Runrig

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Runrig playing live
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Runrig playing live

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Runrig are a Scottish folk rock band founded by brothers Rory and Calum MacDonald and their friend Blair Douglas in 1973 in the rural Western Isles of Scotland. They played their first concert in Glasgow's Kelvin Hall. Donnie Munro joined the following year and they started to expand outside their native Skye. Douglas left the band late 1974 and replaced by Robert MacDonald,this line up continued until 1978,when Douglas re-joined and Malcolm Jones became guitarist, both displacing Robert MacDonald. This lasted until 1979 when Douglas left again to pursue a solo career. 1981 saw the arrival of drummer Iain Bayne (ex New Celeste)and keyboard player Richard Chearns. Chearns left in Feb 1986 and was replaced by ex Big Country member Pete Wishart. This formed what became known as the classic line up for the next 11 years. In 1997, lead singer Donnie Munro left the band for a career in politics,but later became a sucsesful solo artist. The remaining members contemplated splitting up, but after a long search they replaced Donnie with Canadian singer/songwriter Bruce Guthro. This issue has divided Runrig's fan base; some argue that the loss of Donnie's highly distinctive vocals and his ability to sing in both Gaelic and English has not been truly compensated for by Bruce, whose vocal style is much lighter and who is not a Gaelic speaker. Others claim that the fact that Bruce has such a different voice has allowed Runrig to evolve musically in ways that it might not have done were Donnie still singing with them. In 2001 Peter Wishart, the band's keyboard player, left after being elected Member of Parliament for the constituency of Tayside North for the Scottish National Party. In the 2005 election he was again elected, this time for the new constituency of Perth and North Perthshire again for the SNP. Brian Hurren stepped in to take Wishart's place in the band.


Runrig's first album was released in 1978. Called Play Gaelic, it was a groundbreaking effort, as all the songs were in the named language. The music is light, warm and acoustic based.It was re-released 1n 1990 as "Play Gaelic,the first legendery recording" The second album, The Highland Connection, was released a year later on the bands own label, Ridge Records. A somewhat transitional album, it features wailing electric guitars strewn among pretty ballads. Here to be found is the original version of "Loch Lomond",a later version was to become their signature song and its closing song at concerts.

The artistical breakthrough came with Recovery in 1981, a thematical record dealing with the rise and politics of Scotlands Gaelic community. The music is there to match the ambitions and Runrig were now well on the way in molding their unique sound.In 1982 they re-recorded "Loch Lomond" as their 1st single.This brought them to the attention of people outside the Highlands and Islands.They signed to a small label called Simple Records in 1984 who almost killed the band off,two singles were released.The first was "Dance Called America" which in the prosess of being mixed the master tape got damaged and this appeared to make the record sound out of tune and this is most noticeable in the 12 inch versions outro.The second was called "Skye" and this was trully awful as the song was arranged in a way the band did not approve of.A longer version of "Skye" appeared on the Alba records compliation "A feast of Scottish Folk Music Vol1" along with an early version of "Lifeline",both of which were never available on any Runrig record,and "Na H-uain as T-Earrach" which was the b-side to "[[Dance Called America]]"The band broke loose of Simple and returned to their Ridge Label.The springboard to a mainstream market came in the form of Heartland in 1985, a strong record welding gaelic sounds and anthemic rock music, but inevitably marked by its times (i.e., the dreaded "80's" production sound). The same can be said about Cutter and the Clan (1987), the bands first album on a major label(Chrysalis)(the album was first released by Ridge shortley before signing to Chrysalis).

Now the band started to come to prominence in England and the period from 1987 to 1997 marks Runrig's most successful run, during which time they achieved placings in both the UK albums and singles charts, toured extensively and played a record-breaking concert at Loch Lomond.


Runrig's popularity has waned somewhat since its mid-90s peak, but it is still very much an active band, touring regularly and releasing albums through its own label, Ridge Records. The 2001 album The Stamping Ground was seen very much as a return to form after the lacklustre In Search of Angels (1999), but 2003's Proterra divided opinion yet again. However, it should be remembered that Runrig helped break the mold of Gaelic music by writing and singing contemporary material in Gaelic. This attitude can be seen in the new crop of Gaelic punk bands which encapsulate the same spirit and write new challenging music in Gaelic.

Contents

[edit] Current members

[edit] Former members

  • Peter Wishart (Keyboards)
  • Donnie Munro (Lead Vocals)
  • Blair Douglas (Accordion and Keyboards)
  • Robert MacDonald (Accordion)
  • Richard Cherns (Keyboards)
  • Campbell Gunn (Vocals)

[edit] Discography

  • Play Gaelic (1978)
  • Highland Connection (1979)
  • Recovery (1981)
  • "Loch Lomond [1982]
  • "Dance Called America" [1984]
  • "Skye" [1984]
  • Heartland (1985)
  • "The Worksong" 1986
  • "Worker For the Wind" 1987
  • The Cutter and the Clan (1987)
  • "Protect and Survive" 1988
  • Once in a Lifetime (1988)
  • "News From Heaven" 1989
  • Searchlight (1989)
  • "Every River" 1989
  • 'Capture the Heart'"1990
  • "City of Lights" vhs 1990*The Big Wheel (1991)
  • "Hearthammer" 1991
  • "Flower of the West"
  • Alba - The Best of Runrig (1992)
  • "Wonderful"
  • Amazing Things (1993)
  • "The Greatest Flame"

"*Transmitting Live (1994)

  • "This Time of Year" 1994
  • Mara (1995)
  • "Things That Are" 1995
  • "An Ubhal as Airde" 1995
  • "Rhytem of my Heart"1996
  • Long Distance..Best of (1996)
  • "Greatest Flame '96"
  • Beat the Drum (1998)
  • The Gaelic Collection (1998)
  • Scotland's Pride - Runrig's Best (1999)
  • Celtic Glory (1999)
  • BBC Sessions & Long Distance (1999)
  • "Maymorning"1999
  • In Search of Angels (1999)
  • "The Message" 1999
  • Scotland's Glory - Runrig's Ballads (2000)
  • Live at Celtic Connections (2000)
  • The Stamping Ground (2001)
  • Proterra (2003)
  • Day of Days - Live - the 30th anniversary concert at Stirling Castle (2004) (Also on DVD)
  • Runrig - 30 Year Journey. The Best (2005)

[edit] External links

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