Scottish Quotes

As we live longer and healthier for longer, we need to keep ourselves busy... the diary is pretty full.

Anything you strike, anything you shake or rattle, or just anything that can be picked up, and you can create a sound.

And as I grew older, I then auditioned for the Royal Academy of Music in London, and they said, well, no, we won't accept you, because we haven't a clue - you know - of the future of a so-called 'deaf' musician. And I just couldn't quite accept that.

A lot of things which come with a high profile will always be criticised one way or another.

A large part of my work has been collaborating with composers; I think we've commissioned about 140 pieces now, a lot of them percussion concertos.

Percussion is the most adaptable family of instruments. The biggest challenge is to project percussion in a lyrical way.

My favorite instrument is the snare drum. In Scotland, the snare drum is very prominent in Highland bands. The Scottish style of playing is in my blood. It's a very powerful instrument, but it can also be soothing, like velvet. It's a real challenge for composers.

I suppose I don't hear things, but I listen, if you know what I mean. And there is a big difference between hearing and listening. So it's like a conversation, you know. When you speak to someone, it's one on one, and that's exactly how I play.

Before my teen years, I was losing my hearing pretty quickly, and I was getting very, very angry. I was beginning to become an angry person because of that.

Apart from Scottish traditional music, I wasn't really influenced by any kind of music. I just basically followed my own instincts.

The thing about playing percussion is that you can create all these emotions that can be sometimes beautiful, sometimes really ugly, or sometimes sweet, sometimes as big as King Kong and so on. And so there can be a real riot out there, or it can be so refined.

Music is about communication... it isn't just something that maybe physically sounds good or orally sounds interesting; it's something far, far deeper than that.

Society cannot continue to disable themselves through their need to categorize people or make assumptions as to another individual's abilities.

I love out-of-the-way, rugged places. For me, holidays are about the experiences, and the people, and the memories, rather than sitting on a nice beach getting tanned. I try to plant myself where I am and embrace what is there in front of me.

I hope the seeds I have sown will be taken up by those who will follow me because the journey I have begun cannot be undertaken in isolation.

Holidays are about experiences and people, and tuning into what you feel like doing at that moment. Enjoy not having to look at a watch.

You're spoilt as an actor if you are in that small percentage that works regularly.

You really are being quite foolish to smoke.

With a woman of sophistication, class and modesty and refinement, I become a totally tongue-tied buffoon. I can't even look her straight in the face.

My first priority is to my wife, as hers is to me, and to our child.

I've been aware of the work I do as an actor being directorial in feel.

I'm too much of a big kid.

I'm not sure I'm the sort of actor people are hugely interested in finding out an awful lot about.

I'm happiest when I can just be a director and watch.

I don't know anyone who's suffered lung cancer.

I don't crave Hollywood.

As an actor, I'm familiar with having bursts of energy, where you're giving things a try, and then you have down time.

A big budget studio film is slower, they've got so much to create around you. Everything is more complicated.

A bicycle has transformed my experience of London.

Violence is always the last option, but if that time comes, it is the ONLY option.