Episode 78: Class of 2023 - Fraser, BMus Music

Episode 78 features Fraser, who talks to us about his enterprise The Edinburgh Collective, making the most of your time at Edinburgh and utilising the fringe festival.

You can follow Fraser and his enterprise on Instagram @the.edinburgh.collective

Season 5 is titled All Roads Lead to Edinburgh. Here, we take our 2023 graduates 5 years into an ideal future and ask them where they would like to be, and how they would return to Edinburgh if presented the chance to give a speech to the new student cohort.

All opinions expressed are those of the individual and do not necessarily reflect those of the University of Edinburgh.

Multi Story Edinburgh has been created and produced by the Alumni Relations team at the University of Edinburgh. If you are interested in telling your story, please get in touch and let’s talk!

Artwork: 

Person Vector created by freepik: https://www.freepik.com/free-vector/podcast-landing-page-template_11599076.htm 

On Air Sign created by freepik : https://www.freepik.com/free-vector/podcast-concept-illustration_11684809.htm

Music: 

“Since When” by Mise Darling (modified). Sourced from Free Music Archive under license CC BY-SA. Available at: https://freemusicarchive.org/music/Mise/Rebel_1433/Mise_Darling_-_Rebel_-_11_Since_When_1357/
"Shake It!” by Jahzzar (modified). Sourced from Free Music Archive under license CC BY-SA. Available at: https://freemusicarchive.org/music/Jahzzar/Super_1222/01_Shake_It/ 

“Avientu” by Jahzzar (modified). Sourced from Free Music Archive under license CC BY-SA. Available at: https://freemusicarchive.org/music/Jahzzar/Sele/Avientu/ 

Multi Story Edinburgh is distributed and licensed CC BY-SA

Transcript

Andrew: 0:09

Hi listener, it's Andrew here. You student host for Multi

Story Edinburgh Season Five: 0:12

All roads lead to Edinburgh. Each episode is a snapshot inside our graduates minds, a memento of their time at Edinburgh University and this time, an improv session inside the studio of this week's guest, Fraser MacDonald. Fraser is a composer and producer who co-runs the Edinburgh Collective, a non-profit supporting the creative scene in Edinburgh. He's recently finished an undergraduate in Music at the University of Edinburgh and as a seasoned performer Fraser has sung at the BBC Proms, NYC Carnegie Hall and at the King's Scottish coronation, so I think it's fair to say Fraser is heavily involved with music and has a unique perspective on its Edinburgh scene. However, today Fraser will be travelling five years into the future where the economy is booming, hopefully, musicians are paid more than naught point naught two two nine pence per stream, and Fraser has been invited back to Edinburgh on an all expenses trip to give a welcome week talk to the new first years, I will be your host guiding you through Fraser's journey, delving into his Edinburgh experiences and finding another example of how all roads lead to Edinburgh. But before we do that, I will remind you first that Multi Story Edinburgh is not the only way you can engage with us. In our online meeting place, Platform One, you can connect with members of our Edinburgh community, including students, alumni and staff. If you are a recent graduate, watch out for a regular digital newsletter, and head to www.ed.ac.uk forward slash alumni forward slash new graduates where you can catch up on resources, opportunities and careers advice or discover alumni networks and clubs that you can join. I like to point out that in that website, there is a hyphen between new and graduates. Okay, the warm up act is now over and it's time for the show to start. This is multistory, Edinburgh Season Five class of 2023. This is Fraser MacDonald. Hello, Fraser, welcome to the podcast.

Fraser: 2:14

Hi, Andrew. Thanks for having me.

Andrew: 2:15

Absolutely no bother. How are you doing today?

Fraser: 2:17

Very good. It's been a lovely day, we had our Edinburgh Collective garden party yesterday. So today was a day of moving kit back to where it came from sort of unpacking everything.

Andrew: 2:26

Edinburgh Collective. This is your child of your time at uni. Tell me about Edinburgh Collective, what is it?

Fraser: 2:34

So the Edinburgh Collective is the open network of creatives in Edinburgh. We are a nonprofit organization and we host events, we run projects and everything we do is creative and collaboratively works with creatives across the city. So yeah, from a random mural project that we just finished on London Road to residency in Cab Vol coming up and different charity fundraisers and the like.

Andrew: 2:59

Wow. So how did that start off?

