Saddleworth songwriter to release debut single as new alias

A SADDLEWORTH musician has a new songwriting alias as he launches a brand new single. 

Kieran McMahon is well known locally for forming the resident band for Oldham Roughyeds and Oldham Athletic FC.

Now decorated as an award-winning songwriter, Kieran returns as Glen Millstone – a solo acoustic troubadour who could have walked straight out of a cotton mill in Oldham in 1900.

Kieran describes Glen as a quintessentially British artist who embodies the spirit of the north of England.

His new song ‘I’ve a Way’ was released on Valentine’s Day on streaming platforms such as Spotify, Apple Music and iTunes – and Kieran hopes listeners will quickly fall in love with it.

The track – mastered by Pete Maher – begins with just an acoustic guitar and a simplistic strumming pattern, with the entrance of an isolated drum kick that is reminiscent of ‘Wouldn’t It Be Nice’ by The Beach Boys.

It builds to a striking chorus equipped with Jeff Lynne (ELO) style backing vocals – built by Gus Tuner of Gafro Studios in Elland.

The song also contains an unlikely acoustic guitar break that follows on to a brass section before culminating with two huge choruses with a whirling organ.

Kieran says the lyrical narrative of the song looks back to past school days like ‘Maggie May’ by Rod Stewart or ‘Ooh La La’ by The Faces.

He adds that the vocal delivery switches from almost spoken parts to melodic hooks, while the chorus line draws on the young man who disagreed with what he was being fed and wanted to “get on home and pick up my guitar”.