Fife singer-songwriter’s labour of love album launches at Kings Live Lounge

Garry Stanton will unveil The Killing Chill, his record of imagined Pictish music, at the Esplanade venue on Sunday, March 26. The gig was preceded by the recent launch of the single, Elemental.Sunday’s launch runs from 2:00pm to 5:00pm and is open to all to attend.

The album is a labour of love for the man who hosts fortnightly quiz evenings at Alfie’s bar on the High Street – one that came to fruition with funding from Creative Scotland.

Garry, who was born in Edinburgh - he attended Trinity Academy - but has lived in Kennoway for the past 20 years, is also a member of covers band, Suited & Booted who have played many venues across Fife.

The Killing Chill was developed during lockdown, but music has been part of his life since his childhood days.

Garry recalled: “My dad sat me down when I was nine, and played Sergeant Pepper. That was amazing. I got into The Beatles as a teenager when everyone else was into The Jam and The Clash, who I loved as well.

“I always thought it’d be great to write the way they do - how do you go from four chords to writing the lyrics and creating an entire song? One of the things I love about music is the creation of songs. It’s like magic.”

The Killing Chill took shape, starting in 2022.

“I had an idea during lockdown to do something different. I got funding from Creative Scotland to record it and that helped enormously. My idea was to start with song titles. I wrote them down, then wrote the songs around them.

“I have always had a certain fascination with the Picts, and I suppose this was the backdrop to my idea, a vague notion of somehow bringing them to life in some way, no matter how abstract.

“The album didn’t set out to have a theme, but it does feel like that - birth, death and all things in between - the renewal and recycle of life all run through it. It wasn’t deliberate it just worked out that way.”

It also has a very ethereal feel. “It’s more of a way of thinking, a sensibility, a vibe,” he said.

Garry sings plays a number of instruments on the album - acoustic and electric guitar, bass, and keyboards - but there are some instruments you don;t usually find on an album.

In keeping with the Pictish theme, he wanted to use a carnyx - a wind instrument of the Iron Age Celts - and he found one.

“I’d heard about it and really wanted to add one to the album. I did some research and found John Kenny, a music academic and virtuoso trombone player who actually plays a carnyx. He stays in Edinburgh and was really up for the project

He came across to the studio in Dunfermline and put down his parts. That, for me, was just great fun.”

The launch gig is another first for Garry.

“I’ll play the album and other stuff and will have CDs for sale,” he said. “ I’ve no idea how it will go as I have never done a launch gig before, but I hope folk come along and enjoy the afternoon.”