Fraser: 3:01

It's sort of, it started quite randomly in lockdown. So I live with Nat who's my flatmate and the two of us were both music students, we were living in the flat in lockdown. And we were thinking, you know, there's not much well, because people weren't allowed to leave. There wasn't much happening. And we were chatting to different people. And they seem to say that, you know, on one hand, you have this opinion of 'Glasgow has an amazing creative scene, Edinburgh is quite stagnant' but then in the same conversation, they'd introduced you to, oh, you need to know my cousin who's a painter and my flatmate's in a band and I just wanted to see a really cool event or this cool thing just happened. So there's a strange sort of dichotomy between these two opinions. And what we realized the problem was that the creative scene is actually doing a lot there are loads of it, people, they just don't know about each other, and they don't know what's going on. So we created a live session called the Green sessions, which are still out on YouTube. And that was just like a free recording session in a beautiful plant shop to try and highlight some Edinburgh talent. And then from that, when things opened up, we did a series of sort of residency in TV ads, or with the university with platforming bands different were a night of bands and make your dance and then doing different charity fundraisers along the way and that really allowed us to expand our team and now, yeah here we are about to launch a cool canal boat session in August as sort of a part of the the anti fringe if you like, it's officially not officially the fringe. And, and then yeah, residents in Cab Vol from September

Andrew: 4:29

Wow, you mentioned a mural. So did it start as just music and as grown to more arts in general?

Fraser: 4:36

Yeah, I think we always wanted it to be a wide range of arts bringing together people from lots of different backgrounds. But because Nat and I are both musicians, we are circles for musicians. But then we actually hired a girl called Lauren Brown, she's like an ECA art student and she's, She was our director of art and she's now bringing in lots of yeah... from mural artists to people hanging prints along the walls of our events, and just like different cool visualizers, they get played, projected in a frame and behind the bands whilst they're doing their sets. So that's been, yeah, it's really down to her and the work of some of the team, that we've expanded into arts and done other stuff besides music

Andrew: 5:17

Sounds like it's really coming into this experience of coming to see the Edinburgh collective, is quite, quite unique. It's not just coming to see a band, you've got showcases, almost.

Fraser: 5:27

Yeah, and we really we pride ourselves on everything being collaborative. So the projections are made up of thirteen visual artist's work, the bands will be, we'll have an indie rock band and a funk band and a jazz band and just keep it eclectic, keep it different, you know, you never know really what you're going to get, which I don't know, maybe that's the unique selling point. Or if you just don't like a band, go and get a drink. And by the time you're back, there'll be something completely different on we really liked that exciting approach.

Andrew: 5:54

So it's been going on for a while now. Do you find yourself having been more in front of the mic to now being more backstage? Or do you still think you're quite involved in performing

Fraser: 6:04

In performing? Not so much. I did, I did a few things. Nat normally drags me on stage last minute without telling me, which obviously is always a lot of fun, if a little bit stressful. But yeah, definitely what's been really nice - the big change since the start of the year - is having this like larger team, the dream team we call them, are now including Nat and myself and like 12 people. And they're all creatives all with their different practice, but are just coming together once a month to plan our events. And what's been amazing, especially yesterday was just being able to sit back a bit more and not me thinking, Oh, the guitar needs turned down. I need to run over. The sound techs on it. Not thinking Oh, someone's just arrived. Connie who does markets is on it you know, an event manager is in charge of overseeing everything, so it's really nice. I can just enjoy myself at the events.

Andrew: 6:50

Yeah. Okay. So we're going to start our Multi Story Edinburgh. So I'm going to set the scene for you. We're in the future. Five years on from now the economy has boomed and so the university has surprised you with an all expenses trip back to Edinburgh to give the new first year's an induction talk. Let's say that everybody owns their own home now, eurovision 2028 is just finished, Sweden's probably won again and who knows, Elton John's doing a second farewell tour. Welcome to the future.

Fraser: 7:24

Hi future. I hope I have hair in the future.

Andrew: 7:32

But the main question is, where are you? Where do you want to be?

Fraser: 7:37

So I'm currently sat in my flat in the southside and I'm looking out on Blackford Hill and there's this amazing house on Blackford hill that's basically got a full 360 balcony. And you see Castle Arthur's seat, the forth, the bridges, the crags, everything, the uni buildings. It's just the most amazing view and I want to be sat as the owner of that house looking out over Edinburgh just being like wow, isn't that beautiful?

Andrew: 8:02

That is a great answer. So Edinburgh then. Wanting to stay in Edinburgh, are you hoping that you're still keeping the Edinburgh collective going at that point?

Fraser: 8:11

Yeah, I definitely am. Our vision is to be the most active creative body in the city. So anyone that's creative, just knows, oh, Edinburgh Collective they're doing their thing and I can get involved. I can get support, I can work with them. So that's the plan. It's years off. But we're we've made the first few steps.

Andrew: 8:28

Right. So you're sitting in this house, seeing everything. Is Edinburgh collective your main job? Or is there something else you want to venture into?

