Wolfstone are a
Scottish musical group founded in 1989, who play
Celtic rock
Celtic rock is a genre of folk rock, as well as a form of Celtic fusion which incorporates Celtic music, instrumentation and themes into a rock music context. It has been extremely prolific since the early 1970s and can be seen as a key foundat ...
. Their repertoire consists of both original songs and traditional folk pieces. They have released seven studio albums, the latest, ''
Terra Firma'', in 2007. The band record on their own label, Once Bitten Records. The group are named after the "Wolfstone", a Pictish stone originally sited at
Ardross,
Easter Ross
Easter Ross ( gd, Ros an Ear) is a loosely defined area in the east of Ross, Highland, Scotland.
The name is used in the constituency name Caithness, Sutherland and Easter Ross, which is the name of both a British House of Commons constituenc ...
, close to where the band initially recorded.
History
Formation (1989–1991)
The roots of Wolfstone go back to when fiddler
Duncan Chisholm
Duncan Chisholm (born 31 October 1968) is a Scottish fiddle player and composer. He has released six solo albums as a solo artist. His studio album, '' Affric'', released in 2012, was longlisted for the Scottish Album of the Year (SAY) Award. In ...
met guitarist Stuart Eaglesham at a
pub session
A pub session (seisiún in Irish; seisean in Scottish Gaelic; seshoon in Manx Gaelic) is performing music in the setting of a local pub, in which the music-making is intermingled with the consumption of ale, stout, and beer and conversation. ...
. An idea becoming realised, Stuart's brother and keyboard player, Struan Eaglesham, was offered a place in the line-up, as was piper Allan Wilson from
Bonar Bridge
Bonar Bridge ( gd, Drochaid a' Bhanna, ) is a village on the north bank of the Kyle of Sutherland to the west and the Dornoch Firth to the east in the Parish of Creich in the Highland council area of Scotland.
The Kyle of Sutherland ("the Kyle" ...
. Roger Niven from the
Black Isle
The Black Isle ( gd, an t-Eilean Dubh, ) is a peninsula within Ross and Cromarty, in the Scottish Highlands. It includes the towns of Cromarty and Fortrose, and the villages of Culbokie, Jemimaville, Rosemarkie, Avoch, Munlochy, Tore, and Nor ...
played guitar, but was soon replaced by Andy Murray. In 1989, Wolfstone performed their opening show at the first Highland Traditional Music Festival in Dingwall, supplemented by sequenced bass and drums. Following this, the band ran the usual Highlands and Islands village dance hall circuit, gaining live experience. It was clear that this was a worthwhile venture, the gigs earning them more than their day jobs. During this period, Wolfstone recorded two albums - ''Wolfstone'' and ''Wolfstone II'' respectively - on Rowan Records, utilising sequencing machines over a standard
rhythm section
A rhythm section is a group of musicians within a music ensemble or band that provides the underlying rhythm, harmony and pulse of the accompaniment, providing a rhythmic and harmonic reference and "beat" for the rest of the band.
The rhythm sec ...
. These albums were produced by David Foster, who also contributed vocals to some of the tracks. However, he parted ways with Wolfstone in 1990 over disagreement on the band's direction. Also in 1990,
Orcadian Ivan Drever
Ivan Drever is a Scottish folk singer, songwriter and guitarist. He often tours with fiddler Duncan Chisholm who founded the Celtic rock band Wolfstone which Drever joined in 1990 but left in later years. Drever has mixed traditional folk with so ...
joined the band on vocals, guitars, and songwriting duties. Soon, Wolfstone were offered a recording contract with Iona Records in
Glasgow
Glasgow ( ; sco, Glesca or ; gd, Glaschu ) is the most populous city in Scotland and the fourth-most populous city in the United Kingdom, as well as being the 27th largest city by population in Europe. In 2020, it had an estimated popul ...
, and in 1991, began work on ''
Unleashed
Unleashed may refer to:
Art and entertainment Film and television
* ''Unleashed'' (2001 film), a film featuring Jeff Anderson
* ''Unleashed'' (2005 film), a 2005 martial arts film starring Jet Li
* ''Unleashed'' (2016 film), a film starring ...
