Highland Wolf
Muirsical Conversation with Duncan Chisholm (Part 2)
In 2010 Celtic rock band Wolfstone were celebrating their 21st year of performing and recording, and showing no signs of stopping anytime soon.
Duncan Chisholm, a founder member of the band and one of Scotland's finest fiddle players, is not just an integral part of Wolfstone, he's also sought after by other musicians in a touring capacity, or to feature as a guest musician.
In the first part of 'Muirsical Conversation with Duncan Chisholm' the musician spoke about those twenty-one Wolfstone years. In this second and concluding part we discuss Duncan's work outside of Wolfstone, including his fourth solo album, 'Canaich' and performing with noted Gaelic singer Julie Fowlis.
But before talking about those musical outlets we finished our conversation on Wolfstone, discussing the possibility of a new album and the band in the live environment.
V: The Howl of The Wolf
Ross Muir: Earlier (Part 1) we spoke about how the next album will hopefully define the current Wolfstone line-up, musically and creatively, much as 'The Half Tail' did for the classic nineties line-up. Where are you as regards plans for a new Wolfstone album?
Duncan Chisholm: Well we have plans, but right now it's more a case of having bits and pieces. Scheduling everybody, or finding time, is the main problem.
RM: Well you need to tell (Alyn) Cosker to quit playing about with the Scottish National Jazz Orchestra and to stop gallivanting around with Davie (Dunsmuir) and Ross Hamilton in his jazz fusion trio...
DC: ...o.k, I'll tell him (laughs)...
RM: ...but all joking aside that is part of the problem, with band members having other strings to their bows.
DC: Yes, and Alyn is such a talent, but he's such a down to earth lad.
RM: Well meanwhile we have those Wolfstone shows, and the way I tend to describe them is that the audiences always leave with a silly big smile on their faces.
DC: (laughs) Well I'd like to think that's true. We always have a great time on stage, so hopefully the audiences are having a good time, too.
RM: Oh absolutely, I wasn't joking about the "smile on their faces" line, it's a defining trait at a Wolfstone gig. With the music you play, from rock to jigs to reels to acoustic or lighter pieces, it's hard not to enjoy yourself. And of course there is such an energy and enjoyment coming from the stage that the audience senses that and feeds off it, which then feeds back to the band...
DC: Yes, we do have a great time playing together, and there is an energy... I've stood at many concerts and you can tell when a band is enjoying themselves and when that energy is there. And it does go both ways.
RM: Before moving on, I'd like you to recount a couple of the Wolfstone anecdotes you sometimes share with the audiences.
DC: Sure, that'd be great.
RM: Lately you have been telling of the gentleman who approached you in Inverness a couple of years ago...
DC: Yes, and it's absolutely true. I was out shopping when he came up to me and said "Duncan Chisholm, I'd like to shake you by the hand" then proceeded to tell me how his daughter had been conceived at a Wolfstone gig some eighteen years prior!
RM: That's quite a claim to fame for both band and those who featured in the story.
DC: Yes (laughs).
RM: The punchline being that he even recalled the song that was playing at the time, 'Cleveland Park', although that was bettered by your own comments that it's a good going song but not the most romantic of tunes...
DC: ...and only three minutes long...
RM: Indeed (laughs).
Cleveland Park - Wolfstone ("anyone pregnant yet?")
Muirsical Conversation with Duncan Chisholm (Part 2)
In 2010 Celtic rock band Wolfstone were celebrating their 21st year of performing and recording, and showing no signs of stopping anytime soon.
Duncan Chisholm, a founder member of the band and one of Scotland's finest fiddle players, is not just an integral part of Wolfstone, he's also sought after by other musicians in a touring capacity, or to feature as a guest musician.
In the first part of 'Muirsical Conversation with Duncan Chisholm' the musician spoke about those twenty-one Wolfstone years. In this second and concluding part we discuss Duncan's work outside of Wolfstone, including his fourth solo album, 'Canaich' and performing with noted Gaelic singer Julie Fowlis.
But before talking about those musical outlets we finished our conversation on Wolfstone, discussing the possibility of a new album and the band in the live environment.
V: The Howl of The Wolf
Ross Muir: Earlier (Part 1) we spoke about how the next album will hopefully define the current Wolfstone line-up, musically and creatively, much as 'The Half Tail' did for the classic nineties line-up. Where are you as regards plans for a new Wolfstone album?
Duncan Chisholm: Well we have plans, but right now it's more a case of having bits and pieces. Scheduling everybody, or finding time, is the main problem.
RM: Well you need to tell (Alyn) Cosker to quit playing about with the Scottish National Jazz Orchestra and to stop gallivanting around with Davie (Dunsmuir) and Ross Hamilton in his jazz fusion trio...