Fraser: 8:37

I definitely would love, just as a personal passion of mine - I'm a classical musician, I sing in different choirs, and I'm a composer so I would absolutely love to just have a, whether that's my main job, whether it's 50/50 I'm not sure. Who knows, I mean Edinburgh Collective, composing both difficult things to make money from, but I would I would just love to be known as like a composer, writing for choirs working with ensembles, maybe expanding the different types of music that I actually that I've written in the past and yeah, I think those two avenues would be a lot of fun.

Andrew: 9:09

Well, they work pretty well together obviously. Is composing something you've always wanted to do?

Fraser: 9:15

Yeah, I remember in high school there's a guy Sam McClellan who's actually a very good conductor. He's the year above us in music, above me in music, he's graduated now. And he and I went to same high school and I remember when he started conducting I thought, ah, well I should start composing because that's like the other thing. And then I started I was like, oh, I actually really like this, did some string quartet stuff and then yeah, as I was singing more in choirs, ended up writing for choirs more so really since like, middle or high school,

Andrew: 9:43

Is there anybody you would like to work with the most?

Fraser: 9:47

Every time we have an event, I send Lewis Capadi an Instagram message like hey, we have an Edinburgh Collective event if you want to come down we'll get you like a little slot, a little set. Mostly because I mean, I do like his music. I think his music's really nice but mostly because I met him once as a curveball, and he was just genuinely the nicest and funniest guy though. You hear these stories about celebrities meeting people and they're just cold and I can see that I get how you... I get how that happens but he just is he seems so nice. I would love to like yeah, Lewis Capaldi is the dream booking.

Andrew: 10:22

So you just go on Instagram, you've got a bunch of messages from one side saying New Event New Event new event.

Fraser: 10:28

Oh yeah. None even read. Message different.

Andrew: 10:34

There'll be at some point, you'll have composed a song for him and he won't even have known it. And then you'll be like Ah I've got you now. You have to come.

Fraser: 10:41

That's the plan. Yeah. Ensnare him in some clever way. Yeah, absolutely.

Andrew: 10:46

Lewis Capaldi. Great choice. I... hmm... biggest booking that would be great to get I mean, obviously Taylor Swift.

Fraser: 10:54

Can't argue with that. Can't argue with that.

Andrew: 10:56

Get Taylor Swift down to Cab Vol to do a private set.

Fraser: 11:01

Sold. I mean, honestly, if you've got the finances, and the connections then collaborative event with Taylor Swift.

Andrew: 11:07

I'll just hold a sign up at her concert if I can get tickets and say come support Edinburgh collective. Support. She's not the main headline. She's going to support

Fraser: 11:16

Support hahahaha.

Andrew: 11:24

You're sitting in your house up on the hill seeing the view of Edinburgh. And you've been told about this opportunity to come and speak to the new first years. It's all expenses paid. It doesn't matter that it's a short journey. How are you going to get there?

Fraser: 11:40

Something, I just love an electric scooter? I remember I've got these core memories of being in Europe, especially with choirs on like different random tours. Yeah, that's my answer. electric scooters.

Andrew: 11:50

They're quite big in other countries, anyway. I've seen electric scooters quite a lot in other places, but I'm not seeing them much here.

Fraser: 11:57

No, you don't get them here. We even... we used to have the electric bikes but then they got removed as well. The Just Eat cycles. I think Edinburgh needs... Edinburgh City Council need to pave the roads and invest in electric scooters.

Andrew: 12:07

Oh, yeah, absolutely. Were the bikes electric?

Fraser: 12:10

Some of them were not many.

Andrew: 12:11

I look a load down to Portobello. There was a load at Pollock Halls so just walk down, grab them and there's the big cycle path all the way down. From Pollock down to Portobello.

Fraser: 12:22

You barely need to pedal.

Andrew: 12:23

Exactly. Oh, literally. I just stood there and I just kind of like going, rolled all the way down, and then decided that it wasn't worth cycling back. So I just parked it down in Portobello and got the bus.

Fraser: 12:35

Yeah, I've definitely been guilty of that as well. Yeah. And then you think Oh, good. I'll have a swim after cycling and you get there. It's freezing. You think, you know, maybe I'll just get the bus back.

Andrew: 12:44

Ah maybe I'll just sit on the beach. Ah, I'll just have a drink instead. So you're taking this electric scooter? Is this your electric scooter? Or are we going for one of the ones from Edinburgh City Council?

Fraser: 12:55

Yeah, in five years Edinburgh City Council can provide us all. Every citizen gets an electric scooter. Cars banned.

Andrew: 13:01

Cars banned, electric scooters only. Economy booms. That's the solution.

Fraser: 13:04

Yeah, that's my financial plan. I will be running for First Minister. And this is my announcement campaign, obviously.

