Runrig: The Story
Ged a thoisich Runrig barrachd is 40 bliadhna air ais, agus iad a’ cluiche ann an tallaichean clìuteach mar na Barrowlands agus aig fèisean-ciùil mòra ann an Alba, ann an Sasainn agus thall thairis, air beulaibh nam mìltean de luchd-èisteachd, air dòigh air choireigin cha deach aca riamh a bhith fasanta. Cha robh na lèirmheasaichean no na stèiseanan-rèidio cudromach ro mheasail orra agus cha do ràinig iad inbhe ‘stars’ taobh a-muigh cearcallan luchd-leantainn. Saoil carson? Cha do chuir fiù ‘s na lèirmheasaichean a bu bheumaiche an sgilean ciùil fìor an teagamh. Ach bha e doirbh ainm gnè a chur air a’ cheòl aca – cus roc airson folk, cus faireachdainn agus bàrdachd airson roc, cus dualchais, spioradalachd agus Gàidhlig gus a bhith ‘cool’. Tha coltas ann gun ‘tuig’ thu Runrig no nach tuig. Agus tuigidh an-luchd leantainn dìleas gun teagamh – bha agus tha na cuirmean-ciùil daonnan loma-làn, bho na Barras gu Berlin, bho Chambridge gu Copenhagen, agus le luchd-èisteachd de gach aois.
Ach anns na bliadhnaichean as ùire tha atharrachadh ri fhaicinn – tha barrachd ùidh aig na pàipearan agus na meadhanan annta, gu h-àiridh bhon chuirm-chiùil ana-mhòr ‘Party on the Moor’ airson an dà-fhicheadaimh co-là-breith aig Runrig. ‘S dòcha cuideachd gu bheil ginealach ùr de lèirmheasaichean ann, a tha a’ sealladh air Runrig le sùilean ùra agus a’ tuigsinn dè cho math ‘s a tha an còmhlan agus dè tha iad air dèanamh airson an dualchais-chiùil Ghàidhealaich agus Albannaich air feadh nam bliadhnaichean fada sin. Agus tha iomadh còmlan no neach-ciùil nas òige ann, leithid Skipinnish no Mànran no Julie Fowlis, ag innse dè a’ bhuaidh a bha aig Runrig orra fhèin. Tha fìor choltas ann gu bheil iad a’ faighinn – mu dheireadh thall – urram nan dùthaich fhèin. Aig inbhe ‘national treasure’, ‘s dòcha, ach co-dhiù – aithnichte mar luchd-ciùil Albannach cudromach.
Agus tha aobhar sònraichte gu dearbh ann a-nis gu bheil agallamhan còmhla riutha sa h-uile phàipear agus fiù ‘s air an telebhisean – STV agus BBC! – ‘s ann gun do nochd an clàr ùr The Story o chionn dà sheachdain, agus iad ag ràdh gur e an clàr studio mu dheireadh aca a bhios ann. Maoim anns a’ choimhearsnachd Riggie. Na meadhanan air bhioran. Cha chreid mi gun do rinn iad sin a dh’aon ghnothach – cha robh na balaich riamh ro mhath air margaideachd – ach rinn e a’ chùis. Clàr mu dheireadh? Runrig ri stad? Seoc is oillt! Feumaidh Runrig an fhirinn inns dhuinn!
Agus mar sin, artaigilean agus agallamhan gun chrìoch, ann an Alba, ann an Sasainn, sa Ghearmailt agus san Danmhairg. Chan eil mi a’ gearan – mar neach-leantainn Runrig fad-ùine mi fhìn, tha e na fhìor thlachd a bhith a’ faicinn an uiread sna meadhanan mun chòmhlan, mu dheireadh thall. Agus tiogaidean gan reic ann an aithghearrachd airson gach cuirm-ciùil san turas. (Fiu’s nas luaithe na mar as àbhaist, ma ghabhas sin.) Agus an uairsin an deagh naidheachd – cha stad iad. Bidh iad a’ dol air turas, a’ dèanamh phròiseactan eadar-dhealaichte ‘s dòcha, an dùil gum bi clàran eile ann, mar DVDan beò, EP no dhà, rudan mar sin. Bhiodh album studio eile cus a-nis – cus obrach (thug am fear sin bliadhna gu leth obrach cruaidh), agus chan ann nas òige a tha iad a’ fàs. Ach bidh iad ann, greis a bharrachd co-dhiù. Na gabhaibh dragh! Osna mòr faochaidh bhuainn uile.
