Wednesday 31 January 2018

Helensburgh, Here We Come...

Hello - it's yourself.

Classic FM just premiered an exclusive video for "Stone Lions Lullaby" from "Hamilton Mausoleum Suite. The video was shot by Mark Boggis and Charlie Francis. The soloists are Sharron Griffiths (harp) and Justine Watts (violin)...


(I wonder if that's the first time The Pastels have had a passing namecheck by Classic FM...)

Our live premiere of The Suite in the Mausoleum itself was 'sold out' the day it was announced. However, we have one (just one) more special live event in the diary. 

*drum roll* Ta-dah!...


See you in Helensburgh on 13th March? For tickets go here and click on Live On Screen.


If you haven't bought it yet, the album is available NOW - Digitally, on CD and on limited heavyweight vinyl (with download code) from all good record shops and from here.

In other news, you might enjoy Ciara MacLaverty being interviewed and reading some of her poetry:



If you like it you can order Ciara's new pamphlet here.

Two films I'd recommend - and not for their feel good fun - "First They Killed My Father" and...





Friday 26 January 2018

Today's the day...

*cheers, applause, trumpet fanfare*

My "Hamilton Mausoleum Suite" is finally released...


Available from all good record stores, digital stores and from www.francismacdonald.com

Earlier this week I was interviewed by Janice Forsyth on BBC Radio Scotland . You can listen from 6 mins 35 seconds (btw - Teenage Fanclub don't really waste time playing video games when recording - I'll burble anything when I'm live on radio...).

Nice review from hi-fi news:


Also I thought this review was pretty insightful and (*coughs*) positive.

And here's another incriminating interview, courtesy of Test Pressing webzine...


The live premiere in Hamilton Mausoleum itself next month  is oversubscribed, but soon we'll be announcing another performance in a beautiful venue in Helensburgh. Keep March 13th free in your diary if you're interested.

I'll leave you with that time Rembrandt painted my portrait...

photo by David Boni




Monday 22 January 2018

Neoclassical Cardigan Baroque Pop

Exciting weekend.

On Friday night Margherita Taylor gave a track from my "Hamilton Mausoleum Suite" album a spin on Classic FM.


On Saturday I got to show off my line in knitwear in The Herald newspaper:

Woolly tie & cardigan by Next & River Island, coat by Cancer Research UK shop, Byres Rd, Glasgow.
Link to article here

Earlier in the week Clash Magazine premiered "Beam" from the album citing "innate invention and sweet emotional pull". Ocht. Nice of them.

Next Wed 24th Jan I'll be on BBC Radio Scotland talking to Janice Forsyth (forsooth!)

And next Friday Jan 26th the album will finally be released...


You can still order (signed) CDs or limited heavyweight vinyl LPs -  and Digital Download - here.

In other news, you can order Ciara Maclaverty's new poetry pamphlet here.



The esteemed Liz Lochhead says of Ciara's work:
These poems – in the voice of a woman, a mother, a good neighbour of the here-and-now are light-but-deep, often funny, always generous, accessible, inclusive, deeply humane, celebrating small things that say some very big things indeed.
(Liz's own Desert Island Discs episode is a crackin' listen btw.)

I recently re-watched "Raiders Of The Lost Ark". Something jumped out at me.

I keep listening to this after hearing it on Classic FM.


And before I go, click here to find the secret of eternal happiness.

Tuesday 16 January 2018

To Tom Cruise...Signed, Squiggle MacSquiggle

Yikes. I've been signing some Hamilton Mausoleum Suite LPs (limited edition, heavyweight vinyl) for mail order...


You can still click to order CDs/LPs here.

My interview with the Skinny is now on-line here.

The other day I was interviewed by John Toal on BBC Ulster's Classical Connections Show. You can hear me gab from around 1 hour 27 mins - link here.

And if you have the STV player app, you can watch my interview on STV2's "Live At 7.30" show here (from around 3mins 30). Learn the truth about my phone calls with Tom Cruise.

But enough about me.


The other day I attended the Blueprint night of Scottish DIY short films at the good ol' GFT. OK, OK - I was there because this was being shown, but the whole night was great. Special mention goes to Daniel Cook's indescribable "The Kind And I". Here's a clip  - but if you ever get the chance to see the whole shebang on a big screen - see it.


Oh - if you missed The Story Of Scotdisc, it's a hoot. There are 17 days left to watch as I type...







Wednesday 10 January 2018

"Sounds Like A Record"


On Friday 12th Jan I'll be on STV 2's "Live At 7.30" yakking' about my (released on Jan 26th).


"Sublime" 7/10 (Uncut)
"Stirring, solemn beauty"     (Mojo)
“Exquisite” (The Skinny)
“Captivating” (Vents Magazine)
“Wonderful” (A Closer Listen)

Pre-order it on CD/LP here.

In other news, I saw The Beguiled and dug it.


Inside Number 9 - Bernie Clifton's dressing Room = wow.


The hits just keep on coming.


I caught up with some vintage Tom Baker Dr Who-ing recently with this curio. Hooray for those 70s TV production values.


Bob has so many gems you forget for years and then trip over. Like this.

Talking of Bob - I love this kind of stuff:


Twitter introduced me to this Seamus Heaney poem.

Btw - here's a wee interview I did with The Skinny...

Abyssinia.

Tuesday 2 January 2018

Waltzin' Into January

It's January...


Stuff I have recently consumed:

The return of The League Of Gentlemen;
Three quarters (so far) of  City Of The Death;
Peter Capaldi's last hurrah;
One third of Trouble In Mind (thanks, Santa);
The first episode of Little Women;
A wee bit too much festive food.

I'm looking forward to the new series of Inside Number Nine.

And I wouldn't say no to the addition of a Glasgow date on Bob's new European tour.

Talking of too much food, btw, Glaswegians who have not tried Chaakoo Bombay Cafe - I can recommend it...

On Jan 11th you can see this short musical doc on the big screen at the GFT as part of their Blueprint: Scottish Independent Shorts event:


My new album "Hamilton Mausoleum Suite", recorded with brilliant soloists from the Scottish Festival Orchestra, is released on CD/LP/DL on Friday 26th January.
"Transporting Chamber Music" ★ ★ ★ ★ (Mojo)
"Sublime" 7/10 (Uncut)
You can pre-order it here.

You can join my mailing list here.

Tinkety-tonk!