I was only thirteen years old
at the time but what a privilege to watch such an
incredible performer totally blow the crowd away with
funny stories and amazing songs........ 
This may
seem an over-exaggerated statement but I really mean it.
The many chapters of Gerry Rafferty's career produced some
extraordinary songs from a writer who writes with great
honesty and humility.................
Like my
other songwriting idol, Gerry Rafferty, Harry Nilsson
stealthily portrayed autobiographical undertones within
his songs....
News and Views
Was (Not Was) Interview
I am truly honoured to have had my version of 'Where did Your Hear Go' by Was (Was Not Was) and Wham used on the latest episode of The 80sOgraphy documentary podcast with the actual David Weiss (Was) from my favourite ever band Was (Not Was).
In this exclusive interview, David Was opens up about the band's journey and the inspiration behind many of his songs.
His witty and insightful comments are truly captivating. I was blown away!
I want to thank Mark Pawlowski from 80sOgraphy for using my version on such a fantastic podcast. He went above and beyond in his interview skills, and he managed to get a three-part interview from a rather elusive artist. I am again truly honoured that he chose my version to be included on the program. You can listen to the episode by clicking here
This band is way more than just 'Walk The Dinosaur'. They've had some big names on their albums, like Mel Torme, Frank Sinatra Jr., Madonna, Ozzy Osbourne, Kim Basinger, Leonard Cohen, and Kris Kristofferson. David and his creative partner Don Was have had a hand in producing and writing with artists such as Roy Orbison, The Rolling Stones, Bob Dylan, Ricky Lee Jones, Elvis Costello, and K.D. Lang. David even produced music for The X Files and lots of TV and movie projects. And guess what? He's interviewed some of my all-time heroes, like Miles Davis and Sonny Rollins!
I've only recently written an article about my love for Was Not Was on my blog. You can check it out by clicking here.
The David Mackin Music Show
A Bloke Armed With A Guitar, Keyboard And Trumpet
My first month of stepping out as a solo artist has been a very rewarding one. Since leaving The Beer Pigs last month, after over 30 years of playing, I am finding my diary is rapidly filling up. I did a great gig in East Lothian Scotland on March 15th and will be in Newcastle in April. I am relishing these exciting new steps in my career.
I believe that my show is unique. As musicians we all tend to perform a series of songs that go down well with an audience and many groups play the same sorts of things. I have really dug into the classics from the last 60 years and realise many have been overlooked. As I have experimented with them in my show the reaction from the audience has been astonishing. You can see a full list of the evolving set I am working from by clicking here. 
I perform these incredible songs on either my guitar, trumpet or keyboard with a video backdrop behind me. I perform songs from classic artists such as: Billy Joel, Elton John, The Beatles, The Verve, Gerry Rafferty, Harry Nilsson, Tears For Fears, Oasis, Human League, George Michael, A-Ha, The Beautiful South.....too many to list. Any backing tracks I use have been created by myself and many of my performances on the various instruments I used on the tracks are captured in the videos projected behind me.
A One Man Band
I am the ultimate "one man band" that nobody understands.
I play classic synth pop songs by bands like Everything But The Girl, The Pet Shop Boys and The Human League. I will really make your venue sing and dance armed with only a keyboard, guitar and a trumpet.
If you are interested in booking me for your venue please reach out to me on the contact tab above. I am looking to fill my diary throughout the year.
If you would like to see a list of the huge range of diverse songs I perform in my sets please
Click Here to download the list.
Original Material
Behind all of this I am actually a singer songwriter with a lot of original material developed. Throughout the rest of this site you can explore my output from the last 30 years in preparation for my next album 'The Ring Of Gullion' that I will begin recording in the summer. I have also created a Music Manifesto to focus my creative pursuits. I will totally enjoy making music on my own terms and look forward to an exciting future doing so.
The Hermitage Suite
My latest album The Hermitage Suite is available worldwide
on all major digital streaming platforms. Over the coming
months I will be releasing various new videos to accompany
the release and some low key live shows are being organised.
The Hermitage Suite is an enhanced re-release of my first
album that I originally released twenty five years ago. This
is, most certainly, my most intimate and personal album. You
can read more about the album and the songs involved over
the coming months on my blog and podcasts from this website.
