Eskimo Republic Political Song Book

Subject: RE: Eskimo Republic Political Song Book
From: GUEST,EWan McVicar
Date: 23 Nov 10 - 06:07 PM

Surely it would be Carter Dunnet - my American neighbour has a son called Carter. Rockall Boddam suggests to me a man who has nothing to restrain his trousers from descending.
Crammie

Subject: RE: Eskimo Republic Political Song Book
From: Gallus Moll
Date: 24 Nov 10 - 07:30 AM

-then he is obviously in need of - GALLUSES!!!!

Subject: RE: Eskimo Republic Political Song Book
From: GUEST,Crammie Norrie
Date: 24 Nov 10 - 12:54 PM

Nice wan!
I retire, defeated!

Subject: RE: Eskimo Republic Political Song Book
From: Gallus Moll
Date: 24 Nov 10 - 06:50 PM

Naw Ewan - I mean Crammie, dinna dae that!
Ca' it a draw, and live to fight anither day - -!!!! We NEED you - -- !

Subject: RE: Eskimo Republic Political Song Book
From: John MacKenzie
Date: 09 Dec 10 - 12:18 PM

Excellent programme on Radio4 this morning, called 'The Eskimos and the Mushroom Cloud'. All about the anti Polaris protest at the Holy Loch in the 60s, along with snatches of various relevant songs.
Available on Listen again here.

Subject: RE: Eskimo Republic Political Song Book
From: Jim McLean
Date: 09 Dec 10 - 12:49 PM

I'm sorry to disagree with you John. As I said in a previous pot ' ... I think it should be clarified that the Glesca Eskimos, as a group, had a political agenda. We were not only anti Polaris but Scottish Republican. I'm glad a platform has been given to show support against anti nuclear and all wars in general but anyone participating in an 'Eskimo' event should remember its aims … an independent, nuclear free, Scottish Republic'.

The program this morning was very wish washy and a total disappointment. No mention of a Mushroom Cloud ... more magic mushrooms I guess.

Subject: RE: Eskimo Republic Political Song Book
From: John MacKenzie
Date: 09 Dec 10 - 12:59 PM

Well yes, I know where you are coming from on this, and I largely agree. However it was nice to hear the songs again, albeit piecemeal, and mainly incomplete.

Subject: RE: Eskimo Republic Political Song Book
From: GUEST,Ewan McVicar
Date: 10 Dec 10 - 03:46 AM

Having tried hard to brief the programme researcher, I thought I should explain what I found wrong with the programme.
The title was very misleading, it was in fact more about the old and newer inhabitants of Dunoon with a good bit less about CND protesters, with a lot of song snippets. [Some of these were much less relevant and accurate re period than others. John Lee Hooker on the 1961 Dunoon juke boxes? Really?]
The key singer interviewed was not only not a Eskimo in the programme's sense, he was and is politically opposed to what the Eskimos stood, and marched, and sat down, and sang, for. To have him singing solo unintentially made the point of his lack of involvement with the Eskimos. As I recall he himself made no mention of the Eskimos.
It was good that Marion Blythman was interviewed, but that none of the other Eskimos were named, even when their voices were heard singing, was for me insulting to them. Crucially, I got no sense that the Eskimos were a grouping, who wrote and sang in a communal manner. From what I heard the Eskimos were presented as all of the CND protesters, singing songs all composed by Morris Blythman.
The researcher knew from the material I gave her what the actual case was, so the misrepresentation was through choice rather than ignorance.
I've been involved in too many media presentations to be very surprised, but I am truly disappointed in the programme makers.

Subject: RE: Eskimo Republic Political Song Book
From: Ed Jones
Date: 10 Dec 10 - 06:38 AM

I agree with Ewan McVicar and Jim MacLean that the programme's title was misleading. There was a bit of lip service paid to the 'Eskimos' but the piece on a young precocious Dunoon girl's marriage to an American sailor and plenty of American pop music left me wondering why the title was chosen. If the producer/reporter had read Ewan's book, which I doubt, they were just sticking two fingers up at the anti-polaris movement. Speaking to the American ex sailor and Gordon MacCulloch was meant to mirror the meetings of German and British soldiers after the war. This was more like Popeye meets Donald MacDuck.