Fairytale of Stornoway storms into charts
● Hebridean rock band unveil Gaelic reboot of classic Pogues anthem
A Hebridean rock band who have shot to fame with their “nonsense songs” have stormed ahead of Lewis Capaldi and Taylor Swift in the official UK itunes chart with their own version of classic festive anthem Fairytale of New York.
Peat & Diesel’s Fairytale of Stornoway, which has risen to fourth place in the itunes chart, relocates The Pogues’ famous festive story from the Big Apple to their native Isle of Lewis and features a number of island locations, Gaelic insults and wrangling about sheep.
Formed last year on Lewis, the band’s Hebridean reboot of Fairytale of New York also name checks legendary Gaelic children’s TV presenter Donnie Dotaman and the replacement of Galway Bay with the Gaelic song Eilean Fraoich in the chorus.
Named best live act at this month’s Scots Trad Music Awards, the trio joined forces with Lewis singer Mairead Fay Nicholson to record their version of the 1987 hit single and film a video in Lews Castle, which overlooks Stornoway.
Peat & Diesel first played live just 18 months ago after fisherman and frontman Callum “Boydie” Macleod started playing and recording videos at home with electrician Innes Scott and delivery driver Uilleam “Uilly” Macleod.
The band were mobbed at festivals across the Highlands and Islands this summer, sold out a show at the Barrowland Ballroom in Glasgow months in advance, and have since added a full Scottish tour as well as dates in London, Manchester, Belfast and Dublin. They have just been confirmed to appear alongside Belle and Sebastian, Pussy Riot and Martha Reeves and the Vandellas at the Doune the Rabbit Hole festival in 2020.
Fairytale of Stornoway has had 4,000 shares and 190,000 views on Facebook alone since being unveiled on Saturday. Urging their fans to support the new single, the band said: “If you download it enough times you might push it into the charts and Boydie can have a nice dram with Santa.”
Peat & Diesel launched Fairytale of Stornoway days after The Pogues version, written by singer Shane Mcgowan and banjo player Jem Finer, was voted the UK’S favourite Christmas song, despite continuing controversy over one line –“You scumbag, you maggot, you cheap lousy faggot.”
The Peat & Diesel version has been changed to ensure it is suitable for fans of all ages.
Innes Scott said: “The song has had a great response so far. We’ve picked up a load of new followers since the weekend. It definitely seems to be appealing to a different audience than our normal stuff. Boydie told us a while ago that he would loved to record it to give something back to them. Hopefully Shane Mcgowan will see the video and like it.”