Edinburgh's original open mic night

Ewan Michael Riley

In his own words

What's the best piece of songwriting advice you've ever been given?

This one time I handed a set of lyrics to a girl to sing and she squealed with laughter at some of the pompous words I'd written. The lesson learned was: don't pontificate. Write from the brain and the gut and don't let that heart bleed too much.

Your favourite song(s) of all time ?

My god, how to pick a favourite song? There's just too much stuff to appreciate and too much stuff to believe to be crap. Right now on 6th May 2006 at 4:24pm I'm listening to Things Behind The Sun by Nick Drake and it suits my mood so that's my favourite song for now.

The consumer question: album, book or film you've enjoyed recently.

I read this book of idioms and their origins recently - fascinating stuff, it shows what a rich tapestry there is behind our everyday language. I like reading polish because I know how to pronounce most of the words though I don't know what most of them mean (weird, eh?).

How would your best review sum you up?

As John B from OOTB did on 23rd March this year: "Ewan proves that his moods can vary, swing, surge, weave, knit, nip, tuck, dip, strip and he can quip." Mr B, I doff my cap to you for writing such a great line. (Full outpouring below - Ed)

Who would be in your fantasy band?

Monkeys dressed in corsets and powdered wigs dancing manically to the sound of rapidly typed typewriters.

at OOTB

(20/10/05)
A latecomer who managed to fit in one song right at the end after sitting patiently for most of the night, Ewan, sporting the second good hat of the
night, provided a vibrant upbeat end to the evening with some fine use of open strings as he sang to us of The Three Degrees of Separation (Three Degrees).

(23/03/06)
Some serious moments and bits of banter. Melancholic music is not necessarily a bad thing unless you are on a downer but Out on the Edge has its fair share of apparitions and I just don’t know where everything will go except some place. Danielle from a play with no happy ending. Alcoholic in love with a girl in chains and a soundtrack to take you into the dark recesses of the London Transport Underground system I’d say. We think it ends in a well planned but ultimately painful execution. Love is an arrow, love is fragile says he in Wonderwall and three degrees of slip and separation. Ewan proves that his moods can vary, swing, surge, weave, knit, nip, tuck, dip, strip and he can quip.