Before the Ruin
Encyclopedia
Before the Ruin is a studio album by Kris Drever
, John McCusker
and Roddy Woomble
, released 15 September 2008 through Navigator Records. The album entered the UK Albums Chart
at #156 and the Scottish Albums chart at #45. The album was originally scheduled for a May release, but was delayed due to McCusker touring with Mark Knopfler
.
The album features appearances from Radiohead
drummer Phil Selway
, and Teenage Fanclub
's Norman Blake
.
"Silver and Gold" was released as a single on 1 September 2008.
Speaking of the album, McCusker notes that their "paths had all crossed in various ways over the past few years - working with Kate Rusby
, and on Kris and Roddy's solo albums - and our starting-point was basically just that we all really liked each other's stuff." Woomble notes that: "Kris and John each have such a different take on things like melody and lyrics, but we’re all working equally on the songs together, so the whole thing feels totally new. And it’s great getting to make another ‘first’ album at our age."
Kris Drever
Kris Drever is a Scottish contemporary folk musician and songwriter, who came to prominence in 2006 with the release of his debut solo album, Black Water...
, John McCusker
John McCusker
John McCusker is a Scottish folk musician, record producer and composer. An accomplished fiddle player, he had a long association as a member of the Battlefield Band beginning in the 1990s and was later a band member and producer for folk singer Kate Rusby...
and Roddy Woomble
Roddy Woomble
Roderick "Roddy" Woomble is the lead singer of Scottish rock band, Idlewild and a solo contemporary folk musician. To date, Woomble has released six full-length studio albums with Idlewild, and two solo albums, My Secret is My Silence and The Impossible Song & Other Songs...
, released 15 September 2008 through Navigator Records. The album entered the UK Albums Chart
UK Albums Chart
The UK Albums Chart is a list of albums ranked by physical and digital sales in the United Kingdom. It is compiled every week by The Official Charts Company and broadcast on a Sunday on BBC Radio 1 , and published in Music Week magazine and on the OCC website .To qualify for the UK albums chart...
at #156 and the Scottish Albums chart at #45. The album was originally scheduled for a May release, but was delayed due to McCusker touring with Mark Knopfler
Mark Knopfler
Mark Freuder Knopfler, OBE is a Scottish-born British guitarist, singer, songwriter, record producer and film score composer. He is best known as the lead guitarist, vocalist, and songwriter for the British rock band Dire Straits, which he co-founded in 1977...
.
The album features appearances from Radiohead
Radiohead
Radiohead are an English rock band from Abingdon, Oxfordshire, formed in 1985. The band consists of Thom Yorke , Jonny Greenwood , Ed O'Brien , Colin Greenwood and Phil Selway .Radiohead released their debut single "Creep" in 1992...
drummer Phil Selway
Phil Selway
Philip James "Phil" "The Graf" Selway is an English musician and songwriter, best known as the drummer of English rock group Radiohead. He also drums and provides backing vocals, along with occasional guitar and lead vocals, for 7 Worlds Collide...
, and Teenage Fanclub
Teenage Fanclub
Teenage Fanclub are an alternative rock band from Bellshill, Scotland. The band is composed of Norman Blake , Raymond McGinley , Gerard Love and Francis MacDonald , with songwriting duties shared equally among Blake, McGinley and Love...
's Norman Blake
Norman Blake (Scottish musician)
Norman Blake is a singer-songwriter in the Glasgow based band, Teenage Fanclub.Blake and Sean Dickson were in The Faith Healers together, which also contained various members at different times Stevie Gray, Hugh McLaughlin, Brian Carson and Colin Murray to name but a few.Blake and Carson were...
.
"Silver and Gold" was released as a single on 1 September 2008.
Speaking of the album, McCusker notes that their "paths had all crossed in various ways over the past few years - working with Kate Rusby
Kate Rusby
Kate Anna Rusby is an English folk singer and songwriter from Penistone, South Yorkshire. Sometimes known as The Barnsley Nightingale, she has headlined various British national folk festivals, and is regarded as one of the most famous English folk singers of contemporary times...
, and on Kris and Roddy's solo albums - and our starting-point was basically just that we all really liked each other's stuff." Woomble notes that: "Kris and John each have such a different take on things like melody and lyrics, but we’re all working equally on the songs together, so the whole thing feels totally new. And it’s great getting to make another ‘first’ album at our age."
Artwork
The album cover is by Orcadian painter Charles Shearer, and is said to "describe the physical, and metaphorical pull of the ocean, which is also a main theme of the record."Track listing
All songs written by Kris Drever, John McCusker and Roddy Woomble- "Silver and Gold" – 4:37
- "Into the Blue" – 4:27
- "All Along the Way" – 4:41
- "Before the Ruin" – 4:08
- "Hope to See" – 5:05
- "Rest on the Rock" – 3:38
- "Out of Light" – 4:09
- "The Poorest Company" – 4:40
- "Moments Last Forever" – 4:35
- "Stuck in Time" – 5:00
Personnel
- Kris DreverKris DreverKris Drever is a Scottish contemporary folk musician and songwriter, who came to prominence in 2006 with the release of his debut solo album, Black Water...
