OTBT mix 5 December \ Andy Semple

This mix is dedicated to a guy called Andy Semple who passed away this weekend. I met Andy through a Martin Stephenson internet discussion list back in the early 2000s. As well as being an online community there were annual get-togethers, known as Gatherings, which took place in Martin's adopted home in the Highlands of Scotland at a wee place called Portmahomack. 

The first Gathering I attended I got the train up to Aberdeen and then on to Inverness. Andy had already driven up to the Port, as it's known, and very kindly offered to drive down to Inverness to pick me up. I attended two further Gatherings, another at the Port and one in the North East of England which is where Martin is originally from. I remember these weekends as consisting of good company, good music and a fair few pints of beer would be drunk as well. Andy was a well-loved member of the egroup. Sadly due to mental health problems I had to leave the egroup and subsequently lost touch with most of those I had got to know. 

So I was a bit surprised at how shocked and saddened I was to read on Facebook about Andy's death as I hadn't seen him in over 10 years but I guess it shows the impression he had made on me back then. He lived in Manchester which isn't that far from where I have been living for the last ten years but while we were friends on Facebook I'd never thought about meeting up with him. Now it is too late which is a great shame.

As well as being a music fan Andy was a big football fan so I have included some football-related songs by Kirsty MacColl, Megson and Jez Lowe. When I read about his death I was listening to Johny Corrigan's new album, Down The Line, and some of the lyrics just seemed very appropriate for the emotions I was feeling on learning about Andy's passing.

So Andy, sorry we didn't get to meet up again but this mix is dedicated to you. 

https://www.mixcloud.com/cmbertram/otbt-mix-5-december/

Martin Stephenson & The Daintees - Running Water
Johny Corrigan - Let It Shine
Roddy Frame - Small World
Kirsty MacColl - England 2 Columbia 0
Megson - The Longshot
Johny Corrigan - One Way Train
The Icicle Works - Up Here In The North Of England
Jez Lowe & The Bad Pennies - It's A Champion Life
Martin Stephenson & The Daintees - You Really Had A Heart
The Levellers - One Way
Johny Corrigan - Stay Young

Myself, Andy and various others at The Caley Hotel, Portmahomack in, I think, the year 2000.