'', allowing them to guest drummer John Henderson and bassist Neil Hay for a decidedly more authentic sound. Mid-process, they were offered a support slot at
Runrig
Runrig were a Scottish Celtic rock band formed on the Isle of Skye in 1973. From its inception, the band's line-up included songwriters Rory Macdonald and Calum Macdonald. The line-up during most of the 1980s and 1990s (the band's most succe ...
's major
Loch Lomond
Loch Lomond (; gd, Loch Laomainn - 'Lake of the Elms'Richens, R. J. (1984) ''Elm'', Cambridge University Press.) is a freshwater Scottish loch which crosses the Highland Boundary Fault, often considered the boundary between the lowlands of Ce ...
Midsummer event, alongside such acts as
Capercaillie
''Tetrao'' is a genus of birds in the grouse subfamily known as capercaillies. They are some of the largest living grouse.
Taxonomy
The genus ''Tetrao'' was introduced in 1758 by the Swedish naturalist Carl Linnaeus in the tenth edition of his ...
and
Hothouse Flowers
Hothouse Flowers are an Irish rock band that combine traditional Irish music with influences from soul, gospel, and rock. Formed in 1985 in Dublin, they started as street performers. Their first album, ''People'' (1988), was the most successf ...
. This exposure brought the band larger gigs and shows, playing to new audiences. Ultimately, ''Unleashed'' was a success, achieving silver status in the UK.
Mainstream success (1992–1996)
1992 saw Wolfstone enter the studio once again to record their follow-up album, ''
The Chase''. By this time, piper Allan Wilson had left the band, and his position was filled for several years by a string of different session musicians, including Roddy McCourt, Dougie Pincock,
Gordon Duncan and
Martyn Bennett
Martyn Bennett (17 February 1971 – 30 January 2005) was a Canadian-Scottish musician who was influential in the evolution of modern Celtic fusion, a blending of traditional Celtic and modern music. He was a piper, violinist, composer and pro ...
. ''The Chase'' proved a success, achieving gold status. The band were once again made busy touring, with the addition of TV appearances, for example the 1993 edition of
Children in Need. An EP entitled ''
Burning Horizons
''Burning Horizons'' is a 1993 EP by Scottish Celtic rock band Wolfstone.
The second track, "Battle", is one of the band's better known performances, awarding itself as the first track on '' Pick of the Litter'', the band's 1997 "best-of" album. ...
'' was released in 1993, consolidating bassist Wayne Mackenzie and drummer Mop Youngson as full-time members. In 1994, Wolfstone signed to
Green Linnet Records
Green Linnet Records was an American independent record label that specialized in Celtic music. Founded by Lisa Null and Patrick Sky as Innisfree Records in 1973, the label was initially based in Null's house in New Canaan, Connecticut. In 1975, t ...
, which consequently saw the release of ''
Year of the Dog''. About this time, the Celtic Records label reissued the band's early albums, ''Wolfstone'' and ''Wolfstone II''. Duncan Chisholm says: "We disown those two albums. The band we are in does not reflect what was going on then; a different line up with different ideas and objectives; anyone buying those two albums is not buying a Wolfstone recording. We would never promote them and we certainly wouldn't sell them to anyone." Despite this, the first of these albums received a positive reception from
AllMusic
AllMusic (previously known as All Music Guide and AMG) is an American online music database. It catalogs more than three million album entries and 30 million tracks, as well as information on musicians and bands. Initiated in 1991, the databas ...
.
In late 1994, the position of piper was finally consolidated when Stevie Saint joined the band full-time. He has remained in the line-up ever since. In 1996, Wolfstone released their fourth album, ''
The Half Tail
''The Half Tail'' is the fourth album by Scottish Celtic rock group Wolfstone. It was released in 1996.
It was released in August 1996, first in limited quantities on 6 August, followed by a wider release on August 26. A promo poster for 26 A ...
''.
Contractual obligations and reinvention (late 1996–2000)
Mop Youngson left the band in late 1996 owing to exhaustion derived from constant touring. He was replaced by session drummer Ronny Watson. Keyboard player Struan Eaglesham also left the band at this time. He was replaced by Andy Thorburn. Wolfstone continued to tour in 1997–1998 following the release of their ''
Half Tail'' album. In 1997, a best-of compilation album, assembled by the band's former label Iona Records, was released in partnership with Green Linnet.
Technically, Wolfstone were disbanded towards the end of 1998, but the band were obliged to return to the studio to fulfill their recording contract. Joined by Andy Simmers on keys, and Tony Soave on drums, they recorded in the winter of 1998/1999, producing ''
Seven
7 is a number, numeral, and glyph.
7 or seven may also refer to:
* AD 7, the seventh year of the AD era
* 7 BC, the seventh year before the AD era
* The month of
July
Music Artists
* Seven (Swiss singer) (born 1978), a Swiss recording artist ...
''. Wolfstone toured for the majority of 2000, but were struck by the death of Andy Simmers. The band made the decision to continue, and also set up their own label, namely Once Bitten Records. On this, the band released their first and so far only live album ''
Not Enough Shouting
''Not Enough Shouting'' is a live album by Scottish Celtic rock band Wolfstone. It was recorded after the success of their comeback album '' Seven''. The album was their first album on their own label, Once Bitten Records.
Track listing
# "Psy ...
''.
Recent years (2002–present)
In 2002, Wolfstone returned to the fold to record another album, which had an altogether rockier feel. This was ''
Almost an Island
''Almost an Island'' is the seventh album by Scottish Celtic rock group Wolfstone, released in 2002. It was their first studio album to be released on their own label, Once Bitten Records.
Track listing
# "The Piper and the Shrew" (Leo McCann ...
''. Sometime after this, the band experienced a brief hiatus to allow members to relax from the strains of touring. Alyn Cosker, session drummer on the album, joined the band full-time, whilst long-time bassist Wayne Mackenzie left the group. In 2003, Ross Hamilton joined Wolfstone on various guitar duties, but eventually began to share vocals with Stuart Eaglesham. 2004 saw the band reach America once again, playing at a variety of festivals. The intervening years saw
Dundonian
Dundee (; sco, Dundee; gd, Dùn Dè or ) is Scotland's List of towns and cities in Scotland by population, fourth-largest city and the List of urban areas in the United Kingdom, 51st-most-populous built-up area in the United Kingdom. The mi ...
Colin Cunningham join the band on bass guitar. In early 2007, Wolfstone released ''
Terra Firma'' with a launch party at the Ironworks venue in
Inverness
Inverness (; from the gd, Inbhir Nis , meaning "Mouth of the River Ness"; sco, Innerness) is a city in the Scottish Highlands. It is the administrative centre for The Highland Council and is regarded as the capital of the Highlands. Histori ...
, with Ross Hamilton assuming full vocal duties on the album. However, he departed just a few months after this. This meant that by the time Wolfstone supported
Runrig
Runrig were a Scottish Celtic rock band formed on the Isle of Skye in 1973. From its inception, the band's line-up included songwriters Rory Macdonald and Calum Macdonald. The line-up during most of the 1980s and 1990s (the band's most succe ...
at their 'Beat the Drum' concert at
Drumnadrochit
Drumnadrochit (; gd, Druim na Drochaid) is a village in the Highland local government council area of Scotland, lying near the west shore of Loch Ness at the foot of Glen Urquhart. The village is close to several neighbouring settlements: the vi ...
on the banks of
Loch Ness
Loch Ness (; gd, Loch Nis ) is a large freshwater loch in the Scottish Highlands extending for approximately southwest of Inverness. It takes its name from the River Ness, which flows from the northern end. Loch Ness is best known for clai ...
, Stuart Eaglesham had returned to lead vocals. Later that year, Davie Dunsmuir joined the band as lead guitarist. In 2010, the band celebrated their 21st anniversary at the Festival Theatre in
Pitlochry
Pitlochry (; gd, Baile Chloichridh or ) is a town in the Perth and Kinross council area of Scotland, lying on the River Tummel. It is historically in the county of Perthshire, and has a population of 2,776, according to the 2011 census.Scotla ...
. 2011 saw further touring across Europe, and an overhaul of the official website. Stuart Eaglesham released a video interview in July, which stated that Wolfstone were in the studio recording new tracks. The band hoped to release an EP or full album late 2011 or early 2012, eventually an EP was released in March 2012 containing two tracks.
