A West Lothian radio host has featured on a popular Scottish podcast discussing the West Lothian music scene and his support for an 11-year-old Lewis Capaldi.
Ross Coutts, founder of both the Gig in the Goil and Live in Livi, joined broadcaster Sean McDonald on the Blethered podcast to discuss the West Lothian music scene.
In the podcast, Coutts goes over his early days in hospital radio with Radio Grapevine for St John’s in Livingston - in his role Ross gave a platform to many up and coming musicians in West Lothian that would soon make a splash on the national stage.
In his role Ross gave 11-year-old Lewis Capaldi one of his first platforms and he spoke about how the young artist made an instant impression on him.
The radio host also spoke of his part in the Gig in The Goil music festival, with impressive headliners such as Gerry Cinnamon and the Snuts.
Ross Coutts spoke about how the West Lothian music scene became what it is today, he said: “To understand how West Lothian has become such a conveyor belt for pumping out hit artists, we need to go back around 10 to 15 years ago and look at the venues around West Lothian.
“Circa 2006-2010 we had a load of venues around, like Harley’s Bar in Bathgate and The Attic playing a bunch of artists like the Dead Sea Souls, Harringtons, Fire and Eye.
“Some of the artists coming through at that time were absolutely incredible and certainly underrated and underappreciated, but were renowned in the local area.
“These gigs were often for over 14s so you’d find characters like Lewis Capaldi, the boys from The Snuts, Mark Sharp, and Luke La Volpe who have obviously been inspired by these acts, making the scene what it is today and going on to play nation-wide and even international venues themselves.”
In early August, Lewis Capaldi himself had told Sean McDonald that Ross Coutts was fundamental in kicking off Capaldi’s career.
Ross went on to speak about his early interactions with Lewis Capaldi in hospital radio at St John’s.
Ross said:”I started at Grapevine when I was 14 - eventually I got my own show after about a year called ‘the gap’ playing new indie music and unsigned artists.
“Lewis Capaldi was an incredible guest to have in - he was only 11 at the time but he was incredible.
“His brother Warren had been playing a residency spot at the station - and he said to me one day that his brother had just got a guitar for his birthday and was writing music.
“Warren brought Lewis in to the studio with his guitar that was probably twice the size of him at the time - if I’m remembering right he played a bit of Paolo Nutini and then The Script’s The Man Who Can’t be Moved’.
“His enthusiasm was amazing - people twice his age would have been nervous about going on air but he had no problem with it.”
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