‘My City: Edinburgh’

Four films entitled ‘my city: edinburgh’ by young Scottish director Martin Smith and produced by Edinburgh-based production company Sugar Tree Productions are being broadcast on Channel 4 from 2nd – 5th August.

The films were all shot on Super 8 and feature Garbage lead singer Shirley Manson, Scotland’s greatest living artist John Bellany, champion boxer Alex Arthur and 10-year-old Sophie Watson from North Edinburgh Arts Youth Drama Group.

Each of the four film’s subject matter relates to how the city of Edinburgh has affected the lives and work of Shirley Manson, John Bellany, Alex Arthur and Sophie Watson. The films will become one complete feature after the television broadcast before touring
international festivals over the next 12 months.

‘my city : edinburgh’
featuring Shirley Manson, lead singer of Garbage
Monday 2nd August 7.55pm Channel 4

my city : edinburgh
SHIRLEY MANSON: programme transcript

My name is Shirley Manson and I was born in Edinburgh, Scotland

Growing up in Edinburgh was amazing – the more I’ve travelled the more I realise how privileged I was growing up here ’cause it’s such a beautiful city…but you know it’s a cultural city and really up there amongst some of the most beautiful cities in the world and that’s, I’m convinced, not a biased opinion because I’ve spoken to other people who don’t come from Scotland and who’ve travelled the world and they sort of put it up there with great cities like Prague and Paris and Rome. What is so great about it is it’s filled with Scots people who have no idea that it’s one of the most beautiful cities in the world and that’s what makes it so incredible and what makes it so pleasant to be in. It doesn’t have a lot of the arrogance and graces that a lot of the great cities do.

Every time I meet people when I’m abroad and people say “I’ve just visited your city”, I always say “and were the people nice?” and they always say “oh they were the best” and I always have a wee, I mean I hate myself for it, but I always have a wee beat of pride.

My first musical memory where I felt I’d really discovered the power of music was going to see my mum sing at the church concert party and I was about three years old and I remember her singing this song and me realising the power of music to transform like my mum became this siren figure and I somehow made that correlation between that transformation and music. And I think that’s when I first fell in love with the whole nature of it.

But singing gave me power that I felt I didn’t have as a child – I just never felt sure of myself and singing has given me that opportunity to reach out and connect with people and connect myself to the world.

Having people in my life who I grew up with in Scotland has been a real mainstay for me you know with my career which has taken me all over the world and very much out of my comfort zone. And you know, when you live a life in the media it can be very discomforting because it’s quite invasive at times and it’s great to come back to your homeland and have people who you don’t have to pretend to be anything with and just be yourself, and you find yourself again.

I suppose my favourite place would be Stockbridge because that’s where I grew up and that’s where I’ve got all my most sort of loving memories. I love St Stephen Street to shop. I love the castle ­ I think it’s unbelievably amazing and just captures my imagination every time I see it. I love the Modern Art Gallery, I love all the fish and chip shops, you can’t find our brown sauce anywhere else in the world. I love the cobblestones. I just think it’s a really beautiful city to walk around in and get lost in and yeah, I feel lucky to be here..

Shirley was interviewed by Martin Smith.