ONE LP PORTRAITS: MUSIC LOVERS: Alan McLaren

“Well, as I said earlier on, I came up with a long list, and then I come up with a shorter, long list. Then I come up with a shortlist and then I come up with a short shortlist. And I eventually chose an album by John Grant called The Queen of Denmark. There are a number of reasons why I chose that. He's a fascinating man, he grew up in the Michigan area, came out as a teenager only to find that his parents tried to “cure” him. That set John down a very dark road. He joined a band called The Czars, made some good music, and eventually set out on his own. For me, this album is an all too rare example of an artist properly bearing his soul, telling a story in an interesting, melodic and an incredibly and lyrically relevant way. I'm just so amazed that he's managed to get through what I understand he's had to live through to get here and still produce such a thing of beauty. And he continues to do that. His musical style is changing but there's still a content a weight and a gravitas to everything he does. I started listening to all sorts of music for the One LP Project and I hear elements of much of that music in Queen of Denmark. I chose the album because it's a culmination of a lot of music that I've heard. And that journey still continues for him and for me.”Session: Alan McLarenSession Date: 25 September 2021Location: Loud & Clear, EdinburghArtist: John GrantRecording Title: The Queen of DenmarkReleased: April 19, 2010Recorded: July–October 2008 and May–July 2009 in Denton, TexasLength: 51:16Label: Bella UnionProducer: Paul Alexander, Eric Pulido and John Grant
Alan McLaren, John Grant: The Queen of Denmark

 

“Well, as I said earlier on, I came up with a long list, and then I come up with a shorter, long list. Then I come up with a shortlist and then I come up with a short shortlist.  

And I eventually chose an album by John Grant called The Queen of Denmark.  

There are a number of reasons why I chose that.  

He's a fascinating man, he grew up in the Michigan area, came out as a teenager only to find that his parents tried to “cure” him. That set John down a very dark road.  

He joined a band called The Czars, made some good music, and eventually set out on his own. For me, this album is an all too rare example of an artist properly bearing his soul, telling a story in an interesting, melodic and an incredibly and lyrically relevant way.  

I'm just so amazed that he's managed to get through what I understand he's had to live through to get here and still produce such a thing of beauty.  

And he continues to do that. His musical style is changing but there's still a content a weight and a gravitas to everything he does.  

I started listening to all sorts of music for the One LP Project and I hear elements of much of that music in Queen of Denmark.  

I chose the album because it's a culmination of a lot of music that I've heard.  

And that journey still continues for him and for me.” 

Session: Alan McLaren 

Session Date: 25 September 2021 

Location: Loud & Clear, Edinburgh 

Artist: John Grant 

Recording Title: The Queen of Denmark 

Released: April 19, 2010 

Recorded: July–October 2008 and May–July 2009 in Denton, Texas 

Length: 51:16 

Label: Bella Union 

Producer: Paul Alexander, Eric Pulido and John Grant