Colin Stone is a Scottish broadcaster, journalist, and musician whose professional interests connect radio, television, and contemporary music. Associated with STV, Radio Clyde, and the music project Gun Ghaol, he represents a creative approach to media that combines professional communication with an interest in Scottish culture and heritage.

Scotland has a strong tradition of regional broadcasting, independent music, and cultural storytelling. Radio presenters, television journalists, and musicians have helped shape the country’s entertainment industry while introducing audiences to local stories, new ideas, and distinctive musical styles. Colin Stone’s career reflects several aspects of this environment, from reporting news to developing a music project inspired by the Scottish Gaelic language.

His professional journey is particularly interesting because journalism and music require different but complementary skills. Broadcasting depends on research, communication, preparation, and the ability to work under pressure. Music requires creativity, experimentation, and a clear artistic identity. Stone’s work across these fields illustrates how people can develop careers that bring together technical knowledge and personal interests.

Early Life and Scottish Background

Colin Stone’s background is closely connected with Scotland and its cultural traditions. His interests in journalism and music developed within a society where local identity, regional broadcasting, and traditional languages remain important parts of public life.

Growing up in Scotland provided a cultural setting that would later influence his creative interests. Scottish culture includes a wide range of musical traditions, from folk singing and traditional instruments to modern rock and metal. The Scottish Gaelic language also remains an important part of the country’s heritage, particularly in communities where it has been spoken across generations.

Although detailed information about every aspect of Stone’s childhood is not widely available, his later work demonstrates an interest in combining contemporary communication with cultural identity. His involvement with Gaelic-language music is especially relevant because it shows how traditional languages can be incorporated into modern artistic expression.

Rather than limiting himself to one professional direction, Stone developed interests that eventually connected journalism, presenting, and music. These different activities became important parts of his professional identity.

Education and Journalism Training

Stone studied multimedia journalism at Glasgow Caledonian University and graduated in 2013 with first-class honours. His university education helped prepare him for the practical demands of professional journalism, including interviewing, researching stories, writing scripts, and communicating information clearly.

Multimedia journalism involves more than writing articles. Journalists may need to prepare material for radio, television, websites, and digital platforms. They must understand how information should be presented to different audiences while maintaining accuracy and fairness.

During his studies, Stone gained experience with Radio Caley, the university’s student radio station. He served as its manager in 2013, an opportunity that introduced him to the organisational and technical responsibilities involved in broadcasting.

Student radio can provide valuable preparation for a media career because it allows aspiring journalists to practise presenting, planning programmes, and working with production teams. It also teaches the importance of deadlines, audience awareness, and clear communication.

Stone’s academic background gave him a foundation for working across different media formats. His subsequent career demonstrated how these skills could be applied in local radio, television news, and independent creative projects.

Beginning His Broadcasting Career

After completing his university studies, Stone began developing his professional experience through radio journalism. His early work included freelance reporting and a role with YOUR Radio in the Dumbarton area.

Local radio plays an important role in Scottish communities. It provides information about local events, public affairs, community activities, and developments that may not receive extensive attention from national broadcasters. Reporters working in this environment need to understand the communities they cover and communicate stories in a way that listeners can easily follow.

Stone’s early broadcasting experience helped him develop practical reporting skills. Radio journalism requires reporters to identify the central facts of a story, conduct interviews, prepare scripts, and present information clearly without relying on visual material.

These responsibilities also provide useful preparation for television reporting. Although television introduces additional demands, including filming and visual storytelling, the underlying principles of accuracy, timing, and audience engagement remain important.

His early work in radio established a foundation for his later move into television and more prominent news reporting.

Career at STV Glasgow

In May 2014, Stone joined STV Glasgow shortly before the channel’s launch. He became a reporter associated with The Riverside Show, the station’s flagship programme.

STV has a long history in Scottish broadcasting, providing television news, entertainment, and regional programming. The launch of STV Glasgow created additional opportunities for journalists to report on stories relevant to the city and surrounding communities.

Stone’s work involved reporting on events and contributing to live television broadcasts. Television journalism requires reporters to communicate information through both words and images. They must prepare carefully, coordinate with camera operators and producers, and deliver reports that fit the programme’s schedule.

During his time at STV Glasgow, Stone covered several significant events. These included the 2014 Commonwealth Games, the Ryder Cup, and Scotland’s independence referendum. Such assignments offered experience in reporting on sport, public events, and major political developments.

He also recalled an unusual live broadcast from a speedboat travelling along the River Clyde. Experiences like this illustrate the unpredictable nature of television reporting, where journalists must adapt to changing conditions while maintaining a professional presentation.

His work at STV Glasgow helped develop his confidence as a television reporter and prepared him for further responsibilities in news broadcasting.

STV News and Radio Clyde

In January 2016, Stone moved from STV Glasgow to STV News, where he worked as a reporter and news anchor. This represented an important stage in his career because it involved contributing to a broader news operation.

News journalists have a responsibility to provide accurate and understandable information about events affecting the public. They must check facts, distinguish confirmed information from speculation, and present complex developments in a balanced manner.

Stone’s experience in television news helped strengthen his reporting and presentation skills. Working in a news environment also requires cooperation with editors, producers, camera operators, and other journalists.

In 2017, he joined Radio Clyde as a senior reporter. The move brought him back to radio, allowing him to apply his television experience in a different broadcasting environment.

Radio Clyde is an established name in Scottish radio, particularly in the west of Scotland. Its news operation covers regional stories and developments relevant to local listeners. Reporting for a major regional station requires an understanding of community interests and the ability to communicate information quickly.

