Friday 6 August 2010

Craig Lorentson, Singer, 1965 - 2010

Craig Lorentson, who has died aged 44, wasn't a friend of mine, although we both grew up in Grangemouth, in East Central Scotland. My only childhood memory of him is from Primary 1, when we were late for Mrs Rennie's class. We'd been playing up at The Pipes and, as you do when you're five years old, we forgot about the time. Mrs Rennie was not pleased. She sent us out to clean the muck off our shoes. I remember us scraping them on the big rug at the main door. We were confused - they looked clean to us.

Fast forward to the 80s. The Oxgang, the coolest pub in Grangemouth. Craig would be in there with his crowd, taking up the whole corner. Their laughter, like their conversation, was loud. There was a certain amount of envy in the air; it seemed that everyone in the Oxgang was in a band, or at least talking about being in one. But Craig's lot were the real deal - Lowlife had a record out, and they were doing well. They were big 'on the Continent', wherever that was; I'd been to England, once. Craig would be in ripped jeans and white shirt, showing off his tattoo. Those were the days when a tattoo was the mark of a sailor or a con. Whatever, if you had a tattoo, you were a wrong 'un. Craig wore his with pride. And that's how I'll remember him - laughing with his gang, tall and strong, his sleeves rolled up to his armpits, strutting round the Oxgang like he owned it.

Craig wasn't a friend. I wasn't a fan. But his music has been haunting me all day.

4 comments:

  1. I just learn of Craig's death today. Lowlife is one of my favourite bands of all time and his voice is definitely one of the best I ever listened. Lowlife was famous in the new wave circle in Lima, Peru, and "Sometime: Something" is always played in New Wave parties in Lima. RIP Craig.

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  2. Interesting. I'm also a contemporary from Grangemouth and I came across this by chance today when, via a facebook comment, I found out this guy was dead.

    There was a definite hint of violence to him, big and arrogant. Oddly, I remembered the rolled up sleeves as well. I fancied his girlfriend Jackie B now I come to think of it. As for the other people in Lowlife, one in particular was nothing but a thug and is probably in prison now. Having said that, Lowlife don't sound bad now.

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  3. Cheers for the memories. I first got to know Lowlife (if memory serves) when I was in a local record shop and they had the 'Vain Delights' 12" on. What a blinder 'Hollow Gut' is!

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