Dundee guitarist recalls being at centre of Runrig ‘fake news’

Pat recalls mix-up after freelance gig

Scots music heroes Runrig will bring the curtain down on their illustrious career this month with two sold-out farewell concerts in Stirling.

Dundee guitarist and DJ Pat Kelly has recalled the time that “fake news” almost put him at the centre of a media storm at the height of the band’s fame.

The incident happened in the early 1990s, Runrig’s most successful period during which time they achieved placings in both the UK albums and singles charts and toured extensively.

Mr Kelly, who was a guitar player on the session circuit at the time, took a job for a gig in Lairig with a band which also included Runrig drummer Ian Bayne.

A classic case of Chinese whispers after the gig made it back to the showbiz desks in the UK press and Mr Kelly was nearly announced as the new member of Runrig.

“I had been playing freelance in various bands in the early 1990s and at the time I had been on a tour of Scotland,” he explained.

“I had a weekend off and received a phone call to ask if I was available to play up in Lairig on a Saturday night.

“I was free so decided to take the job. “In the band that night was Runrig drummer Ian Bayne. Ian was one of the finest drummers around and great to work with.

“Anyway, on the Monday, I had stopped off for a beer at my local pub and was asked what I had been up to at the weekend by a regular. I said that I had been playing up north with Ian.”

Unknown to Mr Kelly someone was listening in and phoned up the showbiz desks with the news that Runrig had signed a new guitarist.

Mr Kelly’s phone was soon ringing off the hook but he managed to set the record straight before he became the subject of unwanted headlines.

“The first phone call I got was from a journalist asking if I was joining Runrig as that is what he had heard,” he said.

“I simply explained the situation and we both laughed. It was a classic case of Chinese whispers and eavesdropping. “I was caught up in a fake news story. “But it would have been nice to have joined them as I always liked their music.”

Dundee guitarist and DJ Pat Kelly.