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At long last, the Serbian-Scottish collaboration between talented filmmaker Milos Itic and myself is available to view here. We would both welcome your feedback and comments and please do take the time to read on if you are interested in the genesis of this project.

Approximately one year ago in the Franconian town of Bayreuth I performed a garden concert, which in actual fact due to the inclement weather descended into a one part garden concert/one part house concert if you will. At the conclusion of the concert, following my kind provision of a double encore at the request of my wonderful and enthusiastic audience, as is customary for the independent musician I made my way to my merchandise stall and began to mingle with the audience, fielding questions about the music and the life as a troubadour.

Later on, as the crowds began to dissipate leaving only the performer, organisers and those with a more hardened approach to late night drinking, a young Serbian filmmaker introduced himself to me, and we struck up a conversation. Initially bonding over the sporting topics of association football and an impassioned debate over whether Novak Djokovic or Andy Murray were the better tennis player (sooner Andy returns to full fitness to end that debate the better!) as the night wore on the conversation turned to two topics about which we both had far more passion for than sport, film and music.

We discovered that we both had a shared love of the outlaw country movement and the ingenious songwriting of Townes van Zandt (whose biography I happened to be reading at the time), Guy Clark and Blaze Foley. The conversation moved effortlessly through German cinema, the history of Scottish filmmaking and Serbian music, the latter of course leading me to enquire about the Serbian music scene. Milos also showed a keen interest and willingness to learn about the vagaries of Scotland’s national drink, whisky, a favourite subject of mine, which of course, regular readers of this blog will already know.

When we parted very late that evening we did so with a firm commitment that we should meet up again in the future and that I should come to Serbia, a country I had long wished to visit. Milos had really enjoyed the concert and my songs, and a few days later when I had a rest day in Northern Germany I had the opportunity to view his work the admiration was mutual. I contacted Milos and floated the idea of working together on a music video if/when I could make it to Serbia.

Due to both our hectic schedules, with both of us working all over Europe, although Milos was just as keen to make a video as I was, we both knew that 2017 would not be possible, and that it would need to wait until early 2018. Serendipitous it certainly was, but with my having four days off on an early March tour of Germany and with exceptionally cheap flights from Bavaria to Milos’s home city of Nis on those exact dates we both seized the moment, I by booking the flights and Milos by arranging a couple of small, intimate, acoustic shows in Nis for me.

Suffice to say, I shall not dwell here on how inspiring my Serbian travels were (will save that for another time!), only to mention that it afforded us the chance to shoot the video (all locations for the video were in Milos’s home city of Nis), as well as for Milos to give me a serious chess lesson (will save that embarrassing anecdote for another time too!). A few months later and we are both happy to share with you the final video for the song ‘Vulnerable Man’, born out of a chance encounter after a Bayreuth concert.

The artistic life is a beautiful, unexpected and commoving one.

Slainte agus taing dha Milos

SK x

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Should be with you very shortly. Directed by Milos Itic

Please keep watching this space, I’m currently on an extremely hectic tour of Europe but will endeavour to write more when back in Edinburgh, including news of the new album release date.

Very best wishes from Leipzig,

SK x

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Hello All,

Since I last wrote I have had the good fortune to conduct a European tour where I visited five countries in ten days, now that’s a lot of driving! As I mentioned previously, I was in Italy performing for the first time ever, and to briefly come back to the subject of driving (it’s probably what I spend most of my professional life doing!), let’s just say the experience in Italy was starkly different from the years spent on Northern European and North American roads. Still, the fine dining and excellent wine were on hand to take the edge off before the shows.

The tour also included my sixth visit to the microstate of Liechtenstein, a simply incredible and inspiring place, an oasis of tranquillity and beauty nestled in the heart of the Alps, which never fails to prompt a flow of creativity from both the pen and the guitar. As well as visits to Switzerland and Germany, I also had the pleasure of performing in Brussels, a city I had never really had the chance to properly visit before, and the time spent there after the show served to similarly inspire me.

Back to the studio now, my harmony vocals are finished, and Ian McCalman and I had a great time recording the supreme fiddling talent that is Robbie Greig. I’m very much looking forward to touring with him later in the year.

