Guest blog: Bart Owl (eagleowl)

Having played prominent roles in no fewer than four of the acts we've featured this year (eagleowl, The Occasional Flickers, Rob St John and The Second Hand Marching Band) it would have been rude not to ask Bart Owl for his end-of-year thoughts...

2009 has been great. With eagleowl, we didn't play that many shows. But then I think we've played too often in the past, and the ones that we did play were all winners: tour with Rob (St. John) in February, Flowers of Hell, Bowerbirds, ballboy, Withered Hand album launch, Trespassers William, Homegame.

The Playing with the Past soundtracking event - for me personally - is the best thing we've ever been involved in. It's probably the show I'm most proud of, and I think I'll look back in years to come with that same outlook. Also, putting out our first vinyl is kind of a big deal. It's just that extra step. It feels more real, somehow. It's like "We have a 7". We're a proper band now."

We have an EP ready for release in 2010, and a track on a Jonathan Richman tribute album which is due out on Fortuna Pop. So I hope those go well. I think 2010 will also be about playing fewer shows, but concentrating on writing and recording.

More generally, I hope music in Edinburgh continues to grow and thrive. There's been a lot of talk about a "scene" or things building up here over the last couple of years. I see 2009 as the year when more people have got organised and started releasing stuff.

There's been a lot of great bands emerging over the last while, putting on great shows. But this year, a lot more people have put out proper releases. I think it's an important development - to make a record of what has been achieved, and create a chance for what's happening to get recognition from outside of Edinburgh. Which is important to help stop things getting too insular and self-serving. I guess Kilter - who are putting out our single - are an example of this. They've been operating for a while putting on shows as 'Tracer Trails', but this will be their first actual release.

My alternative Christmas message?

Enjoy yourselves. Responsibly.

My favourite Christmas song?

Well, it's kind of obvious for us, I guess, but 'Just Like Christmas' by Low is hard to beat. I made an alternative christmas compilation album for my friends last year, and there was lots of good stuff on there. One was 'On Christmas Day' by Leadbelly. It's great. The whole thing is really is really bright and happy - like one big chorus. The main line is: "children get so happy on Christmas day". I like the way that it captures that childhood wonder and excitement about Christmas, without getting into any of the religious connotations. In a similar way to how the Low song does. I think that's what Christmas means to me.

eagleowl: Sleep the Winter


eagleowl play the Christmas Songwriters Club at Leith Docker’s Club, Edinburgh on 23 Dec

Image: Shannon McClean