{"id":15137,"date":"2022-04-12T10:49:32","date_gmt":"2022-04-12T09:49:32","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/projects.handsupfortrad.scot\/handsupfortrad\/?p=15137"},"modified":"2022-04-12T10:49:58","modified_gmt":"2022-04-12T09:49:58","slug":"hands-up-for-trads-ignition-award-awarded-to-euan-mclaughlin","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/projects.handsupfortrad.scot\/handsupfortrad\/hands-up-for-trads-ignition-award-awarded-to-euan-mclaughlin\/","title":{"rendered":"Hands Up for Trad’s Ignition Award awarded to Euan McLaughlin"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"\"Hands Up for Trad\u2019s Ignition Award<\/a> is an award for musicians and bands who put the charge into the tradition. At Hands Up for Trad we like to celebrate innovation so we have brought forward this award to celebrate those musicians who take chances and in doing so make Scottish trad music an exciting place to be. Congratulations to Euan McLaughlin who has been awarded the Ignition Award for 2022.<\/p>\n

We asked Euan the following questions.<\/p>\n

When did you first start playing music?<\/strong>
\nThere were always instruments lying around the house as I was growing up so I used to pick things up and play them, or at least hit them, from a young age. Around 6, I think, I properly started learning the fiddle, I got classical lessons as well as attending my local F\u00e8is and learning trad music from a variety of different people. The first was, very memorably, the late, great Angus Grant Jr.<\/p>\n

\"\"Did you make a conscious decision to be innovative with your music?<\/strong>
\nI think I take a lot of influence from a diverse range of genres and musicians, and I\u2019ve always tried to embrace these influences when writing, but I wouldn\u2019t say I consciously strive to be innovative. I\u2019m also incredibly lucky to be constantly surrounded by amazing musicians. The Scottish scene is bursting with incredibly diverse players and forward thinking bands which all feeds into what you do.<\/p>\n

What are your main influences?<\/strong>
\nSome of my teachers over the years have been an amazing influence on me. Too many to mention here but special shouts have to go to Simon Coverdale, Stewart Hardy, Duncan Chisholm and Greg Lawson who were all massively inspiring at different times.<\/p>\n

Of course some of of the many pioneering names within folk music such as Martyn Bennet, Shooglenifty, Ross Ainslie, ALDOC and many others have been big influences. There are so many amazing musicians releasing within trad music which is brilliant because there are so many places to draw influence from.<\/p>\n

I\u2019m also a big fan of a big range of genres, in particular world music, dub and heavier styles of dance music and I think all of that massively influences me as well.<\/p>\n