NEWS

🎵 “It’s scary to speak out, but if we don’t nothing will change,” says Laura J Wilkie who gave a powerful interview with BBC Radio Scotland talking about a new study by Glasgow University into sexual violence and harassment in the folk music scene. It asked what can be done to tackle the dangers and behaviours, and the difficulty but importance of bringing the conversation into the light. It’s a compelling listen. Laura went further, saying it was about education and - for honest self reflection - by those who have behaved like d*cks. Stream it here (from 2.13.00) You can also read the BBC News Scotland article by Annabel Maclennan here.

🎵 Singer songwriter Willie Campbell has spoken out about the dangers of AI invented bands after The Velvet Sundown racked up around 900,000 Spotify plays this month before being confirmed as hoax outfit. The Scotsman has the story here including quotes from The Tumbling Souls frontman.

🎵 UK Music published its Hometown Glory report into the vital role music tourism plays across the country, with the breakdown showing how the sector supports 72,000 jobs and contributed £10bn in 2024 alone. In Scotland, around 2.3 million music tourists visited, worth an estimated £857m to the economy, and supporting more than 7100 jobs. It also highlighted challenges including rising ticket prices, the loss of 250 festivals since 2019, touring costs ad inflation. Download it here.

🎵 A big day today for Edge Media Group with the launch of Edge 3 - a DAB station based in Edinburgh dedicated to Country music. You can listen by streaming here. I have, and its been a solid start as you’d expect for a project headed by founder Jay Crawford and his team. Sam Hinks has been appointed programme controller. More here at Radio Today.

🎵 The Scottish Album of the Year Awards opened up for entries on July 1, along with revelations that the winning ceremony is to be held in Dundee for the next tree years. Having established itself as one of the most important and eagerly awaited events in the Scottish music calendar, details of eligibility, how to enter and tickets for the award night are available at the official SAY website.

SINGLE OF THE WEEK

‘1995’ - The Tumbling Souls

⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ It’s Britpop meets Americana for this nostalgia dipped love letter to 1995 - a year where Oasis gave us ‘What’s The Story Morning Glory, Friends hit our screens and glow sticks illuminated every rave. Find our more in this article.

MUSIC

Ivor Woods (main picture), the musical alias of Rachel Crabbe, is a Welsh dark wave electronic artist from the heart of the Valleys. Pushing the boundaries of what can be expected with electronic music, she's been releasing music since 2021, with tracks gaining airplay on BBC Radio 6 Music and BBC Cymru. Her single, the intense ‘One Night’, is out now on Anna Prior's (Metronomy) Beat Palace Records. “One Night is something like a love song about going after someone you shouldn’t," explains Ivor Woods. "Having fun, and losing a tiny bit of self respect in the process. If I had to describe this song I would say it’s all about tension and letting go of expectations."

🎶 Katie Gregson-MacLeod’s latest EP ‘Love Me Too Well, I’ll retire Early’ is out. She recorded it in Helmsdale and says it came from thinking about success and ambition.

🎶 After years of interviewing celebrities about their music, my former colleague Bev Lyons is to launch her own music career when she debits with ‘I’m Leaving You ‘out across all platforms on a July 23. I’m stoked for her.

🎶 Congratulations to Cammy Barnes who has landed a record deal with Xploded Music and Universal Records.

🎶 Jarad Rowan has announced a tour - Songs Granny Taught Ye. Details.

🎶 𝒂𝒓𝒂𝒐𝒏 - the new albums from Sian - is out on 1 August. Pre-sale happening now.

🎶 Lewis Capaldi is back and has announced live dates. But you knew that already. Still, great to see him back.

🎶 Kim Carnie has announced her second album A´CHAILLEACH is out on 19 Sept.

🎶 Frank Turner & The Sleeping Souls event at the 02 Academy in Edinburgh this September has sold out. Artists include Seán R McLaughlin and the Wind Up Crows, Laura Silverstone, Nina Nesbitt and Arab Strap.

🎶 Off the Record Scotland have shared details of their next Showcase gig at Sneaky Pete’s in Edinburgh.

🎶 Lochaber will come alive with the sights and sounds of Gaelic song, cèilidh music, bagpipes and processions as the Royal National Mòd returns from 10 - 18 October.

NORWAY

🇳🇴 Sigrid today confirmed her next single will be ‘Jellyfish’ out on July 11. The Ålesund born star has already been teasing the track with an underwater video (while flipping off at the camera) and her most recent gigs. She’s playing a launch event in London.

🇳🇴 Moyka is flying high with her latest release 24/7. It’s already topped 100,000 streams.

🇳🇴 Blood Red Sky - the OKIOK remix - by Orbits is out now.

🇳🇴 Last time round I featured Girl In Red’s chat around her single Hemingway. She has a post Glastonbury interview with NME here which she dives even deeper.

🇳🇴 Anna of the North is going to Brazil.

🇳🇴 Astrid S sang the Norwegian national anthem during #WEURO2025

🇳🇴 Skaar has announced new live dates in Norway, including Oslo, so I’ll be heading over in November (yay). Meanwhile her latest track Missing Out is in the wild.

🇳🇴 And Aurora spoke to The Independent about how music, mental health and how she has reconnected with the world.

FESTIVALS

🎪 This weekend’s Kelburn Garden Party is all but sold out, with just a handful of spillover Sunday tickets left. Here’s the official line-up poster.

🎪 HebCelt have announced stage times for this year’s festival which kicks off from 16 - 19 July featuring Tide Lines, Skerryvore and Lula. Pin them here.

🎪 Tiree have shared their ferry times, site map and stage must haves here.

🎪 Here’s the final line up from Sound of Iona Festival too.

🎪 Stramash Festival is back in Stornoway across 1 & 2 August. Line-up here.

OPPORTUNITIES

🤝 The Association of Music Independent Music hosts an online conference for emerging labels, artists and entrepreneurs on 8 July. Tickets cost £15. Details. Speakers will be covering topics such as creatve collaborations for socials, how to build a music business, using AI tools effectively,

🤝 Save the date. We Make Music Scotland Conference is happening on 4 & 5 September at the RCS in Glasgow. Register here.

PODCASTS

I’ve had a chance to create a wee bit more consistency for the podcast of later with what I hope will be a good range of interest for listeners looking at three aspects of the music process: production, sharing and playing.

🎧 Cairán O’Toole is co-founder of platform Songbox which is ultimately secure sharing for those working on new music, but so much more. Date driven, user led.

🎧 The brilliant Michelle Shields is a walking talking events industry in her own right and Artist Programmer at HebCelt Festival. She shared advice on what she thinks bands need to do in order to earn a place on the big stage.

🎧 Keith Morrison not only walks the walk as a performing artist, but really talks the talk too through running his own residential recording studio and record label which is supporting artists to make magic happen.

TELLYBOX

💻 Not TV, but a stream. Watch Rock Werchter live from Belgium and thank me later. It’s been great.

❤️ NEW GOOD STUFF RECOMMENDS PLAYLIST ❤️

The first Good Stuff Recommends playlist is live below, with 10 new tracks.

Having found some other platforms are charging artists for a chance to get featured on their new playlists (with admittedly large followings) I’ve decided to start one that features new tracks for free. If enough people follow-it, I hope it helps, because its hard enough getting exposure without being fined for just trying.

It will appear here-ish every edition with updates.

Plus, it gives me music I like to listen to when writing this newsletter for you all x

🥂And finally: The Good Stuff in Between podcast celebrates its second anniversary this Sunday, so thanks to everyone who has been a part of it so far 🙏

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