There’s life in the old boy yet

Feb 14 2008 By Graham Fraser

KEN McEachren is a drummer with a difference.

For the 59-year-old from Bothwell is a member of Racusta — a band comprising artistes 40 years his junior!

“I am having a lot of fun with the guys. I think we bridge the generation gap quite well,” said Ken. “I never feel that there is any difference because I am older. At the end of the day I still feel quite young.”

After playing as a semi-professional musician for over 20 years, Ken performed with a comedy show band in Majorca for an 18-month period.

He then gave it all up to raise his family and settle down.

But that has all changed.

“I had a computer stall in Glasgow,” Ken explained. “It had to close so I found myself unemployed. I saw a course at Motherwell College and thought, why not. They didn’t have any courses like that in my day.

“So I went for my audition. I hadn’t sat behind a drum kit for around 25 years.

“I still had a buzz for it, and it came back all naturally. But I still have a lot left in me.”

Racusta is a five-piece band from across South Lanarkshire.

They met while studying the Pop and Rock course at Motherwell College seven months ago.

The band are Katrina Rice (18), of Burnbank on lead vocals, Michael Murphy (17), of Viewpark on lead guitar, Gary Smith (17), also Viewpark on rhythm guitar, Mark Kilpatrick (17) of Carluke on bass and backing vocals, and Ken.

Katrina has high hopes for the band.

She commented: “The band all put an input into creating the music. I write most of the songs and the rest of the boys come up with the music.

“We are a bit different from normal bands, as Ken is a lot older than the rest of us.

“It’s great though, as he has a bit of experience in the music business. We just saw him play, and said we want him.

Racusta have already worked with Motherwell’s Foundry Music Lab — the brainchild of Sandy Jones, Wet Wet Wet guitarist Graeme Duffin and Ted Blakeway, and plan to record the group’s first EP at the studio in April.

On that release, Katrina and the boys hope to record their tracks Move On and Reach Out for Your Dreams.

“We just want all our songs to mean something,” added Katrina. “In Move On, it is about how people can move on from anger. We had our very first gig just last Sunday at Ivory Blacks in Glasgow and it was great. There was a big crowd there to support us and they really got into our stuff.”

With a partnership with up-and-coming Glasgow band The Hedrons and a number of gigs lined up, Ken, Katrina and the boys are more than the mere gimmick of old meets new.

Racusta are playing in Glasgow at The Cathouse on February 20 and Rockers on March 16. For more information on the band, go to www.myspace.com/racusta