Battlefield Band

Battlefield Band is a Scottish traditional music group. Founded in Glasgow in 1969, they have released over 30 albums and undergone many changes of lineup. As of 2010, there are no founder members in the band.

Several former members have developed distinguished solo careers. The band is noted for its combination of bagpipes with other instruments, most notably on their cover of Bad Moon Rising and its mix of traditional songs and tunes with new material. The group tour internationally, playing to audiences in Europe, Australia, Asia, the Middle East & Canada, as well as more than 60 cities annually in the United States.

Battlefield Band were winners of 'Best Live Act' at the inaugural Scots Trad Music Awards in 2003

Battlefield Band's "Compliments to Buddy McMaster" was nominated for the 7th Annual Independent Music Awards for World Traditional Song of the year.

Contents

History

The band's current brand of music was developed when Brian McNeill and Alan Reid were joined by Jenny Clark (vocals, guitar, cittern, appalachian dulcimer and whistle) and Duncan McGillivray (pipes and whistle). Stand Easy, the album they recorded in 1979, still stands up as one of the band's finest. The next line-up included Dougie Pincock (bagpipes) and Jim and Sylvia Barnes, Alan Reid (vocals and electric keyboards) and Brian McNeill (fiddle). Alan Reid, which has been a member ever since, finally left the band at the end of 2010, concentrating on his musical duo with guitarist & singer Rob van Sante who has been Battlefield Band's sound engineer for the past thirteenth years.[1]

Instruments and themes

Every line-up since the Stand Easy album has had at least one bagpiper. Unusual aspects of the instrumental line-up for a traditional band include the presence of electric keyboards and the absence of percussion. Every album mixes traditional Scottish songs and tunes with modern (often original) compositions. Themes range from drinking, friendship and hard times to history, geography and politics.

The band's 2006 album, The Road of Tears, deals explicitly with the theme of displacement. Many of the songs deal with emigration, both voluntary and forced. Battlefield Band's 2007 album, Dookin' has a lighter feel, after the eloquently somber tone of The Road of Tears. Dookin' includes a mix of vocals, with lead being shared by Alan Reid and Sean O'Donnell, and instrumentals.

Current members

Note: Sean O'Donnell replaced former Irish vocal/guitarist Pat Kilbride in July 2005. Multi-instrumentalist Ewen Henderson is the most recent addition to Battlefield Band and the youngest member.

Past members

Concert Tours

Discography

Solo albums by Battlefield Band past and former members

Alasdair White

Mike Katz

John McCusker

Brian McNeill

Brian McNeill & Tom McDonagh

Brian McNeill & Iain MacKintosh

Dougie Pincock

Alan Reid

Alan Reid & Brian McNeill

Alan Reid & Rob van Sante

Alistair Russell

Alistair Russell & Chris Parkinson

Davy Steele

References

  1. ^ Alan Reid & Rob van Sante duo Web Site / Biography

External links