singer | songwriter | musician | writer
Last week I had a gig on the Isle of Coll. Or rather I didn’t. But it was OK. Here’s the story … Aspiration A bit of background. For the last year or two I’ve been trying to build towards a tour of small venues in the Scottish Highlands. The appeal was pretty romantic – … Read moreColl Back, Fall Back
For every artist on the bottom rungs of the ladder, like me, it’s a treat to get a review online or in a magazine. Sometimes the joy at getting it temporarily blinds us to what they’re actually saying. And when I read them, sometimes I honestly haven’t a clue what they’re saying. Here’s a selection … Read moreThey said what? The joy of reviews
Yes, I know, another version! But this one, from last week’s food bank benefit gig at The Village, is a good one! I don’t know if you’ve seen the recent Rolling Thunder film. I think it’s only on Netflix. Even as a Dylan fan it was a revelation to me. I’ve never seen such intensity … Read moreBob Dylan Revisited
This week I’ve decided to revisit Julia Cameron’s The Artist’s Way. I worked through at least half of it well over twelve years ago, writing in a cafe on the way to work in Edinburgh. I found the self-examination quite useful and the morning pages (write three pages of anything as long as it’s three … Read moreThe Artist’s Way, the Old Guy and how not to sell a CD
Or, What Have You Got Against Linlithgow, Norman? Here’s a previously unseen video from the 2017 Bridge of Orchy sessions, featuring our late keyboard player John Lawrence. This song has always been a favourite of mine to play and people seem to remember and like it. It’s the first song on my first album, The … Read moreThe Desert Was Better (lyric video)
A brief post about where I’m up to in what I laughingly refer to as my ‘music career’! The solo album – Ten Objects There are only a couple of instrumental additions outstanding on the solo album, and Gerry and I have finalised the list of songs that will be on it. We recorded more … Read moreReport from today