TELT | Scottish Music Podcast

I’m delighted to be joined by Rab Allan, lead guitar player of the incredible Glasvegas for our first episode since August of last year. For anyone who is not familiar with Glasvegas, they shot to fame in 2008 with the release of their Mercury Prize-Nominated eponymous debut album that went to number 2 in the UK Albums chart and became a platinum selling album. Glasvegas followed that up with 'EUPHORIC // HEARTBREAK \\' in 2011 and 'When The TV Turns to Static...' in 2013. After a 7 year absence, they return on the 2nd of April 2021 with their brand new album Godspeed. Rab candidly discusses a number of topics, including family dynamics, the city of Glasgow seeping in to the band's music, authenticity and social issues, touring in Sweden and seeing an ABBA member in a hotel, the emotional drain arising from extensive touring and hedonism, Scotland's money mentality, his favourite Scottish artists, Oasis, and of course, the return of Glasvegas and 'Godspeed.'

TELT returns with EP28 as Paris Street Rebels are welcomed on to the podcast. Ballingry's favourite sons exploded on to the Scottish music scene in 2019 after a string of incredible releases including 'Freakshow,' 'I Don't Wanna Die Young' and 'Nightcrawler,' which has racked up 100k streams on Spotify. Having won the famous Tenement Trail New Artist Competition and appeared at Neighbourhood Festival in Manchester, Kev and Grant tell me all about their whirlwind journey to date; you're in for a treat. We discuss growing up in Fife and it's influence, honing your craft before gigging, the 90s generation, thinking outside the box in regards to social media, suicide and it's uncomfortable place within rock, 7West studios, the lost art of the music video, their documentary, Buzz Lightyear, plans for the future and much more. 

After a couple of weeks off, TELT returns with a unmissable episode as I interview the man himself, Rennie from The View. The View are one of the most successful Scottish bands of the millennium, reaching number one in the UK Album Chart with their debut album 'Hats Off To The Buskers' and selling out shows all over Europe. Initially starting off as a stage tech for the band having been best mates with the boys growing up, Rennie quickly found himself as the 5th member of The View as he became the band's live and studio keyboard player from 'Which Bitch?' onwards. We discuss growing up in Dundee and musical influences, The View's initial runaway success and joining the band, working with producers such as Owen Morris (Oasis), Youth (Paul McCartney) and Albert Hammond Jr (The Strokes), sound teching and tour management, supporting The Stone Roses and Primal Scream, the hiatus, plans for the future and much more. 

It's an absolute honour to be joined by The Lapelles' Chris Ballantyne, Jack Anderson, Jamie Holmes and Leon Green. The Lapelles are, in my opinion, the seminal Scottish band of the 2010s. In their short time together, the boys, alongside their best friend and frontman, Gary Watson, reinvigorated the Scottish music scene with their distinctive brand of indie rock and infectious personality, paving the way for the incredible wave of successful acts that followed them. As many will know, Gary sadly passed away in August of 2016. Although the boys themselves recognise it wasn’t the album they were going to make, The Lapelles released their eponymous album in March of 2017 as a tribute to Gary, and it received universal acclaim. Gary was and remains a hero and icon to music fans across the UK. If you’re an avid listener of TELT or have even listened to the odd episode, you’ll no doubt have heard The Lapelles mentioned frequently. The influence these 5 boys have had on not only their friends and contemporaries but on a generation of aspiring musicians cannot be understated, and they have firmly cemented themselves as one of the most influential Scottish acts since the turn of the millennium. In this episode, we speak in detail about The Lapelles journey from East Kilbride teenagers to one of the most exciting artists to emerge from the UK over the past 10 years. We discuss growing up in East Kilbride & it's influence on their music, songwriting, Postcard Records & Orange Juice, famous headline shows at the 13th Note & Club Sabbath at the Priory, The Spaghetti Factory, 'Seventeen' getting played at half speed on the radio, support slots with The Last Shadow Puppets, The Kooks, Blossoms & The View, 'Grab Life By,' T in the Park, headline tours, friendship, Tenement TV Session, the album, legacy, the future of The Lapelles, what everyone's up to now and, of course, Gary Watson. 

Rosie Watson from Kingdom Management (Walt Disco, The Ninth Wave, Lucia) joins me for the latest episode of TELT. Having switched lanes from graphic design a few years back, Rosie has been making a name for herself in artist management having worked with some of the most exciting names in the UK music industry during her stint with Kingdom, as well independently managing TELT favourites Dead Pony. This episode is a must listen for anyone looking to make their way in the music industry, whether that be as an artist manager or an artist. We discuss getting involved in artist management and what it is, what makes a good manager, standing out as an artist, the Scottish music scene, working during lockdown, how to get noticed, Dead Pony and so much more. 

