Things have gotten really busy and the gigs have come and gone, as well as some charity work, and the official album launch.  I have been really blessed and encouraged by the support from all my mates. friends, and people who enjoy my music and ministry.

As well as all the concerts in the last few weeks I have been traveling down to sunny Newcastle to record songs with my manager Mick and his good mate, and top sound engineer, Dave.  We began with recording a few new tracks, Wait to fly, Fighting talk, and rerecorded some of my old material.

My manager Mick has had some past success in the music industry and has been giving me a few pointers.  We both agree that the majority of my music is longer than the average song on the radio.  There are also other aspects of radio friendly songs that I have been learning; song structure, melody, hooks, chorus, middle 8 etc.  It’s all been a fascinating learning curve.  While I know and understand how much of the mainstream song structure is tailored to a specific criteria, I didn’t want to restrict myself and not give it a bash.  While I’ll never write (I hope) cheesy crappy catchy pop songs, I’d like to think that I had a good go at writing radio friendly songs.  I still want the lyrics to be good, I still want the music to be good, and I still want to enjoy writing and singing my songs.

We rerecorded Man in the cold, Rattle, Alone in the dark, 2112, Alcoholic Synonymous, and two versions of Grace.  We have also recorded a version of Mary Mary‘s Shackles.  Things are really starting to sound great.  It’s taken a wee while but the recording is really coming together.  I was a bit unsure how the cover of Shackles would turn out.  It’s a cracking song and the original version is brilliant.  I had to sing it in B minor which is a long way off the original’s G minor as I had a touch of difficulty with the range.  It turned out not too bad with an acoustic guitar part and vocals.  I added 3 backing vocal parts so the chorus sounds like a gospel barbershop quartet.  I also slowed down the tempo so it’s really old school Gospel.

So as our first stint of recording will be coming to a close this Thursday we have LOADS of new projects lined up.  I am writing music for a worship album.  It is NOT easy!  In fact its really difficult.  Not only is it hard to write about something that has been done so many times already, writing for a congregation is very different to anything I’ve done previously.

While I love to worship God in song my songs are not as cheerful as your average Christian track.  I have been heavily influenced by Blues, folk, jazz, americana, trip hop, Jimi Hendrix, and a whole load of Led Zepplin.   If I’m honest I find being a disciplined Christian very difficult and times can be tough.  I’m trying to get this across in my music whilst looking at very real things.  An example would be the song I am writing about the crucifixion.  While I know that Christ died for me, for my SIN, and everyone elses too, he was beaten, severely tortured, and executed.  Forgive me if I’m wrong but none of these things sound very ‘Happy Clappy’ to me.  The resurrection on the other hand is a time for limitless celebration!  I have only written a verse and chorus to the crucifixion song.  It took me 2 days.  It took me another 2 days of hard work to realise that I had to leave the song for the time being.  Nothing else I wrote worked or had the same power.  I did play what I had written for a friend, who isn’t a Christian, and it moved him to tears.  When I explained my frustrations he said, “You have to be patient.  Yo have to earn a song like that.”  It was exactly what I needed to hear.  So I’m still waiting to take it up again, and while I wait I am writing other songs and really searching within myself and asking God to lead me.

As well as the album of worship music I have decided to record an album of my favorite worship songs/hymns like Power in the blood.  I have led songs like this in my church and elsewhere.  They have so much depth and power in their lyrics, grammar, and language; something I find modern worship music (not all) can lack.  I’m looking through some old old hymn books, which is so much fun and really nourishing, finding inspiration, and other songs to record.

So times have been busy.  I think we’re just about to get busier.

There are many things I love about Berlin.  The public transport is brilliant.  Considering I had been awake all night, as I had to leave at 4am to get my 6am flight, I didn’t think I’d have much bother traveling to my friends flat in Kopenick.  I was wrong. Unfortunately there were works being done on the S Bahn rain lines between the main circle line and my destination Kopenick.  I had to get replacement buses.  By the time I got to my friends flat I was exhausted.  I had 2 hours of sleep before leaving for the WABE in the centre of Berlin; the venue for the 2010 Troubadour final.

I got to the WABE without too much difficulty.  It was great to see the host of the Troubadour competition, Mckinley Black, and her team.  As always they were very welcoming and friendly.  Mckinley asked me if I’d be interested in singing with her during her opening performance.  I was honoured!  Unfortunately, my sleep deprived brain couldn’t remember the words, the chords, or work out a harmony part.  It wasn’t going to work out.  I did play some guitar in a higher  postition which worked really well.  Our performance was great fun and well received by the audience.

