Dan Mcdonald

I’m Dan Mcdonald, a 26 year old singer/songwriter from Aberdeen in Scotland. Like a lot people I learned music as a child. It all started aged 8 when my primary school music teacher told my over protective mother that I was tone deaf and couldn’t join the recorder class. Not prepared to let anyone tell "her baby" that he couldn’t acheive something, she dragged me on a 40 mile round trip to learn the clarinet (then her favorite instrument). Little did I know I’d end up thanking her for it, thanks Mum. By the age of 13 I’d picked up the guitar, got into Indie music, started smoking, looking moody and lost interest in just about everything else. When I left school announcing that I wanted to work in the music industry people warned me "have something to fall back on" - but if I had something to fall back on, I’d fall back. So I studied more music at Aberdeen College and got myself into the Guitar Institute in London. At the end of the course I moved back home to sunny Scotland where I got drunk, woke up, got high, got more drunk, eventually woke up, recorded "Words Can’t Say", showcased it to London Records among others (at a Camden club in London), got a great reception, made a daft decision, and missed a golden opportunity, came home and GOT DRUNK. I was a silly, silly boy. About a year went by and I eventually decided to grow up and move to back to the city. I started working for Vatican recording studios in London’s east end where I met so many great bands and friends. For the first time in ages I felt like I belonged. There the writing and gigging started in earnest. I played venues across east and north London, having already gigged regularly in Cyprus, where I worked for six months. More to the point I had enough material for a first album and an appreciative following. I’m back home now in the stunning foothills of the Scottish Highlands, still writing and gigging (from the far north -Inverness - right back down south to London) and ironically I’m also teaching music. London is great fun and I love the buzz of going back there when I need to, but with the internet and Myspace being what it is today, I don’t have to be in there 24/7 to get my music noticed. And there is so much more of the world to explore musically. I do miss my friends, the parties and the inspiration the city brings but my soul is happiest in the hills (and no, I don’t play the banjo). Interestingly music is my sole income and it pays well - so for all those cynics, I haven’t had to fall back and I live doing what I love. I hope you all enjoy what I’ve posted on this site. I’m looking forward to seeing as many of you as possible at my next show. Take it easy guys and I hope to see or hear from you all soon. Cheers Dan