Twinned with rock ’n’ roll
Scotland’s most famous music duo may hail from Fife and live in Edinburgh, but it’s Inverness to which they owe their earliest success in the business. Caroline Brodie spoke to one half of The Proclaimers ahead of their biggest ever gig in the Highland capital this weekend
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ON SUNDAY, Inverness will have ringside seats when The Proclaimers bring their massive 14-month, 129-date tour to a fitting climax in a marquee at Bught Park.
Around 8,000 people are expected to pitch up to see identical twins Craig and Charlie Reid belt out hits like I’m Gonna Be (500 Miles) and Letter from America, and the boys from Auchtermuchty are relishing the prospect.
Speaking ahead of the concert, Charlie said: “It will be a very special night and one we’re really looking forward to.”
The Proclaimers spent a great deal of time gigging in Inverness when they first set out on their road to international stardom in the 1980s – mainly through their connections with former band-mate and manager the late Kai Davidson, who came from the city.
Charlie, who recalls doing gigs in venues from the Market Bar to the ice rink, said it had played a huge part in their early success.
He said: “We played in Inverness more than anywhere else. It has always been an important place for us. We always had an audience there, before even Edinburgh.”
He added: “This is the biggest thing we’ve ever done in Inverness and hopefully we’ll see a lot of people we knew before.”
The brothers, now 46, also hope the gig on Sunday will see their tour end on a high note.
Charlie says that despite spending three-quarters of their time on the road, playing in Scotland remains one of the highlights of any tour.
“You get good gigs and bad gigs and hopeful we don’t have so many bad ones these days as we did 20 years ago, but Scotland has always been particularly good to us, and Ireland,” Charlie said.
“Sometimes you get the best gig you’ve ever had in a club with a few hundred people; other times it’s at a festival with thousands.
“It is all down to the audience. You might play in a club that’s really not that great, but you’ve got the crowd.”
The brothers’ popularity has reached an all-time high recently with the re-release of their most famous anthem, I’m Gonna Be (500 Miles), topping the UK charts last year and their Best Of album going platinum.
They also undertook their biggest and most successful UK tour, during which they sold 45,000 tickets over 19 sellout shows – more tickets than any other single act in Scotland in 2007.
Charlie said: “It is surprising. Most people don’t get much in the way of longevity in this business because that’s the nature of it – there are always new bands coming through.
“It’s still hard to get our new songs played on the radio, but the old ones do still get played.
“To be honest, I think if you’re not playing live these days, and don’t get radio play, you don’t exist. It’s hard to sustain yourself as a band without the live gigs.”
This year, the brothers have toured extensively in Europe, Canada and the US, where they hope to spend more time in future, and have also performed at a series of festivals, including Glastonbury.
Charlie said the key was to really want to do it.
“I think you’ve got to be able to get something out of standing on the stage and performing.
“That makes up for all the things you don’t enjoy, which are all part of being in a band, but can get a wee bit wearisome.
“It’s standing on stage that keeps you going and makes all the other stuff worthwhile.”
Asked if they ever got tired of singing their big hits night after night, Charlie said: “No, I’m eternally grateful for them and it’s only a handful of songs we’re well known for in the UK and one or two around the world, which is not much out of a 90-minute set.”
But spending time in the studio is also important, and that’s where they plan to be firmly ensconced for the rest of the year, writing their next batch of hits.
Charlie said: “For us, it’s about trying to make progress over time. It’s not just about commercial success, it’s also about writing songs. We want to lift the songs and reach a higher level. That’s really the goal. To improve the songwriting and improve our performance.”
Then it will be back on the road for another 500 miles or so.
The Proclaimers will be in The Big Top at Bught Park, Inverness, this Sunday. Special guest stars include This R 2 Tone and The Dykeenies. Tickets are still available by calling 0844 847 2269 or by visiting www.ticketmaster.co.uk
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