DC: ...o.k, I'll tell him (laughs)...
RM: ...but all joking aside that is part of the problem, with band members having other strings to their bows.
DC: Yes, and Alyn is such a talent, but he's such a down to earth lad.
RM: Well meanwhile we have those Wolfstone shows, and the way I tend to describe them is that the audiences always leave with a silly big smile on their faces.
DC: (laughs) Well I'd like to think that's true. We always have a great time on stage, so hopefully the audiences are having a good time, too.
RM: Oh absolutely, I wasn't joking about the "smile on their faces" line, it's a defining trait at a Wolfstone gig. With the music you play, from rock to jigs to reels to acoustic or lighter pieces, it's hard not to enjoy yourself. And of course there is such an energy and enjoyment coming from the stage that the audience senses that and feeds off it, which then feeds back to the band...
DC: Yes, we do have a great time playing together, and there is an energy... I've stood at many concerts and you can tell when a band is enjoying themselves and when that energy is there. And it does go both ways.
RM: Before moving on, I'd like you to recount a couple of the Wolfstone anecdotes you sometimes share with the audiences.
DC: Sure, that'd be great.
RM: Lately you have been telling of the gentleman who approached you in Inverness a couple of years ago...
DC: Yes, and it's absolutely true. I was out shopping when he came up to me and said "Duncan Chisholm, I'd like to shake you by the hand" then proceeded to tell me how his daughter had been conceived at a Wolfstone gig some eighteen years prior!
RM: That's quite a claim to fame for both band and those who featured in the story.
DC: Yes (laughs).
RM: The punchline being that he even recalled the song that was playing at the time, 'Cleveland Park', although that was bettered by your own comments that it's a good going song but not the most romantic of tunes...
DC: ...and only three minutes long...
RM: Indeed (laughs).
Cleveland Park - Wolfstone ("anyone pregnant yet?")
RM: Of course you missed the opportunity for a double punchline in your recounting of a story from even earlier days...
DC: What was that?
RM: When you talk of the period before the first album when you had cassette tapes of some recordings...
DC: Oh this relates to when Stuart (Eaglesham), his brother Struan and I were performing dates for Ross and Cromarty District Council, including such stellar gigs as performing in Tombola tents (small lottery events) at fetes. But only the tombola girls were listening, as everyone else was out in the sun enjoying themselves!
RM: (laughs) And you then put up a cassette tape as a prize, only to see a young boy win it. Who then traded it in for a packet of crisps...
DC: ...salt and vinegar crisps.
RM: Sorry, yes, salt and vinegar (laughs). But you should have followed up by saying that the name of that young boy was... Stuart Eaglesham.
DC: (laughs) I may have to use that!
The humour shared between the band and audience is another aspect of any Wolfstone concert, and it's the perfect partner to the feel good factor that their shows produce. In fact it's probably fair comment to say that in order to truly get the howl of these Wolves you have to experience the band in the live environment. For those that can't, there's always the excellent live album 'Not Enough Shouting' released in 2000.
VI: Wolf in Different Clothing
RM: 2010 has been a fairly busy year for you and Wolfstone. Not only was there the band's 21st anniversary celebrations and a number of festival performances, you performed with Julie Fowlis at a couple of folk festivals in England. One of those shows was the night before the Wolfstone gig in Pitlochry, at the end of August.
DC: Yeah, that was a bit of a logistical nightmare, but it's always a pleasure to play with Julie and her band.
RM: How did that association come about?
DC: I've actually known Julie for a few years, actually, ten years now, since she was about twenty. I was asked if I would like to be part of her touring band in 2007 when John McCusker (noted multi-instrumentalist who has worked with Julie) couldn't commit, or wasn't available.
RM: She has the ability to be as emotive and descriptive on a pop song, like her Gaelic interpretation of 'Blackbird', as she does traditional Gaelic tunes.
DC: She just paints such great pictures with her singing. Even if you can't understand the lyric, or don't know what the song is about, you always get something from her performances. And Julie usually introduces each tune with a story about the song or what it means.
RM: She reminds me of Karen Matheson (of Capercaillie) in phrasing and ability, and that's no bad thing in my book.
DC: Oh, she's a real talent... we were talking about balance earlier (Part 1 where Duncan spoke of his work outside of Wolfstone) and it's a three-way balance for me, like the points of a triangle. I have Wolfstone, other work such as playing with Julie, and then my solo albums, which are completely different in that I have full control from the compositions right through to choosing the fonts for the title on the album cover.
RM: Best of both worlds. Well, three, in this case.
DC: Yes, it really is.
I found it interesting that Duncan put his musical balance as a three way deal on points of a triangle, as it creates an enclosed centre within.
And If it was drawn out I would expect to see an 'F' in that centre – not just for Fiddle, but for Family. Duncan Chisholm is a man who has his balance just right.