Andrew: 13:11

Maybe maybe we could have you in as transport minister. And that's how you can ban all the cars. I wouldn't like to do that for a long journey. But I think an electric scooter within Edinburgh is fine. Okay, Aw that was really inventive way to get there, actually. Well, you're on your way, on your electric scooter and you realize that you've not actually gone back to the uni since you've graduated. Okay, so it's been a while, five years you've gone around every part of Edinburgh apart from the uni somehow I don't know how but you did. So you've not been there since graduation. Let's let's go back to how you're feeling. Now. As we record this, how are you feeling having graduated?

Fraser: 13:55

Well, I actually I graduate tomorrow. So I can tell you the anticipation is...

Andrew: 14:00

Yes. Well, here's ... give me the build up.

Fraser: 14:02

Yeah. Well, I'm really excited. I think there's... everyone who even thinks about going to uni has probably considered the whole you know, the moment you actually graduate. That's the final big, oh man, this is behind us, times are changing. I've achieved something but no, got to go and like, achieve more and improve myself in another world. It's a daunting thought. But I guess another thing that makes it a bit funnier for me is I have an unclassified degree because of the marking strikes. So I'm - full support to the strikes but it's a very weird mental space to be in and getting an empty tube and a doph on the head. It's like well, don't you might have a degree. Yeah. I think they know that I've passed because it's an unclassified degree, not just like an unknown, but so I'm just trying to think about too much just trying to enjoy the day and we get to see the parents. Yeah, I'm, I'm very excited I think as, on my electric scooter, returning to the buildings and seeing it all I don't know, everyone criticizes Edinburgh Uni a lot, and fairly, but it's, for me, it's been an amazing space to grow and like, make friends and make music, learn about things. And I think there'll be very grateful for my time at The Edinburgh University. So grateful in fact that I've just applied for a Master's,

Andrew: 15:15

Okay.

Fraser: 15:16

at Edinburgh, so that they can't quite get rid of me.

Andrew: 15:19

What was the Masters in?

Fraser: 15:21

It's called Creative Industries. Unsurprisingly for me, it's very, very relevant. And it's quite cool. It's an interdisciplinary course offered by the new Edinburgh Futures Institute. And it's basically like college of art courses, data science courses, business courses and law courses, all pointing towards the creative industries, what's going on? How do we improve it? What how do we learn from it? That sort of thing?

Andrew: 15:44

Yeah. So you can apply that towards the Edinburgh collective? Is that the plan?

Fraser: 15:47

Yeah, massively.

Andrew: 15:48

Well, we've got the fringe coming up. Are you involved in that in any way?

Fraser: 15:51

Fringe? No, because it costs 200 pounds to register a fringe who, and we just thought, you know, we'll just do the shows, and not put the fringe logo on it. And there'll be literally millions of people in this city. So I think people will come along the shows the shows are on Canal boats, with resident musicians and musicians every day. With the canal boat sort of gently moving up and down the canal during the session. So I think it's a popular thing for people to come along.

Andrew: 16:18

Well, I approached you about joining this podcast while you were at a canal boat. So is that where the idea grew from?

Fraser: 16:26

Yeah, in fact, we were talking on that day or in the planning meetings for the day that we spoke to each other, which is the Fountainbridge Canalside Community Trust, charity fundraising day, it's a long name, we have mentioned it's a too long name, but that's okay. They're really lovely people. And they run these sort of community canal boats up and down the river. And we said to them all, we'd love to do some fringe shows. And then yeah, this is how this whole project sort of sprang out of that, I guess.

Andrew: 16:54

It'd be great for the fringe, because people are just everywhere in Edinburgh at that time. And you'll be like, right out in the public, for people to just see you and be able to join in. Because the fringe is quite spontaneous, that you never know what can happen to someone who's performing, they might get asked to do something. At that point.

Fraser: 17:14

Yeah, it's super exciting. I mean, from that to just random people meeting and guitarists finding singers that they need for bands. It's a real it's a nice environment, a nice space to create. Yeah,

Andrew: 17:25

It's... I think it's gonna bring together a lot of people very well. And it really does utilize this international event and community that's coming together in a way that doesn't involve paying 200 pounds per show.

Fraser: 17:39

Yeah, I mean, I don't understand how if you're local, how you're supposed to afford that, you know, for a run of Fringe shows is 1000s of pounds, but it kind of is what it is not much you can do about it.

Andrew: 17:54

You have thought about your graduation on your electric scooter, as you've come down blackford hill, up Marchmont. And you are arriving back at Main Campus to give your speech to the new first years. What are you going to tell them?

