| Runrig | |
|---|---|
| Background information | |
| Origin | Isle of Skye, Scotland |
| Genres | Celtic rock |
| Years active | 1973–present |
| Labels | Ridge, Chrysalis |
| Website | www.runrig.co.uk |
| Members | |
| Rory Macdonald Calum Macdonald Malcolm Jones Iain Bayne Bruce Guthro Brian Hurren |
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| Past members | |
| Campbell Gunn Robert Macdonald Blair Douglas Richard Cherns Donnie Munro Peter Wishart |
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Runrig are a Scottish Celtic rock group formed in Skye, in 1973 under the name 'The Run Rig Dance Band'. Since its inception, the band's line-up has included songwriters Rory Macdonald and Calum Macdonald. The current line-up also includes longtime members Malcolm Jones, Iain Bayne, and more recently, Bruce Guthro, and Brian Hurren. To date, the band has released thirteen studio albums, with a number of their songs sung in Scottish Gaelic.
Initially formed as a three-piece dance band, which played wedding receptions, the trio's first performance took place at Kelvin Hall, in Glasgow.[1]
Runrig's music is often described as a blend of folk and rock music, with the band's lyrics often focusing upon locations, history, politics and people that are unique to Scotland. Songs also make references to agriculture and land conservation.
At present, Runrig's largest fan bases can be found in the United Kingdom, Denmark, and Germany. Since 1999, the band has gained attention in Canada, following Nova Scotian singer Bruce Guthro's entry to the band.
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The band was formed in 1973 with brothers Calum and Rory Macdonald and their friend Blair Douglas. Donnie Munro joined the following year and they started to expand outside their native Skye. Douglas left the band in late 1974 and was 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 the following year when Douglas left again to pursue a solo career. 1981 saw the arrival of drummer Iain Bayne (ex-New Celeste) and keyboard player Richard Cherns. Cherns left in February 1986 and was replaced by ex-Big Country member Peter Wishart.
Following their fourth independent studio album, Heartland (1985), Runrig entered into a recording contract with Chrysalis. With major-label support, Runrig's fifth studio album, The Cutter And The Clan (1987), brought the band wider audiences in the United Kingdom, as well as in other parts of Europe.
From 1987 to 1995, Runrig released a total of five studio albums through Chrysalis Records. Along with The Cutter And The Clan, the other four albums were: Searchlight (1989), The Big Wheel (1991), Amazing Things (1993), and Mara (1995).
Following the release of Mara, lead singer Donnie Munro grew more involved in politics, and in 1997, he left Runrig in order to compete for a seat in the House of Commons for the Labour Party. However, he was not elected.
Runrig began searching for a new frontman, and in 1998, they announced their selection of Bruce Guthro, a singer-songwriter from Nova Scotia.
Runrig's tenth album, In Search Of Angels (1999), was released amidst some uncertainty about the band's future.
Since their contract with Chrysalis had ended, Runrig chose to release In Search Of Angels on their own label, Ridge Records. As a result, the record received much less promotion than the previous five, and sales were considerably smaller. Runrig was also faced with the challenge of acclimating their fans to a new lead vocalist. The band toured extensively in support of the record, and in 2000, they also released a live album called Live At Celtic Connections 2000, allowing fans to hear older Runrig songs sung by their new frontman.
The year 2000 concluded with the release of an authorised songbook, Flower Of The West - The Runrig Songbook. The book included lyrics, sheet music, photographs, and background information for 115 of Runrig's songs - nearly every album track and single from the band's first ten studio albums.
Having emphatically proven that they could continue without Donnie Munro, Runrig set to work on their eleventh studio album.
Among their independently-released studio albums, The Stamping Ground (2001) was Runrig's most successful. Moreover, critics who had given mixed reviews to In Search Of Angels, praised The Stamping Ground as the quintessential Runrig album. The band continued to enjoy support in the UK, Germany, and Denmark. However, with a North American frontman, Runrig began finding new fans in Canada and the United States.
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.[2][3][4] In the 2005 election he was again elected, this time for the new constituency of Perth and North Perthshire again for the SNP.[5] Brian Hurren stepped in to take Wishart's place in the band. Wishart was re-elected again in the 2010 General Election.
Although Runrig's popularity has waned somewhat since its peak in the mid-1990s,[6] it remains 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 [7][8] divided opinion.
In August 2003, Runrig played their 30th Anniversary concert on the esplanade at Stirling Castle, celebrating 30 years since the band's formation, and including visitors from previous line-ups, as well as guest artists including the Glasgow Islay Choir and Paul Mounsey.
Runrig played their first U.S. concert, a benefit for the charity "Glasgow the Caring City", on April 4, 2006 at the Nokia Theatre in New York City. Founding member Blair Douglas joined the band onstage, playing accordion on several numbers. In the audience were fans from as far away as Texas, Alabama, Florida, Colorado, Minnesota, and Scotland.