Music
Wolfstone perform pieces from the traditional folk and Celtic repertoire permeated with rock and roll sensibilities. This was perhaps most obvious on the early ''Wolfstone'' and ''Wolfstone II'' albums which featured prominent walking bass-lines. As well as this, the band is also a source of both original tunes and songs. Previous material stemmed, though not exclusively, from collaborations between Ivan Drever and Duncan Chisholm, as well as Drever's own compositions. Only more recently have Duncan Chisholm and Stuart Eaglesham written songs together. Wolfstone's songs vary greatly in subject matter. They explore emigration and displacement ("Burning Horizons", "Braes of Sutherland"), social injustice ("Close It Down", "Brave Foot Soldiers") and conflict ("White Gown", "Brave Boys"), amongst other things. They have also recorded several traditional songs which happen to work well in a rock setting
Membership
Current members
* Duncan Chisholm –
fiddle
A fiddle is a bowed string musical instrument, most often a violin. It is a colloquial term for the violin, used by players in all genres, including classical music. Although in many cases violins and fiddles are essentially synonymous, th ...
(1989–present)
* Stuart Eaglesham –
lead vocals
The lead vocalist in popular music is typically the member of a group or band whose voice is the most prominent melody in a performance where multiple voices may be heard. The lead singer sets their voice against the accompaniment parts of t ...
,
acoustic guitar
An acoustic guitar is a musical instrument in the string family. When a string is plucked its vibration is transmitted from the bridge, resonating throughout the top of the guitar. It is also transmitted to the side and back of the instrument, ...
(1989–present)
* Stevie Saint –
pipes
Pipe(s), PIPE(S) or piping may refer to:
Objects
* Pipe (fluid conveyance), a hollow cylinder following certain dimension rules
** Piping, the use of pipes in industry
* Smoking pipe
** Tobacco pipe
* Half-pipe and quarter pipe, semi-circula ...
,
whistles
Whistling without the use of an artificial whistle is achieved by creating a small opening with one's lips, usually after applying moisture (licking one's lips or placing water upon them) and then blowing or sucking air through the space. The a ...
(1994–present)
* Colin Cunningham –
bass guitar
The bass guitar, electric bass or simply bass (), is the lowest-pitched member of the string family. It is a plucked string instrument similar in appearance and construction to an electric or an acoustic guitar, but with a longer neck and ...
, (2007–present)
* Davie Dunsmuir –
lead guitar
Lead guitar (also known as solo guitar) is a musical part for a guitar in which the guitarist plays melody lines, instrumental fill passages, guitar solos, and occasionally, some riffs and chords within a song structure. The lead is the featur ...
(2010–present)
* Allan James -
drums
A drum kit (also called a drum set, trap set, or simply drums) is a collection of drums, cymbals, and other Percussion instrument, auxiliary percussion instruments set up to be played by one person. The player (drummer) typically holds a pair o ...
(2010-present)
Former members
* Struan Eaglesham – keyboards (1989–1996)
* Roger Niven – guitar (1989)
* David Foster – vocals, bass and drum sequencing (1989–1990)
* Andy Murray – lead guitar (1989–1993)
*
Ivan Drever
Ivan Drever is a Scottish folk singer, songwriter and guitarist. He often tours with fiddler Duncan Chisholm who founded the Celtic rock band Wolfstone which Drever joined in 1990 but left in later years. Drever has mixed traditional folk with so ...
– lead vocals, guitar,
cittern
The cittern or cithren ( Fr. ''cistre'', It. ''cetra'', Ger. ''Cister,'' Sp. ''cistro, cedra, cítola'') is a stringed instrument dating from the Renaissance. Modern scholars debate its exact history, but it is generally accepted that it is d ...
(1990–1998)
* Wayne Mackenzie – bass guitar (1992–2003)
* Graeme "Mop" Youngson – drums (1992–1996)
* Andy Thorburn – keyboards (1996–1997)
* Andy Simmers – keyboards (1998–2000)
* Ronny Watson – drums (1996–1998)
* Tony Soave – drums (1998–2002)
* Ross Hamilton – vocals, guitars, programming (2003–2007)
* Alyn Cosker –
drums
A drum kit (also called a drum set, trap set, or simply drums) is a collection of drums, cymbals, and other Percussion instrument, auxiliary percussion instruments set up to be played by one person. The player (drummer) typically holds a pair o ...
