Working on a Scottish fishing trawler is not the easiest way to make a living. Every time you set sail you’re up against the elements: the biting cold, the wind, the rain, hail, sleet or snow, and that terrible bastard, unforgiving sea. So there’s always a chance you might not make it back. Suffice to say then, that upon returning to shore, something to help unwind is essential.

Scotch Broth, a traditional folk music act that comprised of cousins Wee Soakie & Shona Gunn, were of such fishing stock. Hailing from a close-knit seaside village (the type of community where work, drink and sex were the order of every twenty four hours) Wee Soakie & Shona took to making music as a means of relaxation after braving the waves each day.

Although the stark nature of such an existence reflected very much in the torrid ambiguity of Wee Soakie’s writing- ie, song titles including “It Swells” and “Nets”, or lyrics such as, “It’s so cold outside, I can hardly feel your fingers”, there was nothing overtly seedy or Carry-On-esque about the band. They were just simply chronicling a way of life in the only way they knew how.

Scotch Broth’s gigs -acoustic singalongs at the local pub- were said to have brought about such a sense of self-awareness and identity to the villagers, the atmosphere inside the tiny tavern would regularly border on euphoria. Local heroes were made of the Gunns.

Honest and full of integrity, for Wee Soakie the music was never about chasing any dream or looking for the contract that would see him as the new Mick Jagger; it was, quite simply, a form of escapism. Unfortunately, his penchant for scotch whiskey was put down to escapism, too, and once the bottle got the better of Wee Soakie Gunn, his song-writing frittered away to nothing.

Despite Scotch Broth being pretty much unknown up to now, it’s obvious that fellow Scots such as The Proclaimers and Paolo Nutini have been paying attention. Eh, Paolo?

NB.

A Happy ending! Despite being cousins, Wee Soakie and Shona were lovers and you will be pleased to know that they have been married for 20 odd years now! Tying the knot brought a joy and happiness that has stayed with the couple ever since.