Conference marvin::uk_music

For the benefit of anyone living around the North-West of England, Runrig
are playing at the Apollo in Manchester on Friday, 1st December. I don't
have the phone number to hand, but directory enquireies will know :-)

Cheers,

    Derek with the fourth row seats :-)

    Excuse my ignorance, but for the benefit of those of us who may
    have heard some of their music, but don't know much about the band
    could you help us out ?
    How's about a potted history of the band, details of their best
    lp's etc.
    
    Thanks 
    
    John.

    
    	Well, I don't know a hell of a lot, but you can have it -
    
    	If they don't all come from Skye, they're certainly based there.
    	I saw them live in the early/mid 80's (supporting Big Country at
    	the Hogmanay show, Barrowland, Glasgow), great stuff (my friends
    	only arrived in time for B.C. eejits)
    
    	I have 3 albums, 'Heartland' 'The Cutter and the Clan' and 
    	'Once in a Lifetime', and enjoy them all, but particulary 
    	the latter, which is a great live album. They usually include
    	a couple of Gaelic songs on the albums.
    
    	Doug.

    One other album I can think of is "Recovery"; I have a feeling
    there's another but I can't remember it. 
    
    I certainly recommend "Once In A Lifetime" - it really does capture 
    something of the incredible atmosphere of a Runrig concert. It was 
    their first album for Chrysalis; before that they recorded for a 
    small Scottish label, Ridge Records. A new album should be out very
    soon.
                              
    I wasn't that impressed with them till my wife dragged me along
    to see them, since when I've been hooked. The concert at Glasgow
    Barrowland last year was unbelievable! 
    
    On the question of the Gaelic songs, it does seem that they record
    fewer now than they used to, which has led to accusations that they've
    "sold out". Me, I just like the music.
    
    �Paul�

    Runrig LPs are (in roughly chronological order):
    
                   1) Play Gaelic      
                   2) Highland Connection
                   3) Recovery               
                   4) Heartland
                   5) The Cutter and the Clan
                   6) Once in a Lifetime
                   7) Searchlight (to be released early October)
    
    I would agree with Paul's recommendations. I believe that at least some
    of the older albums have now been released on the Chrysalis label.
    Having heard some of the tracks off the new album, I can confirm that
    the band is not just 'selling out' to commercial considerations because 
    their music still has the influence of Gaelic music and culture
    imprinted on it, although I regret that there are so very few new
    Gaelic songs (I don't know if there's any on Searchlight). 
    
    Also,the band is now based in Edinburgh. See also conference 
    COOKIE::FOLK_MUSIC note 436 for some more about Runrig.
    
                                              Andrew

The Searchlight album is now out (I bought a copy in the local record shop)
It's very good, although more commercial than even 'the cutter and the clan'
I like it more than 'recovery' and 'the highland connection' . I think there's
2 Gaelic songs on it.

The concert in Reading was excellent, considering the venues location
relative to Hadrians wall :-)

	Craig.

If you're interested in finding out more about the band, Runrig's fan club 
can be contacted at:

Runrig Fan Club
c/o Linda
55 Wellington Street
Aberdeen
AB2 1BX


	Craig

I hear that Runrig are playing at the Hammersmith Odeon (!) soon, does anyone
have any more details. ie prices, dates and a phone number I can book
tickets through?

any info greatly appreciated

	Craig.

    
    Craig - From what I can gather, The Odey does not have a phone no.
    by which you can book tickets.
    
    
    I know for a fact they don't take credit cards. For a couple of
    quid more, phone an agent and save on gas.
    
    
    Mark.

Here's the tour dates for the 2nd leg of Runrig's UK tour:

22-Nov-89   Hammersmith Odeon
1-Dec-89    Manchester Apollo

There then follows a tour of Scotland and the only date I know of which
is definite at the moment is 

19-Dec-89   Glasgow Barrowlands (only one night)

	Craig.

    
    	Another date -
    
    	18 Nov		Manege		Munich
    
    	Doug.

Official:

For those of you wanting to see Runrig live over the Christmas/New Year
period, the only date they have lived up between 23-Dec and 5-Jan is

31-Dec, George Square, Glasgow.

