Colin MacIntyre – No man is an island

Mull Historical Society mainstay Colin MacIntyre lifts the lid on his vinyl reissues and box set

- By Colin MacIntyre

Tell us how the reissues came about.

It's 21 years since my debut, Loss, and 20 years since Us. It felt like a good way to mark those lines in the sand. I'm usually all about looking forward, creatively, but it's been quite a life-flashing-before-the-eyes experience, revisiting my first four years of releasing records. The collection includes an 80-track 4CD box set, including my first three albums, plus rarities, live and session tracks, covers, and B-sides, plus a 36-page booklet.

Did you suggest the albums coming out on vinyl?

Bernard Butler produced my last Mull album, Wakelines, and he was doing a reissue with Demon and recommended them. I contacted them, and they've been great to deal with. I'm particularly pleased that my third MHS album, This Is Hope, is coming out on vinyl, because it never did on original release. It has new artwork, as, on reflection, I wasn't too happy with the original sleeve my fault. It was great to revisit. Also, there's a centrefold of "Society" fan members' names in the vinyl release, "We Are Society". The album was recorded at Bearsville Studios, Woodstock, New York. Apparently, Bob Dylan & The Band had their initials etched into a tree somewhere there. I didn't find them, but I did write a song, Treescavengers. Janis Joplin's Mini was still in the studio garage as well, so you felt a sense of history of those who'd been there before. There were enormous flying turkeys, too, and power cuts galore, so it really did feel like home!

Did it take long to get the vinyl done?