FEATURE | MEET THE TEAM | GORDON JOHNSTONE

What’s your role at DM?
I’m new to the team – write single and album reviews with a bit of a bias towards electronic and experimental music.

How long have you been part of DM for? 
A few weeks!

Outwith DM, what do you do? 

My day job is marketing and PR. More excitingly, I’m also in the bands L-space and Post Coal Prom Queen – both of which make electronic pop – and I release neoclassical music under the moniker Emi James.

Why did you want to join DM?
Music is by far my biggest passion in life and I’ve always wanted to have a platform to shout about Scotland’s most talented and overlooked acts. Discovery Music is a great place to do that and the team are all fantastic.

Who’s your favourite Scottish artists? 
Just off the top of my head, and undoubtedly missing out a lot of people, I’d say Super Inuit, Chuchoter, and OK Button are some of my favourite acts at the moment

Best gig you have been to? 
Radiohead at Glasgow Green in 2007 was incredible – the atmosphere and the setlist were perfect. In terms of smaller gigs, I saw Frightened Rabbit and Twilight Sad many moons ago, both in King Tuts, and it’s impossible to choose between the two.

Best venue in Scotland you have been to?
 The Hug and Pint is a brilliant venue; the food is incredible, the sound people are stellar and the staff are wonderful. I hope it is returned to its former glory soon.

Favourite festival you have attended? 
I have fond memories of the Connect festival in 2007 – the only other one I’ve been to was the final T in the Park (which I had to go to with my work), which was…harrowing.

If you could create your own festival, who would be your 3 headliners?Lana Del Rey, Bjork and Wednesday Campanella.

What’s your favourite genre of music and why?  
Anything that challenges the listener. That’s probably why I listen to predominantly electronic music – people in that arena seem to push the boundaries of what is possible (and acceptable) more, which I find fascinating and addictive. When you find an act that sounds like nothing you’ve heard before, it’s a wonderful feeling.

How would you describe the Scottish music scene in 3 words?
Fails Bechdel test.

What’s the best and worst thing about the Scottish Music scene?
The best thing is the pockets of community and camaraderie you find all over the place; little micro-scenes of like-minded artists making incredible music and creating an environment where creativity can flourish. The worst thing is the overwhelming bias towards white, male, guitar-based bands at the expense of everything else. Also, predatory promotion companies ruin the scene for everyone.

Favourite drink at the pub?

Give me a Long Island Iced Tea and I’m a happy man.