ian_mac Posted August 27, 2012 Report Share Posted August 27, 2012 (edited) Heard yesterday of the sad death of George Gallacher. Gallacher was the lead singer of Glasgow band "The Poets" who were one of the best Scottish bands of the 60s. Someone informed me yesterday that George was a die-hard jags fan and was actually on his way home from the match on Saturday when he died. Thought this was worth mentioning as it's not often we hear of someone who makes great music and is also a jags fan. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9PM5-zF85LE A fine example of George's work. Thoughts are with George's family and friends at this time, glad that his last memory of the jags was a happy one. Edited August 27, 2012 by ian_mac Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
King Kenny Posted August 27, 2012 Report Share Posted August 27, 2012 Always sad news when a fellow Jag passes, thoughts go to his family and friends. Might be a nice tribute if one of his songs got played before the game against Hamilton on Saturday? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lady-isobel-barnett Posted August 27, 2012 Report Share Posted August 27, 2012 Somehow never got to see the Poets. Perhaps they'd moved to London by the time I started going to concerts. Had no idea George Gallacher was a Jags man. RIP Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lindau Posted August 27, 2012 Report Share Posted August 27, 2012 Remember regularly going to see The Poets, The Stoics and Tear Gas back in the late 60s/early 70s. Some great talent in there with Frankie Miller and the SAHB boys. Those were the dayz!!! RIP George! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Charlie Endell Posted August 27, 2012 Report Share Posted August 27, 2012 (edited) Somehow never got to see the Poets. Perhaps they'd moved to London by the time I started going to concerts. Had no idea George Gallacher was a Jags man. RIP I had no idea he was a Jags man either - would have loved the chance to have met him for a chat. I first heard of The Poets when I bought a CD box set called The In Crowd - they released some cracking singles - I bought Wooden Spoon - The Singles Collection when it was released last year (think it was the first time all their singles became available on a single CD). Sad news - the lead guitarist Hume Paton only passed away last year. Edited August 27, 2012 by Charlie Endell Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
policemans whistle Posted August 27, 2012 Report Share Posted August 27, 2012 Knew George briefly in the 1960's.I was the manager of my works team and some of his mates played with us.He would ask for a game when he was home and we were pleased to give him a game.He was a great footballer and many clubs were wanting to sign him, including Man Utd.He decided that singing was his game and the Poets signed up with Andrew Oldham, manager of The Rolling Stones.George could not take to the late night parties and the constant drug taking that went on and he returned home.I wonder what would have happened if he had decided to go down the footballers route.When he played for us we had to keep it quiet or we would have had loads of girls turning up.On one occasion we were playing a friendly at Knightswood park [corner of Licoln Ave., and Archerhill Rd,] We waited till late in the Afternoon before we told the girls in our works that George was playing,but the word got out and we had about a hundred screaming females on the touchline. R.I.P George. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
West Ender Posted August 27, 2012 Report Share Posted August 27, 2012 I always saw George at most home games and quite a few away games. Thoughts go out to his family, must be a terrible shock when someone dies so suddenly. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ian_mac Posted August 27, 2012 Author Report Share Posted August 27, 2012 Knew George briefly in the 1960's.I was the manager of my works team and some of his mates played with us.He would ask for a game when he was home and we were pleased to give him a game.He was a great footballer and many clubs were wanting to sign him, including Man Utd.He decided that singing was his game and the Poets signed up with Andrew Oldham, manager of The Rolling Stones.George could not take to the late night parties and the constant drug taking that went on and he returned home.I wonder what would have happened if he had decided to go down the footballers route.When he played for us we had to keep it quiet or we would have had loads of girls turning up.On one occasion we were playing a friendly at Knightswood park [corner of Licoln Ave., and Archerhill Rd,] We waited till late in the Afternoon before we told the girls in our works that George was playing,but the word got out and we had about a hundred screaming females on the touchline. R.I.P George. Great story. The band actually got back together for a few gigs last year. Often when these bands get back together they fail to capture the magic they once had but I saw The Poets when they played at Stereo last year and they were absolutely superb. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Davie Thistle Posted August 27, 2012 Report Share Posted August 27, 2012 .........sad news. I think we used to go see him in the Blues Poets in the early 90's? RIP George. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jaggernaut Posted August 28, 2012 Report Share Posted August 28, 2012 R.I.P. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nylo Posted August 28, 2012 Report Share Posted August 28, 2012 Was talking to George at the game on saturday,he was buzzing about how this could be our season for doing something.I once walked into a gig he was playing and he stopped halfway through a song to ask me what the Thistle score was that day.A great guy who will be sorely missed by everyone who knew him.RIP George. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
