Multi award-nominated freelance journalist, creative copywriter, PR, podcast producer/presenter. Available for hire now.
I’m an award-nominated freelance journalist, copywriter, author, editor, radio and podcast writer/producer/presenter with 20 years of full-time experience across print, digital and broadcast media, currently based between Stockholm, Sweden and my native Scotland. I specialise in music and culture, history, travel, technology, food and drink, city scenes, nightlife, property, architecture, interiors and much more. I’ve produced journalism content for some of the world’s leading media organisations including TIME Magazine, National Geographic, The New York Times, The Guardian, The Times, BBC Radio 4, Time Out, The Big Issue, Huck, Homes and Interiors Scotland and many more. I write the weekly Home of the Week feature for The Times Scotland’s Bricks & Mortar property supplement. I edit the Sunday Times in Scotland’s biannual Review of Independent Schools. I’ve produced written and audio content for leading independent record labels including Secretly Canadian, Domino, Playground, Kobalt and Distiller. I’ve written and edited creative copy for major brands, branded content agencies and arts and cultural organisations such as Guardian Labs, Waitrose, Shure, Glasgow International and the V&A Dundee. I help to run an independent record label called Lost Map, based on the isle of Eigg, Scotland, creating press materials and writing a fortnightly newsletter called Waypoints.
My work.
For up to date samples of my work please see my profile pages for The Guardian, The Times and The Big Issue. For some recent selected samples, click on these links or on images in the grid below.
The 10 most beautiful places in Scotland – Time Out, February 2024
Stop Making Sense review: a once in a lifetime Talking Heads show – The Big Issue, October 2023
Lost Map: How to build a DIY label on love, woolly hats and sheep dung – The Big Issue, August 2023
The common touch: an homage to Britpop icons and TRNSMT headliners Pulp – The List, July 2023
Spend summer in the Alps, where the kingdom of raclette still oozes with life – The Times, May 2023
Experience: I’ve seen Status Quo 487 times – The Guardian, February 2023
The Cure review: top goths tease their bleak but beautiful new album – The Guardian, December 2022
Roxy Music review: arch art-rockers peacock their peerless anthems – The Guardian, October 2022
One-stop shop: popping the cap on Berlin's sensational späti culture – EasyJet Traveller, July 2022
Harry Styles review: joy, tears and conga lines at Harry’s house party – The Guardian, June 2022
Experience: our house was moved to a different town – The Guardian, September 2021
Edinburgh Fringe Is Back. Is a Smaller Festival Better? – The New York Times, August 2021
Greentea Peng: ‘Music has been a healing experience’ – The Big Issue, September 2021
Inside the AI Song Contest – a front page story for The New York Times, July 2021
Fight the power: The rebel photographer who shot life behind the Berlin Wall – Huck, November 2020
Viktor Tsoi: Standing up to tyranny... with music – The Big Issue, September 2020
Welcome Money – a documentary for BBC Radio 4, November 2019
From Dresden on the 50th Anniversary of Slaughterhouse-Five – The New York Times, March 2019
Switzerland’s yodeling tradition is changing. Here’s how to experience it – National Geographic, August 2023
I was the first journalist in the world to review Beyoncé's spectacular Renaissance tour on its opening night in Stockholm – The Guardian, May 2023
A podcast I wrote, produced and narrated about Jens Lekman, and the re-making of two of his classic albums. Part of Secretly Canadian Records' Secretly Society Podcast series, April 2022
Green Man festival review: Self Esteem crowns success, Julie Byrne triumphs and Devo rock the muck – The Guardian, August 2023
Swedish Eurovision favourite Loreen explains her plan to win a second time in Liverpool – The Big Issue, May 2023
‘The jumper made me a fashion icon’: how we made The Killing by Sofie Gråbøl and Søren Sveistrup – The Guardian, January 2024
Lost Map: How to build a DIY label on love, woolly hats and sheep dung – The Big Issue, August 2023
The 10 most beautiful places in Scotland – Time Out, February 2024
