Fresh Meat Monday - Andrew Lindsay and the Coat Hooks

Would you care to introduce yourself?

Hello! I'm Andrew Lindsay, and I write songs which get peppered by a host of musicians known as the Coat Hooks. We recently released our debut EP, The Whittling, on a new Edinburgh-based label, called After the Hush.

How would you describe the music you make?

I recently described it as "brazen indie-folk-rock," which makes sense to me. It's pretty melodic stuff.

How did you start out making music?

I used to play guitar in a band called Guessing Game (which also included Coat Hooks, Neil Campbell and Craig McKenzie), but always found the compromise of being in a democratic band tough. Towards the end of our four-year existence, I recorded two solo EPs, Songs to Hide In and Meet Me in the Pouring Rain, and played the occasional gig in Glasgow.

Last year, however, I decided to take things up a notch; gigging frequently and gathering my musical allies to assist in recording what would ultimately become The Whittling.

What process goes into the way you write songs?

I would say the chords and the melody arrive almost simultaneously, then the words come later.

What can people expect from your live shows?

The Coat Hooks are a loose band, with a line-up that's constantly changing, so each gig is a little bit different. It all depends on who's playing alongside me at any given time. Our last two gigs, for example, were performed as a stripped back three-piece with lots of bodhrán and melodica, as opposed to lots of electric guitar and drums. Just last week, I was talking with one of my good friends about the possibility of joining us; he's an outstanding blues guitarist, and would certainly add something fresh to the Coat Hook stew.

What are you all listening to at the moment?

I'm a big fan of The Low Anthem, so I've had their new album, Smart Flesh, on a quite a bit lately. Roddy Woomble's new solo album, The Impossible Song & Other Songs, Foo Fighters' latest, Wasting Light, and a lot of Frusciante-era Red Hot Chili Peppers. King Creosote and Jon Hopkins' collaborative album, Diamond Mine, is glorious, and I'm not afraid to note that some of the songs on Panic! at the Disco's new album, Vices & Virtues, are pure tunes.

As far as local acts go, you can't go wrong with my contemporaries, Shambles Miller, Reverieme, Loch Awe and Florynce & Lauryn.

What can we expect to see/hear from you in 2011?

Once my dissertation and university exams are over, I imagine I'll start gigging more frequently again. There are plans to enter the studio again with The Whittling producer David Anderson to record another Coat Hooks EP, and I'm recording a joint solo offering with fellow Coat Hook and Loch Awe man, Matthew Healy, during the summer.

I also play live with Reverieme. We're playing at this year's Wickerman Festival, which should be brilliant!

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