Alan P. MacLeod - Songwriters Bio

After a rough day in a New Brunswick elementary school, Alan P. MacLeod would often unwind by playing "Recording Studio" (using bare bulb floor lamps as mics) in a friends basement. He'd DJ in-class dances, was unable to spell or do math. Alan was an "in-attentive" student but had "creative excuses".

One night, his "Trudeau finger" connected with a live wire in a wall sconce. The current whipped him from side to side for many minutes, leaving distinct body impressions in the wall, until his velocity finally pulled the lamp from its wires. He continued to attend church (as Dad was a United Church Minister) but the injury freed him from his Mom's at-home piano lessons. The house was condemned after they moved.

He was not electrocuted in Junior High, but did become a bad boy. Disrupting classes; choosing naughty words on dictionary day; putting up an Alice Cooper poster in homeroom; and, leading the school in a successful protest against "Dress Up Day". He had perfect attendance.

By grade nine he had become an experienced, big-haired roadie for a high school band and was "known to the police". Mrs. Hooper (the English teacher) chose to review Cat Steven's Tea for the Tillerman instead of Beowulf and this experience changed his life. Alan bought a jumbo acoustic guitar and immediately began to write lousy songs.

In High School, he was a truly rude and annoying student, but the songs got a little better as he fell in and out of love. Alan joined a series of gentle acoustic folk bands, playing "Brownie Gigs" and variety shows while working sound and lights for a local rock band that specialized in Van Halen. He was “well-zapped“ twice while doing hot tie-ins with a screwdriver.

Alan studied Recording Engineering at Fanshawe College in London. Wary of coloured wires, Alan got the lowest mark ever in Electronics. He had an $80 per month room in Guy Lombardo's former row house where punk and new wave bands played most nights. (Nobody knows what restaurant worker kept leaving rescued food on the back step.) The row house was condemned shortly after they moved out.

Alan joined his family in Halifax and teched for Rita MacNeil just long enough to learn about the importance of a hum-able melody and that it's ok to occasionally write a song about the East Coast. This great gig spoiled him rotten. He vowed never to work for bar bands again. Alan bought a synth and became a freelance film worker to support his music habit. He Produced and Engineered tapes for local bands, wrote soundtracks for small films, was domesticated (grounded) by smart women, as he kept playing and honing his songwriting skills.

Now he lives in a little house with circuit breakers in the woods beyond Halifax. Alan uses his web site (www.sparklingroad.com) to export his songs away from the couch and to a band or artist who actually likes to travel and perform.

(No word yet on whether or not Alan's present home will be condemned.)