Dale and Harry from SAMA Nominated Dundee psychedelic synth pop duo Beta Waves join TELT for the latest episode of the lockdown series. The boys have generously given TELT an exclusive sneak peak of the title track of their debut EP which is released on Friday the 10th of July, and 'Come On Over' is arguably their most exciting track to date. Since forming in late 2017, the duo have sold out shows across the UK with their unique brand of pop that has seen them perform at the likes of Belladrum festival, support their heroes Jungle at a sold out SWG3 and work at the Grammy Award winning Parr Street Studios that boasts a roster of artists including Stone Roses, Bjork, Echo & The Bunnymen, Pulp, Blossoms and Paolo Nutini. We discuss the band's journey to date and Scottish music as a whole, while touching upon pertinent issues in the music industry such as the power of music streaming giants... and much more.

Welcome to the Breakdown Series of TELT Podcast, where artists break down their most popular songs as they discuss the ideas, the influences, the processes and everything in between that made their chosen track great. For the very first episode of the series, I’ll be taking the lead as I discuss a song I wrote for my band, Bad Hombres, which was the first track from our debut EP, Protest As You Please. This episode features clips from The Beatles, Morrissey, The Fratellis, Fonejacker and Donald Trump.

The Scotland & Northern Ireland Regional Organiser for the Musicians' Union, Caroline Sewell, joins us for the latest instalment of our special series. The Musicians' Union (MU) is the UK trade union for all musicians, representing over 32,000 musicians working right across the music industry. As well as negotiating on behalf of musicians with all the major employers in the industry, MU provide advice, services and assistance tailored to each individual member, and are behind every musician whether you are full time, part time, self employed or a student musician. In light of the worldwide COVID-19 Pandemic, the MU has never been more important and the work Caroline and her colleagues have carried out over the course of lockdown has been nothing short of inspirational. We discuss the MU and how it can help you, issues facing musicians in the light of the pandemic, problems with Brexit, increasing representation for women and BAME groups across the industry, how the MU is tackling all of these issues and standing up for musicians, why you should join the MU and so much more. You can join the Musicians' Union today for just £1 for the first 6 months. For more details, head to https://www.musiciansunion.org.uk/Join

I am delighted to be joined by one of my favourite bands, once described as 'a glorious mix of Interpol, New Order and Glasgow,' Glasgow's very own Slouch. Paul Burnett, Daniel MacRae and Mark Hunter are in the hot seat discussing their sonic transition from garage rock to 'modern day electronica' as they all about their journey to date that has seen the 5 piece widely tipped for big things. We discuss creating their own sound against the backdrop of the Glasgow music scene, favourite Scottish artists, sold out shows in Glasgow and Manchester, influences, recording at Sugar House in St Helens, keeping motivated during lineup changes, what motivates and drives their music, collaborating at 7West Studios with Jamie Holmes and Johnny Madden, train journeys through Wigan, lockdown, latest releases and so much more. 

Mark and Darren from Mark Sharp & The Bicycle Thieves join TELT for the latest lockdown session. Having cut their teeth in West Lothian's burgeoning music scene that produced the likes of The Snuts and Luke La Volpe, MS&TBT have incredibly sold out every single headline gig they have performed across Scotland and England. A steady string of releases since the band's formation in 2017 culminated in their widely acclaimed eponymous EP which crowned an incredible 2019, that saw the band supporting Lewis Capaldi across two nights at Edinburgh Summer Sessions and their own triumphant, sold out headline show at Glasgow's St Lukes in December. The boys have continued their meteoric rise in 2020, as they embarked on a sold out headline tour taking in Newcastle, London and Manchester, before once again supporting Capaldi at Scotland's largest indoor venue P&J in Aberdeen (15k cap). We discuss the West Lothian music scene & coming through at the same time as The Snuts and Lewis Capaldi, TRNSMT & sold out shows at the likes of King Tuts and St Lukes, giving back to the local area, using music as a force for good, dream support slots, top 5 bands of all time, eponymous EP and so much more. 

Producer at Magic Box Studios in Dundee Scotty Anderson joins TELT for the latest episode and is the first producer we've had on the podcast. Having started his career in music at the age of 17 by becoming The View's drum tech, Scotty traversed the lengths of the globe touring while also engineering the live shows of Scottish indie favourites such as The Lapelles and The Snuts. Scotty developed a passion for production and opened up his own studio (Magic Box) alongside friends Troy and Dan, where he has produced bands such as ST.MARTiiNS, Beta Waves, Vida, Parliamo and Model Aeroplanes. We discuss life on the road with one of the UK's biggest acts, musical inspirations, the passion that comes from working behind the mixing desk, the art of being a producer, behind the scenes in the studio and so much more. 