Stone also worked with journalist Natalie Crawford on Week In The Weeg, a podcast connected with their reporting work. Podcasts provide an opportunity to discuss stories in greater depth than a short news bulletin usually allows.

His work across radio, television, and podcasting illustrates the flexibility required in modern journalism.

Gun Ghaol and Scottish Gaelic Music

One of the most distinctive parts of Stone’s creative career is Gun Ghaol, a musical project he founded in 2023. The project combines metalcore with lyrics written entirely in Scottish Gaelic.

Metalcore is a heavy music style that brings together elements of metal and hardcore punk. It commonly features distorted guitars, forceful rhythms, intense vocals, and contrasting musical passages. Gun Ghaol combines these characteristics with a language associated with Scotland’s cultural history.

The name Gun Ghaol can be translated approximately as “without love.” The project challenges the idea that Gaelic-language music must remain within traditional folk styles. Instead, it demonstrates that the language can be used in contemporary genres that appeal to different musical audiences.

Stone has spoken about his personal interest in heavy music, including bands such as Linkin Park and Slipknot. His musical direction brings that interest together with his connection to Scottish Gaelic heritage.

His mother, Christine Stone, has been associated with Gaelic singing and achieved recognition at the Royal National Mòd. This family connection provides useful context for understanding why the Gaelic language has become important to his musical work.

Gun Ghaol therefore represents more than a change of creative direction. It is an attempt to bring cultural heritage into a modern musical setting.

The Album Leum and Musical Development

Gun Ghaol released its debut album, Leum, in October 2024. The project attracted attention for combining heavy contemporary music with Gaelic-language lyrics.

Stone took responsibility for several stages of the album’s creation, including writing, recording, mixing, and mastering. Independent music production often requires artists to manage multiple technical tasks alongside the creative process. This can involve developing song structures, recording instruments and vocals, editing performances, balancing sound levels, and preparing the finished material for release.

The album includes a version of Òran na Cloiche, a song associated with the return of the Stone of Destiny to Scotland. The reference connects the music with Scottish history and national identity.

Digital streaming platforms have also created opportunities for artists working in less widely spoken languages. Listeners can discover music from different countries and cultural backgrounds without depending entirely on traditional radio playlists or record-store distribution.

For a Gaelic-language project, this offers a way to reach audiences who may have little previous experience with the language. The combination of a contemporary heavy sound and Gaelic lyrics can introduce the language to people who would not ordinarily seek out traditional Gaelic music.

In 2025, Gun Ghaol performed at the Belladrum Tartan Heart Festival. This performance represented an important live opportunity for the project and placed its distinctive musical style before a festival audience.

Family, Personal Interests, and Cultural Heritage

Stone’s professional identity is connected with his interest in Scottish culture and the Gaelic language. His family background helps explain why these subjects have become significant in his creative work.

His mother, Christine Stone, has been associated with Gaelic singing and received recognition at the Royal National Mòd. His father, Howard Stone, is a minister in the Free Church of Scotland. His younger sister, ML Stone, is a comedian known for appearing in the BBC Scotland comedy series Scot Squad.

These family connections span music, religion, and comedy, illustrating the different creative and cultural environments surrounding his background. However, they should not be treated as the sole explanation for his career choices. His own education, professional experience, and musical interests have also shaped his direction.

Stone’s interest in Gaelic-language metalcore reflects a personal connection to the language as well as an enthusiasm for heavy music. By combining the two, he has developed an artistic approach that differs from conventional expectations of Gaelic performance.

Information about some aspects of his private life remains limited. A responsible biography should focus on publicly documented professional activities and statements rather than make unsupported claims about relationships or personal circumstances.

Media Training and Other Professional Work

Stone’s experience in broadcasting has also provided a foundation for work outside traditional journalism. His professional activities have included media training, voice coaching, and content creation.

In 2020, he began leading media training courses through Pink Elephant Communications. Media training helps people prepare for interviews, public appearances, presentations, and other situations where effective communication is important.

Journalists and television presenters develop skills that can be useful in this field. These include speaking clearly, controlling pace and tone, organising information, responding to questions, and communicating confidently under pressure.

Stone’s background in live reporting gives context to this work. Live broadcasts require preparation and concentration because presenters must communicate effectively even when circumstances change unexpectedly.

Voice work and content production also allow broadcasting professionals to apply their abilities in commercial and digital settings. Voiceovers, promotional recordings, and other forms of audio communication require a strong understanding of delivery, timing, and audience expectations.

These activities show how a career in journalism can lead to different opportunities within the wider communication industry. Rather than relying on a single job title, professionals can develop a range of skills that remain useful across multiple sectors.

Conclusion

Colin Stone’s career brings together Scottish broadcasting, journalism, independent music, and cultural expression. His education at Glasgow Caledonian University provided the foundation for professional work, while his early experience at YOUR Radio helped prepare him for television reporting.

His time at STV Glasgow, STV News, and Radio Clyde gave him experience across different areas of Scottish media. Through reporting, presenting, and podcasting, he developed a professional background centred on communication and storytelling.

Gun Ghaol represents another important dimension of his work. By combining metalcore with Scottish Gaelic lyrics, Stone has explored a contemporary approach to cultural expression. The release of Leum and the project’s live performances demonstrate how traditional language can be incorporated into modern music.

His additional work in media training, voice coaching, and content creation further illustrates the range of opportunities available to someone with broadcasting experience.

Ultimately, Colin Stone’s story is one of professional variety and creative exploration. His work connects journalism with music and modern communication with Scottish heritage. Through these different activities, he demonstrates how established cultural traditions can remain relevant while finding new forms of expression for contemporary audiences.