Brand new talent

really and it’s probably different for each piece of music or the individual involved in writing it. I think most of our material has been inspired by our upbringing, the people around us and the places we’re lucky enough to travel to.

How well do you feel like you represent your Scottish roots?

Martin: The traditional instruments we have in the band certainly represent our Scottish roots. With us touring abroad frequently we are also promoting and showcasing Scotland.

What are some of your favourite unconventional instruments to use in songs?

Alec: In some ways you could argue that including bagpipes in music which is sometimes pop/rock oriented is somewhat unconventional. It’s integral to our sound but it’s maybe not what you’d have as the norm generally!

Who in Skerryvore do you think does the most work?

Daniel I think in terms of live touring, we all work very hard to make that commitment to our music and development. We are largely self-managed within the group so we have lots of guys juggling multiple roles such as Alec songwriting and producing, Craig being our graphic designer as well as playing fiddle, Scott working his magic in the studio on top of playing whistles and bagpipes, Martin dealing with all accounting, finance and merchandise and I have the more mundane tasks of booking flights, hotels and hire cars!

A fellow musician said to us recently that many people don’t realise that being in a full-time band actually only equates to about 10% of your time being on stage performing and the other 90% is where all the hard work. Have to say agreed with that!

Cat Clyde hit things off so well with Taylor Swift and Paul McCartney’s producer, Tony Berg, that they completed her new track in just six days. It’s called Everywhere I Go, and it’s a big year for the Canadian indiie-folk singer as her album, Down Rounder, is also enjoying success. Clyde has been chatting exclusively to Tag:

Tag: How would you describe your music?

Grounded, flowing, moving. Country Blues, soul, jazz.

Tag: What is the symbolism of totems in your recent album “Papa Took My Totems”?

The meaning is always shifting its shape. I was chewing on my feelings about the human experience and the weight of society. It also feels like it rings of the destruction of the natural world and things sacred. I like the listener to feel they can draw their own symbolism or meanings to the songs.

Tag: You’ve said in the past you don’t want to join a band. Could you elaborate on that?

I’m not sure when or where I said that - but I really enjoy playing with others and love to work with musicians that inspire and move me.

Tag: How has colonialism impacted your life?

I feel it’s impacted everything. The whole world really. To me, colonialis feels like a great washing away of truth in exchange for control.

Tag: What is your advice to a teenager reading this who is hoping to break into the creative industries? Find what moves you and follow it, study it, and deepen into it.

Flawes are already big favourites on Apple Music’s New in Alternative and BBC Introducing – and now they are about to hit the big time again with their new album scheduled for release in June 2023. It’s called One Step Back, Two Steps Forward. The band caught up with Tag mag while promoting their single, Satellite.

Tag: What messages do you hope and think your new material is communicating?

JC: The three of us are very optimistic guys and I think that shows in both the music and in the title of the album. We want people to embrace the idea that your flaws are what make you unique and that a step back is often necessary before real growth can happen. The production style feels like it’s really progressed and we hope people like the music as much as we do!

Tag: What are the key issues you face when putting together an album?

Freddie: It’s a great problem to have, but one of the biggest issues was trying to decide which songs would make the album! We wrote a lot of tracks this time around and we love them all. Agreeing on visuals can sometimes cause disagreement too!

Tag: Who are your inspirations?

Huss: We all have very different musical backgrounds and tastes but think that has worked in our favour for creating music as we draw inspiration from so many angles when we’re in the studio. Personally grew up listening to everything from Prince to Fall Out Boy, Freddie loves everything from Springsteen to Machine Gun Kelly and JC’s taste spans from Coldplay to Radiohead to Billie Eilish.

Tag: JC, Huss and Freddie, which of you 3 is responsible for music production or arrangement? Who focuses on songwriting?

Freddie: We don’t really like to put rules in place when writing. Sometimes JC will come to us with a fully fleshed out idea that we then develop and other times it might be a beat that inspires something. I’ve been adding quite a lot of the production elements to songs lately, although we like to collaborate with other producers too!

Tag: Which aspect of touring do you find the hardest?

JC: We absolutely LOVE being out on the road. It’s why we do this, so it’s hard to find a reason not to love every second. But if I had to pick one thing, it’s lack of sleep. Sleep is so important for us all, and touring schedules tend to be quite relentless. That’s something we’ve definitely prioritized recently. It also helps us be able to perform 100% night after night.

Tag: What do each of you 3 do to chill out when you’re not touring?

Freddie: The three of us are all pretty active: Huss and I like to run and lift weights and JC loves his racket sports. We find that exercise is a great way to switch off!

Tag: Which, for you, is the most exciting element of being in a band? And which is the most challenging?

Huss: Honestly, playing live is the most exciting feeling. It differs night on night and the release you feel after living with these songs for months whilst crafting them, to being able to perform them and see people’s reactions or what that song means to them never fails to amaze me and validate some of the hard times. I think the most challenging aspect is keeping up with the social media of today. The world we live in is changing and the way we receive music is constantly evolving. But that’s why I’m grateful to be in a band with 2 very special chaps and have such a great team around us. We share the workload and we support each other through every decision we have to make. For that, I’m extremely grateful.