The Proclaimers

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The Proclaimers
The Proclaimers on stage in June 2008 at the Parkpop Festival in The Hague, Netherlands
The Proclaimers on stage in June 2008 at the Parkpop Festival in The Hague, Netherlands
Background information
Born (1962-03-05) 5 March 1962 (age 62) (twins)
Leith, Edinburgh, Scotland
OriginAuchtermuchty, Fife, Scotland
Genres
Instrument(s)Vocals, acoustic guitar, harmonica, tin whistle, tambourine
Years active1983–present
Labels
MembersCharlie Reid
Craig Reid
Backing Band
Steven Christie
Clive Jenner
Garry John Kane
Zac Ware
Websitewww.proclaimers.co.uk

The Proclaimers are a Scottish music duo composed of twin brothers Charlie and Craig Reid (born 5 March 1962). They are best known for their songs "I'm Gonna Be (500 Miles)", "Sunshine on Leith", "I'm On My Way" and "Letter from America", and their singing style with a Scottish accent. The band tours extensively throughout the world. They have released 11 studio albums since 1987, with the latest being Angry Cyclist (August 2018), as well as three compilation albums and a DVD.

History

The Proclaimers performing in De Panne in 2010

Career

Craig Reid and Charles Reid were born in Leith on 5 March 1962, and grew up in Edinburgh, Cornwall and Auchtermuchty. When they lived in Auchtermuchty they attended Bell Baxter High School. After several punk rock bands at school they formed the Proclaimers in 1983.

The pair came to public attention when an Inverness-based fan sent their demo to the English band the Housemartins, who were impressed enough to invite the Proclaimers on their 1986 United Kingdom tour. The exposure of the tour won them a January 1987 appearance on the British pop music television programme The Tube on Channel Four;[3] "Letter from America" peaked at number three in the UK Singles Chart,[4] while the album This Is the Story went gold.[5] The follow-up album Sunshine on Leith featured the singles "I'm Gonna Be (500 Miles)", which went to number one in Australia[6] and New Zealand,[7] and "I'm On My Way".[4] They had a hit with their EP King of the Road,[8] which reached number nine in the UK in 1990.[4] "I'm Gonna Be (500 Miles)" belatedly peaked at number three on the Billboard Hot 100 in August 1993,[9] after appearing in the movie Benny & Joon, becoming their only charted single in the United States.[8] After seven low-profile years, they released their comeback album Persevere in 2001.[8]

In March 2007, they recorded a new version of "I'm Gonna Be (500 Miles)" with television comedy characters Andy Pipkin (played by Matt Lucas) and Brian Potter (Peter Kay) for the Comic Relief charity. A long list of celebrities were featured in the music video for this new version, including David Bellamy, Rod, Jane and Freddy, Paul O'Grady, David Tennant, Frank Sidebottom, Ronnie Corbett, and many more. This new version of the song reached number one in the UK Singles Chart.[4]

In 2008, the cast and crew of Doctor Who filmed a video of the song to mark the departure of David Tennant as The Doctor. He claims to be The Proclaimers "biggest fan" and they made a cameo appearance in the video. As the video was shot during production of the last episode that David Tennant appeared in, it featured many of the guest stars and companions who appeared throughout his tenure.

A stage musical entitled Sunshine on Leith, featuring their songs, was created in 2007 for Dundee Rep and adapted as a feature film in 2013 bearing the same title.[10]

The band was one of the B-52s' touring partners on their Funplex tour in Australia and New Zealand in November 2009, alongside Mental as Anything.[11]

They featured in VH1's 100 greatest one hit wonders, "I'm Gonna Be (500 Miles)" having been their only US hit single.[12]

Their latest album, Angry Cyclist, was released in August 2018.

