Wolfstone
Encyclopedia
Wolfstone are a Scottish
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...

 musical group founded in 1989, who play Highland
Scottish Highlands
The Highlands is an historic region of Scotland. The area is sometimes referred to as the "Scottish Highlands". It was culturally distinguishable from the Lowlands from the later Middle Ages into the modern period, when Lowland Scots replaced Scottish Gaelic throughout most of the Lowlands...

 music combined with rock and roll
Rock and roll
Rock and roll is a genre of popular music that originated and evolved in the United States during the late 1940s and early 1950s, primarily from a combination of African American blues, country, jazz, and gospel music...

. Their repertoire consists of both original songs and traditional folk
Folk music
Folk music is an English term encompassing both traditional folk music and contemporary folk music. The term originated in the 19th century. Traditional folk music has been defined in several ways: as music transmitted by mouth, as music of the lower classes, and as music with unknown composers....

 pieces. To date, they have released seven studio albums, the latest, Terra Firma
Terra Firma (Wolfstone album)
Terra Firma is the eighth album by Scottish Celtic rock group Wolfstone. It was released in 2007. It saw Ross Hamilton take over lead vocals, only for him to leave the band a few months later....

, 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
Ardross, Highland
Ardross Rural area in the Highland region of Scotland, north of the nearest city, Inverness...

, Easter Ross
Easter Ross
Easter Ross 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 constituency and a Scottish Parliament constituency...

, close to where the band initially recorded.

Formation (1989-1991)

The roots of Wolfstone go back to when fiddler Duncan Chisholm
Duncan Chisholm
Duncan Chisholm is a Scottish fiddler and founder member of folk rock group Wolfstone. As well as Wolfstone, he often tours with Scottish Gaelic singer Julie Fowlis' band and Wolfstone's previous lead singer Ivan Drever. He is a former member of ensemble Blazin' Fiddles...

 met guitarist Stuart Eaglesham at a pub session
Pub session
A pub session refers to playing music and/or singing in the relaxed social 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
Bonar Bridge is a village on the north bank of the Kyle of Sutherland, in the Parish of Creich in the Highland council area of Scotland.The Kyle of Sutherland is a river estuary of the Rivers Oykel, Cassley, Shin and Carron that all enter the Kyle above the bridge at Bonar.The estuary and the...

. Roger Niven from the Black Isle
Black Isle
The Black Isle is an eastern area of the Highland local government council area of Scotland, within the county of Ross and Cromarty. The name nearly always includes the article "the"....

 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
Rhythm section
A rhythm section is a collection of musicians who make up a section of instruments which provides the accompaniment section of the music, giving the music its rhythmic texture and pulse, also serving as a rhythmic reference for the rest of the band...

. 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
Ivan Drever is a folk singer, songwriter and guitarist popular not only with the Scottish folk scene but also in other European countries such as Norway, Denmark and Spain. He often tours with popular fiddler Duncan Chisholm who founded the folk rock band Wolfstone which Drever joined in 1990 but...

 joined the band on vocals, guitars, and songwriting duties. Soon, Wolfstone were offered a recording contract with Iona Records in Glasgow
Glasgow
Glasgow is the largest city in Scotland and third most populous in the United Kingdom. The city is situated on the River Clyde in the country's west central lowlands...

, and in 1991, began work on Unleashed
Unleashed (Wolfstone album)
Unleashed is the official debut album of Scottish Celtic rock band Wolfstone. It was released in 1991.-Track listing:# "Cleveland Park" - 4:16#*Cleveland Park#*The Banks of the Allan#*Kenny Gillies of Portnalong, Skye# "Song for Yesterday" - 5:25...

, 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
Runrig are a Scottish Celtic rock group formed in Skye, in 1973 under the name 'The Run Rig Dance Band'. Since its inception, the band's line-up has included songwriters Rory Macdonald and Calum Macdonald. The current line-up also includes longtime members Malcolm Jones, Iain Bayne, and more...

's major Loch Lomond
Loch Lomond
Loch Lomond is a freshwater Scottish loch, lying on the Highland Boundary Fault. It is the largest lake in Great Britain by surface area. The lake contains many islands, including Inchmurrin, the largest fresh-water island in the British Isles, although the lake itself is smaller than many Irish...

