WOMAD

The Proclaimers

From United Kingdom

Official website: www.proclaimers.co.ukBiography by Andy Morgan, June 2003:“I can admire people who create a fantasy world and make a record out of it – that’s great - but it’s not what we do.” Brothers Craig and Charlie Reid have always done things their way, with nary a nod to the whims of fashion or the exigencies of showbiz. When they appeared on seminal 1980s music TV show ‘The Tube’ in January 1987, they charmed the nation with their goggle-eyed facial furniture, young Scots soul rebel stance, instantly memorable tunes and lyrics that actually said something about something. After a “no-nonsense, working class” youth spent in Edinburgh, Cornwall and Auchtermuchty, Fife, listening to rockabilly, rock ‘n’ roll, country…white man’s soul music in short…the Reid brothers began to perform in the bars and dives on both sides of the Firth of Forth, first in punk bands and then just as a duo. The DHSS were about to stop Craig’s dole when that invitation to appear on The Tube came along. The Proclaimer’s rendition of ‘Letter To America’, a brief and blistering walk on the darker side of Scottish history, jammed the Channel 4 switchboard and secured them a deal with Chrysalis Records. Their debut album ‘This is The Story’ appeared soon afterwards and shook the UK out of its Stock Aitken and Waterman torpor, going gold in the process. The follow up ‘Sunshine on Leith’ became a million seller in the UK, Europe, North America and Australia. Turbo success kicked in when their joyous foot-stomping anthem ‘I’m Gonna Be (500 Miles)’ was chosen as the theme tune of the film ‘Benny and Joon’ starring Johnny Depp and then busted the higher reaches of the US charts. After releasing their third album ‘Hit the Highway’ and touring the world to promote it, the Reid brothers took a five-year break to nurse their dying father, attend to their growing families and write more songs. Their fourth album ‘Persevere’ appeared on their own Persevere label in 2001. The Proclaimers are a living reminder that you don’t have to look like Justin Timberlake, dress like Westlife or dance like Steps to sell a million. A good tune, a dram of intelligence and plenty of soul will do.Biography provided by artist management, March 2003:It’s 15 years since The Proclaimers made their legendary TV debut on The Tube, performing the classic song Letter From America. Back then, the charts were dominated by the likes of Rick Astley and Sinita and the response to Craig and Charlie Reid, two impassioned brothers singing their hearts out in their own accents about serious political issues was extraordinary. The Proclaimers were unlike anything we had seen before and Channel 4’s switchboards jammed with curious callers. It was the beginning of a phenomenon.Within a month they were signed to Chrysalis Records and recording their debut album - nine days later This Is The Story was finished. Another six weeks and it was in the shops. By December Letter From America was Number 3 in the UK singles chart and the album went Gold. A year of constant touring to sell-out crowds and an album of electrifying acoustic energy had paid off. A song about Scotland, its emigration, politics, industrial closures and the Highland clearances had reached the top of the pop charts.The teenage twins musical passion began after a childhood spent in Edinburgh, Cornwall and Auchtermuchty in Fife. At home it was Merle Haggard, Jerry Lee Lewis, Hank Williams and Ray Charles. At school they formed punk bands. Out of this collision of styles and attitudes came The Proclaimers in 1983. Over the next three years the duo built up a fervent following in the pubs of Edinburgh and Inverness. People identified with these two characters. Straight (jeans, jumpers, glasses) but individual (traditionalism meets radicalism), songs that opened your ears and hit your heart. Kevin Rowland of Dexy's Midnight Runners gave inspiration, advice and demo time. The Housemartins, then topping the UK charts, heard a demo and offered the unsigned band the support slot on their UK tour live on Radio 1.The Proclaimers followed the massive success of their debut album with Sunshine On Leith in August 1988. The Reid brothers’ raw delivery was complemented by the country/rock scope of a full band. Pete Wingfield, the man behind Dexy's was brought in to produce. As ever with The Proclaimers their politics and passions were palpable, but never brow-beating. If their songs spoke of troubled soul-searching, they still bore a dignity at heart. If their songs were euphoric, it was a communal joy. These were selfless songs. Over the next ten months they performed 145 times in 18 countries. Sunshine On Leith became a million seller, a hit throughout Europe and America, platinum in the UK, Canada and New Zealand and triple platinum in Australia, where I'm Gonna Be (500 Miles) stayed at number for six weeks. The single was a worldwide success. A lifetime's ambition was fulfilled as Craig and Charlie make their first visit to North America, touring for three months as I'm Gonna Be went top ten in the College Modern Rock Charts. The album and single refused to lie down well after the world tour had ended. Four years later, both would be back... 1990 saw a Europe wide top 10 hit with the classic song King Of The Road. But back in Edinburgh, the Reids’ break was disrupted by a crisis at Hibernian Football Club. Diehard fans, they were to spearhead the Hands Off Hibs campaign against the threatened take-over by local rivals Heart of Midlothian. After a long fight the campaign was won and The Proclaimers were free to return to the business of writing songs.It was as they prepared to record their third album, Hit The Highway, that The Proclaimers success in the USA was to explode. Out of the blue, via the sterling efforts of actress Mary Stuart Masterson, I'm Gonna Be (500 Miles) became the theme song to the film Benny & Joon. In the summer of 1993, the song went from silver screen to small screen to airwaves to record shops. Over 28 weeks in the Billboard Hot 100, I'm Gonna Be (500 Miles) climbed to number 3 nationally, sitting at number 1 in over half the States and selling a million copies. The climax of a three-week, coast-to-coast promotional tour was an appearance before 22,000 New Yorkers in Madison Square Gardens, along with TV performances on all the most popular shows, including Letterman and The Today Show. America had fallen for two down-to-earth punters from Fife. The parts of the world that missed out first time followed suit. A