Andy Macdonald, DJ Jammie interview
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.