Late drummer Frank Davidson's drums brought back to life by Norman MacLean
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A Highland drummer has paid tribute to the late Frank Davidson who got him into playing in bands as a young man – by bringing his mentor’s drums back to life.
Norman MacLean – who has drummed in many bands over the years, including Scooty And The Skyhooks – explains that Frank, who died on December 31 at 82, was the bandleader and drummer of The New Safari Drinkhouse Band, otherwise known as The Caley Band, resident in the Caledonian Hotel in the early 70s.
Norman remembers: “The band played in the ballroom every Wednesday, Friday and Saturday nights, with crowds of hundreds on a Wednesday and I’m sure up to 1000 at weekends.
“Frankie gave me my first ‘break’ in drumming by letting me play a few songs at first with the band, gradually building up enough experience to play a whole set. Eventually I filled in for him a few times. He was then instrumental in me joining my first working band, recommending me to them. I bought my first full kit from Frankie, the one he used to play in the Caley which was a red Trixon.”
Norman said that in later years he didn’t see a lot of Frankie.
“But I always enquired about him through Ronnie Shaw, who was a member of the Caley Band and a long-time family friend of Frankie’s. When he had to go into a home last year, his daughter Angie was clearing out his garage and didn’t know what to do with his old drum kit that had been lying there for years, a 60s Premier kit that still has the Bruce Miller’s Music Shop sticker on the bass drum. Ronnie knew that I’d bought my first kit from Frankie, so suggested asking me if I’d be interested in having it.
“I was delighted as I’m obsessed – still am! – with drums.
“So I took the kit home and stripped the whole lot right down.
“Some parts of the shells were in a bad way, but I renovated and rebuilt them back to being playable and looking good.
“This was a really sentimental project that I was determined to complete and I’m happy to say that it’s turned out well.
“I’ve actually gigged the drums a few times.
“And as a tribute to Frankie I had his initials printed on the front of the bass drum.”
Frank Davidson’s funeral is on Wednesday, January 18 at 2pm at Inverness Crematorium.