DC: What was that?
RM: When you talk of the period before the first album when you had cassette tapes of some recordings...
DC: Oh this relates to when Stuart (Eaglesham), his brother Struan and I were performing dates for Ross and Cromarty District Council, including such stellar gigs as performing in Tombola tents (small lottery events) at fetes. But only the tombola girls were listening, as everyone else was out in the sun enjoying themselves!
RM: (laughs) And you then put up a cassette tape as a prize, only to see a young boy win it. Who then traded it in for a packet of crisps...
DC: ...salt and vinegar crisps.
RM: Sorry, yes, salt and vinegar (laughs). But you should have followed up by saying that the name of that young boy was... Stuart Eaglesham.
DC: (laughs) I may have to use that!
The humour shared between the band and audience is another aspect of any Wolfstone concert, and it's the perfect partner to the feel good factor that their shows produce. In fact it's probably fair comment to say that in order to truly get the howl of these Wolves you have to experience the band in the live environment. For those that can't, there's always the excellent live album 'Not Enough Shouting' released in 2000.
VI: Wolf in Different Clothing
RM: 2010 has been a fairly busy year for you and Wolfstone. Not only was there the band's 21st anniversary celebrations and a number of festival performances, you performed with Julie Fowlis at a couple of folk festivals in England. One of those shows was the night before the Wolfstone gig in Pitlochry, at the end of August.
DC: Yeah, that was a bit of a logistical nightmare, but it's always a pleasure to play with Julie and her band.
RM: How did that association come about?
DC: I've actually known Julie for a few years, actually, ten years now, since she was about twenty. I was asked if I would like to be part of her touring band in 2007 when John McCusker (noted multi-instrumentalist who has worked with Julie) couldn't commit, or wasn't available.
RM: She has the ability to be as emotive and descriptive on a pop song, like her Gaelic interpretation of 'Blackbird', as she does traditional Gaelic tunes.
DC: She just paints such great pictures with her singing. Even if you can't understand the lyric, or don't know what the song is about, you always get something from her performances. And Julie usually introduces each tune with a story about the song or what it means.
RM: She reminds me of Karen Matheson (of Capercaillie) in phrasing and ability, and that's no bad thing in my book.
DC: Oh, she's a real talent... we were talking about balance earlier (Part 1 where Duncan spoke of his work outside of Wolfstone) and it's a three-way balance for me, like the points of a triangle. I have Wolfstone, other work such as playing with Julie, and then my solo albums, which are completely different in that I have full control from the compositions right through to choosing the fonts for the title on the album cover.
RM: Best of both worlds. Well, three, in this case.
DC: Yes, it really is.
I found it interesting that Duncan put his musical balance as a three way deal on points of a triangle, as it creates an enclosed centre within.
And If it was drawn out I would expect to see an 'F' in that centre – not just for Fiddle, but for Family. Duncan Chisholm is a man who has his balance just right.
VII: Lone Wolf
RM: Earlier this year you released your fourth solo album.
DC: Yes. I'm very proud of 'Canaich' and the album before it, 'Farrar', won 'Album of the Year' in 2008 at the Scots Traditional Music Awards.
RM: Well, as much as most artists would be happier seeing Gold or Platinum sales here or Stateside, I'm guessing receiving awards such as that one is extremely gratifying for a Scottish musician.
DC: Those sales would be nice, yes, but winning that award was such an honour. It's very pleasing to have received it.
The Hill of the High Byre - Duncan Chisholm (from 'Farrar')
RM: Earlier this year you released your fourth solo album.
DC: Yes. I'm very proud of 'Canaich' and the album before it, 'Farrar', won 'Album of the Year' in 2008 at the Scots Traditional Music Awards.
RM: Well, as much as most artists would be happier seeing Gold or Platinum sales here or Stateside, I'm guessing receiving awards such as that one is extremely gratifying for a Scottish musician.
DC: Those sales would be nice, yes, but winning that award was such an honour. It's very pleasing to have received it.
The Hill of the High Byre - Duncan Chisholm (from 'Farrar')
RM: I have to tell you that just prior to this conversation I was listening to 'Canaich'. Not because of this chat, because neither of us knew exactly when we would be getting together, but because I wanted something instrumental where I could switch off and just be... somewhere else.
DC: Well, that's exactly how I compose and play on my solo work. I paint a picture in my mind first. It could be from childhood, a favourite place, a more recent memory of something that inspires me, and work from that. I want the songs to create a landscape, a scene of music. And, for the listener, it may be a totally different picture. A memory of their own, perhaps, but still creating that visual.
RM: Emotive and descriptive. That's how I just described Julie's singing, but it also describes your playing, especially on your solo albums.
DC: Yes, and thank you.