deasach Posted August 28, 2012 Report Share Posted August 28, 2012 (edited) Thanks to everybody for your kind messages and memories (nice anecdote Falkirk Jag, we'll PM you). Our dad was indeed a massive Thistle fan and ensured that we were too. He passed away suddenly on Saturday on his way back from Firhill where he'd been a regular for many years. As people have already mentioned, he was the singer in the sixties band The Poets and in the seventies and early eighties he played in the heavy rock Dead Loss Band. In the late eighties and nineties he played in The Blues Poets when they were regulars at the Scotia and Clutha Vaults. In recent years he played in informal sessions and with blues and folk bands around Glasgow, notably The Dram (formerly Uisge Beatha) and The Bon Accord. Last November he featured on Vic Galloway's radio show with Edinburgh band The Thanes and our uncle Fraser Watson, playing some classic Poets tracks. Vic played three of the songs from that session in his progamme last night. He had a number of music projects on the go and had recently been working with The Store Keys. Our dad taught at a few schools in Glasgow including Hillhead, Hyndland, St. Roch's and Holyrood Secondaries before retiring a couple of years ago. We're devastated at losing him of course but, Thistle-wise, glad that his last game saw us top of the SFL. We'll post information about the funeral arrangements as soon as it's available. Craig and Fraser Gallacher Edited August 28, 2012 by deasach Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
twinny Posted August 28, 2012 Report Share Posted August 28, 2012 Thanks to everybody for your kind messages and memories (nice anecdote Falkirk Jag, we'll PM you). Our dad was indeed a massive Thistle fan and ensured that we were too. He passed away suddenly on Saturday on his way back from Firhill where he'd been a regular for many years. As people have already mentioned, he was the singer in the sixties band The Poets and in the seventies and early eighties he played in the heavy rock Dead Loss Band. In the late eighties and nineties he played in The Blues Poets when they were regulars at the Scotia and Clutha Vaults. In recent years he played in informal sessions and with blues and folk bands around Glasgow, notably The Dram (formerly Uisge Beatha) and The Bon Accord. Last November he featured on Vic Galloway's radio show with Edinburgh band The Thanes and our uncle Fraser Watson, playing some classic Poets tracks. Vic played three of the songs from that session in his progamme last night. He had a number of music projects on the go and had recently been working with The Store Keys. Our dad taught at a few schools in Glasgow including Hillhead, Hyndland, St. Roch's and Holyrood Secondaries before retiring a couple of years ago. We're devasted at losing him of course but, Thistle-wise, glad that his last game saw us top of the SFL. We'll post information about the funeral arrangements as soon as it's available. Craig and Fraser Gallacher My thoughts are with you and your family. It has been great reading these anecdotes even if I was unaware of your father and his music. I imagine his days at Hillhead were before my time there (I was there 1997-2003) however my dad has taught at Holyrood for 20 odd years so may well have known your dad. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dark Passenger Posted August 28, 2012 Report Share Posted August 28, 2012 We're devasted at losing him of course but, Thistle-wise, glad that his last game saw us top of the SFL. Brought a tear to the eye. I definitely think Saturday's DJ should commemorate George's passing via a Poets track. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ian_mac Posted August 28, 2012 Author Report Share Posted August 28, 2012 Brought a tear to the eye. I definitely think Saturday's DJ should commemorate George's passing via a Poets track. 100% Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dark Passenger Posted August 28, 2012 Report Share Posted August 28, 2012 A bit melancholy, perhaps, but as Thistle fans it's a title that we can all identify with: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
northernsoul Posted August 28, 2012 Report Share Posted August 28, 2012 Really, really sad news, considering how soon it was after the match on Saturday. Like others have already said, thoughts go to Craig and Fraser and the rest of George's family. RIP. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thornwoodjag Posted August 28, 2012 Report Share Posted August 28, 2012 Didn't know the man,but have been informed that I sat beside him most weeks at firhill.nice enough fella. Thoughts to the family! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
deasach Posted August 29, 2012 Report Share Posted August 29, 2012 Just to let people know that our dad's funeral will take place this Saturday, 1st September, at 10.00 at Linn Crematorium, Castlemilk with an informal gathering at the Busby Hotel, Busby from 12.00. Thanks again for the kind messages. Craig & Fraser Gallacher Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lambies Lost Doo Posted August 29, 2012 Report Share Posted August 29, 2012 Sad news. Thoughts with the family. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
eddieg Posted August 29, 2012 Report Share Posted August 29, 2012 Really saddened to hear the news......RIP George Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dark Passenger Posted August 29, 2012 Report Share Posted August 29, 2012 Just to let people know that our dad's funeral will take place this Saturday, 1st September, at 10.00 at Linn Crematorium, Castlemilk with an informal gathering at the Busby Hotel, Busby from 12.00. Thanks again for the kind messages. Craig & Fraser Gallacher Here's hoping you're toasting your dad and another Thistle win come 5pm. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dark Passenger Posted August 30, 2012 Report Share Posted August 30, 2012 There's an almost full-page obituary in today's Scotsman for anyone interested in rwading more about George's music career: http://www.scotsman.com/the-scotsman/obituaries/obituary-george-gallacher-critically-acclaimed-glaswegian-singer-who-fronted-popular-blues-band-the-poets-1-2495321 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lennythistle Posted August 30, 2012 Report Share Posted August 30, 2012 Club paying tribute on Saturday. To all the family, I'm so sorry for your loss. RIP George, FOREVER A JAG! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
northernsoul Posted August 31, 2012 Report Share Posted August 31, 2012 There was an nice article about him in the Herald yesterday. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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