FirstWord Liz Lochhead
Scotland’s newly appointed Makar discusses dealing with fame, the Wishaw nightlife and winching
P H O T O :
N O R M A N M C B E A T H
First record you ever bought The Rolling Stones’ eponymous first LP (1963, I think). First film you saw that really moved you Doctor Zhivago.
Last lie you told Can’t remember. Honestly don’t lie too much. Can’t be bothered to mostly. I’m fairly shameless, so I tend to just tell the truth. First movie you ever went on a date to Jason and the Argonauts at Green’s Playhouse, Wishaw in 1963. More for the unfettered snogging and winching possibilities afforded by the ‘Golden Divans’, which had no armrests between a double-seat, than for love of sword-and-sandal epics.
Last time you cried This morning when I woke up.
First thing you do when you’ve got time off work Phone a friend.
Last great meal you cooked Just scoffed my obligatory annual haggis, neeps and mashed tatties, with one wee whisky. Last meal on earth – what would it be Scallops in a saffron sauce, glass of bone-dry white.
Last extravagant purchase you made
This fortnight on list.co.uk
We’re very excited about the Glasgow Film Festival’s programme – there are some true gems in there, such as James Franco-starring Howl (pictured). We’ll be covering as much of it as we possibly can in our GFF blog at www.list.co.uk/articles/blogs commencing Thu 17 Feb.
2 THE LIST 3–17 Feb 2011
A nice black crepe coat-dress thing, like a posh parka, with a satin-lined hood. It was only extravagant in that – despite being 70 per cent off – I didn’t need it. First crush On Douglas Young, my pal Carol’s big cousin, who was (wow) 19 and took me to Green’s Playhouse a lot when I was 15.
Last book you read Just re-read Raymond Carver’s Cathedral.
First great piece of advice you were given Shut up and keep your head below the parapet. I didn’t take it though . . .
Last time you were star struck Years and years ago when I met (just once – and gushed embarrassingly) Alice Munro who is, I think, the greatest writer going. First thing you’d do if you ran the country Abolish exams.
First song you’ll sing at karaoke Can’t sing, won’t sing. Will scoff at other braver souls though. Last time you exploited your position to get something I am about to try this to see if it works at all. Will wait for something really worth chancing my arm over.
paper-shop across the road said ‘Haw, you’re that daft poetry wummin, eh?’ Last time someone criticised your work Should think a lot of people did last week when the announcement was made. Fortunately (thus far) they’ve kept it to themselves.
First concert you ever attended Chicago Blues Artists Tour in Glasgow at the end of my first week at Art School in 1965. Brilliant. Last time you bought someone flowers A wee sprig of freesias for my friend Phyllis who had a truly horrible thing called labyrynthitis last week.
First time you realised you were famous When a couple of school kids in the First three words your friends would use to describe you Loud, loyal and loquacious.
Last time you made an impulse buy and regretted it No regrets.
WeLike The things making our world just that little bit better
■ We enjoy the odd old-fashioned parlour game especially that Victorian classic, ‘Spot the album artwork rip-off’. Last week’s favourites included Bordeaux band Paris Suit Yourself’s ‘accidental (?) homage’ to Yeasayer’s Odd Blood album cover, and Laura Marling’s ‘tribute (?)’ to Feist’s artwork for The Reminder. Imitation is, they tell us, the sincerest form of flattery. Or, others tell us, the most bugging kind of theft? Meh, tomay-to, tomah-to. We also like receiving mail from the PM.
Our editor was delighted to receive the following email: ‘I am The Rt Hon David Cameron, Prime Minister British Government.’ It boldly announced, to Jonny’s excitement. ‘This is to officially inform you that (Visa Card No. 49001017 75551222) has been accredited with your favor. The card value is Three Million Great British Pounds Sterling. You will be required to reconfirm this to enable The Rt Hon William Hague Secretary of State to begin in processing of your card. Regards, The Rt
Hon David Cameron PM.’ We thank and congratulate both David and William on their hands-on approach to the nation’s personal finances.