We could write for hours about the lifetime commitment Andy Mclaughlan made towards his music career, yet we’ll let you hear it from him directly in a second. For now, we’d love to point out the vibrant and eclectic talent that has propped up the Scottish musician for the past few decades. A keen guitarist, a teacher, and an observant songwriter, Mclaughlan has recently embarked on a new creative journey, one that’s manifesting through potent and dynamic singles such as ‘What Will You Say’.
In it, we find a gloomy, industrial-coded sound that’s contemporary and edgy, but also rooted in the alternative rock tradition. In truth, the piece is oriented towards an evocative, cinematic electronic sound, at least partly, building a rather mysterious soundscape, one that’s also gritty and fuzzy. Andy’s vocals crown the track with prophetic allure and anthemic energy, the perfect match for such a powerful effort.
Intrigued by the Glasgow-based troubadour, we caught up with Mclaughlan to learn more about his artistry and future goals. Interview below!
Hey Andy, thanks for chatting with us! How are you? We have a lot to cover, both about yourself and your new record, but first, I’d like to ask you a wide, open-ended question: are you proud of how your music career has been so far?
Yeah, I am. It’s not been linear, but it’s been real. I’ve built a life around music from multiple angles—performing, teaching, producing, and organising events like Guitar Dreams. Through my company, Nexus Events, I’m bringing Bowie’s Glastonbury band back together in Loch Lomond this November, which is very exciting. I’m looking forward to activating the infrastructure I’ve been building for my own music when the time is right.
What the reader might not know is that Andy Mclaughlan is not just a recording artist. Besides the new material you are releasing right now, you have spent your whole life playing guitar, teaching music, and doing a bunch of other related stuff. Tell us about what motivated you to pursue music in the first place. Were you born into a musical family? Was there someone or something that particularly inspired you in taking your artistic career seriously?
I’ve been obsessed with music since I was a kid. My family weren’t musical, but there was always music on in the house. The internet arrived in our home in 2000, and that opened everything up—I could explore music properly for the first time. Shortly after I picked up the guitar, the obsession just grew from there.
I noticed you were active in the early days of YouTube, conducting masterclasses and producing interviews. Were you trying to achieve or build something specific?
At first, it was interviews and performance videos. I drifted away from it for a while, but recently got back into it. It’s another pillar that has a lot of potential—if you do it right, it can really support and expand your career as a musician.
This got me nostalgic! The music industry has changed a lot since then… is there anything that you miss from the early ‘2000s? For sure, it’s easier and cheaper to release music today, isn’t it?
I’m not one for looking back too much. What I do remember is the excitement of the internet arriving, and going to my first concert—I saw Bon Jovi at Hampden Stadium in 2001. That was the moment I thought, “That’s what I want to do”. The industry is very different now, but ultimately it still comes down to great music and cutting through. In that sense, it’s business as usual.
‘What Will You Say’ is your latest single, a worthy follow-up to ‘If I Be Damned’, which we featured on Mesmerized back in February. I appreciate the eclectic and somewhat cinematic allure behind the tracks. Is there anything specific you are writing about in the songs?
They’re quite introspective. A lot of it is about pressure, identity, and the internal dialogue you have when you’re pushing yourself forward. It’s less about telling a literal story and more about capturing a feeling.
Sonically, is there a specific genre or influence you are referencing? We should mention Arthur Pingrey being on the mix for both singles…
It pulls from a few places, but I’m not trying to sit in one genre. It’s more about atmosphere and impact. Arthur really helped bring clarity and weight to the mixes without losing that edge.
How long have ‘What Will You Say’ and ‘If I Be Damned’ been in the making? Can we expect further singles, or even an album?
I wrote both songs at the end of 2025. There are a number of new singles coming—I’m testing the water, improving my production, working on the songwriting, and most importantly, the singing. I’ll be ready to work towards a full album by the end of this year for sure.
Lastly, we are happy to report that you’ll likely be playing some shows in the near future. Is that going to be in Scotland only? Also, I am interested in how you will be translating such an industrial-leaning, gritty studio sound into live settings…
I’ll play anywhere if it’s right. I’ve spent years playing all over the UK across all kinds of gig sizes, but going forward it’s about quality over quantity—at least initially. The band has to be right, and the gigs have to be right. You’ll likely see live band performance videos before any actual shows, and then we take it from there. I’m not trying to replicate the recordings—I want to bring the tracks to life with the best musicians who really get the music and the energy.
Thanks for having me!