JOHN GORDON SINCLAIR
He's currently shooting the sequel to Gregory’s Girl, but for the time being JOHN GORDON SlNCLAIR's mind is on the football pitch. And the upper lip.
‘-.‘/ords: Brian Donaldson
SUMMER OF SPORT
'ONCE IT GETS past the itchy stage. it’s great to haye something on your face to play with. cos I don‘t smoke or anything. You end tip
doing things with your tongue you neyer
thought you could do anymore.'
The subject of facial hair is at the forefront ofJohn (iordon Sinclair's mind. what with the wide assortment of moustaches on display in
My Summer ll’ii/z Des. Penned by Arthur
Smith. the forthcoming TV special on loye
amidst liuro “)(i is a not-so—distant cousin of
An [fuming ll'iI/i (iui‘y Linc/(er. the tale of loye amidst ltalia ")(l.
The ‘l)es‘ in question is Mr Lynam. owner
of the dark greying 'tache which has entranced the nation's ladies for a couple of decades now. Other mousers in eyidence are those sticking to Swiss manager Artur Jorge ta comedy squirrel-bush). lingland goalie l)ayid Seaman (a coiffuered hank clerk job) 11nd Jimmy Hill. the target of fear and loathing from just about everyone (a yirtually invisible llitlerian bristle).
‘I grew one for lirik 'l‘lu' liking. and what‘s
a Viking without a beard'." enquires Sinclair
before pondering on that very notion. ‘Actually. Vikings were probably clean- shayen: it‘ll be a bit like Scotsmen wearing kilts.’
Still. Scotsmen and kilts do seem to go together on the terraces when the national team plays. as was very much the case when the Tartan hordes descended upon London for liuro ")(i and that fateful clash with The linglish.
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8 THE usr 14—28 may 1998
‘I remember exactly where l was when (iascoigne scored that fluke.‘ half-jokes Sinclair. ‘l was sitting with my brother and brother-in-law in my mum and dads living room in Scotstoun. For Scots. it‘s probably a bit like “where were you when Kennedy got shot'.’”.' I think I stayed up here for two weeks afterwards. not daring to go back down again.‘
L'nfortunately for Cameron. Sinclair‘s character in My Summer ll'iI/i I)('.\'. he has to put tip with the awful aftermath. being based in The Big Smoke and having created a little bit of Aberdeen in llackney for that ill-fated match. L'nfortunately. there is no hiding place from the wrath of Martin. played by Neil Morrissey — though Martin is haying his own problems with work. women and (iareth Southgate's penalty-taking technique. The backdrop of liuro “)6 proyides those football-as- metaphor-for-life connections. as well as the lightly acerbic wit and holy wisdom of Desmond l.ynam.
‘I don't think [)es actually exists.‘ expostulates Sinclair. before going eyen further. 'I think he‘s a computer—generated graphic that the BBC haye come tip with. How can you be that perfect'.’ And that good'.’ And that admired'.’ And still be real‘.’ We eyen did a photo shoot for the Radio limits and we were
Sporting chance: John Gordon Sinclair stars in My Summer With Des (left) and Gregory's Girl (below)
r" \
supposed to be at the feet of Des l.ynam and he wasn‘t eycn there. There was a pole we had to kid on was him and they were going to matte him in laterf
Sinclair takes a moment to contemplate his mttsical career. once the subject of this year's addition to the Scottish World (‘up songbook is broached. ‘Is it too smug to say that mine was better'." enquires Sinclair falsely. recalling the 1982 classic lli' [law A Dream. 'l)(m'1 Come Home 'Iim 5mm -~ it‘s qtlllc‘ it c‘itlc‘lly wec
'I remember exactly where I was when Gascoigne scored that fluke. For Scots, it's probably a bit like "where were you when Kennedy 90‘: ShOt?".' John Gordon Sinclair on Euro '96
tune but it's just a bit morbid. It's not a yery upbeat. inspiring way to go into the World ('up. is it'.’ It's like saying you're beaten before you're started.'
Among Siiic‘ltiit"s other projects is the long-awaited sequel to 1980‘s (‘eltic cult (ireguryfs (iirl with the cunningly titled (il't'g()l'_\".\' THY) (fir/x. Shooting is ill ttlt embryonic stage. but working once again with Bill Forsyth is one source of Sinclair's excitement for the project. ‘lt's about sixteen years since I worked with him last. but it's nice to know that you can still get on and the same things that made you laugh then make you laugh now.‘
Like the De] Amitri single. probably.
My Summer With Des is broadcast on BBC 1 on Mon 25 May.