It is no secret that my household were big fans of “the Scottish band”. Over time we have lapsed except my eldest daughter who will be celebrating her 35th birthday by catching a coach from Bolton to Aberdeen next Tuesday and will attend 4 concerts throughout Scotland in the company of fellow “Riggies” from as far afield as Norway and the USA. Luckily for me they will all be looking after her and making sure she does not get lost. Kyllie is registered blind but this is not the first time she has ventured up t’North on behalf of her musical love on her own.
The story is not about her. It is about something she mentioned in passing today. A story I knew nothing about and, I suspect, neither did anyone else on the blog. It concerns the band’s new CD called, appropriately, The Story. It concerns the final track.
From The Scotsman newspaper, 30th January 2016.
The album’s final track, Somewhere, with its tidal surge courtesy of the Prague Symphony Orchestra, ends in a fading crackle of space chatter, amid which the distant voice of astronaut Laurel Clark can be heard. Dr Clark was on board the Columbia space shuttle which broke up on re-entry in 2003. A fan, she had played Runrig’s “Running To The Light” that morning as a wake-up call. Her CD was later retrieved from a Texas field amid debris, and was brought to Scotland and presented to the band by her husband and son.
The full heart breaking story is included in the comments on the video clip below. It includes the sentence, “the last music the Columbia crew ever listened to was by Runrig” and also “her time on earth — and in space — was enhanced by their music.” Wow.
The track is so new it has not been posted on YouTube yet. I will post it on here when I can.
http://spaceflight.nasa.gov/shuttle/archives/sts-107/memorial/clark.html
Laurel Clark’s wake up call on STS – 107 was Runrig’s Running to the Light. The broadcast you hear at the beginning was relayed from Earth to space. Laurel took The Stamping Ground CD into space with her and when the Shuttle exploded the CD was found back on Earth. The second track is a live slower instrumental part of Running to the Light.
June 22, 2003
A LITTLE boy whose mother died in the Columbia space shuttle disaster travelled to Scotland on a mission to honour her memory.
Clutched in kilted Iain Clark’s hand was a scorched Runrig CD which survived the explosion 207,000ft over Florida on February 1.
His astronaut mum Laurel — who became a fan of the band while serving on the Holy Loch — took the Stamping Ground album on the doomed mission to use as a wake- up call.
Last week Iain, eight, and dad Jon presented the CD to members of Runrig at an emotional private ceremony in Glasgow City Chambers.
The CD was found by a NASA salvage team in a Texas field after the shuttle blew up just 16 minutes from landing at Cape Canaveral, killing all seven crew members. It was one of 83,000 pieces of debris recovered.
Iain and Jon, who were in Glasgow as guests of the Scottish Space Foundation, presented the band with the CD and a plaque which pinpointed the exact spot — longitude 31.378 north, latitude 94,040 west — where it was found.
Jon, 50, a NASA flight surgeon, told me how the CD was recovered.
He said: “The material strewn across the fields looked like twisted metal or trash. But they found the Runrig CD because it was part of my wife’s personal crew effects and they were able to identify it from the label. Surprisingly, the disc wasn’t badly damaged.”
Laurel had chosen the track Running To The Light as the crew’s wake-up call on Day 13 of the mission.
Jon, who was also here for the Festival of Science and Enterprise, said: “We had a family video conference later that day.
“Laurel talked about how much she loved the band, and how great it felt to be woken by their rousing music.”
She became a fan of Runrig’s Gaelic rock in 1991 while stationed with the US Navy Submarine Squadron at Holy Loch on the Clyde.
When she joined the Columbia crew, she was sent a batch of CDs by the Runrig fan club.
Laurel told its members: “I’ve never had the chance to see Runrig in concert. I have some of their albums — but I wanted a new one to listen to in Clyde” Each member of the crew was allowed to take their favourite CDs with them to help keep their spirits up.
Laurel chose two Runrig CDs — Stamping Ground and The Cutter And The Clan.
Jon said: “While working she could play the discs out there in space.
“She also used them to help her do exercises to keep fit aboard the shuttle.
“I’m sure she pedalled that little bit harder on her exercise bike when Runrig were on the CD player.
He revealed that Laurel’s copy of The Cutter And The Clan was recovered from another wreckage site.
Jon said: “NASA found a CD player which was still intact.
