📷 Photo by Peter McNally I first came across the incredible sound of Gaelic psalm singing back in 2002 when I was living in London and studying music at the School of Oriental and African Studies (SOAS). As part of my degree, I had the opportunity to do some work experience and spent a day … Continued

Picture this: it’s an hour before checkout in a Kyoto hotel. A kilted Scotsman approaches the reception desk, hoarse and probably still a little bit drunk. He croaks an almost silent “Sumimasen” to a bemused concierge. We’d been in Japan three days, and we’d already been on stage for ten of the last forty-eight hours. … Continued

📷 Photo above by Nicky Murray Let me tell you a little bit about Janey, the subject for the final track of this EP. Janey used to stick her head out of the car window in the backseat and sing at the top of her lungs into the wind, and the wind would wisp it … Continued

📷 Photos by Pip Graham-Bishop Twenty years ago this January, I stepped into a journey whose full scope I couldn’t then imagine. The seeds were sown earlier, but the story began in earnest in 2006 when a grant from the Arts Trust of Scotland made it possible for the late Nigel Richard to prototype a … Continued

📷 Photo above by Nicky Murray Fiddle players from across Scotland each bring their own regional styles and musical accents, but growing up in the middle of Glasgow, I never really felt like I had a geographical heritage or cultural lineage to belong to. Now, after a decade of following my fiddle round the world … Continued

📷 Photos by Elly Lucas Sometimes I procrastinate. During the recording and writing of Outsider book, my skills grew from that of an amateur dilly-dallyer to that of an Olympic level dawdler. The shed was well organised, the garden weeded and the record collections alphabetised. Rooms were repainted, cars hoovered and dogs walked to exhaustion. … Continued

📷 Photo above by Sandy Butler Once upon a time, many years ago in late 2010 the committee of the Edinburgh International Harp Festival reached out to me with an exciting proposal: to craft a piece that would celebrate their 30th anniversary while also honouring the 80th anniversary of the Clarsach Society. This opportunity felt … Continued

📷 Photos by Jannica Honey How did someone’s painful arm become a four year music project exploring the many moments of a woman’s life that are usually experienced in silence? It was mid-COVID times. My partner, an incredibly strong woman who I was used to seeing endure trials and tribulations way beyond any I could … Continued

📷 Photo by Alleksana Photography For any artist, the creation of an album is a journey – one that often takes unexpected turns and reveals itself gradually. Fable, my latest album, was no exception. What began as a collection of songs I felt deeply connected to evolved into a cohesive exploration of Scottish folklore, history, and … Continued

“You’re so lucky to play music” The poignant song ‘Everything is free’ by Gillian Welsh skilfully captures a dynamic where we as musicians can be damned when faint praise replaces a full appreciation of worth. It can feel that the glistening tip of the iceberg is sometimes the only aspect appreciated by even loyal fans. … Continued