Alistair Hulett, 1951-2010
There is something admirable about those people of deep political conviction who, in their youth, rail against the unfairness of the world and maintain that rage for the rest of their lives.
The great Scottish-Australian folk singer Alistair Hulett was a gentle man with a wonderful sense of humour who never deviated from his deeply held belief in the essential decency of the working class and the exploitation of those workers by capitalist elites.
So it was appropriate after his death in Glasgow from an aggressive cancer at the age of only 58, that his wife, Fatima Uygun, would describe Hulett as a “singer, songwriter, international socialist, revolutionary, ecologist, community activist”. He was also a man who had and deserved the admiration of his fans.
[Bruce Elder, Sydney Morning Herald 18 Feb]
Alistair Hulett was a friend and comrade. But what I didn’t know is that he had grown up in Christchurch. Alistair wasn’t a martini drinker, but we’ve shared a pint or two on many occasions. His musical talent was legendary and internationally recognised.
