Steph who?

On February 13th 2006, Steph Macleod found himself in the Bethany Christian Centre, a 17 bed hostel for homeless men with addiction problems. He had previously been living rough in Edinburgh where he begged on the streets to feed his addiction. During his 8 months rehab Steph began addressing the problems that caused him to block out the world with substance and alcohol abuse.  It was during this time that he also found the saving grace of Jesus Christ!

Steph had once been a promising classical guitar student at the Royal Scottish Academy of Music and Drama, but personal problems, stemming from his teenage years, led him to escape using alcohol and drugs. These problems continued to grow and grow until they became his soul priority in everyday life.

While staying at the Bethany Centre in Edinburgh Steph picked up a guitar, for the first time in years, and began to write songs about his experiences of substance abuse and homelessness. It was the first time Steph had written songs and the first time he had really sung anything. In the summer of 2006 Steph recorded 6 acoustic tracks at a studio on Easter Road Edinburgh, which he then posted up on MySpace. The response to songs like ‘Alcoholic Synonymous’ and ‘Man in the cold’ were overwhelming as many people could relate to Steph’s experiences. This continued to give Steph the motivation to get back on his feet.

Steph found great comfort and healing in both writing songs and his faith. After leaving the addiction centre in Edinburgh, Steph continued to write music and started performing in and around his local area. A year later he had married and started a family which greatly influenced his writing. He began to network with other musicians and music lovers via the internet, and continued to travel to play gigs and various festivals.

With the help of friends and college students Steph was able to continue recording and performing around the UK. Through entering various competitions Steph was offered sets at festivals like The Retrofest, The Belladrum Festival,The Wizard Festival, and The Spratton Folk Festival. He also competed and won the 2009 Troubadour Acoustic Singer Songwriter competition in Berlin, Germany. Steph has also had his music used in Independent film and TV.

In the the last 2 years Steph has been performing both as a solo acoustic singer songwriter and also with his band The Whiney Shuffle. The 3 piece band consist of Steph, bassist Dave Biddulph, and drummer Si Walker. The Whiney Shuffle compliment the intimate, personal, and honest sound of Steph’s solo songs with bold beats, addictive grooves, and energetic performance.

Steph also writes and performs music that is greatly influenced by his faith. In 2008 &  2009, he was asked if he would like to contribute to Origin Scotland’s album Un|Broken to which he gladly accepted.  He wrote 3 songs for the album.  It was during this time that he got to know Euan MacRae and Scottish Christian Charity An Airde and started talking about recording his own project.  Later that year, and with the kind help of Origin Scotland’s Exile Band, Steph wrote and recorded a 12 track Christian album which is a personal account of his walk in faith and the impact it has had on his recovery from alcohol and drug abuse. Steph has also worked with Christian organizations like Origin Scotland, Open Doors, and the Bethany Christian Trust.