About

On February 13th 2006, Steph Macleod found himself in the Bethany Christian Centre; a 17 bed hostel for homeless men with addiction problems. He had previously been living rough on the streets of Edinburgh where he begged to feed his alcohol and drug addiction. Before entering the Bethany Centre Steph had broke contact with his friends and family, had been banned from homeless hostels, and was waking up every other day in hospital due to the severity of which he drank.  He was told by medical professionals that death was inevitable if he continued to abuse himself in such a manner.  Desperate but unable to rid himself of his addiction Steph found out about the Bethany Christian Centre through his GP.

Steph had once been a promising classical guitar student at the Royal Scottish Academy of Music and Drama, but personal problems stemming from his teenage years led to mental health problems.  Steph found sanctuary in alcohol and drugs. These problems continued to grow and grow until they consumed him and became his sole priority in every aspect of his life.

During his 8 month stay at the Bethany centre Steph began to address his reasons for drinking and taking drugs.  It was during this time that he also found the saving grace of Jesus Christ!

Things started to change dramatically in his life.  In Steph’s own word’s, “I cried out to God in my darkest hour.  I asked Him to save me. I asked for a life worth living.  God answered big time!”

Steph picked up the guitar for the first time in years and began to write songs about his experiences of substance abuse and being homeless. It was the first time Steph had ever written songs or indeed sang anything in this musical format. In the summer of 2006 Steph recorded 6 acoustic tracks at a studio on Easter Road Edinburgh which he then posted up on MySpace. The response to songs like ‘Alcoholic Synonymous’ and ‘Man in the cold’ were “overwhelming” as many people could relate to Steph’s experiences. This continued to encourage Steph and gave him the motivation to continue rebuilding his life.

Steph found great comfort and healing in both writing songs and his faith in Christ. After leaving the Bethany Centre in Edinburgh, Steph continued to write music and started performing in and around his local area. Later that year he had married and started a family which greatly influenced his writing. He began to network with other musicians and music lovers via the internet, and continued to travel to play gigs and various festivals.

With the help of friends and college students Steph was able to continue recording and performing around the UK. Through entering various competitions Steph was offered sets at festivals like The Retrofest, The Belladrum Festival,The Wizard Festival, and The Spratton Folk Festival, as well as global acoustic gatherings both in the UK and abroad. He also competed and won the 2009 Troubadour Acoustic Singer Songwriter competition in Berlin, Germany. Steph has also had his music used in Independent film and TV.

In 2008 Steph was performing regularly both as a solo acoustic singer songwriter and also with his newly formed band The Whiney Shuffle. The 3 piece band consist of Steph, bassist Dave Biddulph, and drummer Si Walker. The Whiney Shuffle compliment the intimate, personal, and honest sound of Steph’s solo songs with bold beats, addictive grooves, and energetic performance.

Steph also writes and performs music that is greatly influenced by his faith. In 2008 &  2009, he was asked if he would like to contribute to Origin Scotland’s album Un|Broken to which he gladly accepted.  He wrote 3 songs for the album.  It was during this time that he got to know Euan MacRae and Scottish Christian Charity An Airde and started talking about recording his own project.  Later that year, and with the kind help of Origin Scotland’s Exile Band, Steph wrote and recorded a 12 track Christian album. The 12 self penned songs are a personal account of the impact Christ has had on his recovery from alcohol and drug addiction these last 4 years. Steph has also worked with Christian organisations  Origin Scotland, Open Doors, and the Bethany Christian Trust.