The Eves are a female contemporary pop duo made up of Caroline Gilmour and Marissa Keltie and I had the pleasure of taking some promotional images for them at the end of last year (see below). Their debut album is due to be released this year.
"Bare Knuckle" is the title of Chris Stout & Catriona McKay's new album. It was released last December to unanimous critical acclaim and the duo has just been nominated for BBC Radio 2 Folk Award 2018 (Best Duo category). I've worked with Chris and Catriona for many years but "Bare Knuckle" was definitely the first time I was involved in their project to such extent - from promotional photoshoot to album artwork and promo posters, from filming the title track's music video to covering the album launch at Queen's Hall in Edinburgh. I'm a bit of a control freak when it comes to my work so being able to oversee every aspect of this album's rollout (creatively speaking at least) was truly rewarding. It's also been an absolute pleasure, sometimes a challenge (I'd never done a music video before) but above all a genuine privilege to work with artists of this calibre who also happen to be really decent human beings.
Frances Thorburn is a fantastic singer-songwriter and an actress, known to many for her role as Kim Monroe in River City, and a couple of weeks ago she put on a truly splendid evening of music to raise funds for Moe Abutoq, a film director and a friend of Frances who was diagnosed with MS 2 years ago. The illness has been rapidly advancing and its treatment requires travel to Mexico and some £60,000. Frances invited a host of musicians for the night including Martha L. Healy, Kathryn Joseph, Angie Darcy and many more. "Celebration of Songs", as the event was called, took place on February 8th at Saint Luke's and featured material ranging from show tunes to Americana, Broadway to Paula Abdul (yes, really). I was lucky enough to be there and capture the night (see images below). If you didn't manage to attend the fundraiser you can still help Moe by donating to the JustGiving page Frances set up:
https://www.justgiving.com/crowdfunding/frances-thorburnmoeabutoq.
George Drennan & Frances Thorburn
Moe Abutoq
Frances Thorburn
Frances Thorburn
Frances Thorburn
David Farrell, Frances Thorburn, Kathryn Joseph & Chris Stout
Had a super quiet New Year with friends in Otter Ferry and now it's back to Glasgow and back to work. Happily though, I have to say, as I always get a bit lost during the festive season - sitting on the couch, stuffing your face and doing nothing is fun for a day or two but after that, I start getting antsy. So here we are, another year over and below are some of my favourite images I took in 2017. Hope you like them too.
Govanhill Baths Editorial, January 2017
I’ll Be Your Mirror, February 2017
Laura Hurst, April 2017
The Dolls, April 2017
Caezar, May 2017
Rory Hutton, June 2017
Sandie Robertson, June 2017
Stuart Cosgrove, July 2017
Chris Stout & Catriona McKay "Bare Knuckle" Album Cover, August 2017
Nicole Caldwell, September 2017
Colin Gavigan, October 2017
Rosie Noon, Designer photographed for Nu Blvck, November 2017
The Eves, December 2017
And for my own future reference more than anything else,
my favourite music of 2017 (in no particular order):
ALBUMS:
Margo Price "All American Made"
Tove Lo "Blue Lips"
Dua Lipa "Dua Lipa"
Lorde "Melodrama"
Pink "Beautiful Trauma"
Betty Who "The Valley"
Madonna "Rebel Heart Tour Live"
Stout & McKay "Bare Knuckle"
Lana Del Rey "Lust For Life"
Drake "More Life"
SONGS
Sigrid "Strangers"
Tove Lo "Disco Tits"
Dua Lipa "IDGAF"
Lorde "Green Light"
Pink "Beautiful Trauma"
Taylor Swift "Don't Blame Me"
Selena Gomez "Bad Liar"
Charli XCX "Boys"
Lana Del Rey "Love"
Fergie "Tension"
It was over a year ago that Diana Schad interviewed me for Radio Pulse on her Night Nurse music show. Being the only non-musician to ever be featured on the show I was surprised (and delighted!) to be invited back last month. Listen below for more talk about photography; which magazine I'd like to have my work featured in; travelling in Scotland, my music choices and more:
