Often I'm on stage on my own as the solitary singer song writer. I prefer playing with friends because it's easier and because I love the way the songs grow when other people are part of the music.
Influences
Over the years I’ve been inspired by Nick Drake, Ani DiFranco, Leonard Cohen, Bach & Debussy, Julie London, Astrid Gilberto and Nina Simone. I listen to music quite rarely these days and I no longer listen to most of the above but I’m sure their music still lives inside me.
More recently I’ve been captured by the songs of Dougie MacLean, Karine Polwart and my friends Stringmansassy. I’m just beginning to delve into the history of old folks songs of Scotland and I think this is becoming a much bigger influence in my own songs. Recently I wrote my first song in the third person, trying to capture a picture of someone else’s life. I rarely go to folk clubs but whenever I do I love encountering the mishmash of songs recounting the stories of long forgotten lives.
Undoubtedly the people who have had the biggest influence on me musically have been the people I’ve played and shared music with, especially Michelle le Masurier.
When I was 7 my parents decided to send me to piano lessons with a lovely old lady and continued to pay for them despite the fact I was one of her least able pupils. I feel music rather than see it and I suspect she knew it but didn’t know how to support this. Song writing evolved naturally when I taught myself guitar as a teenager. I see creative expression as a kind of emotional composting and I sometimes wonder what my life would look life if I hadn’t been able to write songs.
In 1997 I became part of a Glasgow based duo called Icarus with my good friend Michelle le Masurier. Sometimes certain combinations of people work perfectly: Michelle & I were learning our craft but we were good.
Its hard to explain what your music is like when it doesn't fit neatly into any categories.
I used to describe us as: Haunting vocals, well-woven melodies and duets, with lyrics that occasionally bite.
Quiet music is generally lost in the drunken chatter of bars so Icarus tended to play in coffee shops and art galleries. We also played at the Celtic Connections open stage and various ‘queer’ festivals. Icarus produced two small run CDs:
Riverside (EP 2000) & Wiser (Album 2003).
In 2002 Icarus came to an end because I moved to Australia and lost my voice for 2 years - life happens.
Without a voice to sing with I found it very difficult to write songs and
being a stranger in a new land devoid of musical contacts I decided to grow veggies instead of songs. Meanwhile my songs (and life) were being woven into a beautiful documentary which sent my music all over the world as it toured over 30 film festivals. Travis Reeves created “Funny Kinda Guy” (2005), an exceptional and award winning documentary that is well loved and definitely worth getting your hands on. If you are interested in my music or in fantastic independent cinema please visit the film’s website www.funnykindaguy.com.
By 2005 my new voice was almost ready and I started to gig occasionally in Queensland, Australia and managed to make a small name for myself at the Woodford Folk Festival 2005/06, just 3 weeks before I was set to move back to Scotland!
In 2006 I moved back to Scotland to live on the wee island of Iona. My time of Iona was incredibly inspiring and also incredibly difficult; it had a massive impact on both me and my music. I was living on Iona as part of a Christian community that is known for its innovative and open minded worship; music is a big part of what they do and until this point of time I'd never played music in a church in my life! Actually I'd done the opposite, I'd refused to play in churches because I was tremedously unsure of the whole thing. Life in the community involved a lot of singing and a great outcome from this was that my voice grew into itself a lot. Musically I learnt a huge amount because for the first time ever I had to play songs I hadn't written. In 2008 just before I left Iona I released my first solo album 'Sacred Earth' which I'm still very excited about. The album is about my life on Iona: an incredibly ancient and holy place juxtaposed with the intensity of living in an intense modern day Abbey.
So where do I go from here? Well actually I don't know so watch this space. I’d quite like to be a bard but seeing as that tradition died off many moons ago I’ll need to carve out a new niche for myself.
Hi Simon! Love the pictures, the place looks fantastic. ]:)
I also loved the CD, by the way - absolutely beautiful, both musicallly and lyrically. You've put so much of your heart and soul into it that listening to the album is like having you there in the room. Hope you're enjoying the peace and quiet out there in New England, and I'm looking forward to a proper catch-up when you get back.
HAPPY BIRTHDAY BIG BROTHER xxxxxx :) sending you loads of love & hugs Hope you have a great day what ever your up to on your travels :) Speak soonish lots of love Gin xxx
Wow! Listened to your songs the other day and was totally blown away. Now just listened to Lovers, and have been blown away again. I don't know how you do it! Can't wait for the album. I think you are doing well with all the web stuff, even though you may be very confused by it! Hope you are well. Love, Lorna x
