Political Spin: Michael Matheson

What was the first record that you ever bought?  

I’ve had to rack my brain about this. I originally thought it was Adam Ant, but I think it was actually UB40’s Red Red Wine. I remember buying it up on Sauchiehall Street in Glasgow, but I can’t remember which shop it was. I would have been in secondary school at the time, probably about 13 or 14.  

Their name comes from when you were signing on [for unemployment benefits]. Years ago, you would get a UB40, that’s where the name comes from. 

What record will always get you up to dance?

I’ll be honest, I’ve never been big into dancing, apart from having to do Scottish country dances like Strip the Willow at school. But if there is one that gets me up, I’d go for Big Country’s In a Big Country. That being said, I’d probably still need to have had a few drinks before I got on the dancefloor.  

What are the rare occasions we may see on the dance floor? 

A wedding or ceilidh. I’m way more likely to take part if it’s in a group. It would be much more likely than a disco-type thing.  

What is your karaoke song?  

It Must be Love by Madness. That’s a song for my age group when I used to go to school discos. We were all into Madness, The Specials, UB40, bands like that. It’s a song I still sing along to in the car, and that’s probably where my karaoke extends to – nothing more than the car. The only time I sing in public is when I’m at chapel. 

What song was your first dance at your wedding and why?  

It was Common People by Pulp, because my wife Susan is a big fan and it’s her favourite song. That’s another one that’s a regular in the car. 

What songs do you want at your funeral?  

This is one I’m not so sure about. I’m going to with The Voyage by Christy Moore, the Irish singer. The lyrics go ‘life is an ocean; love is a boat in troubled waters’. It’s about life’s journey and a couple coming together, having a family, travelling through the ocean, which is their life, and the boat is their love. I really like the meaning behind it.  

Which song is guaranteed to make you cry?  

There’s not a song that I can think of that makes me cry. But I would say someone who makes me feel quite reflective is Nana Mouskouri, the Greek singer. That’s not a name you hear a lot these days. The reason for that is my mum was a big fan of hers, and as a child, it was one of the singers who was often played on the record player in the house. She brings back memories of my childhood.  

That leads nicely to this: what music would you always associate with your childhood?

The music that I associate most with my childhood is Simple Minds. And the reason for that, apart from being a big fan, is that Jim Kerr and Charlie Burchill were brought up in flats beside me, in Toryglen in Glasgow. Jim Kerr’s younger brother was in my class at school, we played in the same football team, and I knew his mum Irene very well. She used to work in the Greggs just beside where we stayed. They were one of the two big bands to come out of Holyrood Secondary School, the other being Travis.  

What record do you absolutely hate but can’t get out of your head?

Anything by Ed Sheeran. There’s no particular song, it all sounds the same; a catchy tune that ends up sticking in your mind.  

What record would you be embarrassed to owning up to having in your collection?  

While I don’t have a record collection in the same way that I used to, I do have a ZZ Top CD, and to be honest I have no idea why I bought it.  

What was the last band you went to see and who with?

It was Christy Moore, in Glasgow, with my wife and a couple of friends. As ever, he was fantastic. I have seen him many times over the years. He’s not been in Glasgow for a couple of years now, but when he’s back, I’ll be there.