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Goodbye Runrig 1973-2018


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The curtain will fall next year for Runrig :(

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-highlands-islands-41398307

 

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Veteran Scottish rockers Runrig are to stage a farewell concert next year to mark their retirement after 45 years in the music business.

The band was founded on the Isle of Skye in 1973 and enjoyed UK chart success with Gaelic songs in the 1990s.

Their song An Ubhal as Airde reached number 18 in the charts in 1995. They have played hundreds of shows across Europe and in New York's Times Square.

Their final concert will be held in Stirling's City Park on 18 August 2018.

The band released their 14th and final studio album, The Story, last year.

  • The band takes its name from a system of farming that was used for hundreds of years. It was ended amid agricultural change during the Highland Clearances
  • Over the years, two of its members left to pursue political careers - Donnie Munro with Labour and Pete Wishart with the SNP
  • Astronaut Laurel Clark was a fan. She died in 2003's Columbia shuttle disaster and the Runrig CD she had brought with her into space was found in a field in Texas
  • Runrig's 40th anniversary bash, Party On The Moor, was held in Muir of Ord in 2013
  • Runrig have played support to U2, The Rolling Stones, Rod Stewart and Genesis

Runrig's members said they felt it was the right time to wind up the band with their farewell gig, which will be titled The Last Dance.

Calum Macdonald said: "This has been an enormous and difficult decision for us.

"But through the machinations of longevity and circumstance, we feel that the timing is now right for a positive and celebratory conclusion."

Iain Bayne said: "We want to make this a true celebration of the band's career, and the special bond we have with so many people from around the world, although it will be with heavy hearts when we strike the last note."

Malcolm Jones added: "Although the band as we know it will end, its iconic music will live on, as will the Runrig brand.

"Individual members will continue to write songs, record and engage in live performances, whilst there are various exciting Runrig legacy projects in development."

The band consists of songwriters Rory and Calum Macdonald, along with Skye guitarist Jones and drummer Iain Bayne from St Andrews.

Lead vocalist, Nova Scotian Bruce Guthro, joined in 1998 followed by keyboard player Brian Hurren from Falkirk.

 

Sad but probably the right thing to do when all is said and done. They'll leave behind some truly wonderful music and they've been great cultural ambassadors for Scotland through the years.

They also got many people (not just in Scotland) interested in the culture, history, language and everyday way of life in the Highlands and Islands.

Hope Rory and Calum McDonald decide to do another album as "The Band From Rockall", the 2012 album they did together which was superb.

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4 minutes ago, ErsatzThistle said:

The curtain will fall next year for Runrig :(

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-highlands-islands-41398307

 

Sad but probably the right thing to do when all is said and done. They'll leave behind some truly wonderful music and they've been great cultural ambassadors for Scotland through the years.

They also got many people (not just in Scotland) interested in the culture, history, language and everyday way of life in the Highlands and Islands.

Hope Rory and Calum McDonald decide to do another album as "The Band From Rockall", the 2012 album they did together which was superb.

I never realised they had been going for so long.  :(

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One of my favourites along with Pride of the Summer, Every River, Dreamfields, Tillidh Mi, The Story, City of Lights, Dà Mhìle Bliadhna, Edge of the World, An Ataireachd Àrd, The Greatest Flame ...........

The albums "Heartland" and "The Cutter and the Clan" are just top notch. 

The experimental album they did with Paul Mounsey "Proterra" was my least favourite. Fair play to them for trying something outside the box (and it had a couple of good songs) but overall it was a horrible mess I felt. 

A lot of fans were disappointed by "Mara", perhaps because it was very easy listening oriented but I quite enjoyed it.

Ach well,ll good things must come to an end.

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3 minutes ago, Toepoke said:

Donnie to return for the final gig?

That would be a nice touch :ok:

This was from the 7th of this month, so it looks like it's more than possible. 

http://www.heraldscotland.com/news/15519407.Gaelic_rockers_Runrig_discuss_reunion_with_former_frontman_Donnie_Munro/

I'm positive they did a show three or four years back where Munro and Pete Wishart performed on stage for a couple of songs. 

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1 hour ago, aaid said:

Not before time, I appreciate this might be a controversial viewpoint but I think Runrig are completely rubbish.

Not there’s anything wrong with finding them shite if that’s what you think of course, but I’m now just waiting on Larky coming out in condemnation for my prize. :lol:

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Rather predictably the folk who dislike Scotishness dislike a band who wrap themselves in it. Personally I do find them quite bland but this is only musically speaking. The most interesting thing I am finding is the "band takes its name from a system of farming that was used for hundreds of years". That was quite interesting reading about run rig farming. 

