Biography

Photo: Beastie Gav

The Sorries are Douglas Kay (vocals, guitar, bodhran) and Martin Philip (vocals, guitar, bodhran).  The duo sing, play and banter their way through a show inspired by the music of The Corries; performing a selection of tunes from that well-loved songbook as well as a few satirical comedy songs which cast a sardonic eye on the political and public life of present-day Scotland.

Douglas Kay started playing acoustic gigs around Edinburgh in 1995 and has honed his skills through gigs in Australia, New Zealand, Canada, South Africa and Europe as well as radio appearances in Britain and Australia.  His extended travels have given him a wide range of influences and experiences which inform his performances both as a solo artist ( The Douglas Kay Band: www.douglaskay.com ) and with The Sorries. 

Martin Philip has toured in Europe and America as front man of the groove trio Gecko 3 ( www.gecko3.com ) playing the Skye festival, the Redbourn Festival, Ca Jazz a Huy and Ronnie Scott’s amongst others. The trio have played support for Roy Ayers, the Quantic Soul Orchestra and Spanky Wilson as well as the Cuban Brothers.  He also appeared as a singer on KT Tunstall’s first album Eye to the Telescope.

The two formed The Sorries following a conversation during a tour of the Highlands where both Gecko 3 and Douglas Kay were performing.  Coming from very different musical projects, Kay and Philip discovered a shared love for the music of The Corries.  The duo, they decided, is still an ideal format in which to present so many of the sensational folk songs in which Scotland is so rich.  That (late) night, the two resolved to join forces.

The Sorries made their live debut in Edinburgh during December 2006 .  During 2007 The Sorries moved from the pubs of Edinburgh to the halls of Moray and on to Glencoe's famous Clachaig Inn. 2008 brought sell-out shows in locations as diverse as Lossiemouth’s Warehouse Theatre and the Isle of Eigg Community Hall. The duo completed an Autumn/Winter tour of the Borders and played Aberdeen’s Lemon Tree in December. The 2009 Homecoming Year has been an exciting time for The Sorries, with a return to the Lemon Tree and an appearance at the inaugural Aberfoyle Folk Festival ( alongside "the biggest names in Scottish folk music" Stirling Observer ).

The three week run at the Edinburgh Festival has been a great success, with packed audiences and attention from the national press.