- electric and acoustic guitars, vocals - John McCuskerJohn McCuskerJohn McCusker is a Scottish folk musician, record producer and composer. An accomplished fiddle player, he had a long association as a member of the Battlefield Band beginning in the 1990s and was later a band member and producer for folk singer Kate Rusby...
- fiddle, citternCitternThe 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...
, tenor guitar, wurlitzer ("Stuck in Time"), producer - Roddy WoombleRoddy WoombleRoderick "Roddy" Woomble is the lead singer of Scottish rock band, Idlewild and a solo contemporary folk musician. To date, Woomble has released six full-length studio albums with Idlewild, and two solo albums, My Secret is My Silence and The Impossible Song & Other Songs...
- vocals - Andy Seward - bass (1, 3, 4 & 10), producer, engineer, mixing
- Francis MacDonaldFrancis MacDonaldFrancis Macdonald is a drummer and sometime member of British alternative rock band Teenage Fanclub and used to play with BMX Bandits and Eugenius...
- drums (1, 2, 3, 4, 9 & 10) - Ewen VernalEwen VernalEwen Vernal is a Scottish musician.Born in Glasgow to a musical family, Vernal began taking piano lessons at 8 years old—inspired by a Beatles-singing mother and a choir-leading, saxophone-playing father...
- bass (2, 5, 6, 7 & 9) - Michael McGoldrickMichael McGoldrickMichael McGoldrick is a flute and tin whistle player. He also plays the Uilleann pipes and low whistle. He is well known for his ability to skate switch and regular with the same level of ability.-Bands:...
- whistle ("Silver and Gold", "Out of Light"), pipes ("Before the Ruin"), flute ("Hope to See") - Donald ShawDonald Shaw (musician)Donald Shaw is a Scottish musician, composer, producer, and one of the founding members of the group Capercaillie. His sister is fiddler Eilidh Shaw....
- harmonium and wurlitzer (2, 6, 7, 9 & 10) - Heidi TalbotHeidi TalbotHeidi Talbot is an Irish folk singer from Kill, County Kildare, Ireland. Talbot is the former singer of Irish-American musical group Cherish the Ladies.-Early life and education:...
- vocals (2, 3, 4, 6, 8 & 9) - Norman BlakeNorman Blake (Scottish musician)Norman Blake is a singer-songwriter in the Glasgow based band, Teenage Fanclub.Blake and Sean Dickson were in The Faith Healers together, which also contained various members at different times Stevie Gray, Hugh McLaughlin, Brian Carson and Colin Murray to name but a few.Blake and Carson were...
- vocals (2, 5 & 8) - Phil SelwayPhil SelwayPhilip James "Phil" "The Graf" Selway is an English musician and songwriter, best known as the drummer of English rock group Radiohead. He also drums and provides backing vocals, along with occasional guitar and lead vocals, for 7 Worlds Collide...
- drums ("Rest on the Rock", "Out of Light") - Ian CarrIan CarrIan Carr was a Scottish jazz musician, composer, writer, and educator.-Early years:Carr was born in Dumfries, Scotland, the elder brother of Mike Carr...
- dobroDobroDobro is a registered trademark, now owned by Gibson Guitar Corporation and used for a particular design of resonator guitar.The name has a long and involved history, interwoven with that of the resonator guitar...
(5, 10), electric guitar (2, 9) tenor ukulele (10) - Andy CuttingAndy CuttingAndy Cutting is an English folk musician and composer. Born 18 March 1969 in Harrow, he plays melodeon and has had instruments made by Castagnari to his own specification. He won the Folk Musician of the Year at the BBC Radio 2 Folk Awards 2008 and 2011...
- diatonic accordion ("Hope to See", "The Poorest Company") - Phil CunninghamPhil Cunningham (folk musician)Phil Cunningham, MBE, born 1960 in Edinburgh, Scotland is a Scottish folk musician and composer.-Biography:Phil played accordion and violin from a very young age. He attended school in Portobello, and was raised Mormon, attending church regularly and playing organ...
- accordion ("Hope to See", "The Poorest Company") - Keith Angel - percussion (1, 2, 4, 6 & 7)
- Raymond McGinley - additional engineering
- Iain Hutchison - additional engineering
- Calum MalcolmCalum MalcolmCalum Malcolm is a Scottish record producer, sound engineer and keyboardist based in Edinburgh.He started his rock music career with the band The Headboys in 1977....
- mastering - Charles Shearer - artwork
- David Gillanders - photographs