11225 - RUNRIG - THE STORY (2016)
RUNRIG
''THE STORY''
FEBRUARY 5 2016
48:31
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1 The Story 5:24
Strings - Prague Philharmonic Orchestra
Written By Calum Macdonald, Rory Macdonald
2 Onar 5:38
Saxophone - Dave Towers
Written By Calum Macdonald, Rory Macdonald
3 Rise And Fall 6:07
Choir - The Glasgow Islay Gaelic Choir
Strings - Prague Philharmonic Orchestra
Written By Calum Macdonald, Rory Macdonald
4 Elegy 1:26
Written By Brian Hurren, Malcolm Jones
5 Every Beating Heart 3:52
Choir - Stirling Gaelic Choir
Fiddle - Mike Vass
Written By Calum Macdonald, Rory Macdonald
6 The Years We Shared 3:43
Strings - Prague Philharmonic Orchestra
Written By Calum Macdonald, Rory Macdonald
7 When The Beauty 3:25
Written By Brian Hurren, Calum Macdonald, Rory Macdonald
8 18th July 5:26
Written By Calum Macdonald, Rory Macdonald
9 An-Diugh Ghabh Mi Cuairt 3:55
Choir - The Glasgow Islay Gaelic Choir
Trumpet - Scott Walker
Written By Calum Macdonald, Rory Macdonald
10 The Place Where The River Runs 4:10
Written By Calum Macdonald, Rory Macdonald
11 Somewhere 5:18
Strings - Prague Philharmonic Orchestra
Written By Calum Macdonald, Rory Macdonald
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OFFICIAL BIOGRAPHY
The original Run-Rig Dance Band, performed for the first time as a three piece in 1973 at Glasgow’s Kelvin Hall. The line up consisted of Rory on guitar, Calum on drums and Blair Douglas on accordion. Donnie joined the band the following year to add vocal support. Later Blair left, and they were then joined by accordionist and old school friend Robert Macdonald, who sadly lost his life in 1986, after a long battle against cancer.
Up until 1978 the band had been a part time/student occupation, and it was in that format that the debut album, Play Gaelic was recorded for the Scottish based Lismor Recordings. After that tentative step they felt that they should and could set up their own independent record company to allow them the freedom, both financially and creatively to record the more ambitious second album. The musical potential of the band was strengthened with the addition of young, up and coming, local Skye guitarist, Malcolm Jones. Ridge Records was successfully formed and the band took on full time professional status. In 1979 they went into the studio and recorded The Highland Connection.
After this the rhythm section was bolstered by the addition of Iain Bayne from Fife, taking up duties on the drum stool. This was to be the line up that recorded the classic Recovery album in 1981. Once more there was the need to extend the musical parameters, this time by stepping up to a six piece, employing the services of Englishman, Richard Cherns, on keyboards. Richard left in 1986 to work in theatre and his place was duly taken by another Fifer, and former member of Big Country, Peter Wishart. And so to a classic Runrig line up, which was to endure for the next decade. 1987 was very much the breakthrough year. Highlights included a highly successful trip to Canada, a first trip behind the Iron Curtain to play a festival in East Berlin, a live concert broadcast on ITV, a support to the newly crowned champions of rock and roll, U2, at Murrayfield Stadium, Edinburgh, and the release of The Cutter and the Clan.
The time was now right to sign to one of an increasing number of major Record Companies beginning to show an interest in the band. Chrysalis Records with its ethos of independence and a roster of musical integrity, became natural bedfellows. In the summer of 1987 Runrig signed a major international recording contract, and it was to be the start of a whole new approach to the life and work of the band.
The next 10 years saw major events and the release of several albums. The Big Wheel went straight into the National Charts at Number 4. The open air concert at Balloch Country Park, Loch Lomond followed, with an audience of 50,000 people. A new video, Wheel in Motion, was released, featuring live footage from the memorable Loch Lomond concert. The album Amazing Things achieved the highest ever chart position, entering the Gallup Chart at Number 2. A high point during the year of Amazing Things was when the album won the award for being the British Environment and Media album of the year.
In 1997 Donnie left to pursue a political career and his place was taken by Canadian Bruce Guthro. The albums In Search of Angels and Stamping Ground were to cement his place in the band and with Peter being replaced by Brian Hurren in 2001, the final line up was complete. Proterra in 2003 brought a new direction for the band and helped launch the 30th anniversary concert at Stirling Castle, which lead to the band’s first DVD in 2004. The song, Running to the Light was chosen as the wake up call on the final morning of the ill-fated Columbia Space Mission by astronaut fan, Laurel Clark. Very little survived the tragedy but amongst the wreckage, scattered across Southern America was Laurel Clark’s Runrig CD. It was recovered intact from a field in Texas, and presented to the band by Laurel’s husband and son at a memorable night in Glasgow City Chambers later that year.
In Denmark the record label released a new Best Of collection to commemorate the 30 years. It went Platinum very quickly and charted at number one in the Danish National Charts. This was followed by releases in Germany and the UK.
The 13th studio album, Everything You See, was released on May 2007 and spent 3 weeks at No.1 in Denmark. Runrig celebrated what was the Highland Year of Culture with a sell out show on the banks of Loch Ness, at Drumnadrochit. 17,000 people gathered in a rain and mud soaked field to be part of one of the band’s most significant shows to date. They ended 2007 by holding on to the No 1 slot in the Scottish Charts for seven weeks with their charity single Loch Lomond, which was recorded along with the national football supporters organisation, The Tartan Army for the Children in Need charity. The single also featured in the UK Charts at No.9.
In 2009 the band went back outdoors, to play yet another spectacular concert, this time in the grounds of historic Scone Palace. In 2010 they released a highly acclaimed compilation album and DVD package 50 Great Songs. In 2011 they decided to take a break from touring, the sabbatical giving opportunity for all the members to pursue various solo projects.
They are now back together again, refreshed and invigorated and working towards 2013, when they will be celebrating 40 remarkable years in the music business.
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BIOGRAPHY/AMG
Steve Huey
Play Gaelic
Scotland's Runrig were formed in 1973 as a trio by Rory MacDonald, Calum MacDonald, and Blair Douglas, adding Donnie Munro the next year. Douglas quit and was replaced by Robert MacDonald, who died of cancer in 1986. The band went through a number of lineup changes before settling on the MacDonalds, Munro, Peter Wishart, Iain Bayne, and Malcolm Jones -- Canadian singer Bruce Guthro replaced Munro in 1999. Runrig play a version of traditional Scottish folk music with a more anthemic rock sound; they are known for pride in their heritage and their spirited energy. The band has released over a dozen studio albums, including Play Gaelic (1978), Heartland (1985), The Cutter and the Clan (1987), Amazing Things (1993), The Stamping Ground (2001), and Everything You See (2007). While extremely popular in Britain, they remain largely a cult band in America, with followers in the Celtic and folk arenas.
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