,
keyboards
Keyboard may refer to:
Text input
* Keyboard, part of a typewriter
* Computer keyboard
** Keyboard layout, the software control of computer keyboards and their mapping
** Keyboard technology, computer keyboard hardware and firmware
Music
* Musi ...
(2002–2007, 2010)
Former session musicians
* John Henderson – drums
* Neil Hay – bass guitar
* Dougie Pincock – pipes, whistles
* Roddy McCourt – pipes, whistles
* Gary West – pipes
*
Gordon Duncan – pipes, whistles
*
Martyn Bennett
Martyn Bennett (17 February 1971 – 30 January 2005) was a Canadian-Scottish musician who was influential in the evolution of modern Celtic fusion, a blending of traditional Celtic and modern music. He was a piper, violinist, composer and pro ...
– pipes, whistles
* Kenny Forsyth – pipes, whistles
* Fraser Fifield – pipes, whistles
* Paul Jennings – drums
* Bryden Stillie – drums
Discography
Studio albums
* ''
Unleashed
Unleashed may refer to:
Art and entertainment Film and television
* ''Unleashed'' (2001 film), a film featuring Jeff Anderson
* ''Unleashed'' (2005 film), a 2005 martial arts film starring Jet Li
* ''Unleashed'' (2016 film), a film starring ...
'' (1991)
* ''
The Chase'' (1992)
* ''
Year of the Dog'' (1994)
* ''
The Half Tail
''The Half Tail'' is the fourth album by Scottish Celtic rock group Wolfstone. It was released in 1996.
It was released in August 1996, first in limited quantities on 6 August, followed by a wider release on August 26. A promo poster for 26 A ...
'' (1996)
* ''
Seven
7 is a number, numeral, and glyph.
7 or seven may also refer to:
* AD 7, the seventh year of the AD era
* 7 BC, the seventh year before the AD era
* The month of
July
Music Artists
* Seven (Swiss singer) (born 1978), a Swiss recording artist ...
'' (1999)
* ''
Almost an Island
''Almost an Island'' is the seventh album by Scottish Celtic rock group Wolfstone, released in 2002. It was their first studio album to be released on their own label, Once Bitten Records.
Track listing
# "The Piper and the Shrew" (Leo McCann ...
'' (2002)
* ''
Terra Firma'' (2007)
EPs
* ''
Unleashed: The Preview'' (1991)
* ''
Burning Horizons
''Burning Horizons'' is a 1993 EP by Scottish Celtic rock band Wolfstone.
The second track, "Battle", is one of the band's better known performances, awarding itself as the first track on '' Pick of the Litter'', the band's 1997 "best-of" album. ...
'' (1993)
* '' 'Time for Walking' & 'Back of Beyond' ''(2012)
Live albums
* ''
Not Enough Shouting
''Not Enough Shouting'' is a live album by Scottish Celtic rock band Wolfstone. It was recorded after the success of their comeback album '' Seven''. The album was their first album on their own label, Once Bitten Records.
Track listing
# "Psy ...
'' (2000)
Video releases
* ''Captured Alive'' (1992)
Associated releases
* ''Wolfstone'' (1989)
* ''Wolfstone II'' (1990)
* ''
This Strange Place
''This Strange Place'' is a project album featuring members of Celtic rock
Celtic rock is a genre of folk rock, as well as a form of Celtic fusion which incorporates Celtic music, instrumentation and themes into a rock music context. It has b ...
'' (1998)
Compilations
* ''
The Rough Guide to Scottish Music'' (1996)
* ''
Pick of the Litter'' (1997)
Related albums
* ''
The Lewis Blue
''The Lewis Blue'' is an album by Scottish Celtic musicians Ivan Drever and Duncan Chisholm, released in 1998. At the time, both musicians were members of Wolfstone
Wolfstone are a Scottish musical group founded in 1989, who play Celtic roc ...
'' (1998)
(An album by Duncan Chisholm and Ivan Drever, lead members of Wolfstone at the time of release)
* ''
The Best Scottish Album in the World...Ever!'' (1997)
(A compilation album featuring the Wolfstone performance of "Battle")
* ''A Thistle and Shamrock Christmas Ceilidh'' (2000)
(Compilation album appearance with the song "Ballavanich")
References
External links
*
{{Authority control
Celtic rock groups
Scottish rock music groups
Scottish folk rock groups
Green Linnet Records artists