A Dundee songwriter has achieved the dream of a lifetime with the release of his debut single.
Neil McLaren (20) spent days in a city centre music studio to record new album material, including the song Radio. The single marks Neil’s first foray into commercial music with its release on iTunes.
The Hawkhill man, who has written music for around five years, says he is “very excited” Radio can reach a global audience.
“This is the first time I have done anything like this and it’s just brilliant,” he said. “The other exciting aspect about this is that it has been done with no publicity. It has mostly been done through Facebook and Myspace.”
Releasing your own single is a dream for many but for Neil the achievement is all the more special. He was born with a rare condition which left him virtually blind at birth. He was selected for pioneering treatment that partially restored his sight but the condition affected his studies at school.
“I was not particularly good academically. For me it has always been music, music, music,” said Neil.
With X-Factor and large record labels backing the artists in the charts, the Dundee man is hopeful his style of music, which he describes as pop-rock alternative, will attract a following.
“People only heard about me through the internet,” continued Neil, who has worked part-time at B&Q to fund the album. “The internet is a great tool for people to get their music out there and allow others to hear it.”
Radio is available for download on iTunes and will go on full release across the UK later this month.
You can also find Neil on his Myspace.