While the bulk of their 2007 tour was scheduled for Denmark, Germany, and England, an outdoor show, titled Beat The Drum, was held at Loch Ness on 18 August 2007. It was staged at Borlum Farm, Drumnadrochit and attended by 18,500 people in heavy rain. It was an all-day music festival, Runrig being the headline act.[9] This was the first in Runrig's big outdoor annual Scottish summer shows.
Runrig re-recorded Loch Lomond (Hampden Remix) to raise funds for the BBC's annual Children In Need appeal. This was released on 12 November [year] and includes the 'Tartan Army' (Scotland's Hampden Football Supporters), including Rod Stewart, on backing vocals. It reached #9 in the UK Singles Chart.
Loch Lomond (Hampden Remix) was named "The Best Scottish Song Of All Time" in November 2008. The band were presented the award by Lulu.[10] On 5 December 2008, during the penultimate tour date at The Barrowlands, Glasgow, the band was inducted into the Scottish Traditional Music Hall Of Fame, by the Scottish Traditional Music Awards Director.[11]
On 29 August 2009, Runrig performed at Scone Palace for their third annual outdoor summer show. They were supported by acts such as the Peatbog Faeries, piper Fred Morrison, King Creosote, Kathleen Macinnes, and Blair Douglas (a former member of the group) and his band. Attendance numbered ~15,000.
The show was part of Scotland's Year of Homecoming 2009. In order to underline this, First Minister Alex Salmond made an appearance on stage, and launched an initiative called 'SconeStone.' This aims to promote Scotland as a kind and compassionate nation through the "journey of kindness" made by the SconeStone across the world. Its keepers, each holding it for a week before passing it on, are expected to undertake a good deed. Its first keeper was the Reverend Neil Galbraith, who was presented the stone on the same day.
In March 2009, guitarist Malcolm Jones suffered a heart attack in Edinburgh whilst running to catch a train. This forced the band to cancel a sizable tour of Austria, Switzerland and Germany. After undergoing minor surgery, he took to the stage with Runrig again in May of the same year. During a routine check up with his doctors in June 2009, he was strongly advised to have heart bypass surgery, which forced the band to cancel a tour of Denmark. The operation was a success and, although the band were forced to cancel their show at the 35th Tønder Festival in Tønder, Denmark, Malcolm returned to the stage in late August 2009, at the band's big outdoor Scottish Homecoming show for 2009 at Scone Palace, Perthshire, Scotland. However, on the 28th of February 2010, just a week prior to an extensive German tour, it was announced that Malcolm would have to have yet another operation which in turn forced the band to cancel/postpone their Spring dates in Germany, due to start on the 3rd March 2010. In a statement released by the band on their official website they noted that Malcolm's health was "good" and that the problem was "purely a technical one". They also emphatically stated that "All other concerts planned for 2010 will go ahead." It was announced that the winter tour scheduled for winter 2010 would be the last tour for a year with the band planning no concerts in 2011 so that they can focus on other projects. The final date for 2010 was in the Barrowland Ballroom, Glasgow which is traditionally where the band finishes their Scottish tours. In a statement released by the office, they promised it to be "quite a party".
On November 1, 2010, the band released a four-disc compilation, entitled 50 Great Songs. The release includes both studio and live performances focusing upon Bruce Guthro's time within the band.
Runrig's first album was released in 1978, called Play Gaelic, as all the songs were in that language. It was re-released in 1990 as "Play Gaelic, the first legendary recording". The second album, The Highland Connection, was released a year later on the band's own label, Ridge Records. A somewhat transitional album, it features wailing electric guitars and ballads. Here to be found is the original version of Loch Lomond.[12] A later version was to become their signature song and closing song at concerts. Recovery in 1981 was a thematic record dealing with the rise and politics of Scotland's Gaelic community.
In 1982 they re-recorded Loch Lomond as their first single. They signed to a small label called Simple Records in 1984, and two singles were released. The first was Dance Called America.
A longer version of the second single Skye appeared on the Alba Records compilation A Feast Of Scottish Folk Music, Volume One along with an early version of Lifeline, both of which were previously unreleased on albums, and Na H-Uain A's T-Earrach which was the B-side to Dance Called America.
The band engaged the services of producer Chris Harley who brought to their recordings the benefit of his experience as a solo artist and a singer with The Alan Parsons Project and Camel. Heartland in 1985 combined Gaelic sounds with anthemic rock music. The Cutter And The Clan (1987), was the band's first album on a major label, Chrysalis Records, though the album had previously been released by Ridge shortly before the band signed to Chrysalis.
At this time the band started to come to prominence in England, and the period from 1987–1997 marked Runrig's most successful run, during which they achieved placings in both the UK albums and singles charts, and toured extensively.
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