"Without Runrig, I wouldn't be here" - stars of Blas show pay tribute to Gael band
FEW acts have done as much to raise the profile of Gaelic music and the Gaelic language over the past 40 years as Runrig.
Their devoted following at home is matched by equally passionate fans overseas, especially in Germany and Scandinavia, while they also succeeded in getting Scottish Gaelic into the UK Top 20 Singles Chart with An Ubhal as Àirde, thanks to a little help from an advertisement for Danish lager.
This year’s Blas Festival grand finale at Eden Court on Saturday sees some of Gaeldom’s other musical stars pay tribute to the language’s foremost ambassadors by making their own selection from the Runrig songbook and the work of songwriting brothers Calum and Rory Macdonald.
They include another of the most prominent figures in Gaelic music, North Uist born Julie Fowlis, with her husband Eamonn Doorley and guitarist Tony Byrne.
Making a visit from her home in Canada is much loved Barra singer Cathy Ann MacPhee, who — like Fowlis — has performed alongside Runrig a number of times.
Completing the line up will be the band Manran — whose accordion maestro Gary Innes will be familiar to Runrig fans from the cover of their 2007 album Everything You See — poet, novelist and broadcaster Angus Peter Campbell, and the young talents of the Fèis movement.
What do Runrig mean to you?
Cathy Ann MacPhee, singer: Hard to fit into less that an entire book what Runrig mean to me as musicians and champions of our language. They are top of their class on both fronts. When they started out, if I remember correctly, they were only performing in Gaelic, but with their class of musicians, they were approachable to all, and what a following they had.
Ewen Henderson, fiddle-player and multi-instrumentalist, Manran: I don’t think Runrig’s contribution to Scottish music and the resurgent interest in Gaelic culture can be overstated.
From a personal point of view, seeing the likes of Runrig and Capercaillie use Gaelic in the mainstream music industry when I was in primary school meant that I never once thought of it as a strange thing to do and, as a kid, that definitely helped encourage me to learn and play traditional music and sparked an interest in our Gaelic culture that has never left me.
What they have contributed to the world of Gaelic song is in itself impressive but, in a wider sense, they have inspired generations at home and throughout the world to discover more about Scotland, it’s music and, in particular, Gaelic culture.
Norrie "Tago" MacIver, singer and guitarist, Manran: I have Runrig to thank for my entire career as a musician. It was when I saw Runrig play at Heb Celt when I was 17/18 that I realised I wanted to be a professional musician. They were the first band I ever listened to and fell in love with their songs straight away. As I grew older I realised how much of a connection I could have with the songs and how I could relate to a lot of them. They have made it possible for band and musicians like us to make a career out of Gaelic music and for that I will always be forever grateful.
Do you have a favourite Runrig song?
:Cathy Ann Hard to choose just one favourite song. While recording albums myself, I knew I would always try to include one of their songs. What I love about them is the fact that they go straight to your heart. They sing about what is closest to us all, our land, our language, our people. I guess my favourite would have to be Sguaban Arbhair, the story of a young boy coming across a photograph of his grandparents in a drawer. Long gone, he is realizing what he has lost lost in leaving home. My Aunty Peggy cries every time I sing this.
Ewen: One of my enduring favourites is Fichead Bliadhna. Runrig formed a large part of my early experiences of listening to music and provided the soundtrack to many a childhood car-journey — most of that would have been of a Cutter and the Clan vintage and I’ve still got a real soft-spot for that era of Runrig. I then went about 10 years or so without paying much attention to their music, but when I started getting into them again, I delved into some of the early records and really connected with a lot of the music on Play Gaelic and The Highland Connection. These songs seemed to resonate with me at that time of life and I love both the sentiment behind Fichead Bliadhna and the raw, wild sound the band had then.
Norrie: I have so many favourites and it’s hard to pick some but if I had to pick one in English and one in Gaelic, it would be Every River and An t-iasgair. Both fantastic songs with great melodies, but I like them both because of what the songs are about.
Do you have any memories of Runrig and the Macdonald brothers that you would care to share?
Cathy Ann: I was at my first Runrig concert in Castlebay hall in Barra when I was but a ’teen, many moons ago. The excitement of sitting in the kitchen backstage gazing lovingly into the eyes of Calum Macdonald, who I felt sure I would have to marry one day — myself and a hundred other young ladies that night.
I’ve had the honour of performing with them a few times. My nicest memory is of a trip round Skye, not realizing then how famous they would become — kicking myself I didn’t manage to pinch a few items of clothing or guitar picks that I could have sold on eBay today!
Ewen: I remember some of Runrig coming to visit a weekend music workshop in Fort William when I wasn’t long after starting to learn the fiddle. That was a huge deal — these guys were on Top of the Pops at the time!
Norrie: The first time I met Calum was at Celtic connections when I was 19. I saw my old accordion teacher, (and original Runrig member) Blair Douglas, and went to talk to him and he introduced me to Calum. Blair left us chatting and we spoke for a good half hour about so many things. It was great to talk about the band and about the songs.
I’ll always remember the first time I properly spoke to Rory. It was backstage at Tonder festival in Denmark and we were talking about how we were both hoping to go home and take home the peats.
Any hints you can give us about your part in the show or what you are looking forward to most about it?
Cathy Ann: I was thrilled to be asked to take part in the Blas finale and especially the Runrig tribute. It’s always a joy to meet up with old friends on and off stage and at a gig like this you absolutely know that the entire audience will know the songs and join in with all the choruses.
Ewen: Such is the range of Runrig’s back-catalogue that each member of Mànran could have picked a completely different selection of songs for the Blas finale but I think we’ve ended up with a good spread of hits and lesser-known tracks from various Runrig eras and, of course, a couple of big sing-along numbers that we’re sure will have the crowd lifting the roof off Eden Court.
Norrie: I’m looking forward to performing songs that I’ve enjoyed listening to for years but never had the chance to perform. We will be performing some of the big hits and maybe one or two folk haven’t heard in a while.
What’s coming up after Blas?
Cathy Ann: After Blas I head home to the beautiful Island of Barra. A few weeks of catching up with family and friends, walking on beaches dipping my toes in the sea, singing to the seals and drinking numerous cups of tea. I’ll end my trip with a few days at the Mod in Oban — a sure way to see all your friends in one place at once.
Ewen: After Blas, we’re finally going to get some time to knuckle-down into writing and finishing-off material for our third album. We’ve also got a few exciting gigs along the way culminating in a show in Glasgow’s Barrowland Ballroom with the Donnie Munro Band on 5th December.
Norrie: We have more gigs after Blas in Switzerland and Jura, but the big one we have this year is in the barrowlands in Glasgow and that’s with the former Runrig frontman, Donnie Munro. This should be a great night and we are all really looking forward to it.
• Òran: A celebration of the songs of Runrig with Julie Fowlis, Cathy Ann MacPhee and Manran, takes place in Eden Court’s Empire Theatre in Inverness at 7.30pm on Saturday.
