By Bernie Bell

I don’t see much of the news these days – just enough to get the main idea of what’s happening.  I had let myself get far too involved and it – took me down.

So I don’t always know what’s going on – though I must admit I’m not sure if this particular piece of news would have been included on the BBC.

I had noticed that two programme about Toots & The Maytals were scheduled to be on BBC 4, on Friday 2^nd October – I’ve tracked  them down……..  https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b00ymljb  and https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b00syzjc

We set them up to record,  as we both like Ska/Reggae, and Toots & The Maytals are stars of that genre.  Watching Toots always reminds me of my friend John’s cats, called Toots and Ganja – Toots after Toots Hibbert, and Ganja after………..

On the same evening, we also recorded ‘Later with Jools Holland’ as the programme featured Robert Plant – my all-time music deity and bit-of-all-right.

We settled down to watch Jools, on Saturday evening, and he began by what, to us, was dropping a bomb – saying his ‘Fare-well’ to Toots Hibbert, who had passed from this life on the 11^th of September. 

All too many of the music greats of that time are passing, but still, as with folk that you know passing, numbers don’t make it any easier to deal with.

I lit a candle, to light him on his way – tho’ I’m sure he’ll be just fiiiine – the fine man that he was.

Here’s a playlist, by Toots……

And how was Robert?  Still lovely, not foolish enough to have had his face messed with or his hair dyed some strange shade ( aubergine appears to be a favourite among ageing stars).  Looking good, talking well, remembering the music years and his influences.

And what has this do with Orkney? Nothing whatsoever, except that we are all one, and music, matters.

Toots is quoted as having said  ‘I think The Clash were as black as me’.