 Midsummer event, alongside such acts as Capercaillie
Capercaillie (band)
Capercaillie is a Scottish folk band, founded in the 1980s by Donald Shaw and fronted by Karen Matheson. They have seen four of their albums placed in the UK Albums Chart, and continue to perform and record to the present day.-History:...

 and Hothouse Flowers
Hothouse Flowers
The Hothouse Flowers are an Irish rock group that combines traditional Irish music with influences from soul, gospel and rock.-Career:The group first formed in 1985 when Liam Ó Maonlaí and Fiachna Ó Braonáin began performing as street musicians, or buskers, on the streets of Dublin,Ireland as "The...

. 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
The Chase (Wolfstone album)
The Chase is the second album by Scottish Celtic rock group Wolfstone. It was released in 1992.-Track listing:# "Tinnie Run" - 3:44#*The Road to Mount Tinnie Run#*The Boys of Ballymoat#*Alan MacPherson of Mosspark# "Glass and the Can" - 4:37...

. 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 Dougie Pincock, Gordon Duncan
Gordon Duncan
Gordon Duncan was a Scottish bagpiper. He began playing at the age of eight, taught initially by Bill Hepburn then by his father and his older brother Ian Duncan, himself a successful piper and Pipe Major...

 and Martyn Bennett
Martyn Bennett
Martyn Bennett was a Scottish musician who was born in St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada...

. The Chase proved a great 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
Children in Need
Children in Need is an annual British charity appeal organised by the BBC. Since 1980 it has raised over £500 million. The highlight of the Children in Need appeal is an annual telethon, held in November. A teddy bear named "Pudsey Bear" fronts the campaign, while Terry Wogan is a long...

. An EP entitled Burning Horizons
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. It is also on The Best...Scottish Album in the World...Ever!,...

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
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, the label became Innisfree/Green Linnet and Wendy...

, which consequently saw the release of Year of the Dog
Year of the Dog (Wolfstone album)
Year of the Dog is the third album by Scottish Celtic rock group Wolfstone. It was released in 1994.-Track listing:# "Holy Ground" - 3:57# "Ballavanich" - 4:45#*The Boys from Ballavanich#*Mrs...

. With the backing of a major label, the band was now able to reach a truly international audience, touring Europe
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...

, America and even reaching countries such as Kazakhstan
Kazakhstan
Kazakhstan , officially the Republic of Kazakhstan, is a transcontinental country in Central Asia and Eastern Europe. Ranked as the ninth largest country in the world, it is also the world's largest landlocked country; its territory of is greater than Western Europe...

. About this time, the Celtic Records label reissued the band's early albums, Wolfstone and Wolfstone II. There is no clear reason as to why this was undertaken. With the albums' inclusion of a synthesised rhythm section, their quality is vastly inferior to that of a standard recording. 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." 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
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 limtied quantines on 6 August, followed by a wider released on 26 August...

. As with previous albums, it met with success, though some critics felt it lacked the band's usual drive.

Contractual obligations and reinvention (Late 1996-2001)

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, wishing to start a family and find a 'proper job'. He was replaced by Andy Thorburn. Wolfstone continued to tour in 1997 following the release of their Half Tail
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 limtied quantines on 6 August, followed by a wider released on 26 August...

album. However, to fulfill part of the recording contract with Green Linnet Records
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, the label became Innisfree/Green Linnet and Wendy...

, Ivan Drever undertook a side project involving a few band members, entitled This Strange Place
This Strange Place
This Strange Place is a project album featuring members of Celtic rock band Wolfstone. Originally released in 1998 under Drever/Mackenzie, it was soon erroneously reissued as a Wolfstone recording, perhaps, it has been suggested, as a contract filler....

. Green Linnet deliberately marketed this as a Wolfstone album, perhaps to achieve greater sales. As such, the band's popularity waned, as fans were led to believe that the album's largely mellow sound was Wolfstone's new direction. Drever's departure in 1998 again struck at the band's popularity, as many felt he had been their stylistic backbone. Technically, Wolfstone were disbanded during 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
Seven (Wolfstone album)
Seven is the fifth album by the Scottish Celtic rock band Wolfstone. It was released in 1999 after a short hiatus, down to poor management by Green Linnet Records. The album, a comeback, was considered a success by the band. After its release, Wolfstone recorded a live album, Not Enough Shouting...

. Wolfstone regard this 'comeback album' a success, having been pleased with the final outcome. They toured for the majority of 2000, but were struck by tragedy at 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
Not Enough Shouting is a live album by Scottish Celtic rock band Wolfstone. It was recorded after the success of their comeback album Seven...

