talent. howey'et'. All three of Mull Historical Society‘s albums haye not only been written. arranged and almost exclusiy'ely performed by him. but he also acted as prodttcer on each. ey'en supplying the (‘I) and sleey'e design.
His first two albums. Loss and ('s. were the work of a young man looking within himself. dealing with the sudden death of his father. Kenny Maclntyre. A well respected Scottish broadcaster and pillar of the comtnunity. Kenny died unexpectedly from a heart attack at the age of 5—1. That is not to say that (‘olin‘s lyrics and melodies are restricted to the tnournful and depressiy'e: tnttch of Mull Historical Society's tnusic is riddled with the juy'enile charm of off-kilter pop. from the quirky perspectiy'e of a IIebridean islander.
His new album This Is Hope is a symphony of beatttifttl melodies. a scrapbook of found sounds that captures a man taking anything and ey'erything as inspiration. 'My last album was y'el')’ intrtlfilk‘ctiyc.‘ he admits. ‘It‘s about me ~ I wanted to cony'ey that I was getting oy'er my loss. This third album is a natural progression. it carries a positiy‘e message in reply to so much negatiy‘e feeling in the world today.‘
Inside the hall the air is hot and thick with perspiration. It‘s wartn cans of something-different-ey‘ery-time. and school boys on the door. Iiy‘eryone and their Nan are present. eagerly awaiting (‘olin and the band. I imagine it must be a fair cross— section of .\Iull's population: three or four generations of locals. holiday-makers. friends. family and several of the cast of “(l/(INIUI'_\‘. all shoulder to shoulder. The walls are decorated with 'II()I’I{‘ signs — mini montages of(‘.\'l) signs. one hearts and saltire a drawn and felt-tipped by pupils of 'I‘obermory School. where .\Iaclntyre had been giy‘ing a song writing workshop that afternoon. There‘s a bun, in the air. and before long he appears.
The plan had been to intery‘iew him between sound cheek and performance. along the road at the .\Iishnish. a real fisherman's pub with a I(l(l-yeat'-old pedigree and whisky galore. But the dress rehearsal had run on and he‘d been understandably keen to rest his y'ocal chords before the gig. Two minutes into the band‘s opening number it is clear that the extended sound check had been time well spent — a tender. delicate refrain swelling into an engulfing. three dimensional powerhouse of sound.
Over the next hour and a half .\laclntyre plays his heart out. a no—holds-ban‘ed performance ensuring that men songs that are new to the audience are giy‘en the same crowd saltttation as those that all can sing along with. The banter rolls freely between tracks and audience [mrtieipation is encouraged wherever possible. (‘olin's leading of the crowd is masterful. but all I can think of is the extraordinary presence
Colin Maclntyre plays for his home fans on Mull
of the band. the sweeping melodies blaring ottt around in this most humble of Village halls.
‘.\Iy (iran can't be here tonight. I’m afraid. She's at home with a cold.‘ (‘olin refers to the monologue his grandmother proy'ides on ‘In the Next Life (A Requiemf. the last track on the new album and his final encore this eyening. ‘Ilttt He got a liy‘e link up.’ he declares. pressing a button on his keyboard. her sampled yoice gently booming oycr the audience.
The gig concluded. all are united back to the
.\lishnish. There amongst the dour bar staff. fishermen. jllsI-Ib’s. I’(‘ I’lum and Iidie .\Ic('redie. I catch up with Maclnty're oy'cr a beer. He looks truly Ira/Iled from the performance and has little to say. I too am shell-shocked after the concert and atn beginning to feel the drow sing effects of wartn beer and exercise. We chat a while about his new album. his year away. Trudy the poodle and the local Iiy‘estock; then I let him away to his friends and family. and think about putting my head down.
The next morning is grey again. and my head is quy. I‘m on the ferry back to ()han by nine. yesterday‘s mackerel repeating on me. It occurs to me that .\IacIntyre's music doesn‘t necessarily feel any tnore at home on .\lull than it would in
(ilasgow. that it finds reley'ance in him rather than his home. He makes a special kind of music.
engaging and exuberant. that takes you oy er in a liye. shared experience. I‘d staggered away elated. as if I'd been up on stage myself. ('olin .\Iaclntyre has many rare and yaluable talents. but none so \aluable as to fill the listener with a belief in the human spirit. and of course. a real sense of hope.
IT'S A FAIR CROSS-SECTION OF MULL’S POPULATION; THREE OR FOUR GENERATIONS OF LOCALS, FRIENDS, FAMILY AND SEVERAL
Mull Historical Society play the Liquid Room, Edinburgh on Fri 20 Aug, as part of T on the Fringe: see our Offers Page for your 2 for 1 pint voucher. Colin McIntyre also appears as a special guest of Stephen K Amos at Gilded Balloon on Thu 19 Aug, 9pm.
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