I really enjoyed the competition as I was under no pressure this year.  All the acts were great and, I must admit, there was very little between them.  It took the judges over an hour to decide.  You can see the results here.  I played a couple of tracks; Caught in the river (premier performance) and EMI.  I went down really well and managed to sell all my CDs bar a few EPs.

I had posted a small box of albums in the hope they would arrive in Berlin and save me extra baggage on the flight.  They hadn’t arrived and I only managed to take 10 albums and a handful of EPs.  I was very encouraged though by the sales.

I must have drunk my weight in Red Bull in order to stay awake.  I was soooooo tired!  I wanted to stay out and party but, alas, my age and my state of mind had caught up with me.  I returned home to bed and slept until noon the next day.

The Saturday consisted of laziness and ice-cream.  I did a bit of window shopping in Kopenick’s shopping centre.  I then went to see a friend play at the Friei University of Berlin.  It was an open day at the University in honour of Science.  My friend Nika did really well and even played a couple of tracks with her friends band.  Unfortunately, because of the transport problems it took 2 and a half hours to get there and the same time to get home.  I was exhausted by the evening.

The next morning I once again traveled across Berlin city centre as I attended the International Baptist Church of Berlin for their midday English service.  What a wonderful and welcoming church.  The Pastor asked any guests to lift their hands and we were presented with a New Testament and a prayer card which I filled in.  After the Service I enjoyed some great food and fellowship with other members of the congregation.

I had just enough time to get home, shower, practice for 30 minutes, before heading out to Art Gerecht where I was to play an evening concert.  I had played Art Gerecht the previous year.  Unfortunately it the venue address had changed and I got lost on the way.  I did get there in the end with 15 minutes to spare.   My friends who were putting me up for a couple of days came to the gig, as did friends from the Troubadour final. My friend Nika and her sister were also in attendance.

Art Gerecht is a lovely venue with an acoustic stage.  I didn’t use an amp or mic.  It was an interesting experience .  My voice was really tired after a few songs.  Mckinley black was also in attendance which was super!  They passed the hat and I made a few bob.  It was the perfect end to a great weekend.

Tiredness had caught up with me on the way back to Kopenick with my hosts.  I had a good sleep before returning to Scotland on the 9am flight.  I am already looking forward to returning to Berlin later in the year.

It’s a strange one.  When I drank I had no problem accepting cash or  could have been quite comfortable taking payment of some kind.  Now?  While I know I need to eat and support my family I still feel very uncomfortable accepting money for telling people the truth.  Bizarre!  I don’t have a problem asking to sell my CDs.  I think because it an actual product, if you get my meaning.

The other strange, yet wonderful, thing is that word is starting to spread by word of mouth and recommendation.  Gigs have been flying in to the point that I’m mixing up months and forgetting various bits and bobs.  I have remedied this by use of a Google Calendar between my wife, manager, and friends.  I’m really looking forward to the summer.  I’ve got some great gigs booked.  There’s even talk of a road-trip down to sunny Wales for a week to do some gigs.

More Recently I played at Barley Viewforth church last Sunday.  It’s a huge church here in Edinburgh.  It’s the kind of building that left me feeling awestruck when I stood on the stage.  It was an incredible night.  Although I was quite nervous, which seems to happen more when I’m talking, and full of mistakes, I was very well received.  The Minister, Rev. Sam Torrens, thanked me after I’d given my testimony and played some songs.  Then he read a Psalm for me; Psalm 40.  Now I’ll be honest.  I don’t know my Bible cover to cover so what I was about to here blew me out my socks!  I nearly broke down!  It was my life, or indeed my testimony, described back to me!  He read as follows:

Psalm 40: 1-3 (NIV)

¹ I waited patiently for the LORD;
he turned to me and heard my cry.

² He lifted me out of the slimy pit,
out of the mud and mire;
he set my feet on a rock
and gave me a firm place to stand.

³ He put a new song in my mouth,
a hymn of praise to our God.
Many will see and fear
and put their trust in the LORD.

I can’t find the words to describe what this meant to me.   I will say that I am going to put it to my own music.  Hallelujah!

S.

Seraphim Jane Macleod was born on the morning of the 19th of January. She is my little Angel!! It’s the strangest thing looking down at this little helpless baby who looks like me! I’ve started to call her Mini. She was a whopping 10lbs 11 oz. My wife Jane is officially my hero! The last 20 minutes of the labour was horrible! I’ve never seen anything like it. I felt a bit useless sitting there rubbing Jane’s back. I didn’t do much really. I’m glad to say both wife and daughter are both doing great!