Fraser: 18:10

That's the question, right, I think one of the biggest things I would have wanted to know, in first year is that you've got the probably one of the largest in fact, definitely one of the largest institutions in the country, with their name next to yours. And you can use that you if you decide that you want to do something. There are people with the skills, there are departments with the facilities, there are students with the time and the interest. If you put the effort into organizing something, whether that's in the creative team, whether that's making tote bags, whether that's starting a business, whether it's I don't know becoming a new all star, Ultimate Frisbee team for Edinburgh Uni, you really can achieve that, like here more than anywhere else. And I think that's just I mean, maybe people know, in the back of their minds, but the size of the opportunity is not shoved down people's throat enough, as I think it probably could be. And so you can do all of these things you really, really want to do and you've always dreamed of doing. But it takes like a level of personal dedication and commitment and effort that I don't know you can do but you have to make yourself do it. I don't know. That's maybe my biggest point.

Andrew: 19:21

How did you manage to balance going really headfirst into that with still studying to get degrees?

Fraser: 19:29

I think I've always chased what I love. So the reason I wanted to do music is because I love music. And I was like well I could do something else: I thought about like international relations, politics, philosophy, these are things that also interests me, but like, I just loved music. I was like if I'm going to do put all my time and energy into this even for just four years and see what it's like I want it to be music. And then the same with The Edinburgh Collective, we put on fun events, and we work with people that we like and that become our friends and we work with venues and sound techs that we like and we don't work with people that aren't easy to work with. Like, I think if you really chase the fun with restriction, you know, you got to be careful and be sensible and safe, obviously. But if you chase the fun and if you really pursue what you love, doesn't feel like work. Like I never wake up thinking, Oh, I've got this song to write. And then I've got to have this team meeting with Cab Vol. What a bore. It's like, oh, wow, what an exciting day a random Multi Story Edinburgh interview that I didn't know about two weeks ago pops up like that's, that's all part of the fun. It's all part of the lifestyle. So I think that's maybe the secret to not doing anything other than music or Edinburgh collective ever.

Andrew: 20:37

Just do absolutely everything.

Fraser: 20:39

There's something to be said for that. Don't burn yourself out, which I've done in the past, probably a risk of in the future, too. But yeah, there's something to be said for just saying yes to random opportunities and chasing the fun.

Andrew: 20:51

Yeah. Especially if you're trying to market yourself and get yourself out there. There's a lot to be said about just taking opportunities, even if it's not exactly what you're looking for. Everything is a... a network and a jump to the next stage.

Fraser: 21:07

Exactly. And you can you can back out of things having given them a good test, like I used to teach piano and singing. And I do, I did love it. And it paid well, which is the main reason I did it. But I found it just it was so draining physically and I guess musically draining to so that at the end of the day of teaching, I wouldn't want to go home and make music. The next day I wouldn't want... I'd be so tired and go into class and stuff. I can't... I just like dipped out of those jobs and found other things that I found were less draining and still paid.

Andrew: 21:35

You really found that balance to make sure that you could get everything done in an efficient way.

Fraser: 21:41

Yeah, that, that maintains your energy level. If you don't want to do - you could work really, really hard for a week, but then have to take a week off your better balancing out and working really well consistently.

Andrew: 21:51

What would you say to people going into their final year in terms of them approaching graduation? It's not really hit them yet. It's not really hit me. I've got one year left. It's not really hit me that I'm graduating in a year. What kind of advice would you give to people in that position?

Fraser: 22:09

I think the best thing you can do because your struggle in fourth year, I would say is you have these big courses, whether it's dissertation, a big project and a composition portfolio, in my case, two in fact, because I did 240 credit courses. And then and then you have these other smaller courses that you have to dox, you have other fun things you're doing in life, you've got your social life, blah, blah, blah, that the only way you can really achieve the bigger projects and have them be something that when you're handing it in, you're like, Oh, I back this. I've spent my time on this. I finished early, I've looked it over I've done a redraft. This is the best work that I can do and if you start like at the start of fourth year, and just have a plan, I have a schedule. I know I'm doing this this week. I know that I need to start this early. Because life gets in the way. And if you don't get that plan in before life takes over, you just never made the plan. And then it'll be like I was in the start of second semester of fourth... you're thinking like, wow, okay, time to do a composition portfolio. And that was fun, like working for months on end, just like 40 minutes of music, but it is draining as well. And I think if I'd have a reflection, I'd have liked to have planned timetables and got into a routine earlier. Because I... it's just so powerful, you can achieve so much if you have a clearer idea of what you should be spending your time on.

Andrew: 23:21

Yeah, cuz I guess dissertation and projects, they're quite open, in terms of you don't have a weekly lecture, because it's so big and interpretive,

Fraser: 23:34

Yeah and even your weekly lectures like you'll have two, if you're lucky, that are on the thing that your project is interested in. And the rest will be like, Oh, here's another random thing. Oh, have you seen this? Have you checked out that? Like the chances of you getting regular lectures on the exact thing you're doing your project on, it's small. And then you've got these other smaller courses that are asking you to do an essay in two weeks, a group presentation of this or that and there's Yeah, next to no guidance and your dissertation and a high workload for smaller courses. Like it's all time management, literally.