Activism

The Reids are well-known supporters of Scottish independence and have, at various stages of their lives, been activists for the Scottish National Party, expressing such views during their promotional tour of Britain in March 2007.[13]

On 16 May 2006, the twins announced their participation in a campaign to free a fellow Scot, Kenny Richey, from his death row sentence in Ohio, United States, including an appearance at a charity concert.[14] In December 2007, Kenny Richey accepted a plea bargain, which led to his release from death row and return to Scotland on 9 January 2008.[15] Also, in March 2010 they participated with Billy Bragg in a show at the Electric Palace, Bridport, supporting Reprieve, a charity that seeks to end the use of the death penalty.[16]

Discography

Studio albums

Year Album Peak chart positions Certification
UK
[4] 		AUS
[6] 		AUT
[17] 		NZ
[7] 		US
[18]
1987 This Is the Story 43 41 – – –
1988 Sunshine on Leith 6 2 33 3 31
1994 Hit the Highway 8 – 19 – –
2001 Persevere 61 – – – –
2003 Born Innocent 70 – – – –
2005 Restless Soul 74 – – – –
2007 Life with You 13 – – – –
2009 Notes & Rhymes 30 – – – –
2012 Like Comedy 31 – – – –
2015 Let's Hear It for the Dogs 26 – – – –
2018 Angry Cyclist 17 – – – –
"—" denotes releases that did not chart or were not released.

Compilation and remastered albums

Year Album Peak chart positions Certification
UK
[4] 		IRE NZ
[7]
2002 The Best of The Proclaimers 5 24 41
2003 Finest – – –
2011 This Is the Story (two CD edition, remastered and bonus tracks) – – –
2011 Sunshine on Leith (two CD edition, remastered and bonus tracks) – – –
2011 Hit the Highway (two CD edition, remastered and bonus tracks) – – –
2013 The Very Best Of: 25 Years (1987–2012) (two CD edition) 80 – –
"—" denotes releases that did not chart or were not released.

EPs

  1. 17 (promotional acoustic EP) (2009)

Singles

Year Title Chart positions Album
UK
[4] 		AUS
[6] 		AUT
[17] 		BEL
(FLA)
[20] 		GER
[21] 		IRE
[22] 		NED
[23] 		NZ
[7] 		US
[9] 		US
Rock
[24]
1987 "Throw the 'R' Away" – – – – – – – – – – This Is the Story
"Letter from America" (band version) 3 – – 24 57 2 29 – – –
1988 "Make My Heart Fly" (band version) 63 – – – – – – – – –
"I'm Gonna Be (500 Miles)" 11 1 – – – 14 – 1 – – Sunshine on Leith
"Sunshine on Leith" 41 – – – – – – – – –
1989 "I'm on My Way" 43 3 – – – – – 5 – –
"Then I Met You" – 64 – – – – – – – –
1990 "King of the Road" 9 78 – – 54 8 86 – – – Non-album single
1993 "I'm Gonna Be (500 Miles)" – – 5 42 40 – – – 3 8 Sunshine on Leith
1994 "Let's Get Married" 21 – 21 – – – – – – – Hit the Highway
"What Makes You Cry?" 38 – – – – – – – – –
"These Arms of Mine" 51 – – – – – – – – –
2001 "There's a Touch" – – – – – – – – – – Persevere
2007 "(I'm Gonna Be) 500 Miles"
(featuring Brian Potter and Andy Pipkin) 		1 – – – – 7 – – – – Best Of (2007 reissue)
"Life with You" 58 – – – – – – – – – Life with You
2007 "Whole Wide World" – – – – – – – – – –
2008 "New Religion" (promo only) – – – – – – – – – –
2009 "Love Can Move Mountains" – – – – – – – – – – Notes & Rhymes
2012 "Like Comedy" (free download) – – – – – – – – – – Like Comedy
"Spinning Around in the Air" – – – – – – – – – –
"Whatever You've Got" – – – – – – – – – –
2014 "Cap in Hand" 62 – – – – – – – – – Sunshine on Leith
2018 "Angry Cyclist" – – – – – – – – – – Angry Cyclist
"Streets of Edinburgh" – – – – – – – – – –
"—" denotes releases that did not chart or were not released.

