The Man In The Water Of Leith
Click on song titles in the above list for song lyrics and background information.
13 original compositions and 2 Scots trad songs. All vocal, guitar, bouzouki, harmonica and 5 string banjo parts performed by Allan Johnston. Mike Slessor plays fiddle, Billy McMillan plays bass guitar and keyboards and Andy Munro plays the drum-kit. Both Mike and Andy played on Allan’s 1989 “North Of The Border” album and in “The Allan Johnston Band” born of that album.
All written over 3 years between 2009 to 2012 the new songs are musings on life and the world around us featuring people, places, world peace, bankers, politicians, a local sculpture and community issues such as nuisance seagulls. Well crafted lyrics combine humour, anger and protest with some thoughtful questions and plenty of catchy choruses and melodiies.
Music arrangements, recording, engineering, production and sleeve design by Allan Johnston in Newhaven, Edinburgh and mastering by Pete Haigh, Pier House Studios, Granton, Edinburgh
The Musicians : Mike & Allan have played together in various bands since they met in their hometown of Ayr as teenagers in the Sixties. These include Kalian, The Old Felix Jugband, Claddich and The Allan Johnston Band. Mike is a member of bluegrass out-fit “Grass Routes”. Billy, also a guitarist, singer and composer, has played in a number of top class covers and jazz/funk bands and is a member of jazz/funk band “James Brown is Annie”. Andy, a top-rated drummer who has played in too many bands to mention, is a member of Edinburgh based blues band “Blues ‘n Trouble”and is also well known as “Mr Boom” the kiddies entertainer.