Lawrie Macmillan of Dunfermline, Scotland. UK was born in 1977 and was raised in a musically diverse listening environment. 70s country, The Police, 80s pop, Motown, Michael Jackson, he began playing bass guitar at 15 years old, almost immediately joining a band playing Metallica, Guns n' Roses and Alice in Chains covers. His favorite song though was and still is I Heard It Through the Grapevine. He's been been playing for 25 years and has been a full time bass player since 2000.
Describe your rig or instrument of choice: My Sadowsky basses cover the majority of my live work. A UV70 5 string with a rosewood fingerboard, with Nordstrand NJ5 Alnico III singlecoil pickups, and NYC 5 string with a maple fingerboard, with Nordstrand NJ5 singlecoils. I also use a Fender Precision Pino Palladino and Moollon J-V Classic which get a lot of use. My most cherished bass is a Musicman Stingray '79 sunburst fretless. I use Markbass amplification - in various combinations of amps and speakers cabs.
How did you discover Nordstrand? I saw the Nordstrand name become more regularly mentioned in Bass Player magazine, mostly from interviews with musicians but also in forums like Talkbass and Basschat where players had so many exciting positives to say about their pickup upgrades.
What Nordstrand products do you use? NP5, NP4v and MM4.2 pickups
How long have you been using Nordstrand?5 years
Artists whom with you are currently working: I have been working with Stiltskin and former Genesis vocalist Ray Wilson since 2003, and record and perform with him all around Europe throughout any given year. Ray replaced Phil Collins as lead singer and recorded their final studio album Calling All Stations. I joined his band shortly after he started his solo career.
Other artists of note whom with you have worked: I record and perform with Scottish folk artist 'Amy Duncan' and have toured with the late Stuart Adamson of Big Country in his Nashville-based project The Raphaels, co-led by Grammy award winning songwriter Marcus Hummon.World Music group 'Ironhorse', Uzbekistan Chamber Orchestra 'Sogdiana' and I have been in various housebands on BBC Scotland and BBC Alba TV series.
Find out more about Lawrie Macmillan and his work at the following websites and social media outlets.
www.lawriemacmillan.com
www.raywilson.net
www.amyduncan.co.uk
www.cutthecakemusic.co.uk
www.facebook.com/lawriemacmillan
www.twitter.com/lawriemacmillan
