Music

Like many people, I spent most of my teens and twenties making music in a variety of bands. The best one was Kasino (formerly Casino), with whom I played all kinds of gigs in and around Scotland (and occasionally beyond) from the late 1990s until late 2004.

There were bands before Kasino, but they didn’t tend to last too long. Even Kasino had two line-ups: version 1 had me on vocals and guitar, Calum Angus Macarthur on drums, Mark Clinton on guitar and Chris Warden on bass; version 2 saw Mark and Chris leave, with my brother David joining on guitar and John Clarke on bass.

We did a lot of fun things: supported bands including Mansun, Miles Hunt, Biffy Clyro, Cosmic Rough Riders and That Dave Sharp From The Alarm, played the T-break stage at T in the Park and appeared on countless radio programmes and the odd TV show.

We always vowed that we’d stop when it stopped being fun, and by late 2004 it had stopped being fun.

I do miss it. I don’t miss the crap that goes with being in a band, but I miss the joy of making a racket with like-minded people.

We didn’t stop music completely – in 2007 David and I did a few demos, and John was keen to get involved – but by then I’d contracted carpal tunnel syndrome in my hands and couldn’t play any more. I finally got surgery for that last year, and we’re working on some new stuff that I’m very excited about. However, given our glacial work rate it might be a while before I’ve got anything to upload.

When I get the chance I’ll upload some of the old songs.