I admire: Loudon Wainwright, Richard Thompson, Dick Gaughan, Michael Marra, Ry Cooder, Steve Earle, Robert Burns, J.Scott Skinner, Michael Marra, Randy Newman, Jim King, Waterson/Carthy, Battlefield Band, The Corries, The Dubliners, Robin Hall and Jimmie McGregor, Matt McGinn, Adam McNaughtan, The Proclaimers... (endless list, always being added to).. Crowded House, Eddi Reader, Karen Matheson....
I don't know about influences, but here's some people whose songs and music I really like :Loudon Wainwright, Richard Thompson, Dick Gaughan, Michael Marra, Ry Cooder, Steve Earle, Robert Burns, J.Scott Skinner, Michael Marra, Randy Newman, amongst others. And, yes, I know Michael Marra is in the list twice and so should Randy Newman be, and if you ask me next week, I'll give you a different list.
My own songs range over many different subjects - all the way from the philosophical insights afforded by a pigeon, or the restorative properties of Our Other National Drink, to fury over the Iraq conflict and other lunacies of our time
Click on the Scotloads icon below to download my songs.
My voice has been described, not unfairly, as being "able to bend the needle on a record player". (It was Ian Davison that said that). Guitar style? Hmm .. " a bit crap" describes it, I think. I play mandolin "a bit".
So, yeah, I have won the Girvan Folk Festival Songwriting Competition twice, but on the other hand, one of those years there was just me and a tone-deaf dog - and the dog's entry was called "My Pretty Budgie".
I've performed as a floor artist at the Star Folk Club, and at Stirling and Houston Folk Clubs (not as floor singer, because Houston don't have floor spots) , and I'm regularly to be heard at the Wednesday Singers Session (Unsaintly Singers) at Morrison's Bar on Clyde Street in Glasgow.
My song "Coming Home" has been recorded professionally by Ian Bruce as "Comin Hame", featuring on his album "Demon's Dance". You can listen to Ian's version at: Ian Bruce's Site.
There's a review of Ian's CD "Demon's Dance" Here.... The review says (ahem) very nice things about my song (blush).
It's also been arranged in a four-part version for Edinburgh choir Protest In Harmony, and is sung by the Eurydice choir.
I was born in 1957, but reserve the right to decline any more birthdays. I'm married and have two children who experience differing degrees of embarrassment about Dad's singing depending on whether I am in the supermarket when I do it. Born and brought up in Springburn in Glasgow, I have done more jobs than I can, or care to, remember.
The song "Coming Home" is mentioned here Tom Shields' Column in the Sunday Herald, and also in "Weegies vs Edinbuggers 2" by Ian Black.
From Merr Weegies vs Edinbuggers
By
Ian Black
Black & White Publishing 2005
"At a concert supported by the Scottish Refugee Council in Partick
Burgh Halls in Glasgow, there was a trio of Kurds from Iraq playing
onstage, making joyful music, so joyful in fact that a few, and then a
few more, and after a minute every Kurd in the hall, about twenty men,
women and kids, were up dancing, giving it laldy big time. They were
joined by some the Glasgow-born presentm, and they danced in a big
circle in front of the stage. The guy in the seat next to me leaned
over smiling and said "These f*ckers are going to fit right in, aren't
they?"
His mate said "Whit's the Kurdish for 'Gaun yersel, big man?' and then
just shouted it in Glaswegian anyway. For those unversed in
Weegie-speak this is a form of very serious approbation and
encouragement. One of the Glasgow-borns involved in the concert was
Steven Clark, who allowed me to use his song "Home Again", with its
deathless lines about the difference between Edinburgh and Glasgow:
"One has a castle, the other a heart" in the first Weegies vs
Edinbuggers.
He wrote a song to welcome our New Glaswqegians and it was sung as a
finale for the concert by everyone, inlcuding our New Glaswegians. I
could hardly sing it for the lump in my throat. The tune is Steven's
own."
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im passing by to say sorry for the false start on the open mic a couple of weeks ago, it was out of my hands and i hope to make up for it by finaly getting the night going :o)
The New Linen Open Mic is Starting this Sunday (6th July) at 8pm.
All instruments and styles are welcome and its the usual Free Beer for all performers :o)
i'll even have a guitar and keyboard set up for anyone to use.
extra beer and munchies for anybody who came along to the false-start and was let down!
If you're not up to anything on Friday, I'm starting my residency at Scotch Corner (next door to The Clutha Vaults) on Stockwell St. I'll be playing each Friday night from 9.30 onwards. A mix of my own stuff and some covers (but no fucking pop-hits!).
Hello Steven, Many many Thanks for being my new "space" friend. Find your songs and music really very nice and love "Coming Home Live" so much ! Thanks for the pleasure you're giving us with your music. Wish you many many success !! Have a fabulous weekend ! Musical Greetings, Rose-Marie, Belgium
I've been goin tae do this for ages...anyway,I don't know if you've "visited" Ken's Folk Page on myspace ??Great comments about you & your "Jock Tamson's Bairns"sorry I can't mind title..I think He's " awarded " your songwriting.He has a great site,& if you'r not already on his Friends,you should pay him a wee visit, Cheers Steevie, Anne Gomez
Hi Steven, listening to your songs made me feel almost home again! I like the considered and well-observed lyrics and your playing style. I shall listen out for you if I ever make it back across the Wall. Merry Christmas,Jet
What's up? We are coming to Scotland for the 1st time on Dec. 27th....play a show in Pitlochry, then King Tut's on the 28th....don't know what to expect?.....we are opening for Kevin Montgomery.
He told us we have to wear woolie jumpers or something? What is a jumper?!
Hope to you can make it out! Shurman
Hope you are having a good Christmas season. I wanted to let you know that i'm coming to Scotland on Dec. 27th. We play Pitlochry on the 27th, Glasgow on the 28th, and then come back to Inverness, Glenfarg, and Edinburgh in mid-January.
I hope to see you at one of the shows!
Until then.......Happy Trails,
AP
Yeh I did send you an email saying it would be great to have you do a slot. I will be in touch soon with actual times once I have sorted out the line-up. Feel free to pass the word about for other people to come and busk or jam.
Hi Steven Thanks for agreeing to the request and for your comments. I found you via Wendy (Arrowsmith)'s myspace page and really liked your music, especially 'You can see Ben Lomand' (which is always an excellent thing to do anyway!) Cheers, John
Thank you Steven. I did my homework and got Jim McLean's permission to record "Smile in Your Sleep" - I think he likes the version I've done too (Whew!) TTFN, Wendy