Drumming maestro Billy Archibald and the wonderful double bass playing of Bob Miller are set to be recorded in the next couple of weeks before the arduous task of mixing begins, made all the more difficult by the lengthy touring commitments across the summer months. It is still anticipated to have the album ready for the Edinburgh Festival in August, and tickets are now available for the Festival shows here – if you live in Edinburgh or shall be visiting the Fringe in August, then what are you waiting for?!

Across the Atlantic, several of my Canadian followers have been asking about whether I shall be returning this year, I’m delighted to confirm that I shall be and the dates shall be posted in due course.

More to follow soon, I’m not long back from a whistle stop tour of England, a night in beautiful Lingfield, Surrey, that saw me join the running club the next morning for a seven mile run across the scenic countryside, followed by my final April show in the cute market town of Oswestry in my favourite English county of Shropshire in a stunning art gallery called The Willow Gallery.

Thanks for reading, and I hope to see some readers on my upcoming European tour.

All the best, as always.

SK x

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Hello All,

My last tour was awash with adventure, and that’s saying something as I draw near to completing eight years of full-time musicianship on the road!

My first visit to Serbia was particularly inspiring, I was based in Nis, the third city of Serbia and the largest settlement in the south of the country. I was hosted by talented filmmaker Milos Itic, of whose work you can see more here, and the fruits of our collaborative music video will be released in due course.

I’m currently enjoying a couple of weeks at home and am hard at work in the studio. My parts for the upcoming album are mostly finished and I’m looking forward to welcoming Robbie Greig into the studio next week. It is intended to have all the music recorded by the end of April such that the album can be ready for the summer. My hectic summer schedule means that it will no doubt arrive when I’m on the continent, but I’ll make allowances to have it delivered to me wherever I am as soon as I can, fear not!

The next tour shall see me perform for the first ever time in Italy, about which I’m very excited – Forza Italia – :-). Wonderful times, as an artist who spends a lot of time on the road it’s so important to visit new territories and build on the bank of experience from which you come to draw on in the writing process.

Finally, thanks again for your support with regards to ‘Onwards She Travels’, it has more than justified my decision to pursue this side of my music. I shall be touring a solely instrumental guitar act based largely upon the album from May 2018 – anyone interested in booking this act, please contact me here. It’s ideal for house concerts!

More to follow next month, I promise, thanks again for reading, as always.

SK x

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Alas, I have sinned, ladies and gentlemen, and confess that my updates to this blog have not been as frequent as they should – please hold me to my monthly update, pester me, berate me, ensure that I keep all of those interested in my music regularly posted.

As the title alludes, I have laid down the guitar tracks for the next album, and can enthusiastically comment that my new Taran Guitar is sounding excellent in the studio, I’m absolutely delighted with how it is responding to the very different demand of recording. Later this week, and into next week, I shall be laying down the vocal tracks, always a highlight, and following that I shall be reviewing everything before determining which tracks to take forward and what additional instrumentation will be required. I anticipate this release should be ready for the summer, but as ever this could depend slightly on both time and budget constraints.

The response to my guitar instrumental concept album ‘Onwards She Travels‘ has been fantastic, a huge thank you to each and every one of you who purchased a copy. It was released with more than a little trepidation, as the previous two instrumental releases were strictly limited edition only, but the positive response has more than justified the faith shown in me by Nexus 24 more of whose work you can see, by clicking the link. Rest assured, I will write more instrumental music in due course, but for now have to put my singer-songwriter hat back on!

The touring year is shaping up well with visits to Germany, Serbia (first time!), Ireland, Italy (first time!), Switzerland, Belgium, England, Poland, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, Canada, France, The Netherlands, and of course Scotland to come! As always, there are often gaps in the schedule and if you or anyone you know may be interested in hosting a house concert upon a free date, please do not hesitate to contact me.

2019 may see me travel even further afield, more to follow as and when I receive confirmation.

Thanks for reading, as always.

SK x

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I am proud and delighted to announce the arrival of my new instrumental guitar album ‘Onwards She Travels.’

This is now available to purchase here and at selected upcoming shows.

