Ray Laidlaw
Ray Laidlaw | |
|---|---|
| Laidlaw on stage in 2016 Laidlaw on stage in 2016 | |
| Background information | |
| Born | 28 May 1948 Tyneside, England |
| Genres | Folk |
| Instrument | Drums |
| Years active | 1968–present |
| Formerly of | Lindisfarne, Jack the Lad |
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Ray Laidlaw (born 28 May 1948) is a British drummer. He is best known for being a member of Lindisfarne[1] from 1968 to 2003. He plays in The Lindisfarne Story, a tribute band to the group with ex-member Billy Mitchell.[1]
Early life
[edit | edit source]Laidlaw was born in Tyneside in 1948. Ray's father worked in the ship yards.[2] On his thirteenth birthday, his grandad gifted him his first drum kit.[2]
Career
[edit | edit source]Laidlaw formed his first band, The Aristocrats with Simon Cowe, who lived down the road from him (around a five minute walk according to Ray), after one of Ray's cousins began dating Simon's brother, and performed covers of folk and skiffle songs.[2]
Laidlaw first met Alan Hull in 1964 when Hull was in the band "The Chosen Few".[3] Laidlaw, Cowe and Hull formed Lindisfarne (at first called Brethren) in 1968 with Hull Ray Jackson (vocals, mandolin, harmonica) and Rod Clements (bass guitar, violin).[1] The band had two UK top 5 hits in 1971, "Lady Eleanor" (UK #3) and "Meet me on the Corner" (UK #5). During a mimed performance of "Meet Me on the Corner" in 1971 on Top of the Pops, Laidlaw mimed to his drum track with a large bass fish instead of a drum stick, he later said in 2019 of the performance: "It was to be remembered and journalists are still asking about it, so it worked".[4]
In 1973, Laidlaw, Crowe, and Clements all left the band to form Jack the Lad, a group made to perform more traditionally folk group instead of Lindisfarne's Progressive folk sound.[5] The band sometimes toured with Lindisfarne.[6] Laidlaw left the band a few months before they split up and joined another group, Radiator for a year.
In 1978, the original five members of Lindisfarne reformed and had another top ten hit, "Run For Home" (UK #10). The band continued to tour until 2003, when they played their last gig. Laidlaw is now a semi-retired drummer and works full-time as an event producer.[7] He helps run the Sunday for Sammy charity gigs, that was initially set up by Tim Healy and Jimmy Nail in memory of Healy's co-star Sammy Johnson.[4]
Laidlaw now tours in The Lindisfarne Story, with Jack the Lad member Billy Mitchell, who also joined Lindisfarne after Hull's death in 1995.[1]
In 2015, Laidlaw donated money to a fund for a comedy competition called The Phil Richardson Comedy Writing Award, named after a Tyneside singer/comedian who died in 2013.[8]
Personal life
[edit | edit source]Laidlaw lives in Tynemouth with his wife Lesley Ann.[7] They have a son, who lives in California.[7] He enjoys cycling.[7]
References
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