Agus ciamar a tha an clàr ùr? Nochd aon òran (leis an aon ainm ris an album) mìos no dhà na bu thràithe, mar single le bhideo tlachdmhor – The Story. Sin òran aighearach, sèist sa Bheurla, rannan sa Ghàidhlig, air cuspair a bhios ri chluinntinn sa chlàr ùr air fad – “these early years”. Agus an uairsin nochd an t-album fhèin, ochd bliadhna as dèidh Everything You See. Aig a’ chiad èisteachd tha e iongantach, tha fuaim caran coimheach aige, aig amannan cus synthesiser no orcastra, ach tha na guthan – Ruiraidh cho tric ri Bruce – an-còmhnaidh soilleir agus làidir. Mar as motha a bhios tu ag èisteachd ris, ‘s ann as motha as toil leat e. ‘S e clàr làidir agus clàr fìor Runrig a th’ ann. ‘S e Brian Hurren, cluicheadair mheur-chlàir aig Runrig agus am ball as òige, a riochdaich an clàr. Leis gu bheil e cho eòlach air a’ chòmlan, air na neartan is laigsean aca ach cuideachd air an eachdraidh agus na dòighean-obrach aca, chruthaich e obair choileanta, dhrùidhteach, dhàna.
Agus rud inntinneach eile – ‘s e ‘concept album’ a th’ ann, clàr cruinn is aonaichte à peann nam bràithrean Dòmhallach. Tha an dithis aca barrachd is trì fichead bliadhna a dh’aois a-nis (ged nach aithnicheadh tu sin orra) agus tha dòigh-shealltainn gu math fiallsanachail aca, gun a bhith trom. Chan eil eagal orra ro chuspairean doirbh, brònach (Rise and Fall – dealbhan drùidhteach às an Darna Chogadh, 18th July mu chùis-mhulaid Mhalaysian Airways san Ugrain) no spioradail (Ònar, Somewhere). Ach tha na h-òrain seo uile ag obair le iomhaighean cumhachadach is fosgailte, le faireachdainn seach searmonan, agus sin an rud tarraingeach mun deidhinn. A thaobh a’ chiùil fhèin, tha 18th July am measg nan òran roc as chumhachdaiche ‘s a sgrìobh iad riamh, agus tha Ònar mar-thà na òran-toiseachaidh làidir luath aig gach consairt san turas.
Tha òrain aotrom ann cuideachd, gu h-àiridh The Place where Rivers Run, a’ cuimhneachadh air na làithean tràth nuair a bha Runrig nan còmhlan-cèilidh air taobh an iar agus san Eilean Sgitheanach – “home by Kyle and Broadford round by Memphis Tenessee” – iomradh air an dà bhuaidh ciùil a bh’ aca bho thoiseach toiseachaidh. Tha iomadh iomradh pearsanta mar sin ann, ri an cluinntinn leis an luchd-leantainn fad-ùine, agus barrachd Gàidhlig na bha air na clàran na b’ ùire – mòran òran le measgachadh Gàidhlig is Beurla, agus aon fhear gu lèir sa Ghàidhlig (An-diugh ghabh mi cuairt). Tha na Dòmhnallaich a’ sealladh air ais, ach gun bhròn, agus iad làn dòchais airson an ama ri teachd – a thaobh saoghal dualchais Ghàidhealaich (“ It’s the badge of our culture – say it loud, and it’s all in the gift of the young and the proud”), agus air ìre spioradail: “Fon a’ ghrian ri teachd / ‘S a’ ghrian a dh’fhalbh / Còmhla sa blàths / Gu deireadh là.”
Bha sinn uile a’ dèanamh fiughair ri na h-òrain ùra a chluinntinn ann an cuirm-ciùil – am biodh iad ag obrachadh beò? Is iad a dh’obraich! Bha mi fhìn aig a’ chonsairt ann an Dùn Èideann agus ’s e oidhche mhòr a bh‘ ann, le measgachadh cruthachail de dh‘òrain (glè) shean, mar Harvest Moon (an luchd-èisteachd air an dòigh glan), agus an fheadhainn ùra. Ged nach robh orcastra no sagsafòn ann gus ‚special effects‘ a chruthachadh, bha draoidheachd gu leòr eile aig Malcolm Jones, gaisgeach a’ ghiotàir, Brian fhèin air na meur-chlàir, agus Iain Bayne air na drumaichean. Tha bhideothan ùra àlainn cuideachd air cùl an àrd-ùrlair; bha am fear aig Rise and Fall, cuide ri cluich an òrain fhèin, gu sònraichte drùidteach.
