘dealers‘. lam aware that the people who run places like ‘UFO'. ‘Choice‘ and the ‘Sub‘ also agree with this view. Unfortunately I feel that this is complete bullshit. lfthese evil men plying their trade in city centre discos are blamed. everyone is offthe hook! The fact is that in these venues. tablets are usually available from friends and acquaintances who have limited supplies. Obviously they are bought on the street in the first place. but it is the regular clientele who are peddling gear. not crooks. I admit I have no proper evidence for what I claim, only my personal experiences of frequenting these establishments. In addition to your article, both the police and The Evening Times have also made this mistake concerning the availability ofstimulants in public places. They are an integral part of the House music scene and wherever young people congregate, they will be in evidence. Perhaps we should accept this and let the whole culture run its course until something else is in vogue. Anonymous Clubber Glasgow
92 The List 23 March - 5 April 1990
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