Andrew: 24:05

So just make sure to get that started soon, get that plan ready, so that it doesn't become too overwhelming later on in the in the year.

Fraser: 24:15

Yeah. And you don't do your best work when you're stressed and you do your best work when you've got a time period to do it. You can stick it in a drawer for a week, take a break, look over it again and be like, Oh, that entire chapter actually isn't needed or wow, I need to go into that more because there's something good there and delete the rest of it. Now I remember submitting... I did a composition in first year called Edinburgh. It was like an orchestral piece. And then I just got in contact with another orchestra who I said I'd send the piece to and I listened through it and I was like, wow, it took me 200 bars to get to the melody that I know want the piece to start with. Wow, that's like all that, all those bars and half of them got deleted. But not all of those bars, like were essential to getting me to this point. And now I've got it and it's a good feeling. But you got to do the work before.

Andrew: 24:59

Don't like... also don't be afraid to change things. And if your kind of objective sort of changes a bit, that's not necessarily a bad thing if you're more passionate.

Fraser: 25:10

Yeah, agree, then if if it changes, it's probably because it needed to change. Yeah,

Andrew: 25:14

That was a great speech. I think very inspiring actually. Because you've spoken a lot to Creative Industries, which can kind of get overlooked. Anyway, the Uni is pretty impressed with that speech, and they're gonna give you a free dinner, in Edinburgh, wherever you want. So where are you going?

Fraser: 25:34

I can't decide whether to go comfort food or good food? Or for the sake of the podcast and seeming like I'm not the sort of person that would say, gas station lasagna? I'm gonna say ... No, I'm just kidding. I'd say Six by Nico is probably my like, my top rated restaurant in Edinburgh. It's, it's just on, I think it's on Hanover Street, just off George Street. And that could be wrong. It's definitely on one of the small streets that are leading away from Prince's Street and George Street. And it's a six course menu, the topic of the menu changes every six weeks. And it's all based around like... I've been when it was Italy, so it was like Italian mountain food. And they'll present you... and it's described as like broccoli, with potatoes and sausage. And they've got like a clear dome, and like a little bit of brown sauce on it. And you're just thinking, How is this broccoli, but it always tastes amazing, and always subverts expectations. And actually, I mean, so tasting menu, everyone's immediate opinions, like, Oh my God, that's expensive as a 440 pound tasting menu, around the corner, but this is 35 pounds, which is funny, but it's not like tasting menu expensive, which is why it's my recommendation.

Andrew: 26:45

So that's six meals that will be different every time you go

Fraser: 26:49

Literally, unless you go twice within a couple of weeks.

Andrew: 26:51

So you like the excitement of not knowing definitely, if you could choose one of the six meals then what would you choose?

Fraser: 27:01

I think the thing that the they made that I was always like stuck in my mind was this. I think it's in potato dauphinoise, just like thin sliced potatoes, actual broccoli that looked like broccoli, and then just the most amazing sauce and it was so funny because the whole meal like I'd said there were things that were steamed things that were like they literally come when they bring and take the plate off and there's smoke really exotic, random things you've never heard of. And then this meal of broccoli, potatoes and a sauce. And it was just like so exceptional. I was like wow, the fact that it was almost deliberately simple and the fact that they still made this like three ingredients simple dish. Gorgeous. So yeah, I don't know maybe I think that just stuck in my mind. It's hard to remember all the dishes you get at the end of the menu and your food and you think I've not eaten anything, because each one's like two spoonfuls.

Andrew: 27:50

You sure they didn't just get some potatoes and broccolis you know, then stick it on the plate in a mould.

Fraser: 27:59

Probably. Yeah, I mean that. Yeah, but it tastes sublime so I can't. I'm not arguing.

Andrew: 28:04

The experience of fine dining. Ooh, it's an a dome.

Fraser: 28:08

Yeah, exactly. Oh, it's a mousse. I don't know what that is. But it looks cool.

Andrew: 28:13

It's a mousse that's made of fish and carrots. And ooh, it's fancy.

Fraser: 28:18

Yeah, we love an ooh fancy kind of meal.

Andrew: 28:20

Who are you going to bring with you? You get one guest.