Ach bha aon òran sònraichte a dhìth sa phrògram bheò, an t-òran mu dheireadh air an album: Somewhere. Agus tha mi fhìn a‘ smaoineachadh gur e co-dhùnadh ceart a bha sin. ‘S e òran àlainn, spioradail a th‘ ann, air a bhrosnachadh le Dr Laurel Clark, an speuradair a chaochail ann an tubaist spàl-fanais Cholumbia ann an 2003, ach le sealladh uile-choitcheann. Tha guth Ruairidh air iteig os cionn a’ chòmhlain agus orcastra Prague Philharmonic: “Somewhere in the dark I’ll find you / Somewhere in the light I’ll meet you there/ Where immortal souls collide / Somewhere out there.” Bha Dr Clark na neach-leantainn Runrig on a bha i ag obair san airm Amèireaganach ann an Alba; bha clàr Runrig aice san spàl agus bha Running to the Light na òran-rabhaidh aice sa mhadainn. Aig deireadh an òrain, agus a’ chlàir, tha a guth ri chluinntinn le teachdaireachd mu dheireadh dhan teaghlach, agus i a’ bruidhinn mu Runrig.
Uile gu lèir ‘s e album fìor làidir a th’ ann, aon den fheadhainn as fheàrr leotha. Ma bhios tu ag iarraidh falbh aig àirde do neirt, sin mar a nì thu e. Ach, taing do Dhìa, cha bhi iad a’ stad uile gu lèir fhathast. Agus mar gheall, aig deireadh a’ chonsairt, dìreach aig crìoch Loch Lomond, chluich Malcolm criomag beag de ‘We’re no away tae bide awa.”
Runrig: The Story
Although Runrig started out more than 40 years ago and play famous venues like the Barrowlands and big festivals in Scotland, England and abroad in front of audiences of thousands, somehow they’ve never managed to be fashionable. The critics and established radio stations never really took to them and they never reached star status outside their own loyal following. Why is this the case? Not even their most cutting critics have seriously questioned their musical skills. But their music is hard to categorise – too much rock for folk, too much sentiment and poetry for rock, too much tradition, spirituality and Gaelic to be cool. It seems that you either ‘get’ Runrig or you don’t. And their fans certainly do – their concerts were and still are always sell-outs, from the Barras to Berlin, from Cambridge to Copenhagen, and with audiences covering every age-group.
But in recent years this seems to have changed. The papers and the media are paying them more attention, especially since the huge 40th anniversary ‘Party on the Moor’ concert. Maybe too there’s a new, less prejudiced generation of reviewers, discovering for themselves how good the band actually is and how much they have done for Gaelic’s and Scotland’s musical heritage throughout these long years. There are also many popular younger bands and musicians telling the world how greatly Runrig influenced them, such as Skipinnish, Mànran and Julie Fowlis. I have a suspicion that Runrig have – at long last – actually ‘arrived’; they are finally being honoured in their own country. Maybe with ‘national treasure’ status – but in any case, they’re clearly here now, recognised as important Scottish musicians.
And there’s a particular reason that right now there are all these interviews with them in the papers and even on TV – STV and the BBC! – their new album, The Story, came out 2 weeks ago and they have said that it will be their last studio album. Panic in the Riggie community. The media twittering with excitement. I don’t honestly think they did it on purpose for the publicity – the lads were never exactly good at marketing themselves – but it certainly did the job. Last album? Runrig stopping? Shock horror! Runrig has to tell us the truth!
And so we have been getting endless articles and interviews, in Scotland, in England, in Germany, in Denmark. Not that I’m complaining – as a long-term fan, it’s sheer delight to see so much about the band in the media, at long last. And tickets have been selling out instantly for all the concerts in their tour (even faster than usual, if that’s possible). And then the good news – they’re not stopping. They’ll be touring, maybe doing some different projects, maybe the odd new record such as a live DVD or an EP or two, that sort of thing. But another studio album would just be too much now – too much work and pressure (this one took a year and a half of intense work), and they’re not getting any younger. But they’ll be around for a while yet. Don’t worry! Great sigh of relief from the faithful.
