We’ve been very privileged and honoured to feature a number of intimate acoustic sessions over the last few months from Scottish guitarist, troubadour, balladeer and storyteller Ewan McLennan. In the video above you can watch him performing a new song, written to commemorate the start of the Spanish Civil War. In his own words:
July 17th marks the 80th anniversary of the start of the Spanish Civil War. Huge numbers of men and women from around the world went to fight in Spain between 1936 and 1939, against the fascist uprising that was taking place in that country. They joined up and fought under the banner of the International Brigades.
Having had the privilege of meeting and hearing the stories of some of the last living members of the International Brigades, I wrote a song about one Brigader. It’s called Holding Out Against the Night.
Watch all of Ewan’s Sessions for Folk Radio UK here.
VIDEO NO LONGER AVAILABLE
Breaking the Spell of Loneliness
There is more to come from Ewan in the form of a new album due for release in October 2016, a collaborative project with the Guardian journalist and bestselling author George Monbiot. It is called Breaking the Spell of Loneliness and is based on an idea / concept that George Monbiot has been writing about.
An epidemic of loneliness is sweeping the world. The results are devastating: depression, paranoia, anxiety, dementia, alcoholism, accidents and suicide all appear to become more prevalent when connections are cut. To stand back from the state into which we have fallen is to marvel at this misery. It is to witness seven billion people walking past each other.
Read more about it here: http://www.monbiot.com/music/
To coincide with the album’s release they will be performing a number of tour dates together across the UK this Autumn (see below).
George Monbiot and Ewan McLennan – Breaking the Spell of Loneliness
Wed, 12th October – Durham Book Festival
Tue, 18th October – Bristol, St George’s
Thu, 20th October – Liverpool Philharmonic
Sat, 22nd October – Sheffield, Firth Hall
Sun, 23rd October – Ludlow Assembly Rooms
Fri, 4th November – Bridport Arts Centre
Sat, 5th November – Southampton, The Berry Theatre
We’ll be brining you more soon but in the meantime keep an eye on both their websites: