19: 8 : 20
During the Covid-19 crisis we are combining our three titles into one MNS MUSIC NEWS Scotland :: MNS FESTIVALS! :: MNS GIGguide
Scottish Ensemble’s Solo Collaborations - page 5 Alan McGee celebrates Creations 23's 2nd birthday - p10 :: Music Venue Trust - p16
Touring Network launch major new campaign to Keep Rural Arts Live Donations to the fund can be made @ www.crowdfunder.co.uk/keepruralartslive
The Touring Network's major new Crowdfunder campaign to Keep Rural Arts Live in the Highlands and Islands launched on Monday 17 August. The campaign is asking its loyal audiences across rural Scotland to donate anything from the price of an interval drink or a Friday night gig ticket to ensure that a thriving live arts scene can return to rural Scotland when safe to do so. The Keep Rural Arts Live campaign has been selected to take part in Creative Scotland and Crowdfunder’s Crowdfund Creative Scotland scheme, which offers the chance for some match funding from Creative Scotland if the campaign is quick to hit its fundraising targets. The Touring Network’s Members (who range from village hall committees and pub landlords to professional programmers and performers) are found all across a region which covers half the land mass of Scotland, stretching from Shetland to Campbeltown. They believe passionately that everyone has the right to experience high-quality performance without having to travel long distances and in 2019 staged nearly 900 events. For over 40 years they have worked year-round to stage a diverse, world-class programme of live music, theatre, dance, comedy and arts right on the doorstep of Highlands & Islands communities, and are dedicated to getting live performance back up and running once it can safely return.
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The Keep Rural Arts Live fundraising drive will ensure that it will be affordable, safe and sustainable for professional artists to perform across the Highlands & Islands, and for audiences to come out to watch them. The fund will directly help subsidise any potential lost ticket income due to socially distanced reduced capacity, meaning performers and their crews won’t be out of pocket; it will ensure tickets remain affordable for the whole community without substantial pricing increases; it will help a vital part of the Highlands & Islands economy to stay buoyant by continuing to welcome the travelling companies and the money they spend in the local area in terms of venue hire, accommodation, hospitality and more, and it will offer invaluable opportunities for upand-coming local talent to share the stage with some of the biggest names in the Scottish and UK arts scenes. The Keep Rural Arts Live campaign is asking for donations from £2+, with Thank You packages available to local businesses who may be in a position to donate more. The target is £20,000 and the faster the money is raised the more likely it is that Creative Scotland will be able to match some of the donations. As part of the Keep Rural Arts Live campaign, The Touring Network will be broadcasting “The Spotlight Sessions” to 8 rural communities across Scotland on 20 and 27 August at 8pm. The Spotlight Sessions will offer rural audiences a preview of what could be touring to their community postCOVID. Each session will showcase a series of online extracts from new shows that are looking to tour the Highlands & Islands in 2021 with highlights including acclaimed singersongwriter Horse, Edinburgh improv troupe Men With Coconuts and Nicolette MacLeod’s witty solo show about Scotland’s aquatic treasures The Sea and Me, all compered live by award-winning writer and performer Alan Bissett. http://bit.ly/issuu-googleplay
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your listen 'n' watch guide during lock-down :: a selection of music on scotland's tv + radio this week
Music on Scottish
The Friday Afternoon Show :: 2pm on BBC Radio Scotland. Weekend tunes and what is happening in music, arts and culture from across Scotland with Nicola Meighan. www.bbc.co.uk/radioscotland
Scotland and around the world. www.bbc.co.uk/radioscotland Na Trads :: 00.50am on BBC ALBA. SKERRYVORE play at the Trad Awards. www.bbcalba.co.uk
Grant Stott's Vinyl Collective :: 6pm on BBC SUNDAY 23 AUGUST Radio Scotland. Celebrating the vinyl revival with classic records and new releases. Mike Ritchie On Sunday: 4-6pm on Celtic www.bbc.co.uk/radioscotland Music Radio 95FM + DAB. Handpicked tunes from established acts, new voices and anything Celtic Connections Shorts :: 7.25pm on BBC that takes my fancy from the wonderful worlds ALBA. With DALLAHAN from Celtic Connections. of americana, roots, folk, singer/songwriters www.bbcalba.co.uk without worrying about labels. Voted Best Radio Show in americana-uk 2017 Readers' Poll. Piping Live! :: 8pm on BBC ALBA. Featuring www.celticmusicradio.net THE BATTLEFIELD BAND, ROSS MILLER and CHARLIE STEWART and piper CHRIS Take The Floor :: 5pm on BBC Radio Scotland. --------------------------------------ORMSTON. For the very best in traditional music and song, www.bbcalba.co.uk join Gary Innes for Take The Floor. www.bbc.co.uk/radioscotland Music all day every day from Glasgow The Friday Afternoon Show :: 8pm on BBC Na Trads :: 6.30pm on BBC ALBA. HEISK play promoting Celtic and roots music of all Radio Scotland. Weekend tunes and what is happening in music, arts and culture from across at the 2019 Trad Awards. genres - at 95FM or online @ Scotland with Nicola Meighan. www.bbcalba.co.uk www.celticmusicradio.net www.bbc.co.uk/radioscotland Na Trads :: 6.35pm on BBC ALBA. BENEDICT --------------------------------------Ken Burns's Country Music :: 9pm on BBC MORRIS play at the 2019 Trad Awards. ALBA. Ken Burn’s Country Music focuses on the www.bbcalba.co.uk Independent Alternative digital radio, biographies of the fascinating trailblazers who Jazz Nights :: 7pm on BBC Radio Scotland. broadcasting live from the upstairs of LP created and shaped it. The series includes The Carter Family, Jimmie Rodgers, Bill Monroe and Seonaid Aitken with the best in jazz music from Records in Glasgow, listen online @ Bob Wills to Hank Williams, Patsy Cline, Johnny contemporary to classic. www.lpradio.co.uk/listen Cash, Merle Haggard, Loretta Lynn, Charley www.bbc.co.uk/radioscotland Pride, Willie Nelson, Dolly Parton, Emmylou --------------------------------------Harris, Garth Brooks and many more — as well Classics Unwrapped :: 9pm on BBC Radio as the times in which they lived. Much like the Scotland. Jamie MacDougall presents the best in WEDNESDAY 19 AUGUST music itself, the film tells unforgettable stories of classical music. www.bbc.co.uk/radioscotland The Afternoon Show :: 1.30pm on BBC Radio hardships and joys shared by everyday people. www.bbcalba.co.uk Scotland. What is happening in music, arts and Iain Anderson :: 11pm on BBC Radio Scotland. culture from across Scotland. Ashley Storrie :: 10pm on BBC Radio Scotland. End the day in the company of the songwriting www.bbc.co.uk/radioscotland New and classic Scottish music, soul rockabilly, masters of country, folk, blues and soul. pop and indie from around the world. www.bbc.co.uk/radioscotland Get It On... With Bryan Burnett :: 6pm on www.bbc.co.uk/radioscotland BBC Radio Scotland. Vic Galloway sits in with Na Trads :: 11.45pm on BBC ALBA. FIDDLERS' essential music chosen by listeners. TradFest :: 10.30pm on BBC ALBA. Allan BID play at the Trad Awards. www.bbc.co.uk/radioscotland MacDonald presents from TradFest Festival. www.bbcalba.co.uk www.bbcalba.co.uk The Quay Sessions :: 8pm on BBC Radio MONDAY 24 AUGUST Scotland. SEA GIRLS, IDLEWILD, RACHAEL Lorient is Alba: Scotland's Year :: 11pm on DADD and BILLY LOCKETT. BBC ALBA. Performances from the 2017 The Afternoon Show :: 1.30pm on BBC Radio www.bbc.co.uk/radioscotland Interceltique Festival of Lorient. Scotland. What is happening in music, arts and www.bbcalba.co.uk culture from across Scotland. Vic Galloway :: 10pm on BBC Radio Scotland. www.bbc.co.uk/radioscotland Vic brings you the 2019 SAY Award winner SATURDAY 22 AUGUST AUNTIE FLO's archive session. Get It On... With Bryan Burnett :: 6pm on www.bbc.co.uk/radioscotland Take The Floor :: 7pm on BBC Radio Scotland. BBC Radio Scotland. Vic Galloway sits in with For the very best in traditional music and song, essential music chosen by listeners. TradFest :: 10.30pm on BBC ALBA. Allan join Gary Innes for Take The Floor. www.bbc.co.uk/radioscotland MacDonald presents from TradFest Festival. www.bbc.co.uk/radioscotland www.bbcalba.co.uk Vic Galloway :: 8pm on BBC Radio Scotland. Rewind :: 7.15pm on BBC Scotland. The music Vic rounded up his recent guest-lists; SHAUN THURSDAY 20 AUGUST and news from 2006. RYDER, ANNA MEREDITH, GERRY LOVE and more. The Afternoon Show :: 1.30pm on BBC Radio www.bbc.co.uk/Scotland www.bbc.co.uk/radioscotland Scotland. What is happening in music, arts and Pipeline :: 9pm on BBC Radio Scotland. Gary culture from across Scotland. West From Piping Live! 2020 . Iain Anderson :: 10pm on BBC Radio Scotland. www.bbc.co.uk/radioscotland www.bbc.co.uk/radioscotland End the day in the company of the songwriting masters of country, folk, blues and soul. Get It On... With Bryan Burnett :: 6pm on Ken Burns's Country Music :: 9pm on BBC www.bbc.co.uk/radioscotland BBC Radio Scotland. Vic Galloway sits in with ALBA. Ken Burn’s Country Music focuses on the essential music chosen by listeners. biographies of the fascinating trailblazers who TUESDAY 25 AUGUST www.bbc.co.uk/radioscotland created and shaped it. The series includes The Travelling Folk :: 8pm on BBC Radio Scotland. Carter Family, Jimmie Rodgers, Bill Monroe and The Afternoon Show :: 1.30pm on BBC Radio Bob Wills to Hank Williams, Patsy Cline, Johnny Scotland. What is happening in music, arts and Bruce MacGregor with the best folk and roots Cash, Merle Haggard, Loretta Lynn, Charley culture from across Scotland. music from around the world. Pride, Willie Nelson, Dolly Parton, Emmylou www.bbc.co.uk/radioscotland www.bbc.co.uk/radioscotland Harris, Garth Brooks and many more — as well Get It On... With Bryan Burnett :: 6pm on Natasha Raskin Sharp :: 10pm on BBC Radio as the times in which they lived. Much like the Scotland. From 50s rockabilly to country to jazz music itself, the film tells unforgettable stories of BBC Radio Scotland. Vic Galloway sits in with hardships and joys shared by everyday people. essential music chosen by listeners. to the latest indie sounds, Natasha has it all. www.bbcalba.co.uk www.bbc.co.uk/radioscotland www.bbc.co.uk/radioscotland
TV & RADIO over the next week ...
Celtic Music Radio
LP Radio
FRIDAY 21 AUGUST
Billy Sloan :: 10pm on BBC Radio Scotland. Hot Another Country with Ricky Ross :: 8pm on new releases plus rock and pop music from BBC Radio Scotland. Ricky introduces you to new
Email your virtual gig dates to robert.musicnewsscotland@gmail.com
your listen 'n' watch guide during lock-down :: a selection of music on scotland's tv + radio this week and classic Americana and Alternative Country. www.bbc.co.uk/radioscotland Na Trads :: 9.45pm on BBC ALBA. SKERRYVORE play at the Trad Awards. www.bbcalba.co.uk
Meighan each curating their pick of the best digital offerings. They will be catching up with artists taking part in this unique festival year and hearing how each of the Festivals have adapted their programmes to take their content far beyond the reaches of the Festival city. Janice presents her Festival Special on 3 August, Grant on 12 August and Nicola on 21 August.
comedians and artists performing in 2020’s virtual Fringe activities, and to writers involved with the Edinburgh International Book Festival.
BBC Radio 3, in association with the EIF, will have a series of Queen’s Hall concerts from the archives broadcast as part of BBC Arts' Culture in Quarantine. Fifteen recitals from the last two decades will be available to hear on BBC Radio 3 over three weeks BBC Radio nan Gàidheal’s Feasgar, presented by Cathy Na Trads :: 9.50pm on BBC ALBA. BENEDICT MacDonald will also have festival items. And towards the end of the starting on August 10. The series will include past performances MORRIS play at the 2019 Trad Awards. month, the BBC Scotland channel will have a 90 minute special of from Nicola Benedetti, Ronald Brautigam, Trio Zimmermann and www.bbcalba.co.uk many other International Festival highlights. past highlights from The Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo on 14 August with a further hour-long package on 21 August. Piping Live! :: 11pm on BBC ALBA. pIPING Radio 3 will also have a special New Music Show episode on lIVE! 2017 with Spanish piper JOSE MANUEL Saturday 8 August, as part of Culture in Quarantine, which will be Gareth Hydes, Commissioning Editor at BBC Scotland, said; TEJEDOR, GRAINNE BRADY and RYAN dedicated to Edinburgh, on the weekend that the city’s annual “Life is different this year in so many ways and the Edinburgh MURPHY, and MICHAEL STEELE. festivals were due to begin. Featuring exclusive home recordings by festivals have been impacted like many other events. However www.bbcalba.co.uk performers based there or connected to the place – giving an insight thanks to the creativity of the performers and organisers there is into the eclectic musical scene of the city, featuring: violinist Daniel still much to enjoy in August. Through our programming we are Pioro; double bassist Una MacGlone with pianist Jim McEwan aiming to give the audience a flavour of the festivals and help them Roddy Hart :: 11pm on BBC Radio Scotland. (piano); guitarist Firas Khnaisser (guitar) collaborating with noise soak up the experience wherever they are in Scotland.” Roddy shines a spotlight on great songwriting, artist Ali Robertson; and electronic artist Owen Green. Also part of both contemporary and classic. the episode, Kate Molleson is in conversation with celebrated BBC Scotland’s arts strand Loop will be heading through to www.bbc.co.uk/radioscotland Scottish crime author Val McDermid, discussing life in Edinburgh at Edinburgh for a special programme featuring artists at work in the the time of the pandemic: the atmosphere during lockdown; the city. The 30 minute episode, which will go out on BBC Scotland on WEDNESDAY 26 AUGUST cancelled festival; the future of culture post-Covid 19. August 19 at 11pm, will feature – amongst others - poet Alycia Pirmohamed, co-founder of the Scottish BAME Writers network, The Afternoon Show :: 1.30pm on BBC Radio who lives and studies in the city, and Loop will go behind the scenes On BBC Radio 4 Miles Jupp offers up his dream line-up as the first Scotland. What is happening in music, arts and on the EIF’s artistic intervention – an amazing flash of light - taking of six curators for Radio 4’s first Summer Comedy Festival starting culture from across Scotland. 24 July. Expect a summer festival with a difference as some of the place across the city in August. www.bbc.co.uk/radioscotland nation's favourite comics turn curators and host a virtual festival Online BBC The Social will be digging into its Edinburgh archives to featuring their favourite performers from the worlds of comedy, Get It On... With Bryan Burnett :: 6pm on pull out some of the highlights from our previous Edinburgh Festival literature and spoken word. The other comedy curators are: Jo BBC Radio Scotland. Vic Galloway sits in with Brand, Darren Harriott, Sara Pascoe, Daliso Chaponda and Jayde events like Rappers V Poets, Drag Cabaret and the Comedy essential music chosen by listeners. Adams. showcase. The Social is also going to create bespoke Edinburgh playlists at www.bbc.co.uk/thesocial creating virtual stages to www.bbc.co.uk/radioscotland BBC One will also have a programme of past Royal Edinburgh celebrate the best new talent from Scotland in music, arts and Military Tattoo highlights going out towards the end of August. comedy. Cassi and Roisin from the new podcast The Love / Hate The Quay Sessions :: 8pm on BBC Radio Club will be continuing their hilarious chat with guests as part of an Scotland. Enjoy live performances from the foyer Edinburgh Festival Special. And L.A.B. Scotland will be getting at BBC Radio Scotland's Pacific Quay. involved in the Children’s Book Festival with schoolchildren from www.bbc.co.uk/radioscotland around Scotland putting their questions to some special author guests. Vic Galloway :: 8pm on BBC Radio Scotland. Vic rounded up his recent guest-lists; SHAUN Festival news will also be featured on Reporting Scotland, with RYDER, ANNA MEREDITH, GERRY LOVE and special reports from arts correspondent Pauline McLean, as well as more. coverage on BBC Scotland’s The Nine, plus news coverage on www.bbc.co.uk/radioscotland Radio Scotland and online.
Edinburgh Festival :: Edinburgh’s streets won’t be awash with tourists, artists and people handing out flyers this August, but BBC Scotland will still have programming to provide a flavour of the festivals. The Edinburgh Show returns to the BBC Scotland channel with presenter Grant Stott. The magazine programme will go out on Thursday nights at 8.30pm on 13+20 August, showcasing all the best that is happening with the International, Book Festival and Fringe, in their Covid-19 reincarnations, as they adapt to this year’s restrictions and largely go online to connect with their audience.
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Some key Edinburgh programming in other parts of the BBC will include BBC Two programme Edinburgh Nights (title tbc) I x 60 mins, commissioned by BBC Arts, which will capture the spirit of the Edinburgh Festivals. The programme will tell stories of the many people working in stand -up comedy, theatre and dance who have managed to create shows in spite of the lockdown. There are highlights from the Book Festival and a big opening event and virtual shows from the International Festival. It will also capture the spirit of the Festivals, celebrating past shows and hearing from some well -known faces about why they love Edinburgh.
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Radio Scotland’s The Afternoon Show will present three Festival On Radio 2 throughout August, Jo Whiley and Anita Rani (who sits Specials across August, with Janice Forsyth, Grant Stott and Nicola in for Jo for the weeks of 10th & 17th August) will be talking to
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Scottish Ensemble Launches Its New Solo Collaborations, Continuing Its Dedication To Imaginative Cross-Artform Work And Embracing The Unique Possibilities Of Digital
Solo Collaborations are online audiovisual works, capturing Scottish Ensemble’s approach to imaginative cross-artform collaborations and finding a way to bring amazing performers together while the industry cannot re-open fully.
have been created. Through a bespoke website, the audience is invited to combine different musical and visual layers and decide how they want to experience the work, with up to 21 possible variations. There is over an hour of potential score to choose from depending on the combinations chosen.
What’s more, these works are conceived to give people an experience they couldn’t have live, embracing the technology and the possibilities of digital. Jonathan Morton, Artistic Director of Scottish Ensemble said: “The initial idea was The heart of each Solo Collaboration will be the relatively simple - in the absence of live creation of a new commission: a short work performance, could we create a short created in partnership between a composer, a collaborative project designed to be experienced collaborator from another artform and a member online? As soon as we started discussing ideas of Scottish Ensemble. Working together closely during those early lockdown Zoom calls, I was throughout the process, the composer will create thrilled by the scope of the conversations and a new work, recorded by the musician at home, the shared ambition to find a common artistic while the collaborator creates a filmed visual impulse that would bind us throughout the response. Each Solo Collaboration is also a making of the project. starting point for exploring the potential for longer-term collaboration between these artists. “Although we were unable to meet each other face to face, we developed a kind of creative camaraderie which allowed the piece to grow in ambition and depth. So much material was Developed in partnership with Scottish Dance shared in this virtual studio: music and dance Theatre, these bones, this flesh, this skin is a sketches, drawings, photos, improvisations, new commission for solo violin and solo dancer technical diagrams, musings and thoughts. I by composer Martin Suckling and Scottish Dance think we developed our own way of working Theatre’s Artistic Director Joan Clevillé, together, adapting and responding to the performed by dancer João Castro and Scottish circumstances.” Ensemble’s Artistic Director Jonathan Morton, and filmed by Genevieve Reeves. Joan Clevillé, Artistic Director of Scottish these bones, this flesh, this skin ::
and values across different art forms. Genuine collaboration, artistic integrity and a passion for developing new music and dance audiences have driven the creation process, which we hope is just the first of many. “The result of our collaboration is a unique interactive experience, composed and recorded across the UK and choreographed and filmed in the streets of Dundee. Rather than being illustrative, we wanted both art forms to be in dialogue with each other and the digital media, and for the viewer to retain a degree of agency in the work. This project has been born out of a unique time in our lives, but it aspires to have relevance beyond this particular moment.” Composer Martin Suckling said: “I wanted to be certain we produced something which wasn’t simply a filmed version of a live performance but rather something which was made to be experienced online and took advantage of the possibilities this opens up. Something which allows the audience to participate in the experience; something which would not be possible ‘in real life’.
The various possible combinations of layers allow you to experience a single journey from different visual and aural perspectives. The music was written alongside the dance and filmography rather than prior to it: we found a shared Dance Theatre said: “This project has been a vocabulary and sent each other snippets of Using the same sources of inspiration as a wonderful opportunity to get to know each other music, film and dance to work from; I starting point, three 4-minute musical works and and discover that Scottish Dance Theatre and improvised violin lines to rehearsal footage and three 4-minute choreographed works for camera Scottish Ensemble share very similar interests reshaped structures to respond to the rhythms of draft cuts of the film.” Solo Collaborations is part of Scottish Ensemble’s wider digital work for summer 2020, which includes Sonic Meditations and Musical Book Club. The new works all respond to the coronavirus crisis and demonstrate its commitment to providing imaginatively programmed and exceptionally performed music in new and non-traditional ways.
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page 6
WHAT'S
HOT! DOGHOUSE ROSES
from the latest releases to reach us ....
www.doghouseroses.net Some albums are like fleeting thoughts, written and recorded in a blink of the eye. Others are nurtured over time, allowed to develop and blossom and this is the case for the fourth album from Glasgow's Doghouse Roses
Emergency Scottish Government relief funds support performing arts venues Twenty venues across Scotland have received a total of £7.5m from the first strand of the Scottish Government’s £12.5m Performing Arts Venues Relief Fund. Designed to support performing arts venues that cannot yet re-open due to the ongoing impact of the Covid-19 pandemic, the fund is helping to: -
TORRIDON TOM McGUIRE + THE BRASSHOLES
Their new album signals a significant progression in the band’s style, sound, vision and drive to showcase a passion for serious and original songwriting. With tracks inspired by men’s mental health and suicide in Scotland
www.tomandthebrassholes.com An eclectic, modern-soul-funk, 8 piece band from Glasgow, headed by Tom McGuire. The funky collective of “killer animals from hell”, consists of a colourful, hilarious bunch of wonderfully talented, animated young men
“The Covid-19 emergency funds announced for the culture sector so far are not, by any means, the end of the support to be offered and there will be more announcements to come, not least in terms of how the £97m Scotland has received for culture and heritage as a result of the UK Government’s funding package is to be applied. The precise nature of this is still being determined and, beyond what has already been made available, Creative Scotland is working closely with the Scottish Government to actively discuss further support for the culture sector, including for those who may not have received funding previously.” Recipients of the first strand (£7.5m) of the Scottish Government’s Performing Arts Venues Fund are:
Aberdeen Performing Arts, (Aberdeen City), £750,00 An Lanntair, (Na h-Eileanan Siar), £100,000 Beacon Arts Centre, (Inverclyde), £114,000 CCA: Centre for Contemporary Arts, (Glasgow City), £214,500 Citizens Theatre, (Glasgow City), £100,000 Comar, (Argyll and Bute), £119,000 Dance Base, (City of Edinburgh), £256,200 Dundee Repertory Theatre, (Dundee City), £480,907 Recipients of the second strand of the Performing Arts Eden Court Theatre and Cinema, (Highland), Venues Fund, an open fund of £5m, will be announced £750,000 Horsecross Arts, (Perth and Kinross), £749,900 in due course. Macrobert Arts Centre, (Stirling), £485,213 Pitlochry Festival Theatre, (Perth and Kinross), Culture Secretary Fiona Hyslop said: “Theatres £400,000 and performing arts venues are vital to individuals, Platform (Glasgow East Arts Co), (Glasgow City), communities and our country. Our performing arts £75,400 venues effectively had to close overnight, with an Royal Lyceum Theatre Company, (City of Edinburgh), almost complete loss of income. There is no doubt £750,000 that in doing so they saved lives, and for that I am Shetland Arts Development Agency, (Shetland extremely grateful. Islands), £247,582 “We know the impact of this crisis will be long-term so The Barn, (Aberdeenshire), £105,000 The Storytelling Centre/TRACS, (City of Edinburgh), ambitious action to support the future of these £213,000 organisations, as well as our wider cultural Tramway, (Glasgow City), £549,000 infrastructure, is key. This funding will be a vital Traverse Theatre, (City of Edinburgh), £500,000 lifeline to help performing arts venues continue to Tron Theatre, (Glasgow City), £499,849 weather the storm.” -
www.torridonlive.com
remove the threat of insolvency prior to the end of March 2021 to enable the development and delivery of activity as soon as practicable allow for specialist / core staff to return from furlough or avoid redundancy to work on future sustainable activity plans increase commissioning and employment opportunities for freelance artists and creative practitioners (between now and end of March 2021) to support continued public engagement while closed.
funding for performing arts venues is much needed and will help organisations tackle these challenges but we are aware that budgets are finite and it is not possible to provide financial assistance to every organisation through this route at this time.
