Bob Hardy, a member of rock band Franz Ferdinand, is donating one of his bass guitars to a scheme aimed at encouraging youngsters to take up music.
The bassist with the Scottish group is backing the Play it Again initiative, which is due to launch later this year and encourages people to donate instruments they no longer play. “My life as a bass player started when Mick Cooke of Belle and Sebastian gave an old bass of his to Alex Kapranos, and Alex passed it on to me. That bass changed my life and it’s exciting to think that future musicians could be set on their way by a similar gift.”
The scheme has been set up by SNP South of Scotland MSP Aileen Campbell, who was inspired after seeing a similar scheme in London. “There must be hundreds, if not thousands of unwanted instruments lying unused in people’s homes,” she said. “I’m asking people to go and have a look under their beds, in their cupboards and loft, and donate any unwanted instruments they find.”
Further details of the campaign will be released later in the year, but it has already received support from musicians, the Scottish Arts Council, the Royal Scottish Academy of Music and Drama, Aberlour - Scotland’s Children’s Charity, and BBC Radio Scotland presenter Vic Galloway.