I have thoroughy enjoyed the creative process of enhancing
my original 4-Track recordings from 25 years ago. The
Beatles have recently released 'Now And Then' with the tape
recording of John Lennon brought back to life with AI and
finally making the song fit for release.
I used the same technology to enhance a recording of my
Dad, Laurence Mackin, also from 1978 which was the
keystone of this album. The original release in 1998 could
never have achieved what is possible today.
I have always been a fan of album sleeve notes as I feel they really enhance the listeing experience. Mindful of this, I have created a small book to accompany the album. Please feel free to download it here to enhance your listening pleasure on your preferred streaming platform. Click here to download the pdf.
Latest Blog Entries
Albums That Have Changed My Life
A few years ago, on Facebook, my friend Andy Power gave me a challenge: to choose 10 albums that greatly influenced my taste in music. One album per day for ten consecutive days. This little exercise got my writing chops going for the first time in years. I thoroughly enjoyed reflecting on the albums that changed my life. Here are the albums I explored.
Day 1 of 10 - The Chirping Crickets - Buddy Holly And The Crickets
The Crickets, featuring Buddy Holly, released this album in 1957, which became the model for my favourite bands. John Lennon modelled himself on Holly, and The Beatles were inspired by The Crickets. The band consisted of drums, bass, guitar, and a frontman who wrote his own songs. In just two years, before his tragic death in a plane crash, Buddy Holly accomplished so much.
Born 10 years after his death, his music resonated with me as a teenager in the 1980s. Songs like "Oh Boy," "Not Fade Away," "Maybe Baby," "An Empty Cup (And Broken Date)," "It's Too Late," and "That'll Be The Day" inspired me. Buddy Holly and Eddie Cochran were essential to my musical development...........Click Here To Read More.
The Return - Concert At Saabat Art Gallery
On 7th December 2023 I played my first solo concert in
twenty years to a full house in the glorious Saabat Art
Gallery in South Bank. I have never enjoyed performing as
much as I did this magical night. It was intimate and very
personal and I loved it.
The Saabat Art Gallery is an incredible hub for an exciting new art movement that I have been keen to support since I discovered it during the Covid 19 Lockdown era. It was a real honour to be asked to perform my songs at the first of many concerts at this very special place. Over the coming months I will release some videos from the performance but, for now, here is a recording of one of my newest compositions that will appear on my next album 'The Ring Of Gullion'. The song is inspired by stories that my Uncles told me of a horse tethered to the back of a Cinema in South Bank called The Majestic. As the horse would throw every child who tried to ride it straigh off, they all believed it Was Roy Roger's Horse.
My Vision As A Musical Artist
I firmly believe that music is a serious art form and can encompass all the disciplines of traditional and modern art. From the fantastic artwork created for posters and album covers to the stunning filmmaking and photography that has gone into the production of Music Videos. Wonderful words have been written in articles, revues and analytical essays on the classics. I bring all of these elements to my original music and hope to use this website as a showcase for each of them.
I hope to achieve all of these aims with this website and make this a place where a deeper and more intellectual exploration can occur on the many subjects surrounding music-making. I hope to write about influential songwriters, analyse songs and production techniques, create stunning cinematic videos and present my music in its most digestible formats for my audience.
To survive and flourish, music has evolved over the last few hundred years and presented itself in the most accessible and innovative mediums. From simple sheet music that has allowed us to play the musical ideas of the great composers to the first recordings, we have been able to interpret the most amazing music in new and exciting ways. Libraries of brilliant articles have been written on music, artists and production methods that have allowed music to become a completely immersive experience. We are now living in a world where spatial audio can be experienced on a pair of headphone buds. We can view movie resolutions of stunning clarity surpassing 4k which now looks as good as real film. And all of this can be created on a computer by just one person with the knowledge to create anything an imagination dictates.
This website will allow me to do all of this. I can present my music, videos, podcasts, live shows and blog all from the one place.
More Blog Entries
Leaving On A Jet Plane
The Reasons Iam Leaving The Beer Pigs And Moving On
Over the lockdown period, unable to perform with my band, I started recording a series of videos to keep my creative spark alive. I covered songs I've always loved by artists I've always admired, showcasing my musical versatility and wide range of appreciation for various genres.
I've been contemplating leaving The Beer Pigs for quite some time now. Lately, I've been struggling with the physicality of carrying heavy gear into venues and the volume levels on stage........Click Here To Read More.