'I was born to be a musician, but it is only in the past ten years that I became inspired to write my own material. Music and song enable me to communicate a range of emotions. It is a medium with which I can free the pain and suffering that has been locked up inside. My writing is an honest expression of my life experiences and perceptions.
My Celtic background has, in many ways, influenced the subject matter. Gaelic is a very powerful language, especially through song, so I have translated some of my songs into Gaelic as their focus is primarily on the yearning of the Celtic Heart.
They reflect my own culture and my desire to feel a sense of belonging and find happiness. As Sting writes about being an 'Englishman in New York', I write of being an Islander in the city.
I am inspired by music that conveys the truth. I used to be a big rock and roll fan, but the beats and the noise tend to disolve the words and the meaning behind them. I like to be able to hear the lyrics and to work out the story being told.
Although I am essentially a solo artist, about 5 years ago I started playing at several poetry evenings with Chris Brierley, a very talented and versitile classical violin player. After that we used to play at small clubs and concerts. As we got more and more gigs, the band started to expand. Now 'The Iain Matheson Band' is now composed of Chris, Ben Clark, and experienced tabla and drum player, Alf Thomas on the keyboards, and myself on guitar and lead vocals. Performing live is quite a dynamic experience as everybody is inspired by each other and adds their own creation to the final piece. I prefer this to playing solo because the interaction adds a new dimension to my music.
On a number of occasions I have played the Union Chapel in London. More recently I supported Marianne Faithful at the Shepherds Bush Empire and was also the support for Davey Spillane at his last concert in London. Earlier this year I was invited to perform at the Midem Festival in France. This was thoroughly enjoyable and projected lots of positive feedback.
The obstacles I have faced during my time as a musician have essentially been caused by record companies who have raised my hopes only to let them fall. I haven't lost faith, however I am planning to go independent and produce an album in the near future. Music is a mirror of my life so, unless it decides to give me up, we're stuck together forever.'