Runrig
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- For the cultivation method see Run rig.
Runrig are a folk rock band founded by brothers Rory and Calum MacDonald in 1973 in the rural Western Isles of Scotland and are now popular across Scotland, England, Denmark and Germany. They are notable for combining original songs in Gaelic with a rock sound and reflecting the Gaelic culture.
After many years spent building a strong following in Scotland, the band started to come to prominence in England after they signed with Chrysalis Records in 1987. The decade 1987 to 1997 marks Runrig's most successful period, during which time they achieved placings in both the UK albums and singles charts, toured extensively and played a record-breaking concert at Loch Lomond.
In 1997, lead singer Donnie Munro left the band in a failed attempt at a career in politics. The remaining members contemplated splitting up, but after a long search they replaced Donnie with Canadian singer/songwriter Bruce Guthro. This issue has divided Runrig's fan base; some argue that the loss of Donnie's highly distinctive vocals and his ability to sing in both Gaelic and English has not been truly compensated for by Bruce, whose vocal style is much lighter and who is not a Gaelic speaker. Others claim that the fact that Bruce has such a different voice has allowed Runrig to evolve musically in ways that it might not have done were Donnie still singing with them.
Runrig's popularity has waned somewhat since its mid-90s peak, but it is still very much 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 yet again. However, it should be remembered that Runrig helped break the mold of Gaelic music by writing and singing contempory material in Gaelic. This attitude can be seen in the new crop of Gaelic punk bands which encapsulate the same spirit and write new challenging music in Gaelic.
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Current members
- Rory MacDonald (Songwriting, Bass, and Vocals)
- Calum MacDonald (Songwriter and Percussionist)
- Malcolm Jones (Guitars, Pipes, Accordion)
- Iain Bayne (Drums)
- Bruce Guthro (Lead Vocals and Guitar)
- Brian Hurren (Keyboards and Vocals)
Former members
- Peter Wishart (Keyboards)
- Donnie Munro (Lead Vocals)
- Blair Douglas (Accordion and Keyboards)
- Robert MacDonald (Accordion)
- Richard Cherns (Keyboards)
- Campbell Gunn (Vocals)
Selected discography
- Play Gaelic (1978)
- Highland Connection (1979)
- Recovery (1981)
- Heartland (1985)
- The Cutter and the Clan (1987)
- Once in a Lifetime (1988)
- Searchlight (1989)
- The Big Wheel (1991)
- Amazing Things (1993)
- Transmitting Live (1994)
- Mara (1995)
- Long Distance..Best of (1996)
- Beat the Drum (1998)
- In Search of Angels (1999)
- Live at Celtic Connections (2000)
- The Stamping Ground (2001)
- Proterra (2003)
- Day of Days - Live - the 30th anniversary concert at Stirling Castle (2004) (Also on DVD)