Singing salesman Steven proves he's electric!

Nov 2 2009 by Alison Rennie, Paisley Daily Express

A SINGING salesman who works for electrical giants Comet is hoping to see his own name up in lights after winning a prestigious talent competition.

Steven Mcveigh has been singing and performing since he was just three years old.

Now he is setting his sights on fame and fortune after being declared the winner of the Scottish regional final of the Open Mic UK competition.

Steven formed his first band when he was aged just 10 and has had a few attempts at cracking the big time.

But he hopes his achievements in the Open Mic UK contest will be the springboard to success.

And 35-year-old Steven, who is a salesman at the Comet store in Abbotsinch Retail Park, Paisley, admits he would love to move on from offering customers advice about speakers and iPods and swap that for the chance to take centre stage.

He told the Paisley Daily Express “I’ve played in various bands over the years but nothing has ever really taken off.

“The most success I’ve had was in a band called Troubleman about 10 years ago.

“We won a few big competitions and were really close to being signed but it didn’t happen. Hopefully, this is the one.

“I’m excited about my success in the Open Mic UK contest. There should be a lot of publicity about the competition, so that will be good exposure for me.”

Steven, a former pupil at Barsail Primary and Park Mains High in Erskine, will now compete in the national final of the Open Mic UK contest, which will be staged in Manchester on Sunday, December 6.

He’s hoping lady luck will be on his side as he performs in front of music industry heavyweights such as Radio 1 DJ Annie Nightingale, performer Dane Bowers, legendary music producer Steve Lyon and Malcolm McLaren, who discovered the Sex Pistols.

And Steven admits he would be thrilled if the competition provides him with a ticket to getting out of retail and into the music industry.

“My ultimate ambition is to get full-time work in the music industry in some aspect,” he said. “The winner of this competition will get a recording and management contract and go on tour for the next year. It’s a big deal.

“The ideal scenario is for me to become a successful recording artist but I’d just love to work in the music industry.

“The fame and fortune doesn’t really appeal to me as much as simply working in a studio or writing music.”

Steven describes his music as soulful and says his biggest influences are Elvis and Hamish Stuart, from Dundee’s Average White Band.

He added: “My dad loves playing the guitar. He learned by watching people on television and copying where they put their fingers.

“When I was three, I used to do impersonations of Elvis and steal my granddad’s Brylcreem to put in my hair.

“My parents told me that, as a young boy, I had to go into hospital for quite a serious heart operation and, when I came round, the first thing I said was ‘It’s one for the money, two for the show!’

“I started writing songs when I was 10. That’s when I had my first wee band and I’ve been writing ever since.”

Steven lives with his wife Joanna, 41, in Erskine, and she was there to cheer him on when the Scottish regional final of the Open Mic UK competition took place at the Glasgow Royal Concert Hall.

He added: “Thousands of people originally applied to go for the audition.

“It was pretty daunting as it was like The X Factor TV show, where you have to audition in front of the judges. From there, I made it into the top 20 to perform at the Glasgow Royal Concert Hall for the Scottish final.

“The competition was quite strong and there were two or three really good female singers, so I was delighted to win.”

The overall winner of the Open Mic UK competition will get the opportunity to record an album in professional studios with a vocal specialist and be given the chance to record and release a single.

To hear some of Steven’s music, check out his website at www.myspace.com/steviemcveigh