A STRING of mundane jobs and the prospect of becoming a father inspired a local student to start his own record label.

Stuart Wilson, a mature student at Stow College in Glasgow, started Twin City Records while studying for an HND in Music Business earlier this year.

The 38-year-old said: "I was working in removals in Glasgow. Before that I lived in London for a few years.

"I've done jobs that never really interested me and I wanted to get into something that gives you a bit of get-up-and-go in the morning, instead of dragging yourself out of bed to do something that you absolutely hate."

"I've always been interested in music, I've always loved it and I thought I'd just give it a go.

"It's not a hardship and I enjoy every minute of it.

Stuart's girlfriend Laura recently gave birth to twin daughters Evie and Ruby, who are now three-weeks-old, and the proud father decided to name the label after them.

"I wanted to include the twins in the name somehow, and as far as the city part of it goes I just picked Glasgow and Perth as they are the places my girlfriend and I have both lived for the past eight years," said Stuart.

Dunfermline four-piece Middleton Hall are the first band to sign to the label, and their first EP was launched last month at a special event in Great Western Road.

"I had put an advert out on Facebook and on Twitter, asking people if they knew of any bands that were looking to release anything." said Stuart. "Middleton Hall said they were interested in releasing an EP so I drove out to Bathgate and met the four of them one night.

"We talked about it over a pint and decided to go ahead."

Along with the duties of being a new dad, Stuart has had to get to grips with running everything at the label – from setting up events and handling contracts to marketing and promotion.

His training at college has proved a huge help, and he also asked his classmates for tips and advice if he encountered problems.

"One of my friends has started a label, too – Stance 52 Records," said Stuart.

"We bounce ideas off each other and I had never put on a music night before for the Middleton Hall EP launch, so I was able to speak to him about what goes on in terms of putting on a night which was a great help.

"I wouldn't have been able to start anything without this course – the lecturers have been great.

"They've all done these sorts of things and been involved in labels before, so any questions I have they've had the answer."

After finishing his HND, Stuart plans to study for a degree in Music Business at the University of the Highlands and Islands, in Perth, where he has just moved with girlfriend Laura and their two baby daughters.

"I'm looking for some other bands to sign to the label and to release a full album as well," said Stuart.

"If Middleton Hall are happy with what we've done, they might have some more songs to release. I want to build up Twin City Records slowly, build up a catalogue and look at licensing music from oversees with some American labels that want to release music over here.

"I can start doing that and build up the name for the label."

So far, Stuart has used all of his own savings to fund the venture, which he hopes will expand in the future when he signs more bands.

"I just had to buy a website, a logo and obviously pay to get the songs uploaded to iTunes and Amazon," he said.

"We decided to make physical copies of the CD as well to get the name out there so we had to pay for that.

"I didn't need an office or anything and I've got a Mac at home, so that's all I needed really."

Local record shops, including Love Music, in Glasgow, and Europa, in Stirling, have been a great help to the student, by offering to sell copies of the release and giving advice whenever they can.

"I drove around to Glasgow, Edinburgh, Perth and Stirling to deliver the CDs myself.

"So all the physical copies are out and about in the record shops," he added.

"Thay have all been really supportive, and most of them already have a section in their stores for local bands anyway."