Iain Munro, CEO, Creative Scotland said: “There are significant challenges facing Scotland’s culture sector, due to the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic. This
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AMY PAPIRANSKY
Banchory's The Barn received £105,000 in funding :: www.facebook.com/theBarnArts
www.amypapiransky.com A stunning self-penned debut album, Amy has been gathering and writing songs over the last eight years. Her debut release is a lesson in flawless vocal dexterity and heartfelt song writing with a side of sass, funk and class
THINK YOUR NEW RELEASE IS GOOD ENOUGH TO APPEAR HERE? To be considered for our 'What's Hot' spot send your new album/ep/single to: MNS Top 4, MUSIC NEWS Scotland Romar House, Birgham, Berwickshire. TD12 4NF
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SCOTTISH MUSIC CENTRE ......... Member Profile :: Pàdruig Morrison www.scottishmusiccentre.com/padruig-morrison/ "The Scottish Music Centre's task is to champion the wealth of talent that abounds in Scotland's musical community"
Pàdruig Morrison (born 1996) is a composer and performer from the Outer Hebrides, presently based in Glasgow. He has worked with the Hebrides Ensemble, Red Note, the Hard Rain Ensemble, and with members of the Scottish Chamber Orchestra.
Causeway Trio, which combines traditional music with contemporary, jazz, and world influences. He has also written and recorded a number of BBC programme soundtracks.
After studying with Peter Nelson and Gareth Williams at Edinburgh University, Pàdruig went to Maynooth, Ireland, for a MA in Composition with Ryan Molloy and Martin O’ Leary. In that year he was the winner of the Peter Rosser Composition Competition. He has since continued at Maynooth to undertake a PhD in Composition, looking at the traditional influences on Scottish contemporary music.
In addition to solo performances, Pàdruig plays as part of several ensemble. Causeway Trio were successful in being finalists of the 2016 BBC Radio 2 Young Fold Award. Find out more here: www.causewaytrio.com
On the small Hebridean island of Grimsay, Pàdruig was brought up surrounded by the culture, the music and the language of the Gaels. Pàdruig grew up with a rich inheritance from the Gaelic oral tradition, and since an early age has strived to develop his music to new and old styles in classical and traditional music.
Edinburgh Competition Festival concerto competition, resulting in two performances with orchestras, working with conductors William Conway and David Watkin respectively. In 2016 year he performed at European Festivals with accomplished traditional Pàdruig grew up with a rich inheritance from musician John McCusker. Pàrduig also has keen the Gaelic oral tradition, as a native Gaelic interests in composition, writing the speaker from Grimsay, Uist. He continues to be He began studying Classical Accordion with soundtrack to the BBC Alba film 'An Dotair Mòr' an active professional traditional musician, Djordje Gajic when attending St Mary Music in 2014. performing with Beinn Lee at many Scottish School, Edinburgh in 2012. In 2013 he was the festival, and was a 2020 finalist in the BBC www.padruigmorrison.weebly.com winner of the school concerto competition, and Radio Scotland Young Traditional Musician of www.twitter.com/padruigmorrison the first accordionist to reach the final of the the Year. He also established a group, www.facebook.com/padruigmorrisonmusic He also play in the six-piece ceilidh-folk band Beinn Lee who play at festivals, ceilidhs and weddings. 2018 saw they play around Scotland at various festivals following the release of their debut album 'Osgarra'. Find out more @ www.facebook.com/beinnlee
On the small Hebridean island of Grimsay, Pàdruig was brought up surrounded by the culture, the music and the language of the Gaels
www.smc-covid19.com "The Scottish Music Centre's task is to champion the wealth of talent that abounds in Scotland's musical community"
www.scottishmusiccentre.com : www.twitter.com/scottishmusic : www.facebook.com/scottishmusiccentre The Scottish Music Centre currently supports in excess of 100 composer, group/small business and corporate members. Offering a wealth of advantages, initiatives include the bi-monthly Composers' Digest and Exposed Melodies podcast series, regular networking events and notification of valuable opportunities, extensive publicity and increased correspondence with national companies, chamber ensembles, soloists and festivals.
Scottish Music Centre’s City Halls office is currently closed due to Covid-19 and our staff and project teams are working from home. We have made changes to some of our services: please go to the individual page(s) on our website for more info. For general enquiries please contact us on info@scottishmusiccentre.com
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Creation 23 :: Alan McGee Celebrates 2nd Birthday Of New Label + Announces A Series Of New Releases Summer 2020 marks the second birthday of East Kilbride born Alan McGee’s latest label venture: Creation 23. After 40 years in the industry, the music mogul who needs no introduction (but so often gets “the man who signed Oasis”), has lost none of his enthusiasm for breaking new talent. And for the rest of 2020, he’s eager to break some more.
Riding the wave of inspired new guitar bands coming out of Ireland right now, THE CLOCKWORKS will unleash the fierce agit-punk of In a bid to shake-off the stasis the music business ‘Can I Speak To A Manager Please?’ in August. has slipped-into amid the coronavirus crisis, Witnessing their Creation 23 debut, the ‘Bills & McGee has spent his isolation planning a series of Pills’ 7”, greeted with a sold-out run, the Galway post-lockdown releases to be stamped with his band have continued to impress with their recent current label. time-twisting digital single: ‘The Future Is Not What It Was’, which has seen them crack Nurturing a number of new artists, new and audiences both sides of Irish Sea. Finding the familiar, behind the scenes these past few band on incensed and insurgent form, their months, he is delighted to confirm imminent upcoming summer release will not disappoint releases from new signees including: CAT SFX, either. SHAMBOLICS, THE CLOCKWORKS, CHARLIE CLARK, BELOWSKY and SISTER PSYCHOSIS. Later in the Autumn, McGee is also lining up Placing the spotlight on each in turn, McGee will exciting new releases from two established artists showcase a brand new single every month for the looking to push the envelope with new creative remainder of 2020. projects. Described by McGee as “a spoken word The announcement arrives as Creation23 prepare to celebrate the anniversary of their second year in business; a move symbolic of a label going from strength to strength... Setting up Creation 23 as something of a solo venture in 2018, he looked to create a platform that would allow him to share some of his favourite new discoveries with the rest of the world. Finding guitar music in rude health and a public appetite for vinyl hungry again, he saw an opportunity to return to his roots and do what he’s always enjoyed most: release records.
