Renewing their Gaelic Heritage

The Arts Journal profiles MEANTIME.

The Facts:
Meantime are a quartet of musicians from the Highlands and Islands who are intent on expanding the repertoire of Gaelic song as well as instrumental music. Their debut recording, The Natives are Friendly, has now been followed by The Blue Men of the Minch. The players are:

David MacLennan (guitar, bass, banjo, vocals)
Malcolm Munro (piano accordion, melodeon, keyboards, vocals)
David Boag (fiddle, harmonica, vocals)
Norman MacArthur (pipes, bass, guitar, vocals)

Meantime are building a growing reputation as a young band with a powerful presence in Gaelic music, both vocal and instrumental, new and traditional. All four members are Gaelic speakers, and all four sing. The musicians are dedicated to the idea not only of preserving and nurturing the Gaelic heritage, but of adding to it in the shape of new songs and tunes like those included on The Blue Men of the Minch.

The members of the band are based at both sides of the Highlands and Islands. The western contingent includes David MacLennan, who lives on Lewis and is a sculptor and visual artist as well as a musician – his work adorns the covers of both of their records – and Malcolm Munro, who teaches in Lochaber, and plays shinty for Glenurqhuart. Over in the east, David Boag lives in Inverness and is a development officer for Féisean nan Gaidhal, while Norman MacArthur is an Invernessian living in Dingwall, and teaches Gaelic at Dingwall Academy.

The Blue Men of the Minch features six brand new songs in Gaelic composed by various members of the band (hear the anthemic Le Chéile (Together), featuring the Back Gaelic Choir, below). The songs are partnered with excellent instrumental sets featuring both original and established material. Meantime are four young Gaelic musicians connecting with their instruments, their culture and their language.
 

© HI~Arts, 2004