What do you do in the Scottish Music Scene?
I co-founded and run Underground Sounds Edinburgh which is a promotions company putting on gigs in Edinburgh. I also co-founded Wee Records Edinburgh, a record label that previously worked with the likes of The Links and Between The Lines. Due to lockdown I have started a weekly Spotify playlist featuring the best up and coming artists, often collabing with artists on the playlist and writing reviews on the latest tracks coming out of the Scottish Scene. I have recently started doing PR for artists and working with Indoor Foxes, so a wee bit of everything really!
What made you want to get involved?
My parents have always been playing music, so I grew up with music around me, my brother managed a band in Glasgow and my dad was involved in the Glasgow music scene when he was growing up. As soon as I had been to my first live show, a spark was ignited and I knew that I wanted to be involved in making that feeling happen for other people, the magic of bringing live music to people. I did a short course about Music Business at The Academy of Music and Sound which led me to start studying Music Business at Edinburgh College and now I am studying at Perth UHI.
What’s the best thing about the Scottish Music Scene?
There are so many good things to say about the Scottish Music Scene, it’s hard to pick out the best! I think because Scotland as a country is relatively small, there is a bit of a family feel to the music scene, there is a lot of support between each other and a lot of space for cool collaboration which is really nice! I also think the genres and sounds coming out of Scotland are so diverse and show that we aren’t a one trick pony!
Did anybody help you get started in the Scottish Music Scene?
Oh so many people! I think going to Edinburgh College had the most profound effect on me, I made so many contacts just from my other classmates and my lecturers Paul, Bruce and Mike were so supportive. Craig Wares, who I met on the course has always championed me and encouraged me to go further in my career, Lauren Fernie who helped co-found Underground Sounds with me, Lou Rogers who has introduced me to so many cool people. I also volunteered at Wide Days in 2019 which helped me connect with new people and was great experience to have under my belt!
There is so many people in various areas in the industry who has offered me support along the way in my journey into the Scottish Scene and I appreciate every one of them.
Who inspires you in the Scottish Music Scene?
The teams at DF and Tenement TV are always really creative and working with incredible artists so I look up to that a lot and aspire to be at that level one day. From studying, Hannah Campbell and Jo Dargie have gone on to do such amazing things since college, are absolutely bossing it and I really admire their work ethic. Chow and Cathie at Saiko, making a print magazine which is SO cool!
Who’s your favourite Scottish Artist?
Picking just one is so hard! I love Indoor Foxes but I do work with her so that is a bit biased. I really love The Riot Vans, Walt Disco and Cherry Bleach right now too.
What advice would you give to somebody wanting to get involved?
Just go for it! There will be times where things don’t go the way you had hoped or planned but that is all part of the learning process!
Things to avoid doing when starting out in the music industry?
I think having an ego, you need to be humble and not expect things of others.
The best bit of advice you’ve received?
I have always been told to be nice to people. A lot of the time in the creative industries it is not about what you know but who you know, you don’t want to have burnt bridges that may help you one day.
