From playing Glastonbury to running a cider festival

As part of Frightened Rabbit, one of the most influential bands of their generation, Grant Hutchison played major festivals including Glastonbury, T in the Park and Coachella.

However, he stepped away from full-time touring in 2018 following the death of his brother and bandmate, Scott.

Now living in the East Neuk of Fife, far from his native Selkirk, the 41-year-old's life has changed, with a focus on being a husband and a father.

Life after music was something Grant had long considered, but he never expected the answer had been quietly fermenting for years.

"Over time there comes a realisation that a music career, unless you reach a certain status, a certain size of band, it's not going to last forever," he said.

During his time on the road Grant fell head first into the world of craft cider, relishing the chance to find and try small independent brewers.

He found that whenever he would return home from months away there was a real gap in the market.

Moving from Glasgow to the fishing village of Anstruther during the pandemic Grant and his wife Jaye saw a shop to let in the town, and that is when they decided to "take the punt" and open Aeble in 2021.

Now, five years on, life has not slowed down, with two young daughters and their first cider festival launching in March - The Ubhal Cider Gathering.

"My life has changed a lot in 20 years from running around Glasgow playing the drums with my brother to now, I have two kids, a wife and a shop in a small coastal town," he said.

"But it is no less hectic, maybe even more."

Despite moving into a new phase of his life, the memories Grant has of his late brother Scott are as present as ever.

"It's something I think about daily, my relationship with Scott and the fact that my children don't have that and never will, that's still a really hard thing to face," he said.

However, the former drummer has come to accept that he is grateful for the role that his brother can still play in his daughters' lives.

"You see little bits of him in them, it's a sad kind of bittersweet thing, but it's also great to see that there is bits of him in there," he added.

"Where I am really lucky over someone in a similar situation who wasn't in a band is, I can show them their uncle and show them their uncle's music and they can still, in a way, grow up with him.

"That is really special to me and I realise it is a privilege I have that a lot of people don't."

Twenty years on from Frightened Rabbit's debut album Sing the Greys, Grant said he had found happiness in what might seem like a departure from music - but in many ways felt familiar.

"You know with the band when you think about it we essentially set up and ran our own business, and getting it to a point where we could make a living off of it," he explained.

"So, in some way, I had already started a business, ran it, and been successful"

His long-standing love of cider also played a part.

"Cider had always been a passion, we'd go perform in Bristol and I'd fill up the bus with a couple of crates so in that respect it has really helped," he said.

Now, as he and his wife Jaye prepare to launch their cider festival, they hope to shift perceptions - from "something you drank when you were 16 in the park" to a drink with the same standing as wine or whisky.

The festival launches on 28 March at Custom Lane in Leith and the couple hope that by showcasing small, traditional producers they can change a few minds.

"I honestly think as soon as people try it and realise what it is and why it is more expensive, I think this will flip people's mindset and make a big difference," Grant added.