Malcolm Bruce

Clark’s on Lindsay Street, Dundee, October 11

Anyone who has tried living up to a famous parent will tell you it can be a real challenge and, for every artist who has managed it, there are probably hundreds more who have found the task impossible.

Some fully embrace the connection (Jeff Buckley, son of Tim, Rufus, son of Louden Wainwright, Sean and Julien Lennon), while others go as far as changing their names and forge their own path without that particular monkey on their back.

Now though, singer-songwriter, composer and multi-instrumentalist Malcolm Bruce, the son of legendary Scottish musician the late Jack Bruce (Cream), may have hit on the perfect balance – he does a bit of both.

Over the past few years, he has written, recorded and released his new album Salvation, with a little help from his fanbase, plus toured his side project, The Music of Cream across Australia and New Zealand, with a tour of America to come.

That’s once he’s completed his current tour of Scotland to promote Salvation, which takes him the length and breadth of the country and brings him to Dundee on Wednesday.

“We’re doing 11 shows, a few of them up in the Highlands,” he said.

“I’m not Scottish but I love Scotland, I feel an affinity with it. I’ve spent a fair amount of time there, we used to go up to a cottage in Gairloch and spend holidays there.

Malcolm also has family in Dundee as his uncle moved to the city for work and has lived there ever since.

“I’m looking forward to the Dundee show and meeting up with some of the family. I’m hoping my uncle Charlie is going to come to the gig.”

Malcolm curated a tribute to his father last October at O2 Shepherd’s Bush Empire with performances by legends such as Lulu, Eddi Reader, Maggie Reilly, Paul Young, Mick Taylor (Rolling Stones), Dennis Chambers (Santana, Parliament/funkadelic) and Ginger Baker (Cream).

He admits he also enjoys playing The Music of Cream which he proudly does in memory of his dad, but also knows it helps get his own name out there.

“I put on a tribute to my dad at Shepherd’s Bush Empire and it looks like we’ll be doing a European tour next year. I tried to hold off from that but it is a way to get exposure for my own music and I’ll be able to do my own thing after that.

“What I’ve got going for me is the history and lineage.

“Having a famous dad obviously opens doors but it’s now more about me achieving things.

“Getting on in the industry is difficult enough for anybody so you have to take any help you can get.”

www.malcolmbruce.co.uk

Malcolm Bruce.