18 & Life

Welcome to my online portfolio.

My name is Andrew McDonald, born in Glasgow, Scotland, in 1990. I am an English and Journalism student at the University of Stirling. Writing has gripped me from a young age, and I have been told I have a ‘real flair’ for it by a number of peers and superiors. This, together with a love of music, has inspired me to follow a career in the media.

I began writing reviews after attending my first concert as a young teenager – Iron Maiden at the SECC in Glasgow. Soon after, I started submitting such pieces to my home town’s local newspaper. I have since pursued the role of a journalist to undergraduate level and beyond. At the moment, I am music editor of Stirling’s Brig newspaper and a regular contributor to the internationally-published WheelScene magazine and Rock News Desk.

I have had the pleasure of  seeing several hundred bands of varying genre perform live, including renowned acts from AC/DC to ZZ Top, as well as newer talent from Biffy Clyro to You Me At Six. I have enjoyed meeting and interviewing many classic and contemporary bands, and attending events such as Ozzfest at the London O2 Arena and British legends Motörhead’s shows as a guest. I am also involved in the live music scene as an occasional promoter of gigs, as a performer in my own outfit, and through running a weekly rock club night in Stirling. My most notable appearances as an artist and DJ have been at the world famous Download Festival at Donington Park in 2009 and 2010. I also have experience in live radio.

I believe my work to be informative, insightful and entertaining – qualities that I find are often lost in today’s world of amateur, self-satiating web journalism. I think of my writing as being of the quality deserved by those interested in my subject matter and, as such, I would like to find paid work with a magazine or similar form of media, be it freelance or as hired staff. However, I am always interested in any offers, paid or otherwise, so please feel free to get in touch via the CONTACT page.

I hope you enjoy looking at what I have on offer on these pages, and look forward to hearing from anyone who stops by.

- Andy

PS. I would also like to thank Mark ‘Value’ Morris for hosting my work on his website.