EK music man Robert Fields launches new book

Nov 4 2009 by Shona Mitchell, East Kilbride News

AROUND 200 people descended on Fuzion for the launch of local music man Robert Fields’ book last week.

The local nightspot was packed with band members, band managers and Robert’s friends and family for the second launch night for his book Minstrels, Poets and Vagabonds – Five Decades of Rock Music In Glasgow.

Robert has dealt with so many bands in the past 40 years that he held two launch nights for the book so everyone could go along.

At the first, in Glasgow’s Solid Rock Cafe, over 450 people turned up with members of over 100 different bands in attendance.

Next up was the launch night in Robert’s home town of East Kilbride, which saw a further 200 people attend to wish Robert all the best with his book.

Well-known rock DJ Tom Russell of Rock Radio, who has been a friend of Robert’s for 30 years, was also at each launch night to make sure all the best rock tracks were played.

Other special guests included Fraser Watson of The Poets, Jamie Finn of Kobai, Rab Andrew who managed The Guns, Primal Scream and Texas and also George Dunnachie of The Dolphins and H2O.

Robert, from West Mains, was delighted that so many people turned up to the events and equally pleased to sell over 400 copies of his book in the first two days.

Robert told the News: “It was great to see so many old faces. All the bands mentioned in the book were at the first launch night in Glasgow.

“I’m glad Tom Russell could make it along as we go back many years and it was him that first sat down with me and gave me a list of contacts before I started up the rock nights in Crystals in 1987.

“It was great to hold the launch in what used to be Crystals as it was my spiritual home for 10 years and I have great memories of the place. As a result it’s likely I’ll be starting another rock night there in the future.

“This book is about the underdogs and the underground rock scene from the 60s to the present day and I’m really pleased to have 115 of their greatest tracks available on the book’s website to accompany it.”

And there was even more good news for Robert this week as MacDonald Media Publishing signed him up to write another two books.

Robert added: “I’ve already started my next book and it’s all about the magical, musical history of East Kilbride. So much musical talent has either come from the town or visited it so I'm working on putting all the information into one book.

“Acts such as Louise Quinn, Shirley Manson and Bobby Gillespie will feature in it, as will all the big bands who have performed in East Kilbride over the years.”

Robert’s book, which includes the code to access the 115 accompanying songs, is available from all good book shops.

For more information visit www.minstrelspoetsvagabonds.co.uk