By ERIC SCHELKOPF
Listening to Angus Macaskill songs will quickly put a smile on your face.
Take for example his song "Beautiful," which has an infectious melody that will get stuck in your head.
The Scottish-born singer-songwriter calls Aurora home. The stage keeps getting bigger for Macaskill, who recently opened for well-known Americana artist Samantha Grimes.
I had the chance to talk to him after he played recently at the Arcada Theatre in St. Charles as part of Indie Music Night.
Q – It's great to talk to you. I was impressed with your recent show at the Arcada Theatre and the passion you put into the show.
I was especially impressed with the song "Beautiful." The song's melody stuck in my head.
Oh, thank you. I'm a self-taught musician.
I wrote the song as part of a 35-day writing challenge. It's a fun song.
Q – Is the song about anyone in particular?
It's open to interpretation. I try to draw my inspiration from experience and observation.
I like tongue-in-cheek humor.
Q – You recently performed at Nashville North in Milwaukee with Samantha Grimes. You must feel honored to perform with someone of that caliber.
Oh, yeah. She's definitely next level.
Q – I know you are a self-taught musician. What got you interested in music in the first place?
I think I was born with it. I really do.
Music is what keeps me grounded. There's something about playing a guitar that just soothes and connects me to the world.
Q – I understand the day before your show at the Arcada Theatre, you hyperextended your right thumb.
Yeah, I messed it up bad.
Q – But you pushed through it. You didn't bow out of the show.
I don't back out of things. It still hurts, but it is going to be fine.
Q – You live in the Fox Valley and it seems like the Fox Valley has such a vibrant music scene. Why do you think that is?
There's a lot of small, independently owned bars in the Fox Valley. And I think there's a movement happening where more people are going out and seeing local live music because they need that connection.
I have to juggle playing music with a full-time career and being a dad and a husband. I have a 6-year-old and a 3-year-old.
I play my music as much as I am able to do so.
Q – Wow, you have a lot to juggle. Have you released an album yet? Is that a goal of yours?
It is a goal. I have 25 original songs right now that I've written.
It's going to happen hopefully sooner rather than later.
Q – As far as what you want your music to do for people, do you want to be able to have your listeners relate to what you are singing about?
I want to put a smile on someone's face and I want to put a tune in somebody's head. You want to be memorable.
Q – Do you think your heritage plays a part in your music or do you try to instill your heritage into your music?
I think my personality is 100 percent Scottish and it comes through when I perform live. I think people find that entertaining, which definitely helps with the delivery at times.
Q – It seems like you have a pretty good bond with other musicians.
I think I have a good bond with people in general. I connect with people.
That's part of being an artist. And I think that stems from the way I was brought up.
I'm writing songs now that I would have never written a year ago because I didn't feel confident in opening up memories or emotions.
Being around other musicians, I can be genuinely more supportive and understanding when they are writing. And I think that helps me.
Me being confident helping someone else be confident helps my confidence.
Q – What goals do you have in the near future?
I'm currently focused on recording and releasing an original song – hopefully before the end of the year.
I also want to be an opening act for like a big name band. And really that's a lofty goal.