The new home of TELT Podcast is live. Access at www.teltpodcast.com or www.teltpodcast.co.uk  

'Out here in the perimeter there are no stars, out here we is stoned... immaculate.' Louis and Callum from Glasgow's Stoned Immaculate join me in the midst of May's heatwave for the 21st regular episode of TELT. Having broke on to the scene in 2019 with their own brand of 60s influenced rock, the Stony Macs' anthemic releases, such as 'Simmer,' have propelled them to one of the country's must see bands in spite of their infancy. We discuss using your platform as an artist to highlight social issues, releasing music during lockdown, influence of The Doors, Oasis &  Led Zeppelin, self producing a debut album in 2018, working at 7West, relationship with the Glasgow music community, upcoming debut EP 'Nah' and so much more.

Straight off the back of signing for Alan McGee's (Oasis, Jesus and The Mary Chain) Creation Management, Kirkcaldy's finest Shambolics join me for the latest instalment of TELT. The boys have ripped up sold out venues across the UK since their formation in late 2015 and have quickly become one of the most exciting bands in the UK. McGee, who famously signed Oasis having discovered them in King Tut's, said 'Shambolics could be one of the biggest bands in the world if we get it right,' and the sky is certainly the limit for Fife's favourite sons. Forbes, Lewis and Jordan discuss their roots in Kirkcaldy, Eggman Studios, reaching number 20 in Germany with Love Collides, songwriting, their relationship with Alan McGee, using music as a force for good, keeping motivated through lineup changes, sold out headline at St Lukes, lockdown, TRNSMT announcement, plans for the future and so much more.

TELT turns into somewhat of a group therapy session for this special episode as I welcome Craig Milroy (SWAY), Dillon Squire-Strong (Heavy Rapids) and Brendan Cairney (Bad Hombres) on to the podcast for a panel discussion. Having all been members of bands that have broken up recently, we discuss in detail the trials and tribulations that lead to bands biting the bullet in general as we relate them to our own experiences. Each panellist goes on to describe the impact that the break up had on their mental health and relationships between the band members, as we consider how differently things could have played out and contemplate any regrets we have about how it all ended. Finally, we converse over how our bands dealt with it publicly and the public front each of us put up personally as we came to terms with the loss.

Adam and Sam from the incredible pop duo HYYTS join me for the latest episode of TELT. The boys have enjoyed a whirlwind few years that has seen them catapulted from humble beginnings in Glasgow to signing a record deal with one of the world's most famous record labels and playing at The Hydro. HYYTS provide a unique insight into issues in the music industry having experienced so much in their short career to date that has seen them tour Eastern Europe and push the boundaries of pop to the next level. We discuss the importance of performance and visual aesthetic, developing and progressing experimental sound, the lost art of the music video, signing their record deal with Warner and going full time, the new 'punk,' debut EP, The Low Sound, plans for the future and so much more.

Fresh off the back off releasing the second single from their upcoming debut EP, Diamond Doll, Jack and Joe from The Roly Mo join me on the latest episode of TELT. Having broke on to the Glasgow Punk Scene at the beginning of 2019, The Roly Mo enjoyed unprecedented success in their first full year of gigging as they amassed over 100k streams, signed to 7West Record Label AND joined the roster at Paradigm Talent Agency. The boys discuss Glasgow, their releases to date in detail, the importance of community in music, their meteoric rise and so much more as they recount their marvellous journey to date. 

Host of the famous 'Blethered' Podcast, Sean McDonald, joins TELT for the latest episode in our special series. Blethered is a podcast like no other and nothing is off limits. From challenging life stories to social commentary, mental health issues, modern culture and more, Sean never shies away from asking hard questions and his relaxed and open style brings out the very best in his interviewees. With over 50,000 listeners per month, Blethered is without doubt one of the nation's most popular podcasts. Sean takes me through his journey with Blethered, discussing openly his experience living in Barcelona for 6 years and the cultural differences between the Catalan city and his native Glasgow. We focus on the art of interviewing, his emphasis on honest conversation, having a platform to shine a light on social issues, music, podcasting, plans for the future and so much more.   

Having released their debut album 'Poor Girls/Broken Boys' at the tail end of last year on the same day they were voted Scotland's best live act at the SAMAs, Paisley's The Vegan Leather are a band that need no introduction. From supporting Paolo Nutini at Edinburgh's Hogmanay Party to playing to massive festival crowds at the likes of TRNSMT and Kendal Calling, TVL have a CV that most artists around the world would envy. Marie and Gianluca discuss selling out King Tuts, coming through at the same time as the likes of The Lapelles and The Ninth Wave, playing at the Barras, the message behind their album and so much more as they take me through their journey to date. 

I'm joined by Alan Sharp (Pleasure Heads), Barry Dolan (Gallus), Blair Crichton (Dead Pony), Eamon Ewins (Gallus) and Ryan Hunter (Fabric Bear) for the first ever TELT Pub Quiz. We split the quiz/game into three different rounds; Mastermind, Who Wants to Be A Millionaire and Dream Band. Friendships are put to the test as this game of knowledge, deceit and ridicule culminates in one man being declared champion.