Fraser: 28:23

I mean, it has to be my flatmate, Nat. I couldn't go with anyone else. I think that would just be a celebratory speech at the Edinburgh uni. Yeah, it's been such a funny journey Nat and I met. We knew each other we knew of each other in first year, but then we ended up bumping into each other and Nat was on his way to a party. And he's like, Oh, do you want to come and it was like one of his friends houses, big flat of like 10 Guys, and there was a next door neighbour flat of 10 girls the whole night was just them and then the two of us who were one of the guys mates and the whole night it was just like the guys impressing the girls the whole like social that social dynamic of like a flat 10 Guys and a flat 10 Girls, and it was terrible night and we just were like this is awful. And we kind of left, around the kitchen and then we walked up the road back to Pollock. Yeah, we bonded over some music. We're like listening to songs planning having a flat and the studio together. And now here we are sat in our living room surrounded by musical instruments in a flat with a studio so perfect.

Andrew: 29:19

Absolutely. And then you're going to move that flat to on top of the hill. So you can see absolutely everything in the is really sweet. My go to is always like David Tennant. I'd love to just meet David Tennant and nerd out and he's find me really annoying, but I'd do it anyway.

Fraser: 29:38

No, I don't believe that. I think he'd like you.

Andrew: 29:39

I don't.... I think I would go so much into his catalogue that he wouldn't remember as much as I know about him.

Fraser: 29:49

You'd be telling him things and he's like, oh, did I do that role? Oh, cool. Yeah, glad you enjoyed it.

Andrew: 29:55

Do you remember in Doctor Who when you did this really specific thing? He'd be like What are you on about, that was my body double. Oh. Nah that's sweet. Yes. You're gonna bring bring your flatmate and to get some well we're gonna say mousse,at Six by Nicos, we don't know what's in the mousse.

Fraser: 30:14

Yeah, insert chef's kiss here. I mean, that's like, just to get some mwah.

Andrew: 30:18

just to get some mwah. you've had that final meal in Edinburgh, I mean, you're gonna still be in Edinburgh afterwards. So I guess it's just a nice meal out rather than our last meal in Edinburgh before you leave again. But then you decide afterwards to go to your favorite place in Edinburgh before you head home. So where are you going to go?

Fraser: 30:46

That's actually maybe the hardest question. What day of the week is it? Can it can it be on a Tuesday?

Andrew: 30:49

It can be any day you want.

Fraser: 30:49

Cool, because I'm going to the Dog House, which... and they have a jam on Tuesday nights. I mean, if you've ever been to dog house, it's a very cool bar has lots of stuffed things hanging from the ceiling. And it's very eclectic, very psychedelic. Just a good vibe for students here as well. And on Tuesday nights, they have this jam where you can kind of go along, sign up, I'll tell them I'm playing piano, they've got a piano set up. And then they'll say, right Fraser on piano now on sax, some random drummer that I've never met, and then another guitarist, I've never met, and you just like, chat about the song you want to play, and you discuss chords, and you go for it. And it's terrible most of the time, but then it gets a bit better. And you sort of work out how to jam with each other and how to communicate. And it's just a really fun night full of loud music.

Andrew: 31:35

What's the best song you've played at Dog House, or the worst?

Fraser: 31:39

I feel like you never really play a song. It's probably just like a chord loop. But I definitely remember once like sometimes you play and you just don't catch. Remember guitar is telling me the chords, he says it, you know, we're gonna go through this E major seven, flat five into like an E flat sub dominant. And then we're moving to like... it was just, I think if I'd sat down and looked at it I could have

remembered but they just say: 31:58

good? go. And that was terrible. So the best time is just when you vote for simple chords, and everyone's having fun. And no one's worrying about too much. And you don't have jazzy show off guitarist,

Andrew: 32:09

we'll just go for 1 5 6 4, the four chords. And

Fraser: 32:13

yes,

Andrew: 32:14

and, something...

Fraser: 32:15

please

Andrew: 32:15

and maybe play don't stop believing halfway through. Yeah,

Fraser: 32:18

a little melody reference in the right hand. Everyone loves that. Yeah. And then the second song is always a blues. And it's spectacular. You can have a completely different band of completely different people. And they play the same song. It's really fun.

Andrew: 32:30

So you're going to... after your meal, are you going to go play at Dog House?

Fraser: 32:35

Yeah, you only get to play two songs. So it's you play and you chat to folk and it's, it's quite a hotspot for different musicians and people that like like musics. And as... you see the same sort of crowd if you go more than one, so it's nice. So you can go on your own, and you'll probably meet someone that you would know, it's just really nice loads of the music students who go.

Andrew: 32:53

Yeah, so it's really good social space to go to at any point in your uni career, would you say?

Fraser: 32:58

Oh, I mean, definitely like if you especially if you're trying to get involved in the music scene, so there's no like barrier if you wanted to come and just like play a couple chords and say like, oh, I this is my first time, people, that would be really cool. If you wanted to go into a cool jazz standard and geek out, you'd probably find people that would do the same. So it's, yeah, it's really open as Yeah. And then you graduate to jazz bar and that's when you like the geeking out is just unnecessary.