Genius”, the acclaimed Mancunian pop poet BELOWSKY, is teaming up with Creation 23 for an innovative piece of spoken-word on wax. Plus, Stornoway-based singer songwriter and Astrid guitarist CHARLIE CLARK will also be unveiling some new material too. And before the year is out, expect to be introduced to SISTER PSYCHOSIS, a UK-Canadian duo hoping to make a lasting impression with their label debut: ‘Into Your Memory’.
With the label’s two year anniversary rolling around this Summer, Creation 23 will be Two-years on the label has made a name for itself commemorating it with an emphatic new single from one of its leading lights: CAT SFX. Emerging as a go-to tastemaker for emerging talent and from the shadow of the pandemic with the aptly music fans alike. As a boutique imprint that titled ‘Doom Generation’, the ambitious Anglospecialises in 7” singles, the label has released a number of limited edition vinyl issues from a crop Italian alt-rock and expert songwriter releases a joyride of breakneck guitars and zany of inspiring new bands, including: THE ILLICITS, synthesisers that strikes somewhere between XMARQUIS DRIVE, RUBBER JAW, JUGGS, YOUNG Ray Spex and Garbage. GARBO, THE K’S and more. Often blink-and-you’ll-miss-them buys, several releases have SOLD OUT on pre-sales alone, with some requiring additional repressings to meet exceptional demand.
Two bands who have had such success recently are Fife's SHAMBOLICS and THE CLOCKWORKS, both of whom have imminent new releases planned as part of Creation23’s monthly schedule in 2020.
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Already long-standing favourites in their native Scotland, fast ascending Fife four-piece SHAMBOLICS signed up with McGee for the release of their ‘Chasing a Disaster / Fight Another Feeling’ AA-single last year. Selling out all 1000 copies within days of its announcement, plus their first headline UK tour, the band are looking to replicate its success with a brand new cut of their signature dreamy rock’n’roll: ‘Love Collides’ - out this September.
Available to hear now, it’s the first track to heraldin an exciting new era for a label continuing to unearth some of music’s best new sounds. Alan McGee is a renowned mogul and maverick of the music industry. In 1983 he founded the iconic Creation Records, signing stars including Oasis, Super Furry Animals, Ride and Primal Scream to The Jesus & Mary Chain, My Bloody Valentine, Felt and The House Of Love. After announcing his departure from Creation in 1999, McGee went on to found a new label Poptones in 2000 and run Death Disco, an international club night. In 2018, he launched a new label, Creation 23, with the simple mission statement: “I want to put out records again. I’ve missed it. There’s a lot of good music around and it feels like a good time to do it”.
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'DRAM' fine musical tribute to work of Scottish distillers DRAM can be viewed on YouTube @ www.youtube.com/watch?v=QPYqtoHfZDk A unique piece of music – titled DRAM – composed solely of audio data gathered from emissions during the production of hand sanitisers has been released. Three Scottish musicians have brought to life the music, which is 57 seconds long. It consists only of data from the sanitisers’ ethanol emissions produced in Scotland's distilleries, which were transferred to a specialised conversion file. “DRAM is a musical tribute to the Scotch whisky industry for the contribution it has made in protecting us against COVID 19,” said Michael Taylor, of Venn Design Ltd, who developed the idea and commissioned the music. “The piece has been composed directly from the volatile ethanol emission data from the sanitisers produced in Scotland's distilleries,” said Michael, who is based in North Ayrshire. “The evaporating emission is more commonly referred to as the ‘Angels Share’ during whisky maturation.
Michael Taylor on data collecting duty
“Without a doubt, the efforts of distillers to produce sanitisers have helped prevent the transmission of COVID19, possibly to millions, whilst we wait for a vaccine to be produced.” The mix of music and science is based on a Scottish folk tune 'The Peat Fire Flame' – it was arranged so that the peaks and troughs of the data, visualised as a graph, determined the speed and liveliness of the music. “I was drawn to the idea of the musical tribute after investigating the possibility of monitoring for the first time, second by second, the emissions from whisky casks during the maturation process, and that work is ongoing,” said Michael, whose new company Venn Design Ltd is behind the research. He collected the data over a three-day period at the tail end of May on Speyside. Morag Robertson, Michael Taylor, Taylor MacLennan, Deni Teo and Nick Moroz
The piece is performed by three young Scottish musicians, all of whom play with major UK orchestras – Taylor MacLennan on flute, Morag
Robertson, viola and cellist, Deni Teo. The composer, Nick Moroz, converted the data and the players were filmed performing separately at home during lockdown but the edited video shows them playing side by side. Nick liked the challenge and is pleased with the outcome. “I wanted to make the piece ebb and flow, peak and dip to express effectively the use of the data in the music,” he said. “I have a wide interest in all types of music so I wanted it to be meaningful to convey the data gathered and to give it a Celtic connection.” Flautist, Taylor MacLennan, was equally intrigued to be involved. He said: “It was an unusual project but very interesting as well as the data Michael gathered shaped the sound of DRAM, the way it rises and falls creates a flow of moods. Recording in isolation was an experience as well.”
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Iconic Scottish producer Sam Gellaitry was
the latest act in the Music Is The Answer series, which will feature the world premiere of his new song ..... 'Assumptions' Brand new project Music Is The Answer sees Scottish artists performing from iconic locations around Scotland in a series of gigs streamed digitally to audiences worldwide. It is a brainchild of FLY team who have partnered up with Ground Level Up, an awardwinning film production company and world touring audio suppliers FELive.
years of age.