Tickets are free, obtainable through the Daily Record (based in Glasgow)

Sorry, I don't have an address or phone no for the Daily Record, but 
they'll be in directory enquires I expect.

	Craig.

Cross posted from the Scotland conference   <kp7> to select.

	Craig

            <<< MARVIN::DISK$ROBIN:[NOTES$LIBRARY]SCOTLAND.NOTE;1 >>>
                          -< The Scotland conference >-
================================================================================
Note 37.16           Concerts coming up/Scottish bands info             16 of 17
MARVIN::COCKBURN "SCOTLAND 13, England 7 !!!"      44 lines  Thu 22-Mar-90 20:24
                           -< Runrig tour info 1990 >-
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
...
Ok, here's the scoop on Runrig's tour info, hot off the presses !!

Runrig have 5 tours arranged this year:

England		    April
Germany		    May
Scottish Islands    May/June
European festivals  June/July/August
Main Scottish tour  December

The only specific details I have at the moment are for the England tour.

Wed, 4th April		Cambridge Corn Exchange
Fri, 6th April		Birmingham Town Hall
Sat, 7th April		Manchester Apollo
Mon, 9th April		Poole Arts centre
Tue, 10th April		London Dominion
Wed, 11th April		London Dominion
Thu, 12th April		Oxford Apollo
(there may be others I think, but I don't have details)

For more info, call the fan club on 0224 573100

Or write to them and enclose an SAE

Runrig fan club
55 Wellington St
Aberdeen
AB2 1BX
Scotland

- this service may only be open to fan club members, membership is �6 
for UK residents, �8 overseas.

Craig

I've got my tickets for the Apollo in Manchester on the 7th April, and I've
just discovered that the 'special guests' are the Tom Robinson Band !

I don't know if they are with Runrig for the whole tour or not, but it
should prove an interesting mix.

Cheers,

    Derek.

re. my previous reply -

The Manchester concert has been canceled due to "illness". No alternative
date has been arranged. Looks like it's refund time :-(

On a brighter note, are there any noters in the STV region who would be
kind enough to tape the forthcoming TV program on Runrig for me ?? I don't
know much about this, except that it was mentioned in the last fan club
newsletter (no date or time though), and that I would be in my girlfriends
very good books for ages. I'll provide a blank VHS tape up front, and pay
all postage etc.

Please contact me by mail if you can help.

Cheers,

    Derek.

    Has anyone got spare tickets for their upcoming Glasgow concerts??
    
    Feargal.
    

>            <<< Note 484.16 by AYOV27::FSPAIN "Sending out a SOS" >>>
>                             -< Tickets Wanted !! >-

>    Has anyone got spare tickets for their upcoming Glasgow concerts??
    
>    Feargal.
 

No, but I've got tickets :-)

Did anyone catch them on, of all things, TV-AM the other day ? Unfortunately
I missed it, so I haven't heard the new single yet (anyone know what it's
called ?)   

Looking forward to the 26th October,

    Derek.

I watched the RunRig video 'City of Lights' last night - I thought it was
pretty good. Live footage of the band was mixed in with background info
on their songs, and talk of life in the Western Isles. It was interesting
to note that in Scotland, RunRig outsell Dire Straits, U2 and Madonna in
terms of record sales. Queues form outside record shops when they put out
an album. Their last album entered the UK charts at #12, despite 90% of the
sales being in Scotland! Pretty amazing for a band who sing half in a 
language that 98% of Scots don't speak and for a band which Radio 1
refuse to play during the day. Someone commented that RunRig are primarily
a live band, and their record sales are generated from people seeing them
in concert. For most bands, they do it the other way round by doing albums
and building up a following on the studio sound, then going on tour. Next
RunRig album due out in a few months!

	Craig.

Another vote for 'City of Lights' !! This is my idea of what a good music
video should be - something which supplements the music rather than just
repeating it with a few pictures over the top.

I bought this for my beloved for Xmas thinking that it would be an
unbeatable present, but she's gone one stage further and got a backstage
pass for the next concert !