DVD

  1. The Best of The Proclaimers 1987–2002 (2002)

Songs used in soundtracks

  1. The Crossing (1990) (song, "King of the Road")
  2. Benny & Joon (1993) (song, "I'm Gonna Be (500 Miles)")
  3. Dumb and Dumber (1994) (song, "Get Ready")
  4. Bye Bye Love (1995) (song, "Bye Bye Love")
  5. Bottle Rocket (1996) (song, "Over and Done With")
  6. Slab Boys (1997) (songs, "Maybe Baby" and "No Particular Place to Go")
  7. The Closer You Get (2000) (song, "I'm Gonna Be (500 Miles)")
  8. Shrek (2001) (song, "I'm on My Way")
  9. How I Met Your Mother (2007, 2009, 2013 – episodes "Arrivederci, Fiero"; "Duel Citizenship"; "Mom and Dad") (song, "I'm Gonna Be (500 Miles)")
  10. Mama's Boy (2008) (song, "Then I Met You")
  11. Burke and Hare (2010) (song, "I'm Gonna Be (500 Miles)")
  12. The Angels' Share (2012) (song, "I'm Gonna Be (500 Miles)")
  13. Bachelorette (2012) (song, "I'm Gonna Be (500 Miles)")
  14. Grey's Anatomy season 9 (song, "I'm Gonna Be (500 Miles)")
  15. Pitch Perfect (2012) (song, "I'm Gonna Be (500 Miles)")
  16. Identity Thief (2013) (song, "I'm Gonna Be (500 Miles)")
  17. Uncle (TV series) (2015 – season 2, episode 6) (song, "Over and Done With")
  18. Peter Rabbit (2018) (song, "I'm Gonna Be (500 miles)")

Soundtracks

  1. Sunshine on Leith (2013) (from the film Sunshine on Leith – cover versions by film actors)

References

  1. ^ "The Proclaimers – Biography". AllMusic. Retrieved 16 July 2018.
  2. ^ Dangelo, Joe. "Proclaimers Return With Persevere". MTV News. Retrieved 3 November 2018.
  3. ^ Logan, Brian (8 February 2007). "Pop idols". The Guardian. Retrieved 8 February 2007.
  4. ^ a b c d e f g "Official Charts > Proclaimers". The Official UK Charts Company. Retrieved 21 March 2016.
  5. ^ a b c d e f "BPI > Certified Awards > Search results for 'Proclaimers' (from bpi.co.uk)". British Phonographic Industry. Retrieved 21 March 2016.
  6. ^ a b c Australian (ARIA Chart) peaks:
  7. ^ a b c d "charts.nz > The Proclaimers in New Zealand Charts". Hung Medien. Retrieved 21 March 2016.
  8. ^ a b c Colin Larkin, ed. (2003). The Virgin Encyclopedia of Eighties Music (Third ed.). Virgin Books. p. 392. ISBN 1-85227-969-9.
  9. ^ a b "Billboard > Artists / The Proclaimers > Chart History > The Hot 100", Billboard, retrieved 21 March 2016
  10. ^ Sexton, David (12 September 2013). "Sunshine on Leith – film review". London Evening Standard.
  11. ^ Pepper, Daile (10 June 2009). "B52s and the Proclaimers are on their way". Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved 30 March 2017.
  12. ^ "100 Greatest One Hit Wonders". List. VH1. Archived from the original on 3 February 2014.
  13. ^ "The Simon Mayo Programme". BBC Radio Five Live. 28 March 2007. Archived from the original on 23 March 2007.
  14. ^ "Letter to America: Proclaimers join campaign to free death-row Scot". The Scotsman. 16 May 2006.
  15. ^ "Freed death row Scot arrives home". BBC News. 9 January 2008. Retrieved 30 March 2017.
  16. ^ "What's On – West Dorset – March 2010". Westbay.co.uk. Retrieved 30 March 2017.
  17. ^ a b "austriancharts.at > The Proclaimers in der österreichischen Hitparade" (in German). Hung Medien. Retrieved 21 March 2016.
  18. ^ "Billboard > Artists / The Proclaimers > Chart History > Billboard 200", Billboard, retrieved 21 March 2016
  19. ^ "The ARIA Top 100 Albums Chart – 1989 (1–60) (from The ARIA Report Issue No. 1)". Imgur.com. Retrieved 26 May 2016. N.B. The triangle symbol indicates platinum certification.
  20. ^ "Ultratop (Flanders) > The Proclaimers in Ultratop Vlaanderen" (in Dutch). Hung Medien. Retrieved 21 March 2016.
  21. ^ German chart peaks:
  22. ^ "The Irish Charts – All there is to know > Search results for 'Proclaimers' (from irishcharts.ie)". Fireball Media. Retrieved 21 March 2016.
  23. ^ "dutchcharts.nl > The Proclaimers in Dutch Charts" (in Dutch). Hung Medien. Retrieved 21 March 2016.
  24. ^ "Billboard > Artists / The Proclaimers > Chart History > Alternative Songs", Billboard, retrieved 21 March 2016

External links

Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=The_Proclaimers&oldid=930448149"