Capercaillie (band)

Capercaillie is a

They have sold over a million albums world-wide, including "three silver and one gold album in the UK". The BBC notes that the band has "achieved enormous global success both as a group and as individual musicians."^[3]

Origins

Originating from Argyll, a region of western Scotland, the band is named after the Western capercaillie, sometimes called a wood grouse, a native Scottish bird.^[4]

Career

Their first album, Cascade, was recorded in 1984.^[1] Prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, the band gave their last performance on 17 August 2019 at the Festival des Filets Bleus in Concarneau, Brittany, France.^[5][6] They performed live for the first time in two years on 6 August 2021 at the Wickham Festival in Hampshire.

After a further nine months off the road the band resumed touring, and between April and August 2022 performed at various locations in France, including Paris, Condette, Pas-de-Calais, Hauts-de-France, Lorient in Brittany, and on the Tatihou islet, Normandy. They also had concerts in Inverness and Glasgow.

They performed lately on 26 August 2023 at the Shrewsbury Folk Festival in the town of Shrewsbury in Shropshire, England.^[7]

Musical style

Capercaillie's repertoire includes both traditional Gaelic songs and tunes, as well as modern English-language songs and tunes, composed by other folk writers and musicians, or by members of the band. The group often adapt traditional Gaelic songs and music using modern production techniques, and often mix musical forms,^[8] combining traditional lyrics and tunes with modern techniques and instruments such as synthesisers, drum machines, electric guitar and bass.

Capercaillie's first two albums, Cascade and

The album Secret People (1993) reached No. 40, and To the Moon (1995) peaked at No. 41 in the UK Albums Chart.^[11]

Discography

Studio albums

1. Cascade (1984)
2. Crosswinds (1987)
3. Sidewaulk (1989)
4. Delirium (1991)
5. Secret People (1993)
6. To the Moon (1995)
7. Beautiful Wasteland
   (1997)
8. Nàdurra
   (2000)
9. Choice Language (2003)
10. Roses and Tears (2008)
11. At the Heart of It All (2013)

Live albums

• Live in Concert (2002)

Soundtrack albums

• The Blood Is Strong (1988)
• Glenfinnan (Songs of the '45) (1998, recorded in 1995)

Remix albums

• Get Out (1992) (a compilation album of B-sides, remixes & unreleased studio and live tracks)
• Capercaillie (1994) (a compilation album of re-worked and remixed tracks)

Compilation albums

• Dusk till Dawn: The Best of Capercaillie (1998)
• Waulk Roots (1998) Tracks from early albums Crosswinds and Sidewaulk
• Grace and Pride: The Anthology 2004-1984 (2004)

Band members

Current members

• Karen Matheson – vocals (1984 – present)
• Charlie McKerron – fiddle (1986 – present)
• Michael McGoldrick – flute, whistle, uilleann pipes (1997 – present)
• Manus Lunny – bouzouki, guitar (1989 – present)
• Donald Shaw – keyboards, accordion (1984 – present)
• Ewen Vernal – bass (1998 – present)
• David "Chimp" Robertson – percussion (1997 – present)
• Che Beresford – drums (1998 – present)
• James Mackintosh
  – drums (1992 – 1993, 2000, 2013)

• 
  Karen Matheson
• 
  Donald Shaw
• 
  Charlie McKerron
• 
  Manus Lunny
• 
  Ewen Vernal
• 
  Michael McGoldrick
• 
  David Robertson
• 
  Che Beresford

Former members

• Marc Duff – whistle, recorder, wind synthesizer, bodhrán (1984–1995)
• Fred Morrison – Highland small pipes and low whistle (1995–1997)
• John Saich – bass, guitar (1988–1998)
• Shaun Craig – guitar, bouzouki (1984–1988)
• Anton Kirkpatrick – guitar (1988–1989)
• Martin MacLeod – bass, fiddle (1984–1988)
• Joan Maclachlan – fiddle, vocals (1984–1986)

Timeline

References