The text from the insert I include below:

‘Onwards She Travels’ is a love story told through the medium of instrumental guitar music.  The restless desire to travel beats within a young, beautiful woman and she leaves behind all the trappings of her previous existence in pursuit of new adventures.  Initially traumatised by her decision, her now estranged love sets out in earnest to find her, with no knowledge of where she is, guided only by his instincts and his intimate knowledge of her mind.  The long and fruitless search yields nothing, until at the point of conceding defeat in his quest, he finally finds her, and after long and heartfelt discussion they agree to continue their journey together, reunited and as one again.

How, where and when this happens is for you, the listener, to decide, using the music to set the soundscape whilst your imagination sets the landscape.

Simon Kempston, 2017.

See you soon on the road, I hope, and thanks in advance for reading.

SK x

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This is just a short note to thank Maurice Golden MSP for recommending my video ‘A City Beautiful’ to the Scottish Parliament in his speech backing Dundee’s bid to be the European City of Culture in 2023.

This is the one – here, edited and filmed by Simon P Biggs.

More soon….

SK x

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Hello All,

Blog readers, thank you for bearing with me as I continually break my monthly promise to update you on all my latest activities. I shall not attempt to make any further promises as this will only lead to more disappointment on both my and your part.

The long-awaited guitar instrumental album ‘Onwards She Travels’ has been mastered, and the artwork is currently in development. I anticipate that this shall be ready at the earliest for my Canadian tour, and if not then in October. Unlike the previous guitar instrumental albums ‘Estranged’ and ‘The Loss of an Unknown’, this shall be receiving a full release, I’m now hoping that there is sufficient demand out there to justify the ambition I’ve shown for this oeuvre of my work!

For a guitarist, the search for a new instrument can often be a fruitless one. Especially once you have spent years developing your own style and approach to the instrument. On a return from a tour in December 2015 as an early Christmas present to myself I met with renowned Scottish guitar luthier Rory Dowling to discuss the possibility of making an instrument to my own personal specifications. After two in-depth and fascinating consultations we reached an agreement on how the instrument was going to look, and more importantly sound, and now, I am finally the proud owner of a custom-made Taran Tirga Beag guitar, a picture of which can be seen here Guitar enthusiasts reading this, please take the time to look at Rory’s site here, you will not be disappointed. And keep an eye out for my new pride and joy at my upcoming shows!

After two months of hard touring across the Netherlands, Germany, Switzerland, Finland, Estonia and England I’m now back in my native Scotland about to perform 26 straight nights at the Fringe. For those you who have seen me before, the show is much-changed with many songs from the new album, previewing material from the new instrumental album and of course, a new guitar – ;-). Tickets are available to purchase here

And the day after the Festival finishes I shall fly to Canada to tour over there, no rest for the wicked, but I can’t wait to get back to one of my favourite parts of the world. The dates are listed on my gigs page.

Oh, and lest you were worried, I shall be in the studio soon with songs almost ready for the next album, it’s good to be busy – ;-).

Thanks for reading, more soon, I promise.

SK s

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Hello All,

Really enjoying the year of touring so far, and the reception that you’ve all given to ‘Vanishing Act’ has been very much appreciated.

I’m just back from a wonderful show in Shropshire in a beautiful town called Bishop’s Castle on the eve of my annual TradFest show at the Royal Oak.

A busy year lies ahead once more with highlights including a visit to Estonia and Finland in June and a return to my beloved Canada in September.

I’m writing songs in earnest for the next album and hope to be in the studio over the summer working on my next recording. Final masters are also being reviewed for a new instrumental suite of acoustic guitar pieces, this will be released in time for the summer.

A life in song flies by but it’s one incredible adventure.

Hope to see you all on the road soon.

SK x

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Hello all,

Thanking you for the reaction to my new album ‘Vanishing Act’, I’ve been delighted by how it’s been received by critics and listeners alike. Last week there was a brilliant review in The Herald which you can read here.

Furthermore, as many of you have been asking, some even demanding, I have finally managed to release most of my material, six albums including the recently released ‘Vanishing Act’, and the instrumental album ‘Estranged’ on iTunes. These can all be found here and also on Amazon.

My gig dates are changing all the time but I can confirm I shall definitely be appearing in Scotland, England, Ireland, Northern Ireland, Denmark, Germany, Switzerland, the Netherlands, Belgium, Austria, Finland, Estonia and Canada this year.

Thanks, as always, for reading, more from me in due course.

SK x