SpamaLot: a Lost Map
Music is my full time job.
My work as Pictish Trail is only one facet of what I do. Being part of a collective is a really important element of my life as a musician. Music is about sharing, and there’s no better feeling than sharing music you care about, made by people you care for.
If you create music, I would strongly advise making friends with like-minded musicians, and forming your own collective.
If you don’t create music, but would like to, I would strongly advise making friends with people whose music you like, and form a collective.
Both of these options are valid. Ok, the second one is maybe a bit more risky, but - look - that’s showbusiness.
For ten years, I was part of the Fence Records collective, in Fife - putting on live events, and releasing music from a large assortment of musical characters / chancers. I learned so much about how to do things within a small group, and on a tight budget; the value of keeping things intimate, but also the importance of building a community.
Kind of like a cult, except without the inevitable murder. Ok, without all of the inevitable murder. There was some murder. Inevitably.
In 2013, I set up DIY indie record label Lost Map, based from my new home, on the Isle of Eigg. Being part of Lost Map informs everything that I do, musically. I’m inspired by the records we release; I really enjoy hanging out with everyone in attendance at the events we put on; I’m constantly trying to think of new ways, different approaches, to share music with an audience.
I wouldn’t be able to run the label without the assistance of my good friends, Kate, Malcolm, Laura, David and Bart. Furthermore, I wouldn’t have the confidence to continue creating music as Pictish Trail without Lost Map - the team, the artists on the label, and the audience that supports it, they are all vital.
That’s why I’m typing these overly sincere words now.
This weird (and, let’s face it, fairly outdated) website that you have visited today would not exist without Lost Map. Now, okay, I concede that this website isn’t really necessary at all, and it would be no great loss to the world if it didn’t exist. But, look - if you have enjoyed listening to Pictish Trail music, I reckon you might be into the stuff we do at Lost Map, and I would encourage you to check out the following, and be a part of it…
(We solemnly promise not to murder you)
The label
We’ve put out a lot of great music, from a wide range of styles. I don’t have the discipline of being able to run a genre specific label, so when it comes to curating the artist roster, I think more along the lines of ‘what would I want to hear at a festival?’. Have a look around our website, and have a listen.
You’ll find releases by A.R. Pinewood, Alabaster dePlume, Arthur King, Bas Jan, Callum Easter, Clémentine March, Devonanon, eagleowl, Ed Dowie, Fell, Firestations, Free Love, Good Dog, Happy Spendy, Ichi, Insect Heroes, Josie Long, Kid Canaveral, Lazy Day, Manuela, Martha Ffion, Molly Linen, Monoganon, O/S/E, Pictish Trail (obvs), Rachel Aggs, Rachel Dadd, Randolph's Leap, Romeo Taylor, Rozi Plain, Savage Mansion, Seamus Fogarty, Slow Tree, Tuff Love, Undermedvetenheten, Victoria Hume and Woodpigeon.
www.lostmap.com/artists is a good place to start. We’ve also got a Spotify playlist that we update fairly regularly, too.
VISIT▲TIONS
Our artist residency programme, in which we invite musicians to stay in a bothy on the Isle of Eigg, to write and record music. We give the artists some instruments, some recording equipment, and just leave them to it. We later release this music on vinyl, as part of a subscription programme. Find out more, here: lostmap.com/visitations
Lost Map Podcast
This is an irregular podcast series, hosted by yours truly, and mostly centred around the VISIT▲TIONS project. I interview the musicians that come over to the island, and ask them about their life in music, their experience on Eigg, and their creative process. You can find it through most podcast providers, including Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Overcast, etc.
Howlin’ Fling!
I curate a weekend of music on Eigg, that takes place every couple of years or so. It’s a showcase for all the acts on the Lost Map roster, as well as an opportunity to invite some pals we’ve met on our travels.
Previous events have included Jon Hopkins, Nathan Fake, Blanck Mass, James Holden & The Animal Spirits, KT Tunstall, Jens Lekman, Not Waving, Gruff Rhys, Steve Mason, Beth Orton, Cate Le Bon, Jason Lytle, Alexis Taylor, Sacred Paws, British Sea Power, Django Django, The Phantom Band, John MacLean, Brigid Mae Power, Jane Weaver, Oliver Coates, Boxed In, Bill Ryder Jones, Gwenno, Luke Abbott, Euros Childs, Johnny Flynn, Golden Teacher, Free Love, The Twilight Sad, Withered Hand, Siobhan Wilson, Trash Kit, Sam Amidon, François & the Atlas Mountains, among many others. I realise that was just a list of me showing off. I couldn’t help it, sorry.