Runrig

Runrig is a six-piece folk rock band from Scotland. The group was founded in 1973, and as of 2010, Runrig has released thirteen studio albums.

Musically, Runrig is rock-oriented. The band's lyrics, however, tend to be folk-oriented. Typical Runrig songs will mention locations, events, or people that are unique to Scotland. The history and politics of Scotland (as well as the country's position within the United Kingdom) are also discussed in many songs. Another recurring theme involves an awareness of the natural world, along with many references to agriculture and land conservation.

In keeping with its cultural roots, Runrig sings about one-quarter of their songs in Scottish Gaelic.

In 1973, Runrig began as a three-piece dance band, playing wedding receptions. The founding members were two brothers, Rory and Calum MacDonald, along with their friend Blair Douglas. The trio's first performance occurred at Kelvin Hall, in Glasgow.

Runrig soon evolved from its origin as a cover band, and in 1978, released their first studio album. Runrig's fifth album, released in 1987, marked the band's debut on a major label.

Since their inception, Runrig have endured many changes in its line-up, although brothers Rory and Calum MacDonald (the band's primary songwriters) have always been active members.

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, after they appointed Nova Scotia singer Bruce Guthro, as successor to their previous lead vocalist, Donnie Munro.

History

Formation and early years (1973 to 1987)

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.

Major label and mainstream success (1987 to 1999)

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 (Runrig's ninth studio album), lead singer Donnie Munro grew more involved in politics, and in 1997, he left Runrig in order to compete for a seat in the UK Parliament for the British 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.

Transitional challenges (1999 to 2001)

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, entitled 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.

Renewed popularity and continued success (2001 to Present)

Having emphatically proven that it could continue without Donnie Munro, Runrig set to work on its 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. 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.

Although Runrig's popularity has waned somewhat since its peak in the mid-1990s, 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 divided opinion.

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 some 18,500 people in heavy rain. It was an all-day music festival, Runrig being the headline act. 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 12th November 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 was presented the award by Lulu. On the 5 December 2008, during the penultimate tour date at The Barrowlands, Glasgow, the band were inducted into the Scottish Traditional Music Hall Of Fame, by the Scottish Traditional Music Awards Director.

Health concerns (Spring & Summer 2009)

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 Tonder Festival in Tonder, 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.

Music

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. 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.

Membership

Current members

Rory MacDonald: bass; vocals; songwriting (1973-present) (born 27 July 1949, Dornoch, Sutherland, Scotland)
Calum MacDonald: percussion; songwriting (1973-present) (born 12 November 1953, Lochmaddy, Scotland)
Malcolm Jones: guitars; pipes; accordion (1978-present) (born 7 July 1959, Inverness, Scotland)
Iain Bayne: drums (1980-present) (born 1 January 1960, St Andrews, Scotland)
Bruce Guthro: vocals; guitar (1997-present) (born 31 August 1961, Cape Breton Island, Nova Scotia, Canada)
Brian Hurren: keyboards (2001-present) (born 9 October 1980, Falkirk, Scotland)

Former members

Peter Wishart: keyboards (1986-2001)
Donnie Munro: vocals (1974-1997)
Blair Douglas: accordion; keyboards (1973-1974, 1978-1979)
Robert MacDonald: accordion (1974-1978)
Richard Cherns: keyboards (1981-1986)
Campbell Gunn: vocals (1976)

Discography

Studio albums

Play Gaelic (1978)
The Highland Connection (1979)
Recovery (1981)
Heartland (1985)
The Cutter And The Clan (1987)
Searchlight (1989)
The Big Wheel (1991)
Amazing Things (1993)
Mara (1995)
In Search Of Angels (1999)
The Stamping Ground (2001)
Proterra (with Paul Mounsey) (2003)
Everything You See (2007)

Live albums

Once In A Lifetime (1988)
Transmitting Live (1994)
Live At Celtic Connections 2000 (2000)
Day Of Days (2004)
Year Of The Flood (2008)

Compilations

Long Distance (1996)
The Gaelic Collection (1998)
Beat The Drum (1998)
Celtic Glory (2000)
Alba: The Best of Runrig (2003)
''Scotland's Glory (2003)
''Scotland's Pride (2003)
The Best: 30 Year Journey (2005)
The Collection (2009)

Live DVDs

City Of Lights (1990)
Wheel In Motion (1991)
Air An Oir (1993)
Live In Bonn (1998)
Day Of Days (2004)
Year Of The Flood (2008)

Singles

Loch Lomond (1983, #86 UK)
News From Heaven (1989, #90 UK)
Capture The Heart (1990, #49 UK)
Hearthammer (1991, #25 UK)
Flower Of The West (1991, #43 UK)
Wonderful (1993, #29 UK)
The Greatest Flame (1993, #36 UK)
This Time Of Year (1995, #38 UK)
An Ubhal As Airde (1995, #18 UK)
Things That Are (1995, #40 UK)
Rhythm Of My Heart (1996, #24 UK)
The Greatest Flame (1997, #30 UK)
Loch Lomond (2007, #9 UK) (with Tartan Army)

Signed Music Artists