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5 hours ago, ErsatzThistle said:

That would be a nice touch :ok:

This was from the 7th of this month, so it looks like it's more than possible. 

http://www.heraldscotland.com/news/15519407.Gaelic_rockers_Runrig_discuss_reunion_with_former_frontman_Donnie_Munro/

I'm positive they did a show three or four years back where Munro and Pete Wishart performed on stage for a couple of songs. 

Donnie sang a couple of songs with them at Party on the Moor in 2013 for their 40th anniversary 

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26 minutes ago, thplinth said:

Rather predictably the folk who dislike Scotishness dislike a band who wrap themselves in it. Personally I do find them quite bland but this is only musically speaking. The most interesting thing I am finding is the "band takes its name from a system of farming that was used for hundreds of years". That was quite interesting reading about run rig farming. 

I relate a lot of their music and political views,, this has a lot to do with my affinity with the band. They carried the Gaelic culture at a time when it really was in the doldrums,, also their music relating to the highland clearances has extra meaning to me as it's something i am passionate about.basically what i am saying is that they are more than just a music band. I probably like what they represent more than their music if i am honest

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6 minutes ago, hampden_loon2878 said:

I relate a lot of their music and political views,, this has a lot to do with my affinity with the band. They carried the Gaelic culture at a time when it really was in the doldrums,, also their music relating to the highland clearances has extra meaning to me as it's something i am passionate about.basically what i am saying is that they are more than just a music band. I probably like what they represent more than their music if i am honest

They are platitudinous. If they were singing about pop or any other subject it would have been mocked. But add a Scottish flag and folk rally around them falsely. They are good guys but this is not going to do it. We have lost our cool a long time ago.

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Wonder when the reunion tour will be?

Heard from a friend of Pete Wishart a few years ago, while I was offshore, that the only reason that Pete Wishart went into politics for the SNP is because Donnie Munro tried and failed as a politician for the Labour party.

It was his way of getting back at Donnie Munro because there was a strong dislike between them, his friend said.

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1 hour ago, thplinth said:

Rather predictably the folk who dislike Scotishness dislike a band who wrap themselves in it. Personally I do find them quite bland but this is only musically speaking. The most interesting thing I am finding is the "band takes its name from a system of farming that was used for hundreds of years". That was quite interesting reading about run rig farming. 

Alternatively people with some semblance of musical taste. 

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  • Astronaut Laurel Clark was a fan. She died in 2003's Columbia shuttle disaster and the Runrig CD she had brought with her into space was found in a field in Texas
  • I've never heard that before, poignant. 
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My mpswim only has shuffle mode and that song last came on during a swim on Vatersay last October. Moved me to tears. 

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4 hours ago, thplinth said:

Rather predictably the folk who dislike Scotishness dislike a band who wrap themselves in it. Personally I do find them quite bland but this is only musically speaking. The most interesting thing I am finding is the "band takes its name from a system of farming that was used for hundreds of years". That was quite interesting reading about run rig farming. 

you didn't get that in secondary school ?

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Lot of haters out last night...and a few music snobs! 

I think the retirement is no great surprise and has been coming for a while, particularly after the announcement that The Story would be the last studio album,  There have been some changes in line up but some of these guys are not gettign any younger.  Runrig have been an Iconic band, very few have written about the range of subjects that Runrig have covered over the years, fusing politics, culture, spirituality, relationships, history.  I suspect that some of the knockers don't like their music because of the big power ballad stuff and in a forty year plus career not everything you do will be great but I also think there's a range in the music as well, from the quite martial to some of the beautifully fragile Gaelic numbers.  Their last gig may be coming up but their legacy will last a long, long time.

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1 hour ago, thplinth said:

I must have been on the skive that day... or staring out the window.

I remember it being one of the central things taught in scottish history - this was circa 82-83 - Scottish History was covered in 3rd year - probably the year when the fools had me in CSE class for 6 months 

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On 26/09/2017 at 1:35 PM, ErsatzThistle said:

 

 

OK, they invite the cringe a bit and as mentioned, some music snobbery.   I get that.

That's not a song I know, perhaps because it's early (I came to them on Heartland), but it has the feel of the wind swirling around at half time on a floodlit game with hope still in it.   Are ye cringin' now?  :lol:   I don't care.   I love that feeling.

 

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