gold album was to follow in the USA as sales of Sunshine on Leith passed the 2 million copy mark worldwide. And there was new material on the way. By the time of their American success, most of Hit The Highway was complete. Personal upheaval - marriages, divorce, children - played its part in the lengthy gestation of the third album. But more than that, it was pride in their work that caused the gap between albums. Hit The Highway was recorded in six weeks in the late Autumn of 93. Producer Wingfield's Hammond playing added resonant soul. A three-piece brass section gave R'n'B punch. The band brought a solid rock drive. And above it all is the voices and the words of The Proclaimers, with their unique take on the spiritual, on romance, on family and friends. Hit The Highway is their naked truth. On its release in 1994 the first single, Let's Get Married, went Top 20 in the UK. The Proclaimers toured constantly, with Craig and Charlie ecstatic to be back on the road. 116 live shows followed including a coast to coast tour of the USA and Canada. When they came off tour in early 95 after 18 non-stop months, Craig and Charlie kept a low profile. They made a one-off live appearance in 1996, performing from the centre circle at Murrayfield Stadium prior to a Scotland v Australia rugby encounter. They also recorded Chuck Berry's No Particular Place To Go and Buddy Holly's Maybe Baby in 1997, for long time admirer John Byrne and the film adaptation of his play, The Slab Boys. Hollywood continued to knock on The Proclaimers door. They contributed a version of The Temptations Get Ready to the soundtrack of the hugely successful Dumb and Dumber, Over and Done With to cult movie Bottle Rocket and their version of The Everly's Bye Bye Love to the movie of the same name. Their music has also appeared on numerous advertisements worldwide, to promote everything from IBM's 'Hot Products' to South Korean mobile phones, Canadian beer to Swedish meatballs! The Reid’s are especially honoured to be featured on an upcoming episode of The Simpsons, with Homer singing his own version of I’m Gonna Be (500 Miles.)The Reids put music on hold when their father became critically ill. He passed away in August ’97 and Craig and Charlie returned to writing. The tunes built up though the lyrics took time. Family life had been busy, Craig now with four children, Charlie with three. Finally in early 2000, the brothers were happy that they had a collection of songs fit for an album and they headed to Minneapolis to begin recording. With EMI's closure of Chrysalis as a stand-alone label and failing to see eye to eye with the new proprietors, The Proclaimers very happily parted company with the new regime. After heading to Minneapolis in August 2000 to record their fourth album, Craig and Charlie, along with manager Kenny MacDonald, subsequently seized the opportunity to form their own label, 'Persevere' Records. They drafted in a wealth of international talent for their most ambitious recordings to date, headed by Chris Kimsey, legendary producer of a plethora of classic albums including seven from the Rolling Stones. Musicians included Chuck Leavell (of The Allman Brothers fame and keyboard player with The Stones for the last 20 years); drummer Pete Thomas (Elvis's Attractions) and Hutch Hutchinson (Bonnie Raitt's band, and many more.) Persevere was engineered by Tom Tucker Snr, Prince's house engineer at Paisley Park for the past 15 years.Fans’ patience was rewarded in May 2001 with the release of the album Persevere, a highly acclaimed collection of beautiful and exhilarating songs, which won them a new audience. After an inexcusable (in their words!) absence of seven years, The Proclaimers reformed a world class band and took to the road for over 100 gigs in the UK and North America. They proved that they are still among the most dynamic and energetic live acts in the world, stirring passions on both sides of the Atlantic. Highlights of an exceptional year included a rousing set at Scotland’s major music festival T In The Park, an arena tour of the USA with the Bare Naked Ladies, music featured on the smash movie Shrek and a headline performance for 100,000 revellers before the backdrop of Edinburgh Castle as the highlight of the city’s legendary Hogmanay celebrations. They kicked off 2002 with a month of dates in Australia and New Zealand, and their first ever dates in the United Arab Emirates.2002 saw The Proclaimers return to Australia & New Zealand for a month long tour and their first ever gigs in the United Arab Emirates.May saw the release of The Best of The Proclaimers 1987-2002 in conjunction with EMI. The 20 tracks were chosen by Craig and Charlie and includes three new songs they recorded earlier this year, produced by Edwyn Collins, 'LadyLuck', 'Ghost of Love' and a cover of legendary Scots rocker, Frankie Miller's 'The Doodle Song'. The album is already certified Silver in UK.Being huge soccer fans, May was very special for Craig and Charlie as they proudly performed 'I'm Gonna Be (500 Miles) on the pitch, five minutes before kick off at the UEFA Champions League final at Glasgow's HampdenPark. As well as the 55,000 Real Madrid and Bayer Leverkusen fans who sang along in rousing fashion at the stadium, there was an estimated worldwide TV audience of over 1 billion viewers.May also saw the The Proclaimers continuing to tour around Scotland, England and Ireland followed by another North American tour. The touring finally concluded in California late July, the previous 15 months having seen them clock up 168 shows around the world.October saw the release of EMI/Persevere Records 15 track DVD of promotional videos filmed between 1987-2002. The month also saw The Proclaimers record a version of The Vogues 'Five O'Clock World' for inclusion on Warner Bros /ABC TV's 'The Drew Carey Show'.After coming off the road in August 2002, Craig and Charlie focused on writing new songs, they are now delighted to have written an album's worth of songs that pass their own strict quality control test. Having enjoyed working with Edwyn Collins and his retro valve studio so much last year, The Proclaimers are heading back there in April/May to record their fifth studio album.The album will be released in the autumn (release date confirmation coming soon) and the summer should see The Proclaimers appearing at a number of festivals and doing some one off shows, either side of the Atlantic.Further touring will follow from September onwards following the release of the new album.www.proclaimers.co.uk