Craig Herbertson
Presenting the check for a thousand Pounds to Tom Purdie, representing the Hearts Great War memorial Fund
Craig Herbertson began his music career as lead singer and songwriter in experimental bands in his home town of Edinburgh, including the New Wave band, ‘The Androids’, who were given airplay by John Peel, reviewed in NME and called ‘surprisingly good’ in ‘45 Revolutions’, the definitive guide to punk.
At the turn of the millennium, he returned to the acoustic guitar and was invited to join the spectacular dance show ‘Celtic Life’ which was touring Germany. While touring he shared the stage with Chris De Burgh at a gala performance in Edinburgh and began work on a series of albums which became a Scottish Trilogy: The CD’s ‘Hearts of Glory’, ‘Lord of Whisky’ and ‘A Health to the Ladies’ were all critically well received – ‘Scots’ folk at its best’ (Christopher Dömges) – The ‘Hearts of Glory’ single reached number 20 in the BBC Indie charts, something of a miracle for a folk song.
In the years that followed, Craig appeared before Diplomatic Ambassadors and Attaches from Ireland, Great Britain, Australia and Canada. He played to millionaires, company directors, multinational firms in venues ranging from a packed Stadium in Edinburgh to the opening of the Ryan Air terminal in Frankfurt. From a Mississippi river boat in New Orleans to Irish bars, restaurants, five star hotels, folk festivals, theatres and clubs throughout the world
Craig is best known as a writer of songs based in the Scottish tradition, but his latest CD ‘Communication Breakdown’ draws on a variety of experiences. It includes songs about the Apocalypse, soldiers returning to England from the East, how to love a drug addict, New Orleans eccentrics and the simple vision of a beautiful woman.
The title track, ‘Communication Breakdown’, portrays a vision of the collapse of society, a soldier returns home from war to meet his lover for one last fling before the lights go out. The bouncy ‘Ghost of New Orleans’ was inspired by meeting the crazy people of Bourbon Street – twisted clowns, funereal Jazz bands, Burlesque strippers. In the eerie ‘Big Brother’ a grim stalker hunts a beautiful woman.
Craig’s strong and melodic voice is supported by the singer, composer and multi-instrumentalist from Northumberland. Andrew Cadie. Producer and arranger, Andrew is a graduate in Folk Music from Newcastle University. He is joined by multi instrumentalist Mark Bloomer and Jazz and Klezmer band bassist Richard Waltern, occasional guest of the award-winning band ‘Broom Bezzums’. With contributions from the pianist, arranger and composer, Matthias Keul, whose experience includes appearances with the German rock band ‘BAP’, the CD offers a plethora of veteran and original talent.
Craig’s songs are sometimes historical journeys in the manner of fellow Scot, Al Stewart, but are more often drawn from real life experience – and as an author of fantasy and horror novels who has worked on oil rigs, as a philosophy teacher, a labourer, a model for beer and a mime artist, and a man who has appeared as an extra in many productions including ‘Das Wunder von Bern’, ‘Prime Suspect’, ‘Peak Practice’ (as a busker)‘Kavanagh QC’ and numerous others, it’s a pretty interesting life.
As Craig says, ‘Whether I am playing in the streets of Paris to a single homeless man or to a crowd of thousands in a stadium, for me it is always about the music itself and the pleasure it gives.’
Listen
1. He Who Would be King
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2. East of Aberdeen
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