and curator La La (performing at Kinross House), pop sensations HYYTS (Forth Bridge), Sam Gellaitry’s performance was released at Grime and MC artists Ransom FA and Oakzy B The latest edition, which went live on 13 August, 7pm on Thursday, 13 August across the (McCaig’s Tower) and Dundee-born pop star Be has iconic Scottish producer Sam Gellaitry following channels below and featured a world Charlotte whose track Lights Off was BBC Radio performing from Inveraray Castle on the shore premiere of his new song, Assumptions: 1’s Track of the Week; her stream was released of Loch Fyne in western Scotland. Sam Gellaitry said: “I’ve always envisioned the on 6 August. Stirling-born Gellaitry shot to fame in 2015 opportunity to play in one of the countless More artists for Music Is The Answer stream thanks to his unique, experimental style scenes Scotland has to offer so when MITA hit series will be announced in due course. Watch blending everything from trap music to jazz. me up I couldn’t refuse! After six months of no Sam Gellaitry and all the previous Music Is The Having released three critically acclaimed EPs gigs due to COVID, it felt amazing to hop back Answer acts via links below ..... and an LP - Viewfinder, Vol 1: Phosphene – on the decks in such a unique environment.” Gellaitry’s SoundCloud following quickly rose to YouTube: https://tinyurl.com/yd3v9bbz thousands and got him a contract with LA-based So far as part of Music Is The Answer, Twitch: www.twitch.tv/musicistheanswr audiences have been able to enjoy gigs from DJ independent music label Soulection at just 18 Facebook: www.facebook.com/musicdotanswer
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Marshall Amplification Put Their Support Behind The Music Venue Trust And #SAVEOURVENUES Campaign Buy the “I’ve Got the Music In Me” #saveourvenues t-shirt @ www.marshall-amplification.backstreetmerch.com
In partnership with the Music Venue Trust, Marshall Amplification have launched a special t-shirt as part of their support of the #saveourvenues campaign. All proceeds from the t-shirt will help fund grassroots music venues through the continued economic threats and challenges they face. Taken from UK rockers Bad Touch’s latest single, a rock and roll cover of Kiki Dee’s 1974 hit 'I’ve Got The Music In Me', the t-shirt and Marshall encourage everyone in the music industry and forward to help raise money for grassroots music their fans to stand up and support their local venues. It may still be some time before you can venues whilst declaring “I’ve Got The Music In visit a venue but you can help #saveourvenues Me”. by buying and wearing Marshall's campaign TThe single is taken from Bad Touch’s new album shirt.” 'Kiss the Sky' out now. Commenting on the Jonathan Ellery, Managing Director of partnership, Mark Davyd said “Music Venue Marshall Amplification said “Everything we do Trust is delighted that a business so renowned at Marshall Amplification and Marshall Records for their connection to live music has stepped encompasses live music and we admire what Music Venue Trust are doing with their #saveourvenues campaign. We are excited to be partnering with them to raise funds and help grassroots venues to be able to continue to push the success of live music.”
The t-shirt's slogan is taken from UK rockers Bad Touch’s latest single, a rock and roll cover of Kiki Dee’s 1974 hit 'I’ve Got The Music In Me'. :: www.facebook.com/badtouchrocks
Marshall Amplification, based in Buckinghamshire, have close personal connections not only to their local venues The Craufurd Arms and MK11, but to venues all across the UK that see their amplifiers on stage every week. Marshall was founded with the ethos to help artists make themselves heard on the very stages that are now at threat of closure. Launched in April, the #saveourvenues
campaign has already amassed well over £2,000,000 donations with support from likes of Amazon Music, SJM and a number of high-profile artists and music fans throughout the UK. Artists and Venues are being provided with tools and guidance to get involved with #saveourvenues to help raise funds and awareness with the target of helping venues during times like these. Music fans are also encouraged to show their support by engaging with the #saveourvenues shows and donating to their local venue’s crowd funding pages. Fans can also choose to donate directly to the main #saveourvenues fund via the campaign website.
More information on #saveourvenues and instructions on how to get involved can be found @ www.saveourvenues.co.uk www.musicvenuetrust.com www.marshall.com
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Scottish National Jazz Orchestra :: video - 'Free Your Mind' Released :: 18 August @ https://youtu.be/cW-QHnW-WE8
She’s supremely talented. She’s inventive. She’s very switched on and she’s not afraid to speak her mind. She is Jazzmeia Horn and when she made her Scottish debut with the Scottish National Jazz Orchestra in November 2019, she entranced audiences in Edinburgh, Glasgow and Perth with her singing.
Now the Texas-born rising star, who has earned GRAMMY nominations with her first two albums, is the special guest on the Scottish National Jazz Orchestra’s new video, Free Your Mind, which is due online on Tuesday 18 August. The video follows last month’s acclaimed Nelson Mandela tribute, which featured the SNJO with transatlantic guests, San Francisco-based singer Kenny Washington and New York-based vibes master Joe Locke performing Locke’s arrangement of soul legend Sam Cooke’s civil rights anthem A Change Is Gonna Come. Free Your Mind was written by Ms Horn, who
channels her social observations as well as her personal experiences into her compositions and singing. It was arranged by Bill Dobbins and recorded during the singer’s concert with the SNJO at the Usher Hall in Edinburgh on 19 November. “The first time I heard Jazzmeia Horn, at Rochester Jazz Festival in New York, I was hypnotized by her presentation of each lyric,” says Smith. “It was so vivid and credible, her storytelling and improvisation took jazz singing to another level. After the concert I bought her CD and decided that we had to introduce her to audiences in Scotland.” Critics were enthralled by Ms Horn’s performance with the SNJO, with London Jazz News’s reviewer describing her singing as “stunning” and singling out Free Your Mind as “surely destined to be a standard of the future.” Ms Horn, who has been mentored by top singing talents Bobby McFerrin and Jon Hendricks, of Lambert, Hendricks & Ross, grew up in Dallas and was given the name Jazzmeia by her grandmother, a church pianist and jazz fan. Still in her twenties, she won the coveted Thelonious Monk Institute International Jazz Competition in 2015 and cites the great jazz singers Sarah Vaughan and Abbey Lincoln among her influences.
Free Your Mind will be available to view on YouTube from 2pm on Tuesday 18 August @ https://youtu.be/cW-QHnW-WE8
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Jazzmeia Horn performs with the SNJO in November :: photo by Derek Clark
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Vulin :: debut single - 'Distorted Silence' Released :: 4 September @ all major digital / streaming music retailers
Vulin is the artist name for Fowlis based Scottish singer-songwriter, multiinstrumentalist and producer, Craig MacLeod. MacLeod has been in various bands and projects since 2001, with the most recent of these including the critically acclaimed, indie folk band, Dante: "…phenomenal energy and great songwriting" (Tom Robinson, BBC 6 Music), and the alt rock band, Dead Fiction: "...a great gravelly voice that retains a touch of the Scottish accent" (Jim Gellatly, The Scottish Sun). MacLeod's songwriting has been praised as work which captures "emotional maturity and possesses anthemically charged moments, powerful melodic ideas and engaging lyrics" (The Daily Record). Distorted Silence was written and produced by MacLeod, but includes featured musicians Louis Abbott (Admiral Fallow) and Graeme Smillie (Arab Strap, Emma Pollock, etc.), alongside contributions from former Dante members, Stuart Hosking, Euan McLaughlin and Seán McLaughlin.