The album launch has been a great success! The response I’ve had has been overwhelming! I have been lucky enough to play some of my music at Origin Scotland gigs. We also had our first 2 concerts at Holy Trinity Wester Hailes and Penicuik South Parish. Both were great nights! My poor bass player Dave Biddulph was suffering from gastric flu at the Penicuik gig. He looked like he’d gone 10 rounds with Joe Frazer. What a trooper!

I’ve also had a couple of great reviews from Cross Rhythms and Christianity Today.

So it’s busy busy busy at the moment. I’ll keep everyone posted.

I have written a small song, 3 verses and a chorus, and am making these lyrics available to anyone who wants them in the hope they will create their own music.  I hope we can start a bit of networking and have a bit of fun.  If you decide to write music to the lyrics please feel free to use the song in anyway you see fit.  I ask for nothing except for a wee mention as lyricist. I and a few others plan to put up our songs on myspace in a week or 2.  I’ll gladly put a link to your site/profile if you want to take part.  Just get in touch via the contact page. So here’s the song:

If I could

Verse 1

I wish I could see the wind

Where it starts and where it ends

We would dance forever friends

If I could see the wind

Chorus

I want to hold you in my hands

I want to hold you in my hands

I want to make them understand

I want to make them understand

Verse 2

I wish I could hold the sun

I’d shine a smile on everyone

Nowhere to hide, Nowhere to run

If I could hold the sun

Chorus

Verse 3

I wish I could summon rain

Breath the scented air again

Lose myself in a state of play

If I could summon rain

Chorus

It was at Carrubers Christian Centre in Edinburgh; a beautiful church on the Royal Mile. It was set out like a cafe with dimmed lights and a warm homely feeling which was really nice and ambient. The quality of the sound in the venue was brilliant and the staff there were absolutely fantastic.

I was supporting American guitarist, and all round nice guy, Trace Bundy aka the Acoustic Ninja. Now I’ve supported a few good folk in the past but what did it for me was Trace’s wonderful personality as well as his abilities as a musician. He really was pretty cool bashing out some Metallica classics using a guitar app on his iPhone to playing tracks with 5 capos, a loop machine, and some quality percussion on his Macpherson guitar.

I got some great feedback from both Trace and the crowd so I was really pleased the way the gig went.

I also enjoyed the fact my wife and son were there, as were my friends. I’m glad I get to take James, my son, to various gigs and let him hear music other than the weekly dose of the x-factor. I’m not allowed to watch it in my house anymore as I get very upset about the whole thing.

Getting back to the point, it was a great start to promoting the album which will be out in January.

I have attached a youTube video of Trace. He’s a clever bloke so he is.

My good mate Andy, who is recording the album, is in his final year t Uni so he’s plagued with study and work.  The very same is true for Si, my drummer, who is also immersed in study and work.  Dave on Bass is a full time employee of the Bethany Christian Centre, the people who got me back on my feet, and is also busy.

However, we have acquired a room from a mate of Si’s where we can record the last of it.  We’re pushing for a strong finish.

On a completely unrelated subject, I’m recording another album in November.  I had planned on doing a Christian album next year with Euan MacRae and a Christian Charity called An Airde.  I had the privilege of recording at their studio on the Isle of Mull in January when I contributed to the Origin Scotland abum; UnBroken.  I met with Euan last week to discuss the project and he had some interesting news.  He said that he and his wife were moving to the Isle of Man in January as he was taking on a Pastoral position at a church.  Basically he said it had to be before Christmas or never.  I didn’t want to miss the opportunity of working with Euan.  The man is a genius.  So I told him we’d go for it.  Trouble is, I’m having to prepare and rehearse a 10 track album, organise and rehearse a band, and sort out a fundraiser and travel for everyone. Phew!!  All of this before the end of the first week in October.  We are recording in the first week of November for 2 weeks solid.  I have to finish all the songs in the next couple of days (it’s going really well).  The hard work will be the hardcore rehearsing in October.  My lovely wife has come on board to help with the organisation of everything.

It’s all go and I’m feeling very blessed at the moment.  The amount of support I’ve been getting has poured in from every direction.  There are people I’ve just met recently that want to help out.  I’m also writing some great stuff that really means a lot to me.  I’m feeling really close to God and I’m so happy that I have the opportunity to be involved in a project that intends to honour him.