Edinburgh International Film Festival

Attended the opening film last night, an amusing comedy / thriller from Ireland "The Guard". Director made some very funny and candid comments on the director of a previous movie he'd written the screnplay for  (Ned Kelly). Enjoyable lower budget movie with some crass humour, quite enjoyed it!

After party was much quieter than usual, off home sharpish. Missed The Apprentice!

http://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/the_guard_2011/ 

Some recent pix...

Scots Comics God Publishes Definitive Work!

Grant Morrison has his eagerly awaited book on super heroes published shortly.

Jings...how time flies

Been a while since I was on here. Janice asked why I have a blog. I suppose my kids can see it and figure out where my head was at. My good friend Phamie Gow has a new album out, ok, I'm biased, but this is very, very good. http://dev.phamiegow.com/ 

Been speaking to awesome plank spanker Preston Reed recently. Often imitated, never bettered. Attended Wide Days today, music event in Edinburgh.

PC in my studio packed in (aaaarrrggghhh!) Need to get some pennies for a new one.

Off for a few days - financial year just wrapped, so it's nice to take a breather.

Happy birthday Calum!

well, its true what they say - they grow up fast. seems like 5 mins ago Calum was born in Livingston Infirmary, now he's 13. Took Erin ice skating in East Kilbride ice rink, good fun but she fell on her erse. Ouch. Going out shortly to light a chinese lantern with the kids (oops - teenager and erin) and watch it drift upwards and ...into the path of a jumbo, nae doot...

A blog is not just for Xmas

Jings, been ages since I posted on here! I suppose that's what happens when you get on other sites  (38Minutes) and other social thingies like Facebook, LinkedIn and Twitter - they sook up your time! But at the end of the day, this is my space where I can rant away to my hearts content.

Recording again

Just finished a weekend of recording; Derek and his lovely Gibson Semi Acoustic (mmm...jazz....nice) and Mark and Drew with some duo stuff.

The long haul...

ok, just back at work, and wondering how to get to the next public holiday / break - not until April (aaarrgh!)

oh...and Calum with his new bike

and here it is....

Well, a white Christmas a here - not the tightly defined nonsense dictated by the bookies - thick snow and a bright blue sky on Christmas Day. Plays havoc with the auto focus though!

 

Winter at last...

after weeks of the heaviest rain I can recall, we've had snow, and its bloody freezing here just now! more big grey clouds coming over, probably more snow. brrrr...

Elizabeth Fraser releases new single

Great to hear from my old pal Colin Wallace, who manages the ex-Cocteau Twins mega voice, Elizabeth Fraser. A great article in The Guardian here. Elizabeth's new single "Moses" is out now. We've been waiting, oh, seven years or so for the album! 

Tartan Clef Award

Attended the Tartan Clef Awards (third or fourth time) on Friday. King Creosote (AKA Kenny Anderson) won the songwriter of the year award, whilst the "surprise" of the night was Joe Elliot (Def Leppard) and his band to play "All the Way from Memphis" the old Mott the Hoople hit followed by - Mott the Hoople with Ian Hunter, Mick Ralphs and (ex Pretenders drummer) Martin Chambers. (I was in the lift with Ralphs and Chambers withour realising who they were...doh!)

 

Wilco Loves You

Just back from Leeds, went down to see the amazing Wilco at the Academy. The best live band in the world - these guys are awesome!

Busy, busy

Well, its award time again soon - the Scottish BAFTA's in a few weeks and the Nordoff Robbins Tartan Clef Awards (Scottish Music Industry) - these are great events, and its great to meet the people involved in film, tv and music. Just finished recording some songs for Alex, and continuing rehearals with a band of nice peeps. Looks like we will be doing an eclectic mix of Alt Americana and 70's funk...