Hebcelt date for multi-tasking Kris
Kris Drever’s prolific musical output is a phenomenon that appears to take even him by surprise.
The award-winning singer songwriter, solo artist, band member and serial collaborator seems omnipresent in the Scottish music scene, his productivity and work schedule something that would impress the most hard-working of musicians.
Three solo albums, seven with folk superstars Lau, two with Éamonn Coyne and another with Roddy Woomble and John McCusker in the space of 12 years is impressive enough, before considering singles, EPs and a host of appearances on other people’s records.
“I feel unforgivably unproductive most of the time. But then I look at the weight of music that’s come out of me in the last 10-15 years and I wonder how I could have produced any more”, he says.
“I understand, intellectually, that playing music is my job and that practising is therefore a part of that. But there’s a massive unwanted bag of subconscious shame that I have to drag around with me while doing it. I suspect that’s just growing up Scottish though.”
Does he ever switch off? “I’m in a really hectic period of my life (two small children) where switching off has ceased to exist, but I used to thoroughly enjoy it.”
Continuing his multi-tasking and creative itinerary, Kris’s latest release ‘Scapa Flow 1919’ was issued on 21 June on the centenary of the scuttling of the German High Fleet in Orkney. Lau’s latest album was released in February and a recording will be released later this year of The Lost Words: Spell Songs project, where he was one of eight musicians involved in a new musical companion piece to The Lost Words book.
As well as some shows as part of the Lost Words project, he is touring with Lau this year and also with his own trio, which includes bassist Euan Burton and Louis Abbott on drums and vocals. And he’s also writing another album with Roddy Woomble and John McCusker, some 12 years after the first, for release next year.
“Keeping all these things moving can be logistically difficult, but that for the most part is pretty dull. It’s just vans, flights, hire cars, getting up two hours before you go to bed etc.
“As long as you are constantly working on creating for one reason or another then there will always be a place to start and a blank page is the single worst thing to be confronted with.
“I think a lot of (the collaborations) have come about because I love the act of making music with other people. As a form of communication it’s so innocent; you can do what you feel and react how you want to. There are no eggshells or elephants.”
Now based in Shetland, the Orkney-born musician is taking his trio next month to the Hebridean Celtic Festival, a familiar event for him and one for which he has a great affinity.
“It’s a big outdoor festival on a Scottish island. I don’t think there’s another place that could do it - Orkney and Shetland both, maybe, have the infrastructure but they’re too remote to make it work for footfall.
“Being from Orkney and living in Shetland, I notice mostly similarities between the three big island groups so, for me, it is the closest I’ll ever get I think to the big festival vibe at home…apart from that time Runrig played at Pickaquoy Park when I was a kiddo.”
And so the phenomenon continues. More writing and collaborating, a tour is already being planned for next year to promote the Drever McCusker Woomble album and perhaps more work with Lau.
“There’ll be something…there’s always something.”