Skye band Valtos are raising money for Movember through the release of a charity EP in collaboration with two award-winning Scottish bands.
Islanders, Martyn MacDonald and Daniel Docherty, who hail from Broadford and Portree, respectively, have teamed up with folk heavyweights Talisk, and Elephant Sessions to produce a record in conjunction with the the annual event – Movember – which involves the growing of moustaches during the month of November to raise awareness of men’s health issues, such as prostate cancer, testicular cancer, and men’s suicide.
The EP will include a remix of ‘Farewell’ by Talisk, the Valtos edit of the RosT remix of Riverview by the Elephant Sessions, and a live edit of Valtos’ track ‘Skye’.
Speaking to the Free Press about the record, Valtos’ Martyn MacDonald, said: “We were looking to put the remix/edit EP out at some point and given Movember was coming up we thought it would be a great way to raise some money for charity!
“We’ve been playing the Talisk remix since we began gigging as a band last year but due to release clashes we hadn’t been able to agree a date with Talisk previously, but they were 100 per cent on board with this idea.”
Underlining the prevalence of the issues involved, he went on to say: “I think we’ve all had some exposure to the issues raised within the Movember campaign, whether it’s feeling alone and depressed as a man, feeling like there’s nowhere you can turn, having to bottle up your feelings, or on the other end of the spectrum having a relative be diagnosed with prostate or testicular cancer – get yourself checked men!
“We have a little bit of a platform now so even if we can use this to raise a little bit of awareness/money for the charity we’ll be happy.”
The EP follows hot on the heels of Valtos’ “bouncing” Halloween dance party at Broadford Village Hall on Saturday (29th October) which drew a crowd of around 200 people and featured a quintet of local talents.
Accompanied by award-winner Gaelic singer Eilidh Cormack and Leith-born up and coming multi-instrumentalist Euan McLaughlin, and supported by mix masters Kontrast, Valtos performed brand new material alongside some of their familiar favourites from their self-titled debut album.
Speaking after what is likely to be their last show of a busy year, Martyn told the Free Press: “It was bouncing, it went really well and it was a lot of fun.
“Everyone made an effort, which was great to see.
“We had Fraser Graham and Ross MacDonald, the Kontrast deejays, on before and after us, which set the tone, got everyone into the mood, and closed the night off well.”
Next year Martyn and fellow Valtos member Daniel Docherty are set to play their biggest gig to date in front of 500 people at the Celtic Connections festival in Glasgow.
The Celtic Connections show will mark a new high point for the band in what has been a rapid rise since they played their first live show little over a year ago in Portree.
Article by Adam Gordon.