Paul Campbell
Lewis-based Peat and Diesel gained greatest reside act at MG Alba Scots Trad Music Awards
A yr after taking part in their first gig, a band from the Isle of Lewis may very well be heading in the right direction for a Christmas primary.
Peat & Diesel is a three-piece with fisherman Boydie MacLeod on guitar and vocals, electrician Innes Scott on accordion and supply driver Uilly Macleod taking part in drums.
Earlier than forming the band they’d meet up at certainly one of their properties in Stornoway on a Saturday evening to play tunes.
They quickly put collectively sufficient of their very own materials to launch Peat & Diesel and begin gigging.
Their songs telling humorous tales of life within the Western Isles had been hit with native audiences, and their movies on social media shortly racked up tens of 1000’s of views, exposing the band to an excellent wider viewers, and Scotland’s music trade.
This yr noticed them play HebCelt, the Western Isles’ greatest music pageant, and in addition the biggest music occasion within the Highlands – Belladrum, close to Inverness.
They sold-out a gig in Glasgow’s Barrowland in a single day and greater than 7,000 tickets throughout venues on their debut tour subsequent yr.
This month, Peat & Diesel won the best live act accolade at the MG Alba Scots Trad Music Awards.
Boydie wore a boiler go well with, work clothes he has carried out at gigs in, to the awards ceremony.
‘You took my sheep from me’
The band’s play on phrases, usually referencing crofting actions on the isles, of their lyrics, tune and album titles has been a part of Peat & Diesel’s success.
Their first album was Uptown Fank, a fank being an enclosure for gathering sheep, whereas their second album is Gentle My Byre. A byre is a constructing used for holding cattle.
Peat & Diesel’s problem for the UK iTunes chart’s Christmas primary continues the crofting theme.
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Peat & Diesel is a band from Stornoway
Referred to as Fairytale of Stornoway and that includes Gaelic singer Mairead Nicholson, it’s the band’s twist on the well-known The Pogues’ Christmas hit Fairytale of New York sung by Shane MacGowan and Kirsty MacColl.
The Peat & Diesel model options the traces: “You took my sheep from me, after I first discovered you” and “Cannot make it on their own, I’ve constructed my flock round you”.
The tune is within the high 20 on the chart in the meanwhile.
Uilly told BBC Scotland’s entertainment programme The Edit: “We had been speaking about doing a Christmas tune for a while, however by no means obtained spherical to it final yr.
“Boydie is an enormous fan of Shane MacGowan and The Pogues and it appeared proper that was the tune for us.”
He added: “You do not actually work out the highest 40 for Christmas till Friday, so that’s once we discover out if Fairytale of Stornoway has made it into the Christmas high 40.”
Uilly mentioned reaching primary on the chart is an intention, however even staying within the high 40 of the chart can be thought of an enormous success for the band.
“It has been an incredible yr for Peat & Diesel,” he added.