.

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
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" – 3:32...

. 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
Dundee is the fourth-largest city in Scotland and the 39th most populous settlement in the United Kingdom. It lies within the eastern central Lowlands on the north bank of the Firth of Tay, which feeds into the North Sea...

 Colin Cunningham join the band on bass guitar. In early 2007, Wolfstone released Terra Firma
Terra Firma (Wolfstone album)
Terra Firma is the eighth album by Scottish Celtic rock group Wolfstone. It was released in 2007. It saw Ross Hamilton take over lead vocals, only for him to leave the band a few months later....

with a launch party at the Ironworks venue in Inverness
Inverness
Inverness is a city in the Scottish Highlands. It is the administrative centre for the Highland council area, and is regarded as the capital of the Highlands of Scotland...

, 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
Runrig are a Scottish Celtic rock group formed in Skye, in 1973 under the name 'The Run Rig Dance Band'. Since its inception, the band's line-up has included songwriters Rory Macdonald and Calum Macdonald. The current line-up also includes longtime members Malcolm Jones, Iain Bayne, and more...

 at their 'Beat the Drum' concert at Drumnadrochit
Drumnadrochit
Drumnadrochit is a village inthe Highland local government council area of Scotland, lying on the west shore of Loch Ness, at the foot of Glen Urquhart.-History:...

 on the banks of Loch Ness
Loch Ness
Loch Ness is a large, deep, freshwater loch in the Scottish Highlands extending for approximately southwest of Inverness. Its surface is above sea level. Loch Ness is best known for the alleged sightings of the cryptozoological Loch Ness Monster, also known affectionately as "Nessie"...

, 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
Pitlochry , is a burgh in the council area of Perth and Kinross, Scotland, lying on the River Tummel. Its population according to the 2001 census was 2,564....

. 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 hope to release an EP or full album late 2011 or early 2012.

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.

Current members

  • Duncan Chisholm - fiddle
    Fiddle
    The term fiddle may refer to any bowed string musical instrument, most often the violin. It is also a colloquial term for the instrument used by players in all genres, including classical music...

     (1989-present)
  • Stuart Eaglesham - lead vocals
    Lead vocalist
    The lead vocalist is the member of a band who sings the main vocal portions of a song. They may also play one or more instruments. Lead vocalists are sometimes referred to as the frontman or frontwoman, and as such, are usually considered to be the "leader" of the groups they perform in, often the...

    , acoustic guitar
    Acoustic guitar
    An acoustic guitar is a guitar that uses only an acoustic sound board. The air in this cavity resonates with the vibrational modes of the string and at low frequencies, which depend on the size of the box, the chamber acts like a Helmholtz resonator, increasing or decreasing the volume of the sound...

     (1989-present)
  • Stevie Saint - pipes
    Bagpipes
    Bagpipes are a class of musical instrument, aerophones, using enclosed reeds fed from a constant reservoir of air in the form of a bag. Though the Scottish Great Highland Bagpipe and Irish uilleann pipes have the greatest international visibility, bagpipes of many different types come from...

    , whistles
    Tin whistle
    The tin whistle, also called the penny whistle, English Flageolet, Scottish penny whistle, Tin Flageolet, Irish whistle and Clarke London Flageolet is a simple six-holed woodwind instrument. It is an end blown fipple flute, putting it in the same category as the recorder, American Indian flute, and...

     (1994-present)
  • Alyn Cosker - drums
    Drum kit
    A drum kit is a collection of drums, cymbals and often other percussion instruments, such as cowbells, wood blocks, triangles, chimes, or tambourines, arranged for convenient playing by a single person ....

    , keyboards
    Electronic keyboard
    An electronic keyboard is an electronic or digital keyboard instrument.The major components of a typical modern electronic keyboard are:...

     (2002-2007, 2010-present)
  • Colin Cunningham - bass guitar
    Bass guitar
    The bass guitar is a stringed instrument played primarily with the fingers or thumb , or by using a pick....

  • Davie Dunsmuir - lead guitar
    Lead guitar
    Lead guitar is a guitar part which plays melody lines, instrumental fill passages, guitar solos, and occasionally, some riffs within a song structure...