RM: And of course your last two albums are very important and personal to you, being part of what you describe as the 'Strathglass' trilogy. Could you elaborate on that?
DC: 'Farrar' and 'Canaich' are parts one and two of that trilogy, and are personal to me in that they form memories, stories or pictures of the Chisholm lands in Inverness, where I was born, grew up, and have been part of the Chisholm family and ancestral history for hundreds of years.
DC: Well, that's exactly how I compose and play on my solo work. I paint a picture in my mind first. It could be from childhood, a favourite place, a more recent memory of something that inspires me, and work from that. I want the songs to create a landscape, a scene of music. And, for the listener, it may be a totally different picture. A memory of their own, perhaps, but still creating that visual.
RM: Emotive and descriptive. That's how I just described Julie's singing, but it also describes your playing, especially on your solo albums.
DC: Yes, and thank you.
RM: And of course your last two albums are very important and personal to you, being part of what you describe as the 'Strathglass' trilogy. Could you elaborate on that?
DC: 'Farrar' and 'Canaich' are parts one and two of that trilogy, and are personal to me in that they form memories, stories or pictures of the Chisholm lands in Inverness, where I was born, grew up, and have been part of the Chisholm family and ancestral history for hundreds of years.
Canaich: "I want the songs to create a landscape, a scene of music"
Craskie - Duncan Chisholm (from 'Canaich')
Craskie - Duncan Chisholm (from 'Canaich')
DC: There was around three years between recording 'Farrar' and 'Canaich', but I already know there will be a bigger gap between 'Canaich' and the final part of the Strathglass Trilogy.
RM: I would surmise this has a lot to do with just knowing when you'll be ready... when those pictures will start forming?
DC: Yes, that's part of it. It's very important to me so it will be at the right time, for the right reasons.
RM: So it sounds like there will be a Wolfstone album before the next Duncan Chisholm album?
DC: I'd like to think so!
RM: Well, let's just finish where we started, with Wolfstone and those twenty-one years. Another twenty-one to follow?
DC: Actually I don't see why not. We enjoy playing together so much that I honestly hope we are still together twenty-one years from now.
RM: Well, if that is the case, we'll continue this conversation in twenty-one years time and you can play me a tune on the fiddle while I write an update to the Wolfstone history.
DC: Right, that's a deal!
RM: Duncan, this has been both a privilege and an absolute pleasure. Thanks for taking the time to talk to FabricationsHQ.
DC: The pleasure has been all mine, Ross. Thanks for featuring me, and Wolfstone.
Maggies - Wolfstone (from 'Not Enough Shouting')
RM: I would surmise this has a lot to do with just knowing when you'll be ready... when those pictures will start forming?
DC: Yes, that's part of it. It's very important to me so it will be at the right time, for the right reasons.
RM: So it sounds like there will be a Wolfstone album before the next Duncan Chisholm album?
DC: I'd like to think so!
RM: Well, let's just finish where we started, with Wolfstone and those twenty-one years. Another twenty-one to follow?
DC: Actually I don't see why not. We enjoy playing together so much that I honestly hope we are still together twenty-one years from now.
RM: Well, if that is the case, we'll continue this conversation in twenty-one years time and you can play me a tune on the fiddle while I write an update to the Wolfstone history.
DC: Right, that's a deal!
RM: Duncan, this has been both a privilege and an absolute pleasure. Thanks for taking the time to talk to FabricationsHQ.
DC: The pleasure has been all mine, Ross. Thanks for featuring me, and Wolfstone.
Maggies - Wolfstone (from 'Not Enough Shouting')
Duncan Chisholm's busy 2010 ended with a further appearance in Pitlochry with Julie Fowlis and a Danish tour in November with friend, fellow musician and ex-Wolfstone member Ivan Drever.
Ross Muir
Muirsical Conversation with Duncan Chisholm (Part 2)
September 2010
Audio tracks presented to accompany the Muirsical Conversation article by kind permission of Duncan Chisholm. No infringement of copyright is intended.
Official Websites:
Duncan Chisholm: http://www.duncanchisholm.com/
Wolfstone: http://www.wolfstone.co.uk/
Photo Credit: Reeaz Mohammad (Duncan Chisholm)
Painting by: Jacqueline MacKenzie (Canaich album cover)
Ross Muir
Muirsical Conversation with Duncan Chisholm (Part 2)
September 2010
Audio tracks presented to accompany the Muirsical Conversation article by kind permission of Duncan Chisholm. No infringement of copyright is intended.
Official Websites:
Duncan Chisholm: http://www.duncanchisholm.com/
Wolfstone: http://www.wolfstone.co.uk/
Photo Credit: Reeaz Mohammad (Duncan Chisholm)
Painting by: Jacqueline MacKenzie (Canaich album cover)
