Capercaillie

Formed in Oban (Argyll) in 1984, Capercaillie is a Scottish group dedicated to fusing traditional Gaelic folk with contemporary sounds. Created by Donald Shaw (accordion, keyboards, fiddle, arrangements) and supported by the vocals of Karen Matheson, the group's original line-up included Marc Duff (ancient flute, bodhran, synthesizer), Martin McLeod (bass, fiddle), Shaun Craig (guitar, bouzouki) and Joan McLachlan (fiddle, vocals), before the arrival of fiddler Charlie McKerron in 1986. After two more albums in the traditional vein, Cascade (1984) and Crosswinds (1987), the music of Capercaillie, named after a local species of large capercaillie, evolved towards a sophisticated production that won over the general public with Sidewaulk (1989), also marking the replacement of musicians and the arrival of John Saich (bass), Anton Kirkpatrick (guitar) and Manus Lunny (bouzouki, guitar). In 1991, the landmark Delirium album accentuated the modern approach with samples and modern rhythms, leading to extensive radio airplay. The band, who composed the soundtrack for Michael Caton-Jones' film Rob Roy, followed up with the album of unreleased tracks and remixes Get Out (1992), then Secret People, which reached the Top 40 in 1993. The track "Croisich a Ruin " was the first Gaelic song to enter the British charts. In the same innovative spirit, To the Moon (1995); Beautiful Wasteland (1997), rich in Spanish and Breton influences; the acoustic Nàdurra (2000) and Choice Language (2003), a return to their Gaelic roots. For a decade, Capercaillie toured the world, recording just two albums, Roses and Tears (2008) and At the Heart of It All (2013), celebrating the band's 30th anniversary. In the following years, the band became less frequent, while Karen Matheson pursued her own career. In 2024, ReLoved was released, featuring new recordings of old songs.

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