Legendary songwriters set for Green Hotel gig
Blending creativity through painting and poetry, a Perthshire-based couple have collaborated for a new exhibition at Aberfeldy’s Watermill Gallery.
Artist Lindsay Turk and poet Jon Plunkett present a body of work titled ‘Enough, and More’, in which they jointly explore moments, fragments of time, both past and future.
The exhibition opened last weekend and continues until November 30.
It’s the second time their individual creations have appeared together at the Watermill and Jon and Lindsay have worked together in art for the last 19 years.
Both are well established in their respective disciplines. Lindsay is a graduate of Edinburgh College of Art and has been exhibiting for almost 20 years. She works in the garden studio of their Aberfeldy home and frequently draws on natural themes inspired by her Highland surroundings.
Jon, who is busy this coming weekend organising live poetry for the Aberfeldy Festival, also has been involved in developing the Corbenic Poetry Path for the Camphill Trust in Trochry. His work has appeared in numerous UK literary magazines, anthologies and poetry journals. Songwriting comes as second nature to Benny Gallagher and Graham Lyle ... writes Andrew Welsh.
The Scots were hired by The Beatles’ Apple Records in 1968 and wrote for folk star Mary Hopkin before finding fame in their own right when their classic album Breakaway spent 35 weeks in the charts in 1976.
Bryan Ferry, Simon & Garfunkel, Rita Coolidge, Jackie De Shannon, Rick Nelson and Garth Brooks have all covered their songs, with Lyle’s later credits including Tina Turner’s hits What’s Love Got To Do with It? and We Don’t Need Another Hero, as well as Just Good Friends for Michael Jackson’s mega-selling Bad album.
After splitting in 1980, Gallagher & Lyle reunited in 2012 for their first tour in 34 years and they play the first of four acoustic gigs over two weekends at the Green Hotel in Kinross tonight (Friday).
As well as the 40th anniversary of Breakaway, it’s now 50 years since the pair upped sticks from Largs to London in a move that led to their big break.
“Graham’s always been slightly cagey about touring with a band and all the rehearsals and everything,” he declared yesterday.
“It’s a lot more informal and far more enjoyable when it’s the two of us. There’s no pressure, it’s just like sitting and writing songs.
“We’d get killed if we didn’t play songs from Breakaway, but the way we look at it is we can’t believe how lucky we’ve been to have had a career that long.”
The former Glasgow shipyard electrician recalls his stint at The Beatles’ publishing company was both life-changing and frequently riotous.
Benny credits Paul McCartney as the Fab Four member who paved the way for Gallagher & Lyle’s success.
“Paul was the one who drove Apple as a record company because John was doing Plastic Ono Band and George was doing the hare krishnas and stuff,” he said.
“He got Mary Hopkin her first single and we did the Expo ‘70 with Mary in Japan and wrote songs for her and he was the one behind all that.
“That first single (Those Were The Days) sold six and a half million copies, it’s just incredible. He had the foresight to record it in English, Spanish and Japanese.
“Then he sent a letter saying he wanted Mary’s next song to be written by an Apple writer. So we all pitched in our songs and he picked ours, so he really made our career.”
The pair recorded two albums with McGuinness Flint in the early ‘70s before going it alone.
“It took a few years to get our own success but it was well worth spending time on the road and working the songs,” the 71-year-old added.
Fast-forward 35 years and Gallagher believes his writing partership with Graham Lyle, who is a year his senior, still has distance left to run. Lindsay Turk, oil on board
“It’s like riding a bike for us,” said the multi-instrumentalist.
“Both of us have written with other people but when we sit down and write we hardly talk, we just know instinctively what way to go.”
Looking to the Kinross shows he says he’s looking forward to reprising so many career highlights at a favourite venue.
“David Mundell’s done such great job there,” Benny declared.
“He’s got the absolute respect of all musicians, it’s wonderful. Graham was a bit nervous before we played there on the last tour we did but he loved it.
“The audience are absolutely fantastic, it’s just a lovely atmosphere. We might thrown in one or two songs that haven’t been heard before but I think the onus is on us to provide what that audience has come to hear.
“I’ve never liked artists who play just their new album. You’ve got to get the right blend.”
Gallagher & Lyle play sold out shows at the Green Hotel tonight and tomorrow, before returning next Friday and Saturday.
A few tickets are still available from 01577 863467 or www.mundellmusic. com