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.

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

Rick, a.k.a. DJ Buddha, had some good news for me a few weeks back.  It turns out he entered me into another competition a while back in Acoustic Magazine.  To cut a long story short, I had made the final 10 and was invited to play live in Exeter at the Phoenix Theatre.  After driving, flying to Cardiff, then the Train to Exeter in probably the hottest heat I’ve experienced this year, I spent much of the day in my B&B room in my underwear watching the tennis.  It was far too hot to do anything.  I stayed in Exeter for the night and made my way to the Phoenix for 9:45am in the morning.

I met some wonderful people there, who were also participating, and the staff from Acoustic Magazine were very welcoming and nice all round.  The sound was brilliant and we got to play in the Theatre.  I got to go on 2nd as I had to get back to Edinburgh by plane in the afternoon.  It went really well and I enjoyed the set I played.  Longest way I’ve went to play 2 songs.

I met a cool band called, wait for it…Troubadour; a 2 piece from Blackpool who were very good.  And a nice lass called Jo who was only 5′ and had cool dreads.  It was a pity I had to leave as I enjoyed the acts I saw and I felt very priviliged to be a part of the day.

We did get these very cool ‘Goody Bags’ with a couple of magazines, Strings, Peg Winder, a Breed Love calendar, and a years subscription to Acoustic Guitar Mag.  Brilliant!!    I was also informed that I would be getting some exposure in an upcoming Acoustic Magazine.  All in all it’s very exciting.

If by some chance I actually win I get a Breed Love acoustic guitar (which are stunningly beautiful!) some recording equipment, and a set at the Beautiful Days festival!!  That would be very cool.  I should find out on Monday.

Saying that I was happy to get to the final and play.  It was another huge confidence boost and everyone was so kind about my performance.  Just to take part and be invited was a dream come true.

So, it’s full steam ahead with the completion of the album.  I’ll keep you posted with any news.

 The one drawback with the competition is that Exeter is miles away, well past London, which means I will have to fly to Cardiff and then get a train to Exeter. I’m not worried though, I’m really looking forward to the competition. At the moment I’m just looking forward to chilling out and enjoying some time with my wife and son.

I was asked last year if I wanted to write some original material for Origin Scotland and the Exile Band’s debute album.  I jumped at the chance and wrote 3 songs for the project.  Origin Scotland is a music ministry based in Edinburgh and South Africa.  They include a large choir, orchestral instruments and a fantastic band.  I had the privilege of being part of the ministry as their lead guitar player a couple of years ago.

Anyway, we recorded the album on the Isle of Mull in January 2009 and it was released a week last Sunday at a Praise night in Edinburgh.  It really is a great album, very powerful Christian music, and also has songs written by my friends Mark Calder and Rebecca Hardie Nee Plant.

You can check out Origin and/or purchase a copy of their album here.

I’m looking forward to writing more.  I’m hoping to record my own Christian Album at the beginning of next year.  I’ve been deeply inspired by the music of Eric Bibb recently and I am hoping to do a similiar album to his very cool Spirit and the Blues.

I’ve been terribly ill of late and unable to apply myself to anything.  I’ve made it along to gigs, and that’s been keeping me going, but the rest of the time I’m a bit of a zombie.  I already suffer from depression and anxiety, brought on by years of alcohol abuse, which is controlled with medication, but I developed a mighty pain in my crown jewels last August.  Thinking the worst I went to get it checked out at my Doctors.  At first the gave me antibiotics for an infection called epididymitis.  That didn’t work and it was getting much worse, so they sent me for an ultra-sound.   I went and got the KY Jelly smeared all over me (very weird sensation!) and it turned out I had varicose veins in my scrotum and that they could explain the pain I was suffering.  It’s also known as varicocele.  The great thing was I didn’t have anything life threatening.  The bad news, it wasn’t considered an emergency so I had to  wait until April to get an operation to fix it.  Also known as a Varicocele embolision.  This is where they  put a big wire in through your groin, travel up your veins to your stomach, then down towards the testicles.  They then place platinum coils in the varicose vein to block it and stop the blood flow causing the swelling.

All was going well until the told me they could only do one side.  This was due to not having the appropriate catheter.  I’m going back in next week where they will go in from the vein in my neck as they will have the equipment then.

I have been on very strong pain killers for quite a while now and, as they do relieve me from being very sore, they make me quite drowsy.  The problem is I can’t do anything while I’m sore.  All I want to do is crash out in my bed.  The other option is to take the pain killers and be a zombie.  Because of this my work-flow has been hit hard, I’ve lost actual work, I’ve had to cancel gigs, and my college work has been effected.

With that pretty much hitting me all the time, I was in the bath a couple of weeks ago and my right ear suddenly went deaf.  Again I went to the Doctors and they are making me wait for 2 weeks until they drain it.  I’ve been given ear drops which I’ve been using.  It’s been very weird and difficult to sing and play gigs, or do menial tasks, with only one working ear.

The whole experience has left my depression levels a bit low as it’s all left me feeling drained.  But I suppose things could be worse.

The good news is I’m still gigging.  My music has been keeping me going.  I was in Germany again in April for the semi-final of the Troubadour competition.  I came second which secured me a place in the final on the 12th of June.  I was put up by Kim Nixon, who was runner up to me in the first round.  I really love Germany and Berlin has so much history and culture.  The German people, are quite  simply, wonderful.

I have also been able to continue with my album, albeit rather slowly.  My college, JEVC, has been refurbished big time and it has had a whopping amount of cash spent on their recording studio.  Apparently its better that the BBC’s studio.  It really was amazing.  I have been allowed to go into the studio so that the students have someone to record with a bit of experience.  I think we will be doing another album in there after the summer.

Back in January I had the great privilege of writing and contributing to an album of original Christian music for Origin Scotland.  I wrote 3 songs for the album and two of my close friends both contributed equally.  The album has band, choir, and orchestral instruments in the tracks.  We spent a week recording on the Isle of Mull at a fantastic Studio run by the Scottish charity An Airde.  It’s been a bit of a struggle for the Sound Engineer Ewan Mcrae but it’s finally done, and we should be getting the finished CD in the next week.  I am really looking forward to it.

Open Doors have also asked if I’d play at the annual Christian festival Frenzy on their stage.  I’ve got the Origin band coming with me to promote and sell some of their CDs.  My good pal Jodi Anne Thomson is coming to sing too and the guys in the band are going to back her songs.  It’s going to be a cracking show.

So all is not lost.  The summer festivals are looming as is the completion of my first album.  I’m really looking forward to getting better, travelling, and writing new material.  Things can always be worse.  I remember where I was  over 3 years ago and realise that I am very lucky to be here.  So I persevere in my struggles and rejoice in my sufferings.  I have a feeling that the horizon yields great tidings.