Paul McLinden

Biography

McLinden began his musical career as a violinist with the Royal Scottish National Youth Orchestra before joining The Gyres as a seventeen-year-old. The Gyres recorded with John Leckie, toured with David Bowie and supported Oasis at Loch Lomond. Irvine Welsh also asked the band to contribute a song to The Granton Star Cause film. After The Gyres disbanded, McLinden was one of three members of The Gyres who formed the band Point Blank releasing the album 50/50 before disbanding.

McLinden took a sabbatical from music at this point and returned to full-time education, gaining a degree in History from the University of Glasgow.

He returned to the music scene, under the pseudonym Mr D, with an alt-country solo album called Wings and Wheels. BBC Radio Scotland broadcaster Tom Morton described the record in 2007 as being his "favourite Scottish debut of the year".

McLinden next recorded three solo EPs under his own name: "This is That" (2010), "Foggy City Orphan" (2012) and the eponymously titled "Paul McLinden" (2013). Songs from these EPs received radio support from Lauren Laverne, Don Letts, Frank Skinner, Mary Anne Hobbs, and Tom Morton amongst others.

Since 2010, McLinden has followed a parallel career as a film composer, and alongside collaborator Kenny Inglis, has scored music or contributed songs toward several episodes of CSI New York, as well as films such as Gangster Squad. They also scored the music for the BBC's BAFTA Winning 2014 documentary The Bridge which celebrated the 50th anniversary of the Forth Road Bridge. McLinden also recently contributed solo work to the TV series One Tree Hill and the 2014 Minnie Driver film Return to Zero.

In 2014, Mclinden released an album of new material called Head Happy playing all the instruments on a record which he recorded himself in a loft room in Glasgow. The AA side single "Head Happy" / "Cheer Up" picked up radio support from Gideon Coe, Roddy Hart, Jim Gellatly, and Tom Morton. Steve Lamacq chose the single for his BBC Recommends show. "Head Happy" has also received favourable critical reviews in Uncut Magazine, Hi Fi News, and Louder than War.

Mclinden is currently working on a new band project called 'Foggy City Orphan'. The band have been together less than a year but have already featured on Tom Robinsons BBC Introducing. FCO are currently honing their live set having recently played support slots at King Tuts Wah Wah Hut and The Glasgow Garage.