Oh well, at least while she's meeting the band I'll be shivering outside
the stage door :-(

Cheers,

    Derek

re .last
>            <<< Note 484.20 by AYOV18::FSPAIN "Sending out a SOS" >>>
>                           -< What next concert ?? >-

The band are currently in the studio preparing the next album (if it's 
anything like the 'Capture the Heart' EP then I'll be a happy camper). An
English tour is expected during late May/early June, with Skye Week and a 
Scottish tour thrown in for good measure :-)

I'll post the dates here as soon as I know them, and I'll see you down the
front of the stage with the lunatic fringe :-)

Cheers,

    Derek.

I have the lyrics to a number of Gaelic songs on Runrig albums, and English 
translations. If anyone's interested, I could type some in.

The songs I have are:

An Ataireachd ard  (the great sea surge)
Tuireadh Iain Ruaidh (Lament for Red Ian/John Roy)
Cearcall a' chuain (The ocean's cycle)
Tir an Airm (Army land)

Craig

Yes please ! If any of these are already on the album sleeves then don't
bother, as I've already got all of the albums.

Thanks,

    Derek

P.S.   Latest rumour is of a Barrowlands concert in June
P.P.S  Simon Bates played a Runrig record the other day !!

The new Runrig album 'The Big Wheel' was released yesterday. I've only
listened to bits of it so far, so I haven't really formed an opinion
yet.

Apparantly it's selling well enough to make the Top 20 album chart.

Cheers,

    Derek.

    
    I've seen Runrig on the Juebek Open Air Festival, last year in June.
    They were announced as a great Newcommer Band. But in fact they were
    not successful. They could not hold the big words, which were made for
    them. All in all I was disapointed, as I've thought to see a very good
    new English Band. A big fact for this was, that they have played at
    4pm, I think. But, are they better, when they're playing later in the
    evening?
    
    |PETER|
    

    Peter, if you were expecting to see a good new English band then you'd 
    be disappointed because they are very Scottish - some of their songs are
    in Gaelic.

    I've seen them in concert three times, twice in Ayr and once in Glasgow.
    The last time, in Ayr, was very disappointing. They hadn't been touring
    in a while, the sound mix sounded all wrong, and they were playing in a
    hall where the acoustics probably left something to be desired.

    On the other hand, the gig at Glasgow was one of the best I've ever been
    to - the atmosphere was absolutely fantastic, and the band seemed to be
    inspired by it. I still reckon "Once In A Lifetime" is one of the best
    live albums ever recorded. 

    �Paul�

    
    Paul,
    
    please excuse, that I'm so unknowing. I didn't know, that they are
    from Scottland. They're announced as a brand new British act. So what
    could I thought? As you've said, "Once In A Lifetime" is a good live
    album. Is it by Runrig? I do like to catch a listening to it, than.
    
    In fact I do like Scottish bands. For example Big Country and Fish
    and last but not least, It Bites, which are from Cumbria, near the
    Scottish frontier. They don't sound Scottish, but when they are
    talking you can hear the Scottish language.
    
    All in all, those Bands are unknown, here in Germany. Exerpt Big
    Country. You have to take a strange look, if you like to get a view
    on those Bands, here in Germany.
    
    |PETER|
    

>              <<< Note 484.23 by WARNUT::KAYD "WORM-mode noter" >>>
>                              -< Fame at last ?? >-

>Yes please ! If any of these are already on the album sleeves then don't
>bother, as I've already got all of the albums.

Which ones?

>P.P.S  Simon Bates played a Runrig record the other day !!
That's great. Daytime airplay on Radio 1 after 10+ years !!

Craig

    Has anyone got "The Big Wheel" yet? Any reviews?

    �Paul�

>        <<< Note 484.27 by HAMIS3::BRUEHL "You've got nothing on me" >>>
>                     -< I do like Scottish Bands, anyway >-

     
>    please excuse, that I'm so unknowing. I didn't know, that they are
>    from Scottland. They're announced as a brand new British act. So what
>    could I thought? As you've said, "Once In A Lifetime" is a good live
>    album. Is it by Runrig? I do like to catch a listening to it, than.
 
