Scottish singer songwriter Alan Dickson has published an anthology of late 18th/early 19th century political song in Scots and English, to commemorate the bicentenary of the Scottish Radical Rising of 1820.
The Rising was the first sustained mass-political movement since the Jacobite uprisings. It led to many secret trials for treason and sedition, as well as street massacres, transportations and executions. Its significance has been downplayed ever since.
It has been portrayed as “a nationalist rising for independence, a potential revolution, a milestone on the road to universal suffrage, or an agent-provocateur-provoked plot as a cover for savage government repression.” This anthology takes a fresh approach. Seen largely through the eyes of the songwriters of the day, it reveals not just factual truth but people’s attitudes and reactions to circumstances and events.
For more information and to order, go to: www.alandickson.net
 | Alan DicksonOriginally from Leith, Alan has been described as a ‘modern troubadour’ (most recently by Maggie Craig in her latest book ‘One Week in April’). After studying town planning at the art college in Dundee, he became disillusioned with planning; dropped out and went onto train and work in community education in and around Glasgow for over thirty years. Alan said “Outside work, I’d find myself writing songs reflecting on the daily struggles of people’s lives. Songwriting became a release for me – not just an accompaniment to life, but core it.” Since Alan retired in 2013 he has been focusing on his songwriting, collecting old Scottish songs and writing poetry. He describes his music as being in the ‘roots’ tradition drawing on his Scottish literary interests and Scottish, Irish and American folk music. |