This record was a culmination of musicians writing and recording remotely due to the pandemic, but was produced and mixed by MacLeod, and mastered by Guy Davie (The Smiths, Björk, Mogwai, The Shins, Sigur Rós, etc). This debut single sees the Scottish artist burst onto the scene with a stunning song that begins intimately with acoustic guitar and MacLeod’s strong yet poignant voice, but then suddenly transforms into a dramatic anthemic track lifted beautifully by epic strings, lush sweeping melodic lines and textures, atmospheric percussion and a hauntingly cathartic vocal arrangement. Distorted Silence showcases VULIN’s talent for songwriting and production, as well as, his depth of lyrical content. Distorted Silence will be released on 4 September through all major digital / streaming music retailers.
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Elaine Lennon :: charity single - 'Uncharted Waters' Released :: 21 August @ https://linktr.ee/ElaineLennon
Acclaimed Scottish act Elaine Lennon is releasing a charity single on Friday, 21 August in aid of University Hospital Wishaw’s Paediatrics Unit – and has brought in a raft of talent to accompany her on this moving track.
incredible and I’m really proud of the track. I hope as many people as possible buy the song and get behind our fundraising effort!”
feeling of being ‘all at sea’ that has been felt by so many in recent months, while also spreading a message of positivity and hope.
Jane Thomson, paediatric senior charge nurse at University Hospital Wishaw, said: “This is a fantastic endeavour by Elaine. The lyrics of the song are so emotional and it is great The single was recorded to see Chris is thriving in the video. by the artists virtually at their homes in July, produced by Boo Hewerdine, and mixed by Mark “It is always very humbling when a family want Freegard at his Glasgow studio. Boo can also be to make a contribution which will help others heard on guitar, with Euan Burton on bass. who are going through a similar experience. Playtime and games are really important in the The track is accompanied by a video featuring paediatric ward, helping the children to take some of Elaine’s collaborators and loved ones, Elaine’s lead vocals and piano are supported by their minds off their illness and treatment. who can be seen looking out to the distance at the backing vocals of esteemed artists Karine Polwart, Boo Hewerdine, Findlay Napier, Siobhan “I am sure I speak on behalf of all the staff when locations across the west of Scotland including Luss, Falls of Falloch, Cumbernauld’s Broadwood Miller, Yvonne Lyon and Chris While, who were I say that we were all very touched and we hope Loch and Bearsden’s Kilmardinny Loch. The all more than happy to get behind the worthy the song is a huge success.” video will be available from Friday 7 August. cause. Uncharted Waters poignantly touches on themes Uncharted Waters is Elaine’s first release since Elaine was compelled to raise funds for the of helplessness and uncertainty, capturing a her highly anticipated self-titled debut album Lanarkshire hospital after her youngest son Chris launched to critical acclaim at a sold-out Celtic was admitted at five years old with a benign Connections show in January 2020. tumour. Following her first live appearance in December 2018, Elaine collected the prestigious Celtic Connections Danny Kyle Open Stage Award in January 2019 and was named as Nashville Songwriters’ Association International 2019 ‘One To Watch’.
After he received fantastic care at the Wishaw children’s ward, Elaine was eager to give back and help raise funds for items to help distract little ones and create a relaxing environment for them. Elaine said: “We received such amazing care at University Hospital Wishaw’s Paediatrics Unit, it felt natural to give something back. When your child’s in hospital you want to know the experience won’t be traumatic for them. Anything that helps children relax through what can be a very difficult and stressful time for them and their families is so valuable.
Throughout lockdown she has hosted a series of Facebook Live sessions titled ‘The Homebird Sessions’ and is presenting and performing on the online show ‘Cumbernauld Unlocked’. It will be available on all usual streaming sites as well as being available to purchase on Bandcamp and www.elainelennon.com. There will also be a ‘pay what you want’ option on Elaine’s own website for those who would like to donate more to this very worthwhile cause.
“With the playroom closed off because of coronavirus and limited games consoles and other toys available, there is little to engage the very youngest patients. My hope is that we can help supply enough items, that can be easily wiped down, to go around in order to positively impact other children’s hospital experience.
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“The support from fellow musicians who have generously donated their time to this has been
Mike Clerk :: single 'Thoughts of Fools' Released :: 21 August @ all major digital / streaming music retailers
Returning to music by popular demand Mike Clerk is pleased to present a new solo single: "Thoughts Of Fools".
gritty alt/rock punch and resoundingly put his points across.
His first single “Thoughts of Fools” is taken from a forthcoming planned album 'The Space Between My Ears’, which sees Mike back on the scene after stepping away from frontman duties with previous outfit The Lost Generation.
Having realised his heart wasn’t in it anymore, Mike left the band and stepped back from performing for a while to “write for the sake of my own sanity”.
With material written and self recorded, the Fife based guitarist and singer-songwriter Mike Clerk started a GoFundMe page in order to gauge interest and fund the release of his first solo single; hitting over £2000 in less than twelve hours. And from a single Facebook post the fund reached almost £4000, proving huge demand for this new material. “It was getting ridiculous to be honest, the demand was more than I expected as I’d been
During his time with The Lost Generation, Clerk took charge of management and booking duties, landing The Lost Generation shows including Alan McGee's Death Disco, Club NME in London, a close-call with guitar duties for Primal Scream, and appearances as far afield as Europe and the US.
away from the scene for a while, and this was a brand new project I’d done by myself. I’d even had to swap the old van I had for a piano so I could learn it to get the parts down.” This time round it seems he’s taken a leap into the darker side of the human psyche. Citing “mending the after effects of historical over indulgence” as the main inspiration behind his new solo material, Mike’s new music packs a
Now back on the scene, he has no shame in displaying his influences through his indie/alt. rock sound that’s still all of his own, although as he says himself: “it's all turned out a bit Queens of the High Flying Black Rebel Motorcycle Keys to be honest”. "Thoughts of Fools" is available on all major digital platforms from 21 August, which you can pre-order a week earlier from Friday 14th.
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