Hitting The High Notes
I
F VARIETY really is the spice of life then it’s litle wonder Francis Macdonald is one of Scotland’s hotest musical entrepreneurs.
Drummer, record label boss, song writer, manager, university lecturer and classical music composer, you name it and the chances are he has done it - to widespread acclaim.
The Bellshill boy has come a long way since he started drumming on the arms of the family sofa with his mum’s kniting needles.
“I guess I’ve had what you would call a ‘portfolio career’,” said Francis, whose latest project, the soundtrack score for the documentary film ‘Building Jerusalem’, is unveiled at a premier in Leicester Square this month.
“I’ve always done more than one thing but it’s all been generally music related.”
Largely self-taught the charismatic Glaswegian is probably one of Scotland’s most accomplished music entrepreneurs. Even if his name doesn’t immediately trip off the tongue there can hardly be anyone who has not come into contact with his work at some time.
In addition to being the drummer for Teenage Fanclub he manages the groups Camera Obscura and The Vaselines. He is the man behind the Glasgow record label Shoeshine Records and was co-producer of albums by Aaron Wright, Atic Lights and Aaron Fyfe.
Other names he has worked with include Julie Fowlis, Alex Chilton, Kim Fowley, Robert Forster, Dan Penn, Edwyn Collins, Max Richter, Cairn String Quartet, Belle & Sebastian, Laura Cantrell, The Hermit Crabs, The Pastels, Radio Sweethearts, Michelle Shelley, Cheeky Monkey, Frank Blake, Speeder, Astro Chimp and BMX Bandits.
He has writen music for film and television, including the BBC documentary Commonwealth City for the BBC;
Largely self- taught the charismatic Glaswegian is probably one of Scotland’s most accomplished music entrepreneurs. Even if his name doesn’t immediately trip off the tongue there can hardly be anyone who has not come into contact with his work at some time.
On Weir’s Way with David Hayman and Finding Scotland’s Real Heroes, both for STV; and Starlings for an independent production company.
In March this year he released “Music For String Quartet, Piano And Celeste” to critical acclaim. The album was described by the radio station Classic FM as ‘sublime, minimalist classical music’. It debuted at Number 12 in the Official Classical Artists Album Chart and Number 3 in the Official Specialist Classical Chart.
“It was something I had wanted to do for a while,” said Francis. “When people ask me why I did it I say it’s because nobody told me I couldn’t.
“Prior to doing the album I might have thought it was the sort of thing other people do. I’m not classically trained but I was inspired by the likes of Glasgow composer Malcolm Lindsay who is also a self taught classical composer.”
The youngest of five he admits his background wasn’t a musical one, although his family have always been very supportive.
“My mother was from South Uist and she sang at Ceilidhs. Gaelic was her first language and I remember her singing these mournful Gaelic songs in the kitchen on Sunday mornings. Nobody else in my family was particularly musical.”
September 2015 69
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