Runrig aren't new, I've been listening to them for 8 years and they've
been putting out albums since about 1978 I think. They did exist for 
about 6 years before that as a ceilidh band. 
   
>    In fact I do like Scottish bands. For example Big Country and Fish
>    and last but not least, It Bites, which are from Cumbria, near the
>    Scottish frontier. They don't sound Scottish, but when they are
>    talking you can hear the Scottish language.
 
There's two Scottish languages. One is called Scots and is related to
English (this is probably the language you are referring to here, although
linguists debate whether it really is a language as opposed to being a
dialect). The other language is Gaelic, which is the language Runrig
sometimes use. This language is related to Irish and is not at all
related to English. Gaelic uses a different alphabet and there's probably
only about 40 Gaelic words in English usage, so there's not much chance
of you understanding Gaelic unless you speak Irish!

There's even more info on Runrig in the folk music conference and topic
37 of the marvin::scotland conference.

I'm going to see Runrig on the 26th in London and I got a letter from the lead
singer in the band this morning (what a name dropper!!!!)


Craig

Latest bit of news:- The Big Wheel is this week's highest new entry
in the UK album charts - straight in at number 4 !!

I hope this doesn't mean they'll start releasing singles and appearing on 
Top of the Pops :-(

Cheers,

    Derek.

Craig,

How come you're corresponding with the famous Donnie Munro ? I only want to
know so I can make my girlfriend jealous :-)

Cheers,

    Derek.

>              <<< Note 484.32 by WARNUT::KAYD "WORM-mode noter" >>>
>                 -< Craig Cockburn - friend of the famous !! >-

>How come you're corresponding with the famous Donnie Munro ? I only want to
>know so I can make my girlfriend jealous :-)

We both support Gaelic, and he's the rector of my old University. I wrote
to him about getting Edinburgh to offer students the choice of having
their degrees in a living Scottish language (Gaelic) rather than a dead
language (Latin). The college on Skye prints it's degrees in Gaelic.
However, he tells me that in the last few years Edinburgh has started 
printing degrees in English and it would be too complicated to have
the degrees printed in the language of the student's choice. He did
support the idea though and said 'cum ort' with the campaigning (keep it up).

Craig

re .29

>        <<< Note 484.29 by AYOU52::PAULC "waiting to see the sunrise" >>>
>                            -< Big Wheel reviews? >-
>
>    Has anyone got "The Big Wheel" yet? Any reviews?
>
>    �Paul�


I've been listening to this in the car recently, but so far I've only
covered enough miles to give a first impression :-)

I like this album. I think it's quite modern in terms of production
techniques and general 'feel', but it is still quite distinctly a Runrig
album. If I wanted to convert someone into a Runrig fan I would probably
suggest that they listen to this album first (followed by The Cutter and the
Clan).

Apparantly there is a loose 'theme' to this album - it seems to me to have a
lot to do with growing up (both as an individual and as a member of a group/
culture/family/band/whatever).

More detailed reviews to follow ...

Cheers,

   Derek.

Article 2633 of rec.music.folk:
From: [email protected] (Melrose)
Newsgroups: rec.music.folk,soc.culture.celtic
Subject: Re: New Runrig album - comments?


   Well here I am again.
I borrowed the album from a friend last weekend and have been listeding to it
constantly since.  It has 10 tracks, all new and the band is the same as on
Searchlight. The music bears little resemblance I'm afraid to the earliest
albums but still sounds 'Scottish'. That said it's a pretty outstanding rock
album and may well be the one to make Runrig into a major group south of
the border.
1 Headlights...or something  - . This starts 'atmospherically'
and resolves itself into a quite attractive banjo-led piece. (Yes!) THe mixing
and style sets the tone for the whole album- sweeping keyboards, heavy drums,
VERY distinct bass rhythm.
2 Healer In Your Heart  - Guitar-led song plenty of Malcolm Jones, but not in
the style of 'Highland Connection'.
4 Always The Winner - most like the old Runrig. Tune sounds a lot like "Skye"
(?) but with prominant accordion. Very catchy song, I keep trying to sing it.
Most of the rest of the tracks are written in the new style, the mixing is
perhaps most akin to "Cutter". There are two Gaellic songs, one "The Big
Wheel" is also the album title.
 There is one short Piano/Vocals/Keyboards love song type thingy, like the
similar songs on "Cutter". The last track is over 7 minutes long !
 As I said the album sounds completely unlike most they've done before.
It's less 'poppy' than "Searchlight" and not as 'folky' as "Recovery". I'm
still not sure whether I like it or not.....I prefer the raw sound that
they produced on "Highland Connection", "Play Gaelic" and "Recovery" and this
album contains none of that. However I would reccomend that people listen
to it for themselves because as rock albums go this is very good one.

