MAKING THEIR WAY TO STORNOWAY ON THE ROAD TO STARDOM
Interview release
Hebridean Celtic Festival
Year of Creative Scotland 2012
- Kassidy head for island festival
- Glasgow band to headline HebCelt
- Rising stars set for more acclaim
It’s not quite been overnight success, but it has been quite a rise to fame for Kassidy.
Formed just three years ago, the Glasgow four-piece have an ever-growing fan base and are achieving more critical acclaim following the recent release of their second album, One Man Army.
“Yes, it’s all going according to plan so far”, says Lewis Andrew, who along with Hamish Fingland, Barrie James O’Neill and Chris Potter makes up Kassidy.
The bad, who headline the Hebridean Celtic Festival this summer, recorded the new album at the famous Rockfield Studios, near Monmouth in Wales, which saw them follow in the footsteps of the likes of Queen, Led Zeppelin, Oasis and Black Sabbath. During the session Andrew played the grand piano on which Freddie Mercury recorded Bohemian Rhapsody.
Like their previous album, Hope St, One Man Army was recorded with long-time collaborator Thomas McNeice and mixed at the Abbey Road studios by McNeice and Mike Crossey, who has worked with Arctic Monkeys, Black Keys and Two Door Cinema Club.
Lewis said: “It was a fun process, we recorded live at Rockfield Studios, a legendary studio with an amazing history and it was incredible being there and managing to capture live performances.
“It’s Kassidy, but I think the songwriting has greatly matured and the sound is sonically huge.”
The band brought together four close friends with diverse musical interests, who were involved in various bands and projects in their native Glasgow, before collaborating as an occasional acoustic collective.
After deciding to pursue the project seriously, they rented a disused recording studio on the city’s Southside which they set up as an artistic space where they could also sleep while working.
The set up still works, despite an Old Firm divide with Barrie being a Celtic fan and Chris following Rangers.
“Yeah it's working out great”, said Lewis. “I don't follow football but Barrie and Chris like it. However, it’s a game in the end, and I don't think a game could cause a feud between them.”
Despite still being a relatively new band, they have experience of playing both Glastonbury and T in the Park. However, at HebCelt, which runs from 11-14 July, they will headline for the first time, sharing top billing with The Waterboys and The Proclaimers.
Lewis said: “I am looking forward to getting back up North, there's a real strong love for music there and it's amazing to play for people who really love their music.
“We’ve never headlined a festival so I don't know if it will be that much different. We will just blast out the best and loudest thing we can...”
Is the ‘Celtic’ element of HebCelt important to the band? “I think it's important just to play your music everywhere, it could be in space and I'd feel it was important”, said Andrew.
“I’m looking forward to seeing The Waterboys and I’ve never seen The Proclaimers live so that will be great too.”
End
- The final two acts have been announced for HebCelt. Holy Ghosts, a five-piece band from Edinburgh formed last summer, and local four-piece Stuttgart Traffic, formed only in September, took part in the festival’s One Step Further contest to find new talent. The contest was won by Glasgow-based trio Muran who will play in the main festival arena on 13 July.
- As the countdown to HebCelt begins, the Festival Shop at 30 Church Street, Stornoway, will open this Saturday (9 June) and Saturday, 16 June for bookings and the sale of merchandise between 10a.m-4p.m. It will subsequently open Monday-Saturday from 18 June between 10a.m.-5p.m.
For more information contact:
John Ross
Lucid PR
01463 724593; 07730 099617
johnross@lucidmessages.com
NOTES TO EDITORS
1. The 17th HebCelt takes place between 11th and 14th July 2012 and will, for the second year running, have two main stages on the Castle Green in front of the Lews Castle in Stornoway, as well as performances in An Lanntair and throughout the rural community.
2. This year it has been selected for the second year in succession as one of the top 10 UK summer festivals by music magazine Songlines. It emerged victorious as Best Large Festival at the industry-sponsored Scottish Event Awards 2011, in a three-way final with Edinburgh’s Hogmanay and Glasgow’s Celtic Connections.
3. HebCelt injects more than £1.5 million annually into the local economy.
4. It is regarded by critics, performers and festival-goers as one of the top Celtic music festivals in Europe.
5. The festival is made possible through the support of funders, advertisers and a vital and large volunteer workforce- http://www.hebceltfest.com/backstage/sponsors. It relies on scores of volunteer workers who clock up over 3,500 unpaid hours during the event.
6. HebCelt has twice won the Best Event of the Year award at the MG Alba Scots Trad Music Awards, which is voted for by the public.
7. HebCelt has been hailed as one of the UK’s top 50 festivals by the Daily Telegraph and one of the top five by The Scotsman.
8. A large quantity of children under 14 can attend concerts at the Festival Arena each night for free if accompanied by someone who is 18 or older.
9. This year’s headliners are The Waterboys, The Proclaimers and Kassidy. Other artists appearing include Julie Fowlis, Skerryvore, Admiral Fallow, Roddy Woomble, Niteworks, Mànran and Larkin Poe.
10 HebCelt has its own YouTube channel, Facebook and Twitter outlets.
http://www.youtube.com/user/hebceltfest
http://www.facebook.com/pages/Hebridean-Celtic-Festival/70400006768?ref=ts
Tags:
