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“Here’s the next number,” announces James Yorkston, studying a piece of paper: “Three hundred and fifty-eight.” Few singers would draw the raffle mid-set, but it’s entirely in character for a performer whose unassuming, natural rapport is at the heart of his appeal.
A member of the Fence Collective, a loose association of Scottish singer-songwriters based in Fife - among them King Creosote, Lone Pigeon and Pip Dylan - Yorkston is used to entertaining raucous but reverential pub audiences at their regular “Sunday Socials”.
Today, performing solo with his acoustic guitar instead of his usual backing group, The Athletes, he’s a long way from home. But his easy manner at the mic makes it seem as if we’ve all been transported from this smoky club in Kilburn to the Ship Tavern in Anstruther.
The burly Yorkston looks like the strong silent type. He certainly seems a man of few words from the biography on his website; it reads, in its entirety: “James is originally from Fife, but now lives in Edinburgh.” But onstage, he’s a genial, laid-back conversationalist with a deadpan wit - “I’m not going to call this my pre-raffle-ite number” - who reveals himself in his haunting, Celtic-flavoured songs. They eschew the storytelling style for a spare poetry, evoking romances set against a rugged backdrop of untamed nature .
Mercury Lounge, NYC June 4th 2005 by Bill Richards.
Contact :: mail@mylesoreilly.com nfo@arbutusyarns.com
:: James Yorkston is originally from Fife. He lived in Edinburgh for a wee while, then moved back to Fife.
Here are 10 records that he likes -
» Linton Kwesi Johnson - Tings an’ Times
» Michael Hurley - Sweetkorn
» Jacques Brel - Brel
» Leo Ferre - Le Temps De Roses Rouges
» Anne Briggs - Classic
» D’Gary - Mbo Loza
» Can - Tago Mago
» Lal Waterson & Oliver Knight - Once In A Blue Moon
» Nic Jones - Penguin Eggs
» John Strachan - Songs From Aberdeenshire
The Athletes
All sorts of people play with James - the core group being
Faisal - Percussion/Harmonium/Lap Steel
Reuben - Accordion/Concertina/Piano
Doogie - Double Bass/banjo
But also
Holly - Whistle/Small Pipes
Wendy - Violin
John Bews - Violin
The Guests
James has lots of friends who play on his records…some of them are:
Lone Pigeon
King Creosote
Rob Armstrong
Stu Bastiman
Simon Raymonde
Kieran Hebdon