     (2007-present)

Former members

  • Struan Eaglesham - keyboards (1989-1996)
  • Allan Wilson - pipes, whistles (1989-1991)
  • Roger Niven - guitar (1989)
  • David Foster - vocals (1989-1990)
  • Andy Murray - lead guitar (1989-1993)
  • Ivan Drever
    Ivan Drever
    Ivan Drever is a folk singer, songwriter and guitarist popular not only with the Scottish folk scene but also in other European countries such as Norway, Denmark and Spain. He often tours with popular fiddler Duncan Chisholm who founded the folk rock band Wolfstone which Drever joined in 1990 but...

     - lead vocals, guitar, cittern
    Cittern
    The cittern or cither is a stringed instrument dating from the Renaissance. Modern scholars debate its exact history, but it is generally accepted that it is descended from the Medieval Citole, or Cytole. It looks much like the modern-day flat-back mandolin and the modern Irish bouzouki and cittern...

     (1990-1998)
  • Wayne Mackenzie - bass guitar (1992-2003)
  • Graeme "Mop" Youngson - drums (1992-1997)
  • Andy Thorburn - keyboards (1996-1997)
  • Andy Simmers - keyboards (1998-2000)
  • Tony Soave - drums (1998-2002)
  • Ross Hamilton - vocals, guitars, programming (2003-2007)

Former session musicians

  • John Henderson - drums
  • Neil Hay - bass guitar
  • Ronny Watson - drums
  • Dougie Pincock - pipes, whistles
  • Roddy McCourt - pipes, whistles
  • Gary West - pipes
  • Gordon Duncan
    Gordon Duncan
    Gordon Duncan was a Scottish bagpiper. He began playing at the age of eight, taught initially by Bill Hepburn then by his father and his older brother Ian Duncan, himself a successful piper and Pipe Major...

     - pipes, whistles
  • Martyn Bennett
    Martyn Bennett
    Martyn Bennett was a Scottish musician who was born in St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada...

     - pipes, whistles
  • Kenny Forsyth - pipes, whistles
  • Fraser Fifield - pipes, whistles
  • Paul Jennings - drums
  • Bryden Stillie - drums

Studio albums

  • Unleashed
    Unleashed (Wolfstone album)
    Unleashed is the official debut album of Scottish Celtic rock band Wolfstone. It was released in 1991.-Track listing:# "Cleveland Park" - 4:16#*Cleveland Park#*The Banks of the Allan#*Kenny Gillies of Portnalong, Skye# "Song for Yesterday" - 5:25...

    (1991)
  • The Chase
    The Chase (Wolfstone album)
    The Chase is the second album by Scottish Celtic rock group Wolfstone. It was released in 1992.-Track listing:# "Tinnie Run" - 3:44#*The Road to Mount Tinnie Run#*The Boys of Ballymoat#*Alan MacPherson of Mosspark# "Glass and the Can" - 4:37...

    (1992)
  • Year of the Dog
    Year of the Dog (Wolfstone album)
    Year of the Dog is the third album by Scottish Celtic rock group Wolfstone. It was released in 1994.-Track listing:# "Holy Ground" - 3:57# "Ballavanich" - 4:45#*The Boys from Ballavanich#*Mrs...

    (1994)
  • The Half Tail
    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 limtied quantines on 6 August, followed by a wider released on 26 August...

    (1996)
  • Seven
    Seven (Wolfstone album)
    Seven is the fifth album by the Scottish Celtic rock band Wolfstone. It was released in 1999 after a short hiatus, down to poor management by Green Linnet Records. The album, a comeback, was considered a success by the band. After its release, Wolfstone recorded a live album, Not Enough Shouting...

    (1999)
  • Almost an Island
    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" – 3:32...

    (2002)
  • Terra Firma
    Terra Firma (Wolfstone album)
    Terra Firma is the eighth album by Scottish Celtic rock group Wolfstone. It was released in 2007. It saw Ross Hamilton take over lead vocals, only for him to leave the band a few months later....

    (2007)

EPs

  • Unleashed: The Preview (1991)
  • Burning Horizons
    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. It is also on The Best...Scottish Album in the World...Ever!,...

    (1993)

Associated releases

  • Wolfstone (1989)
  • Wolfstone II (1990)
  • This Strange Place
    This Strange Place
    This Strange Place is a project album featuring members of Celtic rock band Wolfstone. Originally released in 1998 under Drever/Mackenzie, it was soon erroneously reissued as a Wolfstone recording, perhaps, it has been suggested, as a contract filler....

    (1998)

See also

  • The Lewis Blue
    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 ....

    (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")

External links

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