Andy Macdonald, DJ Jammie interview

Highland News & Media

MacMoray Festival organiser Andy Macdonald (left) and DJ Jammie (right) speak to Northern Scot reporter Jonny Clark at the end of the event's Summer Special.

Transcript

00:00Alright, here with Andy MacDonald, organiser of MacMurray and DJ Jammy.

00:05We'll start with Andy. Andy, how's MacMurray going? We've only two acts from the end.

00:10I know, I know. Buzzing, but I'm losing my voice, so I'm really annoyed.

00:14But yeah, it's going really, really well. Did you notice more toilets? Day two?

00:19I noticed more toilets.

00:20Fifteen.

00:21Where's the voice gone?

00:24Just singing. No Scotland, no party. I've just lost it. It's gone.

00:30Jammy, you've been to all four MacMurrays. Where does this one rank for you so far?

00:34Erm, last, last.

00:39The worst so far?

00:41No, well, the acts are different, aren't they? As you'd expect, but I think the Jacksons

00:47stole the show yesterday. I do. Status Quo, Bonnie Tyler coming on next.

00:54Cascada did really well. DJ Sammy smashed it. But yeah, they're all different. I think

01:01that's the unique thing about MacMurray. They're all different.

01:04Yeah.

01:05I paid him to say that.

01:07I know you said to me before, DJ Sammy and Cascada, two of the favourites from previous

01:12MacMurrays.

01:12Queen and King. True, Johnny.

01:14And they were both so well received today.

01:17Yeah, unbelievable. I actually missed most of Sammy's set in Easter.

01:21Ah, right.

01:22I went home, I was absolutely knackered. So I was like, right, I won't miss it this time.

01:27I was there like a little fat boy sitting at the front.

01:29I saw your face when you were watching Heaven and you were loving it.

01:33Ah, I was.

01:34Wasn't it a great time?

01:35I was, yeah.

01:37I mean, when you see, obviously, in the context, people have got to know you're

01:42about to become a father and that's going to be your main priority.

01:46Pop in two weeks.

01:48Could happen. September 12th, is that right?

01:50Yeah, September 12th is the due date, yeah. But could pop in two weeks.

01:55So, I mean, that's the context, but once that happens, when you're looking at the

02:02festival, can you really imagine this stopping?

02:07Shut up.

02:07I've got to ask the question, Andy.

02:10I'm tired, that's all I've heard. Someone actually, one of the agents, gave me a gift

02:14today and it was a little baby thing. I've not held onto anything to do with the baby

02:18stuff yet because I don't believe it until I see it.

02:20Her. Every time I say it, they say her.

02:23So, yeah, and it said on it, McMurray owner or whatever.

02:28I got all emotional and quite teary-eyed and it was just, it was nice, do you know

02:31what I mean?

02:32But I am tired as hell from all, like I'm losing my voice, but I do love the buzz,

02:37but it comes at a cost.

02:38It's not easy to do, you know?

02:41It's behind the scenes though, but people on the other side of that fence enjoying

02:46the party do not understand fully the extent of such, it's a small team.

02:55It's not Live Nation, it's not Festival Public, it's literally about five or six

02:59people prior to the event.

03:01And then obviously we get everyone to help set up the arenas and stuff.

03:06You've got your bullets and things like that, do you know what I mean?

03:09And there's a lot of people.

03:10By the way, he's one of our site managers.

03:13But yeah, there's a lot of work going on.

03:18A lot of people do say as well, oh, get more staff, but no, that's our key team.

03:22We've got hundreds and hundreds, we imply.

03:26As a family, isn't it really?

03:28Yeah, it is, yeah.

03:30I wish we did this interview yesterday because I had more energy.

03:34Right now, I am just so knackered from singing.

03:38I mean, this happens every year, four times.

03:40And every time I've spoken to you at the end of McMurray, every four years, at the

03:44end of every, what am I trying to say here, at the end of every one of the four events,

03:49you've said, I'm knackered, Johnny.

03:51I know, I know, I know.

03:53I just need to, you know what I'm going to do?

03:55Get this one out of the way, chill the hell out until the rest of the year and just plan

04:00the future, whatever the hell that is.

04:02I have no idea, Johnny.

04:03I'm just blagging it.

04:03I've winged it since day one.

04:04I'm going to wing it, aren't we, Johnny?

04:06You've done a lot this summer with, obviously, the Forrest things and other events, so it's

04:12not just like, oh, you've had an Easter one.

04:14You've put a lot in a small space of time.

04:16Yeah, definitely.

04:18Does it make it a bit easier for you, the fact that every band wants to come back?

04:23That is good, isn't it?

04:23Isn't that exciting?

04:24I know, I know.

04:27I'm really proud of what me and the team have achieved, of course I am.

04:30It's been class.

04:30That goes down to the crowd as well.

04:32Yeah.

04:32The crowd.

04:33Yeah, the crowd make that.

04:34The crowd make that.

04:36Do you know what I mean?

04:37Just a final word on the crowd then.

04:39I mentioned to you the other day how really an outpouring of love and support that you've

04:43had since you made the announcement that next year is going to be the last one.

04:49How has that affected you?

04:51My head's mangled, Johnny, mangled.

04:54I really don't know.

04:55It's just, I can't see past next month.

04:58I can't, I can't.

05:02I don't have the answers.

05:04I wish I did.

05:05Everyone keeps, so many people have offered support.

05:08I've had big people that want to buy the branding, want to take over McMurray, or want me to

05:12hand it to them and have me as an advisor.

05:14They want me to step back.

05:15I have so many options that it's ridiculous, but I don't know what to do.

05:21I really don't.

05:23So it's a case of waiting until the end of the year, when you're in a better or clearer

05:27buying space.

05:28Ah yeah, 100%.

05:29Because the thing is, my wage that my company pays has not changed since the first McMurray

05:34to the last.

05:36What I've been able to do with the success of McMurray is book ridiculously big names,

05:41and they get bigger and bigger and bigger.

05:42And I listen to everyone.

05:43I know who the people want, and I'll get them.

05:47But it's a great accomplishment, but it's hard.

05:54I'm knackered.

05:55That's sad.

05:56Well, let's go out on a high then.

05:57They're not a sponsor.

05:59Let's go out on a high.

06:00What's one thing that you want to tell the 10,000 folk that have attended both days?

06:04What do you really want to tell all the fans?

06:07Stop throwing vapes.

06:10And flying drones.

06:11Flying drones.

06:15Jeremy, what do you want to tell all the fans out there?

06:17I mean, you've spoken to them for the last three years, but what's the one message you

06:20want to give to everybody?

06:21I've still got my voice.

06:23You actually do.

06:24I've still got my voice.

06:25Reversing roles here.

06:26I know.

06:26And I'm using mine.

06:28Well, thank you is, I think, the key thing that we all want.

06:32Because if it wasn't for them buying the tickets, in a sense, and putting the atmosphere on

06:37that side of the barrier, yeah, sure, we can advertise the festival.

06:43But it's down to them, the people, to come out and support it.

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