“Inside was the other Runrig CD. The last music the Columbia crew ever listened to was by Runrig.”
Jon couldn’t thank the band enough for the part they played in his wife’s life.
He added: “I felt it was important to thank the group for what they did for Laurel.
“Her time on earth — and in space — was enhanced by their music.”
Laurel — 41 when she died — was a frequent visitor to Scotland. She became involved in Space Scotland, which was set up to promote science and technology to schoolchildren.
Jon said: “Laurel’s family emigrated from Scotland in the 1880s. She loved and cherished her heritage.
“It’s great to bring my son over. It was a very spiritual passage for both of us to come here. Laurel always wanted to bring him but sadly never got the chance.”
Jon recalled how he was in Cape Canaveral at the agonising moment it became clear the Columbia mission was doomed.
He said: “I listened to the radio call that a tyre pressure alarm had gone off. It was abruptly interrupted. As a NASA employee, I knew something was amiss. It was a very difficult day.”
The band broke off from preparations for their gig at Stirling Castle on August 23 to meet Jon and Iain.
Percussionist Calum Macdonald, 49, said: “Laurel was a very special Runrig fan. She’d been featured in one of our newsletters just before the Columbia mission.
“She’d planned to photograph herself in space for the next issue. When we got news of the accident we couldn’t believe it.
“We are all immensely sad for the Clark family.”
I have stuck this on my facebook page. This is extremely moving and brilliant. Thank you for posting.
That is an extraordinary, very moving story. Thanks for posting.
I’ve never understood what Runrig have done to put the collective nose of the AW out of joint. Best not to ask.
Hope your daughter has a fabulous time. Go on Beany! Admit you’re a tad envious.
On the road following a band! Those were the days!
I hate them and thought it would be funny to call them “the Scottish band” the same way MacBeth is labelled “the Scottish play” by auld thesps.
The scottish band are actually great; even Blast, J knows that really. I guess they sometimes, especially in the Donnie Munro, original vocalist, days, he/they could come over a bit Bonio. But, take away the pomp and ceremony, a wonderful array of songs and music, a credit to the gaelic, and I doubt the array of gaelic bands around the day would be were it not for the sterling efforts of the band from Skye. I only saw them live the once, last year, delighted I did.
Here’s what I want when the reaper comes grimly
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=chcZxnzdzrY
Come on, James, gie it yer lugs
Just for you then.
Nup! That was horrible.
I prophesy disaster
I have been rejected, dismissed and laughed at for my love of Runrig *meaningful stare*
I readily admit they’re a bit marmite, but of you like them, the live experience is a great one; not least because the fans all feel like a community
Not enough Gaelic on the AW! Here’s poem and song to put that right.
I wouldn’t say no to a Runrig gig.
My late father loved Runrig and we played their track “Going Home” at his funeral. I’m not a Runrig fan particularly but as Kaisfatdad says, I would say no.
While we’re on the subject, the FC Koln fans’ hymn to the Runrig arrangement of Loch Lomond is one of the world’s great football songs. As a Liverpool fan I’d put it up there, possibly even ahead of, Fields of Anfield Road and You’ll Never Walk Alone for spine-tingling power.
I can’t link to Youtube from work but try searching for “FC Koln Hymne”.
No Baron! I wouldn’t say no. I’d say yes.
I can just imagine it. My kilt swaying gently in the breeze, a Highland lassie on each arm and a wee dram in my sporran. Grand!
BEHAVE!
I’m afraid I’m with those who find them utterly ghastly, Beany. I’m sure I told this here before, but my one experience of Runrig live was the Mandela Hall, Queen’s University Belfast in the late 80s. I went with a friend, Steve – I think he might have got free tickets. i can’t imagine how else we would have been there. Band comes on, and thuis earnest, po-faced Celtic bluster starts with Don writhing about over-emotively in one of those 80s ;eather jackets with the sleeves rolled up, like that shoulder-frugging equally over-earnest guy in Go West. after half a song Steve and I looked at each other and simultaneously headed for the exit.
Very amusing Colin. “earnest, po-faced Celtic bluster ” Love it.
Having said all that, I do hope Miss Beanydaughter has a great time! 🙂
I bet Mr @james-blast cannot find fault with this Scottish band. It’s what R**rig could have been once upon a time.
Jings! Crivvins!