So, like I was saying ….

First up, apologies for the very long break in publishing this newsletter. There were multiple reasons for the hiatus (work, life etc) but mostly, it was around what to do with Substack. If you don’t know, this is the gist.. If that’s your jam, then please, unsubscribe now. And fuck racism.

It also explains the new look. I’ve experimented with Ghost and some other platforms, but have settled on buttondown. It’s funded by customers not investors, doesn’t track or sell data, donates a double digit percentage of profits to climate action and doesn’t charge commission.

I’ve still got some tinkering around the edges to do for the archives (YouTube embed fixes really) but I hope you like the more minimalist, fresher feel. Feel free to drop me a line with your thoughts, and do tell your friends if you think they’ll like what I’m trying to do here.

Since the last time I posted, a lot has happened. After publishing first the podcast and then this newsletter, I’ve got more and more involved in supporting some of the artists who have been featured.

That’s included PR, plugging, touring and management. I’ve just relaunched the website for this too at goodstuffinbetween.com so feel free to have a look around, and see the kind of brilliantly talented folk involved. Thanks to Stephen McAll for all his help on that.

MUSIC

Willie Campbell has a new single out a week on Friday. I’ll go into more detail in the next edition, but in the meantime you can support indie music by pre-saving ‘Leaving Lewis’. It really is a cracking tune.

Pre-save Leaving Lewis here.

Glasgow-based singer-songwriter Michael Cassidy, whose new album The Nurse’s Son will be released through Vertical Records on 13 November has won the celebrity endorsement of none other than Lewis Capaldi, who recently selected his track Benbecula for his Ultimate Scottish Playlist on BBC Radio 2, describing it as “one of my favourite songs by a Scottish artist ever.” Thanks to Hannah Innes for that news.

Meanwhile Andy Hannah over at Bright Dead Things has shared some new music on the horizon from Danish-Moroccan artist Yasmina Kaïna, with her first EP out in October. Titled ‘Bittersweet’ it's a story of love and heartbreak set to R&B and Afro-pop. The first single, ‘Why’ is out today.

As regular readers know I'm a big fan of music from Norway, so I'm very much looking forward to Bullseye - the new album from Moyka out on 16 October. You can pre-save here.

LIVE

Laura Silverstone is only a week away from her headline show at SWG3 in Glasgow and has just announced city son Andrew Duncan as support, on a rare appearance back in his hometown. It’s going to be a fantastic night of quality music, so get your tickets early for Friday’s show so they know that you have their backs.

I'm sorely tempted to head across to Trondheim to catch one of the new Skaar gigs announced this week, where she will be performing her forthcoming new album live. I caught her in Oslo last year, and it was phenomenal. Hopefully she might return to Scotland again soon too. Norwegian dates.

Also this week, Traitors winner Stephen Libby takes on hosting duties alongside fellow Hebridean star Julie Fowlis, for this year’s Hoolie in the Hydro - Scotland’s biggest night of traditional music on Saturday 12 December. The theme for this year’s event is Local Hero, which sees the beloved 1983 film inspire the night’s celebration of Scottish legends, both on stage and in communities across the country.

Record-breaking rowers The MacLean Brothers and charity fundraiser Craig Ferguson are among the inspirational Scots set to join the festivities alongside Mànran, Beluga Lagoon, The Chair, Blazin’ Fiddles, Donnie Munro, Dougie MacLean, Karine Polwart, Julie Fowlis and Ruairidh Gray. Other include Capercaille founding member Donald Shaw, the National Youth Pipe Band of Scotland, Gaelic singer Kathleen MacInnes, the Scottish Police and Community Choir, and fiddle player Aly Bain, who this year celebrates his 80th birthday.

Tickets are available now. Thanks very much to Corrie Campbell for that update.

FUNDING

The PRS Hitmaker fund is now open.

OPPORTUNITIES

One thing I’d like these updates to do is share more music related work opportunities to the community, so if you have a vacancy, drop me a line.

432 are recruiting a Head of Production. Closing date 11 September. Details.

EVENTS

The Scottish Album of the Year Awards are back in Dundee on 5 November. Tickets are on sale now.

The 10th anniversary of Resonate takes place on 19 November, 2026. Details.

Norway's showcase music event By:Larm takes place in Oslo next week. Full-line up and other details can be viewed here

CONNECT

Would it be useful to start sharing details of people looking for talent to join their projects - drummers, keyboard players, designers etc? Might be something to try. Let me know!

Thanks for reading, and if you spot any errors while I get used to this format, just let me know.

Contact me: [email protected]