Becoming Jack Roscoe

My ambulatory journey to becoming the musician I am today...

One of my favourite poems of all time is Robert Frost’s ‘The Road Not Taken’. Look it up and you’ll see why it’s so highly regarded. I’ve used it as an idea for leading a school assembly on many an occasion… as a result I often found myself thinking of my own ‘Road not Taken’. The one that I dwell on the most was the decision at 18 to go to university to read English (my original application subject) rather than wait a year and go to read Music instead (I got an A and only a C in English). However, I remember I wanted to leave home more and so took my path.

I’m now spending all/most of my time writing, recording and set to release music this year and in all subsequent years that I am able to. After I took one road/path at 18, it really feels that I have been able to go back to that original intersection and take the path of music. I feel privileged and proud and eternally grateful that I am in a position to do this. Whether I sell one album, one hundred or one thousand, I am finding great contentment in this domain and I will be happy whatever happens.

It is easy therefore to think that I should regret the decision from 1984 as I’m back at that intersection in 2023. I might have saved all that bother in between! But that’s not life. My experiences, adventures, challenges and heart-ache (as well as literal heart-break) are all helping forge the musician I am today and will be over the next few years. My drive and desire to write, record, release and perform is also greater than it was all those years ago. And as can be seen on stages and in stores across the planet, age is now no excuse or reason to stop the joy of making music.

The final thought is about my name, Jack Roscoe. I wasn’t born with that name but I did want to create an artist identity that was different to my birth and life name. It was very common in the 60s and 70s (and indeed seems to be reappearing again as a music-industry practice). The chosen name means a lot to me.  My beloved and irascible Glaswegian grandad was ‘Jack’ and my beautiful wife (who I recently married) is a ‘Roscoe’, so I’ve sort of been a 21C man and taken her name. It feels natural and authentic.

This concept of authenticity is important to me and I will and do wear my heart proudly and openly. This first ‘Note’ has been written listening to a podcast episode from Laura Kidd, aka Penfriend @penfriendrocks , whose music and whole creative approach is influencing and helping me hugely. It is a strongly recommended listen:

Although the adoption of the name seems like an instant decision, my journey to becoming the musician I am today has been one many years in the making. I might appear as though I have become ‘Jack Roscoe’ seemingly overnight, but I have been ‘becoming’ him for much, much longer.

Thanks for reading and cannae wait to be releasing the debut album in November.