So what’s the new album like? The title song, The Story, was released as a single a couple of months ago, with a lovely wee video. It’s a catchy song, with the verses in Gaelic and the chorus in English, on a subject that runs through the whole album – “these early years” in their Hebridean homeland. And then the album itself came out, eight years after Everything You See. On first listening it’s a surprise, the sound is slightly unfamiliar, at times too much synthesiser or orchestra, but the voices – Rory singing as often as Bruce – are always clear and strong. The more you listen, the more it gets you. It’s a strong album, and a real Runrig album. It’s Brian Hurren, keyboarder and youngest member of the band, who produced the album. As he knows them so well, their strengths and weaknesses but also their history and their approach, he has created an accomplished, impressive, bold piece of work.
Another interesting thing – it’s a concept album, a rounded, unified whole from the pen of the Macdonald brothers, Calum and Rory. They’re both over 60 now (though you would never know it) and they take a philosophical approach, though never heavy. They don’t shy away from difficult, sad topics (Rise and Fall – moving pictures from World war II, 18th July about the Malaysian Airways tragedy in the Ukraine) or spiritual ones (Ònar, Somewhere). But these songs all work with powerful images that are open to interpretation, with emotion not sermons, and that’s the appealing thing about them. As regards the music itself, 18th July is one of the most powerful rock songs they have ever written, and Ònar is already established as the fast, stomping opening song at each concert on the tour.
There are light-hearted songs on the album too, especially The Place Where Rivers Run, reprising their early days as a ceilidh band on the west coast and on Skye – “home by Kyle and Broadford, round by Memphis Tennessee” – a reference to their two major musical influences from the very start. There are a number of these personal references, spottable by long-term fans, and there’s more Gaelic on this album than on recent ones. A lot of the songs are a mixture of Gaelic and English, and there’s one completely in Gaelic, An-diugh Ghabh mi Cuairt. The Macdonalds are looking back, but without regret, and are very positive about the future, both as regards the world of Gaelic tradition: “ it’s the badge of our culture – say it loud, and it’s all in the gift of the young and the proud”, and on a spiritual level: “Fon a’ ghrian ri teachd / ‘S a’ ghrian a dh’fhalbh / Còmhla sa blàths / Gu deireadh là.” (Below the future sun, The suns that have since gone, We will be together in the warmth Till the end of our days.)
We were all looking forward to hearing the new songs at concerts – would they work live? They certainly did. I was at the Edinburgh concert myself and it was a great night, with a powerful mixture of (very) old songs, like Harvest Moon (some very happy fans!) and the new ones. Although there was no orchestra or saxophones to create the special effects, there was ample alternative wizardry from guitar-god Malcolm Jones, Brian himself on keyboards, and Iain Bayne on drums. There are also some beautiful new videos showing behind the band; the one for Rise and Fall, together with the musical performance, was especially moving.
But there was one particular song that was missing from the live programme, the last track on the album – Somewhere. And, on reflection, it was right to leave it out. It’s a beautiful, spiritual song, inspired by the astronaut Dr Laurel Clark, who died in the Columbia space-shuttle tragedy in 2003, but it has a universal perspective. Rory’s voice floats above the sound of the band and the Prague Philharmonic Orchestra: “ Somewhere in the dark I’ll find you / Somewhere in the light I’ll meet you there / Where immortal souls collide / Somewhere out there.” Dr Clark had been a Runrig fan since working with the American army in Scotland; she had a CD of theirs with her in the spaceship (later found in the wreckage and presented to Runrig by the family) and Running to the Light was her wake-up call. At the end of the song Somewhere, at the very end of the album, you hear her voice with her last message to her family – and she talks about Runrig.
All in all this is a very strong album, one of Runrig’s best. If you want to go out on a high, this is how to do it. But, thank goodness, they’re not stopping altogether yet. And as a promise of that, at the end of the concert, at the finish of Loch Lomond, Malcolm played a wee snatch of “We’re no away tae bide awa”.
Dealbhan bho Dhùn Èideann agus Nottingham (taing do JaDa !), an Gearran 2016.
