TOM FLEMING

I’m grateful to Joe Campbell who for 15 years had me record his West Sound Burns supper for radio... more

AWB

For a bunch of Scottish guys the Average White Band had serious soul... more

THE VOICE

Back in 1974 there wasn’t as much talent around as there is now... more

STUDIO LIFE

When Phil arrived he was “tired and emotional”... more

CHILLING

History knows humans do terrible things to each other... more

DESIGNER FUNK

Rummaging through my tape archive I found a venue recording of Shakatak I made for radio in 1982... more

JAMIE

When James Stuart left the country having been removed from the British throne, the English were glad to see the back of him... more

LICENCE

Usually I go into a production with a fair idea of where it's going... more

TOO HIGH

"Do I really have to go up the fucking Finnieston crane?"... more

McKELLAR

I worked with many well-knowns when I was earning my professional chops.... more

CLASSIC COVER

I suppose we were thinking Allison Krauss when wondering where to go with Simone.... more

INSPIRATION

King's voice from his famous speech at the Civil Rights March in Washington ‘63 rings in the ear the way a powerful piece of music does.... more

TALENT

If I had to pick a best from the artists who came through my studio last year it would be tough.... more

AWARD

Last year Debbie submitted a couple of our tracks to the Scottish Jazz Awards and got runner-up in Best Vocalist.... more

A.Y. WHITE

My grandfather was long dead before I realised just how much the entrepreneurial spirit was strong in him.... more

WHITE GUYS CAN’T FUNK

The Average White Band could. But they were nothing like your average white band... more

USELESS

I'm not sure I agree with Rod McKuen in the words of his song when he says that soldiers would prefer to be civilians... more

OLD TIMERS

CONTENT REMOVED

ROMANTIC

One reason I might not have written more music for broadcast commercials is that I loathe advertising... more

COMMERCIAL FLIP

They say an artist should please himself. Truth is, if he doesn't please other people he won't be an artist long... more

TIMELESS

Many songwriters are precious about how you arrange their songs... more

NOTHING

I quite liked my work on this track but I doubt anyone else did... more

NEVER DONE THIS

Mary wasn’t a jazz singer, just a talented teenager open to experiment and who could turn her enormous gift to virtually any genre... more

BLUES LEGEND

I was privileged to produce George's first album release in 1989... more

BEING A PRO

One of the defining essentials of being a professional is that you have to do it whether you feel like it or not... more

KIND OF BLEAK

Nothing Is Sacred sounds like nothing actually is. It has an alternative, almost devoid of genre feel... more

FAVOURITE SCOT

Brother Burns! My favourite Scot by a mile... more

FUSION

I once heard Chic Corea's music described as criminal... more

THANKLESS

We opened the studio up to some of the local bands who were kicking around. It was just a shaking of the trees really to see what might happen... more

HONOURED

No disrespect to the many accomplished singers I've worked with but Rosie trumped them all... more

WHOM THE GODS LOVE

Allan introduced me to much of what my life would be... more

NO DEAL

Pity the director didn't finish this little film. I liked its home-spun vibe, lo-rez and all... more

THROWAWAY

It's often the throw-away stuff that gets a taste... more

JACK BAKER

I fancied myself a university professor steeped in the depths of obscure philosophical argument while mentoring pliable young minds... more

INITIATION

I’ve recorded hundreds of albums over my professional life and few I could point to with pride... more

WIDE-EYED

I was interested in Kubrick's film and how it was possible for otherwise fully conformed people to fall to some darker place, often there being a sexual dimension to that experience... more

PAISLEY PUNK

Punk was never our thing. So when we played host to a spate of new-wavers it was a something of a baptism of fire... more

WHO KNEW

Back then we provided studio services to a fair number of bands who had some success... more

BEST OF ALAN

Alan says he doesn’t write a lot of songs but the ones he does are high quality... more

INDIFFERENT

In my time I've worked in just about every musical genre... more

MR PROLIFIC

I’ll be posting some of the tracks Colin and I have worked on during our twenty-year relationship... more

LET IT RAIN

You don't have to make rain where I live. Nature happily obliges, copiously and without fail... more

R.I.P.

I think this was probably one of the few occasions when this particular trio of my gifted school-friends ever played together... more

WHO’S BAD

Sometimes I'll record a song several times with different singers in different genres... more

IMPOSSIBLE DREAMS

I’d never tried to arrange traditional songs before making Dalriada's "All Is Fair" with Colin and Robbie... more

SOMETHING BIG

It's 1959 and I picture Joan (Madmen) skirting down Madison on her way to Sardi’s... more

UNTUTORED

In aptitude and attitude I found musicians from the Academy good to work with... more

CROSSING THE LINE

When I retired from performing in favour of the studio George put The Outpatients together... more

ENTREPRENEUR

No history of the Ayrshire music scene would be complete without mention of Bob Wyper... more

FREE-FORM

Of all the different types of music I've made, my favourite is probably the free-form material... more