The common touch: an homage to Britpop icons and TRNSMT headliners Pulp – The List, July 2023
Inside the stylish transformation of a crumbling Italian countryside home – Homes and Interiors Scotland, March 2024
Bob Dylan’s Highland hideout could be yours for £3m – world exclusive for The Times, July 2023, picked up by media globally
Stop Making Sense review: a once in a lifetime Talking Heads show – The Big Issue, October 2023
Spend summer in the Alps, where the kingdom of raclette still oozes with life – The Times, May 2023
Two features for Homes and Interiors Scotland, September/October 2023 edition: an Edwardian house in London given an ultra green makeover, and a 200-year-old cottage on Mull reimagined for a new era
‘Oh my God – this is big!’ How the Cardigans went stratospheric with Lovefool – The Guardian, January 2023
One-stop shop: popping the cap on Berlin's sensational späti culture – EasyJet Traveller, July 2022
Harry Styles review: joy, tears and conga lines at Harry’s house party – The Guardian, June 2022
Inside the AI Song Contest – The New York Times, July 2021 (front page story)
Next stop Beijing: Kirsty Muir cover interview – Scotland on Sunday Scottish Sky & Board, December 2021
An architecture story about the beautiful Vriskaig luxury cottage overlooking Portree bay on the Isle of Skye – my first byline for Homes and Interiors Scotland mag, April 2023
‘They’re coming up with devious ways to take your money’: the TV hackers taking on the scammers – The Guardian, May 2023
Experience: I’ve seen Status Quo 487 times – The Guardian, February 2023
I wrote all but one of the entries in the highly influential Scotland's Best Places to Live supplement – The Sunday Times, April 2022
Greentea Peng: ‘Music has been a healing experience’ – The Big Issue, September 2021
Edinburgh Fringe Is Back. Is a Smaller Festival Better? – The New York Times, August 2021
The Shoregate, Crail restaurant review: ‘The hole-in-one for the tastebuds never came’ – The Times, September 2022
Home of the Week – The Times Scotland Bricks & Mortar property supplement (weekly feature)
East Germans Were Welcomed to the West With Free Money. Here’s What They Bought After the Berlin Wall Fell – cover story for Time, November 2019
Meet the Local Heroes Holding British Music Together; interview with Glasgow DJ Nightwave – Vice, March 2021
#Shure24 interviews with Miink, Frank Lobo and Skinny Pelembe – Shure's #LOUDER magazine, March 2020
Experience: our house was moved to a different town – The Guardian, September 2021
Golf, whiskey... and rockets? Scotland's tourism scene aims for the stars – National Geographic, June 2021
Halfpipe heroes: the untold story of Britain's first halfpipe snowboard competition – Scotland on Sunday, March 2021
Welcome Money – a documentary for BBC Radio 4, November 2019
Among antlers and artworks at the Fife Arms – The Times, April 2022
Light years: Photographer Graham MacIndoe on his career, heroin addiction and his special relationship with indie-rock band The National – Huck, June 2021
Home of the Week – The Times Scotland Bricks & Mortar property supplement (weekly feature)
Fight the power: The rebel photographer who shot life behind the Berlin Wall – Huck, November 2020
From Dresden on the 50th Anniversary of Slaughterhouse-Five – The New York Times, March 2019
Meet Forij, Glasgow’s boundary-pushing hip hop collective – Time Out Glasgow pop-up edition, March 2019
Bruce Springsteen Berlin '88 remembered –cover feature for The Big Issue, July 2018
David Byrne on outsider art – interview for The Big Issue, June 2018
How we made: The Lives of Others – The Guardian, November 2020
Viktor Tsoi: Standing up to tyranny... with music – feature for The Big Issue, September 2020
Arctic Monkeys exclusive behind the scenes photo special – cover feature and pullout for The Big Issue, August 2018
Kate Tempest and Rick Rubin interview in LA – cover feature for The Big Issue, June 2019
Belle and Sebastian's Boaty Weekender cruise ship festival report – The Guardian, August 2019
Experience: my brother spied on me for the Stasi – The Guardian, September 2020
How Komplete Kontrol is changing the game for visually-impaired musicians – Red Bull Music, March 2019