Music promotor Donald MacLeod has joined The Herald's fantastic team of columnists - and he has a lot to talk about. 

We've caught up with him and asked what he thinks of the upcoming Holyrood election, Scottish independence and the handling of thee Covid crisis.

How did you end up writing for a newspaper?

16 years ago, I met the then editor of the Scottish Daily Mirror (now top TalkRadio show host and great friend) Mike Graham, for a liquid lunch in a “Russian” restaurant I owned Stavka, for reasons that are now a blur, as we got completely hammered. He loved my stories and offered me a column every Wednesday called The Big Stuff. When that ended, I met David Dinsmore, then editor of the Scottish Sun, now top dog of News Corp UK and now also a family friend, and the same happened and he offered me a offered a column every Saturday, which lasted 7 years.

A fortuitous meeting over a few drinks in the Central Hotel, with my good friend Donald Martin, who had just become Sunday Posts head honcho, led to a 7-year stint at the Sunday Post and when that ended, Donald who was now Editor in Chief of The Herald, offered me a column (by phone) every Friday. The first time that drink wasn’t involved haha .

What’s been the highlight of your career?

As a veteran club owner and live music promoter, there have been many. Pearl Jam, Anthrax, Black Stone Cherry and Queens of the Stone Age live at Cathouse. Prince, Kid Rock, FLC to name but a very few at the Garage. Oasis at Loch Lomond, Hampden, Murrayfield are just some of the biggest shows I’ve helped promote.

I’m very proud of my work with the charity Nordoff Robbins Music Therapy in Scotland, which was recognised last year in the Queen’s Birthday Honours list when I received an MBE for services to charity and music.

What’s your favourite part of Scotland and why?

 

Well, a lot of family holidays have been spent in and around leafy Dunkeld, Perthshire. So that defiantly tops the list. Fantastic place to get on your bike and get away from it all. However, as a proud Macleod, my rugged ancestral homeland, The Isle of Skye, also takes some beating. The scenery is absolutely stunning.

What was the last book you read?

 

I’m currently ploughing through Philip Kerr’s “Berlin Noir “series of 11 books, set during the rise of Nazi Germany, WWII and the Cold War, featuring the fictional detective and anti-hero.

Bernie Gunther. Absolutely riveting, as they are horrific. And proof if any were needed that politicians should know their history if they wish to avoid making the same dreadful mistake in the future.

What are you going to be writing about for The Herald?

 

Current affairs and all manners of topical subjects, from music to politics, from lockdown blues to Brexit and the economy and who and what is currently boiling my brain.

What will be the biggest stories of 2021 and the next decade?

 

My cracked and foggy crystal ball reckons that when the Covid crisis eventually relents, first up will be the many public inquiries into the mishandling of pandemic and both Governments disjointed roadmap to recovery, impending recession and a massive rise in unemployment, bad handling of Brexit and further break up of Europe which will, unfortunately, bring about a rise of far-right and left extremist factions, Indyref2 and bitter/acrimonious battle over break up of UK, COP 26 will on its lead up, dominate all rational thinking and paper over the cracks of deepening austerity caused by Covid, Trump and supporters will continue to hold power over Republican party, to the extent that they will be divided and therefore unelectable, post Covid erosions of freedom across Western democracies will insidiously rise.

The Herald:

Banks will start calling in loans, hike up interest rates, accelerate their profit-making cashless society policies and branches closures. Political cracks and discourse will start spreading across Russia, China will increase its abuse of civil liberties and human rights, its rise and dominance in world trade will result in serious stand offs with West.  

What do you make of the government’s responses to Coronavirus?

 

Lamentable and very poorly handled at the beginning of the crisis, same with their duty of care and protection of Care home residents. Despite warnings, they failed to use some good old common sense, missing their chance to save many lives by properly locking down the 4 nations and introducing effective quarantine for all visitors. Now we are all being made to pay for this lax handling of the situation with stringent measures that are all too little, too late.

The lack of a clear and concise roadmap to recovery, an exit strategy that replaces fear with hope and not entrenched in costly risk averse, damaging business bursting policies is extremely concerning. Rishi Sunak’s job retention scheme was game changer and saved not only many jobs and businesses from going under, but also Boris’s premiership.

Who’s going to win the Holyrood election and why?

 

A landslide for the SNP, because there is no credible opposition party able to take them on and hold them to account. Despite some serious accusations being levelled against the FM Nicola Sturgeons and equally serious misgivings over her government’s recent handling of the pandemic, lockdowns, vaccine roll out, education, economy, safety of care home residents and accusations of misleading parliament. Scottish people much prefer FM careful and seemingly balanced handling of the crisis and stateswoman like attitude to that of blustering Boris Johnson and most of his team of miscreants, or any other party leader for that matter.    

What will happen with indyref2 after the election?

 

If there is the expected landslide for the SNP and no agreement forthcoming with Westminster to hold an official Indy 2, and they do proceed with their own unofficial one, as they threaten to do. There will be political bedlam and all hell will break loose.

The divisions between the two sides will become more acrimonious, bitter, and polarised. I personally don’t think this is the time to be having another referendum. The pandemic has moved the goalposts where this matter is concerned and there is a lot of healing, repair and building of the economy to be done first, certainly before any Indy 2

Why should Scots sign up for a Herald subscription?

 

Well quite apart from the fact that I am now part of a terrific team of columnists. It’s a great paper, and very enjoyable read, with a fair and balanced viewpoint, crammed full of political insight, with super journalism and a strong supporter of Scotland’s arts and culture. So what’s not to like about it?