Belle and Sebastian, The Proclaimers and KT Tunstall are among the Scottish indie royalty coming together to record an album to raise funds for out of work backstage crew.
The compilation, titled Whole Lotta Roadies, will see the performers record new versions of their classic songs with crew members forming their backing band.
Fans will be able to choose which choose which track is covered from each band’s back catalogue in an online vote.
Brought together by the Fruit Tree Foundation, created by Idlewild’s Rod Jones, the project follows the devastating effect the pandemic is having on all aspects of live shows.
Many working behind the scenes on live events rely on them happening for a living, with most facing the prospect of an entire year of cancelled bookings.
Other acts set to lend their talents to the fundraiser are Twin Atlantic, Fatherson, Emma Pollock, Honeyblood, The Rezillos, The Xcerts, and Idlewild.
The album is so far planned for a digital release only, and is available to pre-order now exclusively on Bandcamp for £10.
Rod said: “The devastating impact Covid-19 has had on the music industry is well documented and few are far more affected than live crew.
“On speaking to members of our touring crew, I realised how they were falling through the cracks in government funding and with no gigs and tours upcoming the outlook for them was bleak. I wanted to try and find a way to support them and the wider Scottish live crew industry.
“Knowing how many crew members are also very talented musicians in their own right I thought it would be fitting for them to showcase this by covering songs of the bands they have been working with over the years, and releasing an album of this to create a hardship fund and also awareness of their situation.
“The support from bands and for this project has been amazing and with singers from each one singing on the cover versions we hope to create a really special album to celebrate and support the people behind the shows that we all love to play and go to, without them the music industry and artists would be lost.”
Fans are asked to vote from today via social media to choose which songs will be covered, with the crew and bands then taking to the studio to record their versions over the next few weeks.
Richie Dempsey, live sound engineer for Idlewild and Emma Pollock said: “This is an exciting project, aimed at raising funds and awareness for Scottish crew that are involved with these bands.
“The UK government might not care about us, but the bands and the bands fans do.”
Funds raised will be distributed via The Fruit Tree Foundation, the Scottish arts charity that has previously worked to raise awareness of mental health, and a specially put together board made up of those within the live events industry.
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