Episode 119: Colin MacCleod - The Island

Full episode and Show Notes - www.wearelookingsideways.com It’s brave new era time this week as I finally relaxed my Skype ban to record this episode with Colin MacCleod. If you don’t know Colin, he’s a musician and surfer from the Western Isles in Scotland who has been quietly carving out one of the most successful careers in British guitar music in the last few years. I’m talking supporting-Robert-Plant/appearances-on-the-James-Corden-Show-in-the-States levels of success. He also seems, as I discovered during our conversation, to have that whole work/life balance thing completely dialled, working as he does as a crofter and a gillie when he’s not on tour with his band. My original plan with Colin was to head up to meet him in Lewis to record this episode, but with that not possible, I thought I’d get him on now to hear his story. And what a tale it is, delivered much like he delivers his music: with modesty, wit, compassion and honesty. Even better, Colin agreed to perform a song for me at the end of the interview, so stick around for that. My thanks to Colin for being such a great sport. Hope you enjoy the episode. Thanks to Matt Ward for the theme tune, and to my editor Fina Charleson.