Capercaillie (band)

Originating from Argyll, a region of western Scotland, the band is named after the Western capercaillie, sometimes called a wood grouse, a native Scottish bird.[4]

Their first album, Cascade, was recorded in 1984.[1] Prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, the band gave their last performance on 17 August 2019 at the Festival des Filets Bleus in Concarneau, Brittany, France.[5][6] They performed live for the first time in two years on 6 August 2021 at the Wickham Festival in Hampshire.

After a further nine months off the road the band resumed touring, and between April and August 2022 performed at various locations in France, including Paris, Condette, Pas-de-Calais, Hauts-de-France, Lorient in Brittany, and on the Tatihou islet, Normandy. They also had concerts in Inverness and Glasgow.

They performed lately on 26 August 2023 at the Shrewsbury Folk Festival in the town of Shrewsbury in Shropshire, England.[7]

Capercaillie's repertoire includes both traditional Gaelic songs and tunes, as well as modern English-language songs and tunes, composed by other folk writers and musicians, or by members of the band. The group often adapt traditional Gaelic songs and music using modern production techniques, and often mix musical forms,[8] combining traditional lyrics and tunes with modern techniques and instruments such as synthesisers, drum machines, electric guitar and bass.

Capercaillie's first two albums, Cascade and Crosswinds featured few modern instruments and the tunes and songs were played in a more traditional arrangement.[1] However beginning with later albums such as Sidewaulk, and the soundtrack of The Blood Is Strong, Capercaillie began to experiment with adding funk bass-lines into certain tracks, as well as synthesisers and electric guitar.[1] This fusion style gained Capercaillie chart success in the 1990s, on albums such as Delirium and Secret People (see Chart Success, below) and reached its peak in the albums To the Moon and Beautiful Wasteland, with the remix albums Get Out and Capercaillie being released during this period.

Capercaillie have drawn back slightly from the heavy fusion style featured on their albums the 1990s, and their more recent albums from Nàdurra (2003) up to At the Heart of It All (2013) feature more traditional arrangements and instruments, while still retaining a slight fusion feel.

The opening track from their 2000 album Nàdurra, "Skye Waulking Song", was used in the Edexcel Music GCSE Specification from 2009 to 2016.[9] The song was in the world music section, and was used as a representation of traditional folk music combined with rock music.

Their 1992 EP, A Prince Among Islands, was the first Scottish Gaelic-language record to have a single that reached the Top 40 of the UK Singles Chart: "Coisich A Ruin" peaked at No. 39.[10] Another single, "Dark Alan (Ailein duinn)" reached No. 65 in the UK Singles Chart in June 1995.[11]

The album Secret People (1993) reached No. 40, and To the Moon (1995) peaked at No. 41 in the UK Albums Chart.[11]

• Capercaillie's official website
• Vertical Records website
• Capercaillie's Valley Entertainment Artist Page
• Capercaillie's Complete Discography
• An outdated but somewhat useful FAQ of Capercaillie (covers activity up to 1995)