DAve
-- 
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
 Dave Hemsley                    "Once in a lifetime you live and love"
 [email protected]          "Once in a lifetime you die"        -RUNRIG
----------------------------------------------------------------------------

>              <<< Note 484.23 by WARNUT::KAYD "WORM-mode noter" >>>
>                              -< Fame at last ?? >-

>Yes please ! If any of these are already on the album sleeves then don't
>bother, as I've already got all of the albums.

Here is a translation of Cearcall a' chuain. The Gaelic lyrics are printed
on the album (The Highland Connection I think, but perhaps Recovery). This
translation was done by a friend in the London Gaelic Choir and I have made
some small alterations.

Circle of Ocean
===============

Circle of ocean, circle of ocean

We are all alone on an ocean steering a course through our lives,
Sailing a little black boat, lost in the midst of the sea;
The wind is at our back, the boat is running before it,
And neither time nor the ocean will make sense or order to us.

The sea it is calm, it is wild, it is wide,
It is beautiful, it is secret, it is vindictive and deep.
O but us, we are ignorant and we know nothing but life,
Hoist the sail, ply the oar until we make some distance.

I expect, I expect when the sun goes down,
They will see me steering westwards over to Uist on the circle,
O circle of ocean, for ever she will be turning with me
To a white machair* of the west where the day begins.

Cirle of ocean, circle of ocean
Cirle of ocean, circle of ocean


*machair = A Scots word and a Scots Gaelic word meaning "low lying costal plain"

Craig

Latest bit of news :-

The new Runrig EP, 'Hearthammer' will be released on Monday 26th August. It's
got four tracks, two of them recorded live at the recent Loch Lomond gig.


Cheers,

    Derek.

P.S. Looking forward to seeing them in Manchester and Wolverhampton soon (what
a junkie !)

   Shock! Horror! - "Hearthammer" voted the Radio 1 Breakfast Show chartbeater.
   A hit single at last????

   �Paul�

      
      A German Music Press has a review of the latest Runrig Album
      "The Big Wheel".
      
      It takes four points for sound and four points for music.
      Highest score is five points. All in all: very good.
      
      >PETER<

    
    I heard the end of Runrig on Radio 1's In Concert last Saturday. I only
    heard the last three or four songs, but I can't say I was particularly
    impressed. It seemed to be a mixture of Dire Straits and sub-Big
    Country balladeering. Not *unpleasant* to listen to, but not very
    interesting either.
    
    Trevor

    	I've got two tickets for their concert on Thursday night (06/Feb)
    	in the Barrowlands in Glasgow which I will not be using . 
    
    	If anyone is intersested they can contact me at 823-3057 or
    	AYOV18::FSPAIN . Tickets are #12 each (face value) .
    
    	Feargal

    BTW , tickets are sold .
    
    Thanks anyway ,
    
    Feargal.

  I was at a record/CD fair in Ayr yesterday, and I saw a "new" live CD
  called "Take The Live Road". Some of the tracks were recorded at
  Edinburgh Castle and some at Hammersmith Odeon. Funny thing is, it wasn't
  on Chrysalis (but I can't remember the name of the label).

  Does anyone know anything about it? Is it a bootleg?  Have Runrig been
  dropped by Chrysalis?

  �Paul�

    Does anyone have any idea if Runrig will be touring this summer and
    fall?  I'm particularly interested in dates during September.
    
    Thanks
    
    Bob