THE CELTIC CONNECTION « OCTOBER 1993
Page 5
MUSIC
Travelling Down a Rough Road with Scotland's Capercaillie
T
TOM COXWORTH
I HE ROAD GOES ON forever, and many performers have J wondered if that endless trek through the nights will end their field of dreams.
The piercing headlights, often shrouded in darkness, lead from blacktop to airport to another stage in a forever quest of fulfillment. The audience only sees the movement on the stage and not the toil that has placed those dedicated individuals in front of them.
Capercaillie almost had their dreams shattered this past winter after a crash on the road near Aberdeen, Scotland. The band's fiddler, Charlie McKerron, broke his arm, vocalist KarenMatheson dislocated her shoulder, and their touring drummer continues to rehabilitate from a broken neck.
The rest of the band suffered multiple lacerations and contusions and had to cancel their entire tour. While the members convalesced, the business of music continued with re-scheduling and managing the financial losses.
This is the road they have chosen, and indeed, it is at times not kind to those who defy the odds. They've beat the devil, and again the highway stretches out in front of them, mainly because they can't stop now!
Capercaillie were formed during high school, to perform at local dances and ceilidhs. Their talents graduated them to the Pan-Celtic Contest in Ireland, where they won the prestigious Celtivision song contest. The line-up has changed since those innocent and naive times with Karen, Donal Shaw (accordion, keyboards), and Marc Duff (whistles, bodhran, flute) remaining from those formative days.
Their first recording Cascade was released in 1984. It is a rare and collectable recording which led this committed professional group to follow with Crosswinds in 1986, which then introduced the virtuoso talents of McKerron.
Their acclaim was such that the BBC — so taken by their ability to build new music based on the traditions of old Scotland —commissioned them to score the soundtrack for the Grampian
TV / Channel 4 series, The Blood is Strong. English songwriter/bassist John Saich joined for this recording, for which they received their first gold album.
The pivotal point for international recognition came with the highly successful Sidewaulk album, with newest member, Ma-nus Lunny on bouzouki/guitar. The sextet now entered the big festival circuit, touring Europe, Canada, and the U.S.
Delirium was crossover opportunity and with the release of the 400-year old Gaelic "waulking" song, Coisich, a Ruin, they succeeded in charting. Karen says, "It was really exciting for us because not only did we get major Radio 1 airplay, but we also got in the Guinness World Music Bookof Records as the first Gaelic song ever to be in the top national forty."
The band is now at the top of the most requested list, so much so that their albums The Blood is Strong, Delirium, and a special release of live sets and studio outtakes Get Out have all been domestically released in Canada through Polygram Records. Their audience here is strong and devoted.
This type of activity has not come without growing pains. With new booking agents and contractual tie-ups, Capercaillie have had to face some of the hidden perils in the music business. With their popularity increasing, they've had to move further from some of the business decisions, so they could concentrate more on performance.
An unpleasant situation which arose from this, was on the return from a Spanish tour, they found that a management decision had cancelled a money-losing Canadian tour.
Donal's quick action rescued the entire tour with the exception of the Winnipeg Folk Festival. "We have never knowingly let anyone down, we've always fulfilled our commitments. Ouraudience is important to us," he said. This band is about remaining true to their convictions, and to those who have supported them on this road over the decade.
Capercaillie's concert at the Calgary Festival showed not a traditional folk band, but a unique group of stylists who use the music that is steeped in tradition built on modern dynamics and originality. They have no equal.
Their new album, Secret People, — a reference to the Celtic people who remain a hidden culture — was released in the U.K. in September. "The music is still alive today after centuries," says Donal, "and we just do our own Capercaillie thing to it.
"It has survived due to the strong prohibition against the songs and music, and was taught verbally through the oral tradition. The
KAREN MATHESON IN THE FOREFRONT IS LEAD SINGER FOR CAPERCAILLIE
Building new music based on the traditions of old Scotland and taking it to the top forty
people had to work harder to social problem of homelessness,
remember it, therefore it sur- as well as a commentary about
vived." the oil tanker disaster in the
_ , .. . t u i u Shetlands." Donal, Manus, and John contribute new material to this record- Capercaillie will be touring ing which parallels the very root North America next summer to of the Gaelic tradition. support Secret People. The next ~ . . . „T, ~ .. time you see a great performance, Donal explains, The Gaelic rem/mbcr th(fre is^ore t0 get. songs of old commented not only . on than walking u6p a about emigration and love but fev*st *Show appreciate on the social issues of the . by clapping long and hard, time. There are two [new] songs not only foMhe show, but for the we recorded that deal with our j >d between h
TRIVIA QUIZ
Five lucky winners will win a Capercaillie CD compliments of Polygram Records by answering the following question:
What type of popular Scottish folk/rock group could you serve for supper?
Sendyouranswerto TheCeltic Connection, #741-916 West Broadway, Vancouver, B.C. V5Z 1K7.
SAMHAIN: THE CELTIC CELEBRATED BY HUGE
By LYDIA LANGSTAFF
Christianity and conquering races have-besmirched the Celtic New Year. Samhain is and has always been a time of opportunity. Here, we meet the "dark goddess* the hag, Cerridwen. Unlike the festival in September, Alban Elued, we do not just learn from the agricultural year and the wisdom of the elderly, but we learn from past generations.
Cerridwen is the most magical goddess. She can shape shift and help others to as well. She is also responsible for the birth of magical and spiritual children, most notably Taliesin, the apprenticing bard at King Arthur's court. Intuition and knowledge are her most useful gifts to us.
As individuals, this is the time to explore intuition and to analyze the lessons we have learned in the past year. But it is also the time to reflect on the lessons of generations before us. The spirits contact us during the three day celebration, and we can contact them as well.
By placing fairy food (such as
nuts and apples) in the fire, we can learn the future. But more likely, the ancestors give us insight into ourselves. The door between the spirit world and our own is open. We release the hardships of the past; guilt and sadness are expelled from our hearts.
By celebrating the death of the sun, we revere it, and those we lost this year. By thinking of them, we free ourselves from the chains of sadness in our hearts.
Agriculturally, psychologically, and metaphysically Samhain is a time of healing and learning. The renewal for the coming year included sacrificing and purifying cattle. Any animals in the herd that would not survive the winter were slaughtered out of a sense of practicality. The huge bone fires burnt for several days.
Originally, Samhain lasted several months, however it was pared down to three days, then to one. All Celtic festivals have some layer of Christianity now. Celebrated as All Saint's Day (November 1), the season is also known as Martinmas.
NEW YEAR BONFIRES
Superficially, it appears to be named after Saint Martin, but a more ancient deity had a fair or market, called Malairt in Gaelic. Up until recent times, the Scottish Highlanders called the cow or ox that they slaughtered for their winter food, the "mart-beast."
Nearly all religions provide their followers with a consecrated and ritualized way of releasing guilt and renewing hope. The Druids were no different. By celebrating and reinforcing the knowledge gained, over the year and generation, survival was ensured. The struggles are over. We have survived, and even prospered. Now we are hopeful and rejuvenated and can carry on.
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This is the second anniversary of The Celtic Connection, and Cerridwen has taken care of us. We have learned from our mistakes, and continue to do so. Come and celebrate our successes and help us reflect by giving us your opinion of the paper. Join us on October 15, at the Scottish Cultural Centre.