I don’t know where I’m going from here, but I promise it won’t be boring. – David Bowie
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I played drums for Clare Grogan and her all-girl line up from 2012. We played regularly all year round across the UK and beyond, bringing hits like, I Could Be Happy, Don't Talk to Me About love and of course Happy Birthday, back to life.
Here is clip from the BBC Quay Sessions in December 2019:
Lola in Slacks
5 piece Glasgow band fronted by Lou Reid. We've been together since 2013 honing our sound. Louder Than War music magazine summed us up perfectly, "Like the Mary Chain, Lola in Slacks are classicists, consciously part of a lineage that takes in 70s New York, French chanson, and maverick individualists such as John Cale and early Roxy Music."
We released, 'Postscript in Blue' on limited edition vinyl & digitally in 2019 and our "lockdown" album was released in 2021 to critical acclaim.
The Hedrons
The first band I was in that gained a record deal and commercial success. I had an amazing journey with The Hedrons, a punk/rock band that formed in 2005 in Glasgow
We released three singles on the Glasgow based label, Measured Records. Two singles went top 5 and one went top 20 in the Scottish Chart. Our debut album One More Won't Kill Us was released on 5 February 2007.
After a 16 year hiatus we are back...ish! We re-released One More Won't Kill Us on vinyl for the first time in October 2021 through Last Night From Glasgow and in December 2023 we will release our second album which we decided not to release in 2008. It was like opening a time capsule, hearing all the studio work for the first time since 2008 and with some additional guitar and vocal works from Rosie and Tippi, it is now ready to be released - again through LNFG.
There will be a show to celebrate this in December 2023, so stay tuned!
Broken Chanter
https://www.brokenchanter.com/
I've been standing in on drums for David MacGregor (Broken Chanter) and band since February 2021 while original drummer Audrey Tait tours with globe with Franz Ferdinand.
I love getting the chance to play these songs as I was a fan of the band before the opportunity to drum came along!
Live & Tours
I have played at several UK music festivals including Download Festival, T in the Park and Isle of Wight. I also have numerous UK tours under my belt. I toured America three times also appeared at SXSW, Canadian Music Week and Quebec City Music Festival. In 2007 I toured Germany alongside the Pigeon Detectives and The Wombats. In California, I toured with Social Distortion playing sold out shows at House of Blues venues across the state and Las Vegas. During my stay in America I was part of a series of Club NME gigs and featured in an article in NME (UK) written by Alan McGee of Creation Records. I also appeared on the catwalk at Dressed to Kilt in New York in 2007 with my band mates.
Support Slots
I have been lucky enough to support the Sex Pistols, Rolling Stones and Alice in Chains and played to 15, 000 in Quebec supporting Billy Talent - all with The Hedrons.
TV & Radio Appearances
I appeared on Tubridy Tonight in Ireland with The Hedrons playing out the show and also on a Channel 4 documentary about Isle of Wight Festival. The Hedrons music videos received numerous plays on MTV....back when people watched MTV!
I've played live sessions on the Janice Long Show on BBC Radio 2, featured on Steve Lamaq's show on BBC Radio1, XFM, Radio Scotland (Vic Galloway, Bily Sloan, Tom Morton), and appeared on various other regional BBC stations across England and Wales.
I have had recent appearances on STV, BBC and in the Sunday Herald regarding my work with a 10 year old autistic student who suffers from selective mutism. I was interviewed on the Kaye Adams show about the work I do with this student and how music can be used as therapy.
I also appeared on STV news re the work I do with Mind Mosaic, a Greenock charity where I teach group of women survivors of childhood abuse. You can watch the news piece here:
Awards
In September 2007 The Hedrons were nominated for a BT Digital Music Award and we found ourselves in the same category as Dave Gilmour, Robbie Williams, Stereophonics and The Rakes. Our feat as the first ever European band to play a live gig in the virtual world, Second Life earned us the nomination. The glitzy event was held at the Roundhouse in London where we partied hard alongside many of our idols.
We were also lucky enough to be invited to the Kerrang! Awards show In London where we mingled with the hardcore rockers - many of whom we'd played with at Download festival.
Teacher of the Year
I was absolutely delighted and overwhelmed to receive the Inverclyde Community Champion Teacher of the Year Award 2017! This was in recognition of the work I do with kids and adults who's drum lessons have become an outlet for them.
It was also to recognise that I am inspiring young people to take up the instrument and follow their dreams - something I always encourage. Learning can happen outside of the classroom and I think it's refreshing that this has been highlighted via the award.
I work on my own from my studio and I'm just delighted that my efforts have been recognised when I'm very much on the periphery of the usual learning routes for young people. Thank you to the Greenock Telegraph who sponsored the awards and for the continued support.