Andrew: 33:23

So you go you have to Dog House to jazz bar. What's after jazz bar?

Fraser: 33:27

Edinburgh Collective.

Andrew: 33:31

Edinburgh collective at Cab Vol?

Fraser: 33:34

Yeah, exactly. That's the peak.

Andrew: 33:36

And then after that you're playing at Murrayfield.

Fraser: 33:38

true, true that or maybe after that they'll build a better venue in Edinburgh with a larger capacity and everyone

Andrew: 33:44

And the headline will always be... Edinburgh will be happy. Collective.

Fraser: 33:49

Yes, Edinburgh Collective presents: something cool.

Andrew: 33:52

So that is your Multi Story Edinburgh, you are going to be working hopefully still expanding the Edinburgh collective whilst being a composer sitting on your house at the top of the hill. You're going to then get an electric scooter to come back to the university which has been provided by Edinburgh city council, you then have given a very inspiring speech to the new cohort about making sure to go after your aspirations followed by a nice meal at Six by Nicos. And then we go to Dog House to finish up to have a little jam. I think that is an absolutely fantastic story. Edinburgh. Thank you very much Fraser. There's a surprise question. Haha, curveball! So every guest is getting somebody related to the uni whether alumni or staff to ask them a new question. So yours comes from Dr. Martin Parker, the head of the Reid School of Music.

Fraser: 34:52

I love Martin. He's actually the coolest guy on the planet. I'm not gonna lie. He came in with a Bauhaus hoodie one day, and I was I was just it was They just struck me like for him to be wearing a Bauhaus hoodie and being the head of music like, Yes, I'm in the right place,

Andrew: 35:06

Doctor Martin. He's sent you the question: which actor, singer or musician would play you in the film of the story of your life? Now I received this and I thought that is a very tricky question because as soon as you hear that you forget every single actor you've ever known.

Fraser: 35:24

Yeah, I might even have to google them. Are we going for look-alike or...?

Andrew: 35:28

You can go as big as you want: lookalike, person with talent, anything you want.

Fraser: 35:34

No, I'm actually I'm gonna go for changing history. And I'm gonna say Tom Holland, just to like make me look as good as he looks. And then everyone will be like, Wow, I can't believe Fraser was that handsome? Unbelievable.

Andrew: 35:46

I considered Tom Holland for myself. Yeah, he's just nice. I decided against it because I I say his name so much when it comes to these questions like he's my go to. So try to think a bit harder about it.

Fraser: 35:57

Him or the guy that plays Superman. I think they're probably my best likenesses

Andrew: 36:01

Henry Caville? Yeah.

Fraser: 36:02

Yeah, I mean, that's a tricky question. That's a classic Martin Parker question.

Andrew: 36:05

I think Tom Holland is a great choice. You may end up getting lots of backflips and other stunts done in this film about your life.

Fraser: 36:15

That's what I hope.

Andrew: 36:15

He will definitely ride the electric scooter in style.

Fraser: 36:19

Yes, though, in that what more could you want? It's Tom Holland riding down Blackford Hill, on an electric scooter.

Andrew: 36:26

I went for Jack Black.

Fraser: 36:27

Oh, yeah. No, he's a good one.

Andrew: 36:29

Well, for me, I want Jack Black to play me because I need somebody... I think my life has to be more like a rom com, where Jack Black is going to be funny. But then we're going to see a sideto him that we've not seen before. When he gets really serious and quite heartfelt. Maybe a tear or a few we want a range from.

Fraser: 36:48

And then that means you can finish with a big like rock outro where everyone's dancing. He's playing guitar on stage. Like that's just perfect. Exactly.

Andrew: 36:56

And obviously, we've not reached that part in my life yet, but because I've chosen Jack Black, that means it's gonna happen. And it will be it'll be amazing. He will do a massive guitar solo and a song that's going to reach number one.

Fraser: 37:12

That'd be you set for life as well. Perfect.

Andrew: 37:15

Thank you very much for joining me on Multi Story Edinburgh, Fraser.

Fraser: 37:19

Thanks so much for having me Andrew. It's been great. Take care

Andrew: 37:28

Wow, what a good episode. From Blackford hill to the Dog House, Fraser showed a new level to the city we all know and love a lot of information from him there but his organization the Edinburgh collective. So wish him good luck with it and maybe one day, Lewis Capaldi will join them on stage. Thank you all for listening to Multi Story Edinburgh, which you can stream online at our website www.ed.ac.uk. Forward slash alumni forward slash new graduates with a hyphen in between new and graduates or you can stream it wherever you usually find your podcasts. You can find the alumni team on Instagram at Ed alumni or on Twitter at Edinburgh alumni. Thank you for listening to this episode. See you next time for another Multi Story Edinburgh, class of 2023.