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Remo is an American drumhead and banjo head company founded by Remo Belli in 1957. They are well known for their highly successful WEATHERKING series, which is now seen on orchestral, world, marching percussion, and drum sets. In addition to drumheads, Remo also produces drumsets and ethnic percussion instruments.^[1]

History[link]

Drummer and founder Remo D. Belli experimented with PET film as a possible material for the production of drumheads after World War II due to its consistency in tonal qualities and resistance to weather changes. Throughout the 1960s, it was a fight to gain market acceptance, as purist jazzmen preferred the sound of natural calfskin. Rock drummers, however, appreciated the added durability and attack.

Originally, the drumheads were white and opaque to help mimic the look of calfskin. Later innovations were clear drumheads, two ply drumheads (for added durability and depth), and simulated natural drumheads with a product called "FIBERSKYN", which is currently on its 3rd version.

Drum Heads[link]

Remo supplies drum heads for various drum companies including Pearl, DW Drums, Yamaha, Mapex, Pork Pie Percussion and Sonor. Remo has factories in the USA and in Taiwan, where the "UT" and "UK" versions are made.

• Ambassador/Vintage A/Ambassador X – A single-ply drumhead made from 10 mil of Mylar film. These heads are most commonly used as snare batter heads. Vintage A heads consists of two plies (7.5 and 3 mil) of polyester film, while Ambssador X heads are 20% thicker than their original counterparts. Vintage A's and Ambassador X heads are available as coated heads only.
• Diplomat - A single-ply drumhead made from 7.5 mil of Mylar film. Diplomats are commonly used as resonant heads for toms.
• Controlled Sound/Controlled Sound X – Drumheads made with 10 mil of Mylar film with a 5 mil center dot to add durability and focus. Often used as a snare batter head. For 2011, Controlled Sound X heads are increased-durability versions of the original, made with a 12 mil coated ply of Mylar film, and are only available as snare sizes.
• Emperor/Emperor X/Vintage Emperor – Drumheads made with two free-floating plies (7 mil) of Mylar film, making them the brightest-sounding two-ply heads and the most durable clear heads of the Weatherking series. Emperor X heads are made with two 10 mil plies of Mylar with a 5 mil reverse dot, making these Remo's most durable drumheads among rock and metal drummers. Vintage Emperor heads are made with two plies (7.5 mil) of polyester film. Emperor X heads come in snare sizes only, while Vintage Emperors are also available as clear heads.
• Smooth White - Drumheads with the characteristics of clear and coated heads, making these an ideal choice for marching drum heads. Available in Ambassador, Controlled Sound, Emperor, Diplomat, Powerstroke 3 and Powerstroke 4 weights.
• Ebony - Black drumheads that provide a darker sound, making them a popular choice for resonant heads. Available in Ambassador, Pinstripe, Powerstroke 3, and Suede weights.
• Pinstripe – Drumheads made with two plies (10 and 5 mil plies) of Mylar film with a measured layer of a ring-reducing agent applied between them at the outer edge that gives a "fat" low pitch and a short sustain, making them popular among rock and R&B drummers.
• Suede/Black Suede - Textured drumheads that enhances the production and reflection of sound. Black Suede drumheads have a slightly darker tone than their Suede counterparts. These drumheads come in Ambassador, Emperor, Black X (two 10 mil plies of Mylar with a 3 mil reverse dot), Diplomat (Suede), and snare side weights.
• Powerstroke 3/Powerstroke 4 – Ambassador-weight drumheads with a thin underlay at the edge of the head to dampen overtones, making these a popular choice for bass and snare drums. Powerstroke 4s are two-ply versions of the Powerstroke 3 with a much darker sound than their single-ply counterparts.
• Powersonic – Bass drum heads made with two 7 mil plies of Mylar film with internal dampening rings to enhance low-end frequencies. These heads come with a snap-on ESDS (External Sound Dampening System) system for added muffling.
• Powerstroke X – Drumheads made with a single ply (14 mil) of Mylar film with a 2 mil inlay ring and optional reverse dot. Snare sizes only.
• Powerstroke Pro – New for 2011, the Powerstroke Pro series of bass drum heads consists of a single ply of Mylar film (10 mil). Powerstroke Pro heads features permanently mounted acoustic foam and comes with Remo's "Pressure Dampening Profile" to reduce overtones and improve sound quality. Available in clear, coated, and Ebony.

Competitors[link]

Remo's primary competition includes Evans Drumheads, Aquarian Drumheads and Attack Drumheads.

See also[link]

• List of drum makers

References[link]

External links[link]

• Official website
• Official remo myspace
• About Remo Drumheads

Luís Remo de Maria Bernardo Fernandes (Konkani:लुईज रेमो जे मारिया बेर्नांद फेर्नांदेज) more popularly known as Remo Fernandes (born 8 May 1953), is a pop/rock/Indian fusion artist and playback singer from the state of Goa, India. His musical work is a fusion of many different cultures and styles he's been exposed to as a child in Goa and in his later travels around the world. Such influences include Goan and Portuguese music, Sega music from Mauritius and Seychelles, African music, Latin music from Cuba and Nicaragua, the music of erstwhile European communist states, those of the dancehalls from Jamaica and Soca from Trinidad.^[1] Writing and singing songs in English made his success more distinctive in the context of the Bollywood-dominated, Hindi language-based, occasionally even disco music scene that was popular in the 1980s and 1990s. His music, reflecting life and socio-political happenings in India with which every Indian could identify, became popular largely with the growing, English-educated, Indian middle class. A popular stage performer in India, he has also taken part in many music festivals around the world.^[2] He now writes and sings his songs in five different languages, English, Hindi, French, Portuguese, and Konkani.

Early years and musical influences[link]

Remo Fernandes was born to the well-known Panjim family of Bernardo and Luiza Fernandes on 8th May 1953.^[3] Although brought up in a Catholic family, Remo says 'When I turned 18, I started thinking for myself; and I realized that god is beyond religion.' Remo's first introduction to rock was at the age of seven, when a cousin returned from London with "Rock Around The Clock", a record by Bill Hayley and The Comets. He claims that it changed his life forever.^[4] He spent the next decade listening to music of that era's most popular icons:

"After about a decade of going crazy over Elvis Presley, Cliff Richard, The Shadows, The Rolling Stones and The Beatles, one of the greatest influences in my life was the psychedelic music of the 70s, especially the movie 'Woodstock', which I watched over and over again. That was the time when rock broke all barriers and became experimental; Jethro Tull fused it with western classical, Blood Sweat & Tears fused it with jazz, Santana fused it with Latin, Osibisa fused it with African... rock truly became the voice of global youth, no more the prerogative or monopoly of America."

— In an interview to 'The Week'.^[4]

In school Remo developed natural guitar playing skills and along with a talented group of friends, Alexandre Rosario, Rex Fernandes, Nandino Lobato Faria, and Caetano de Abreu, formed a school band named the Beat 4. After graduating from school Remo went on to earn a Bachelor's degree in Architecture from the city of Bombay (now called Mumbai). His love affair with music continued, often bunking classes to work on his guitar technique. He began writing his own songs, playing solo or playing with different bands including one called 'The Savages' led by Bashir Sheikh.

Being one of the few cities in India at the time with a niche audience for Rock Music, he played in concerts and venues such as Shanmukhnanda Hall, Rang Bhavan, and in all the major college campuses of Bombay. He tried to bring an Indian element to the music he played tuning his guitar to make it sound like a Sitar and taught himself to play the Indian flute.^[4]

After graduation, Remo returned to Goa and immersed himself in its once famous Hippie culture. He met a group of traveling European artists who named themselves the Amsterdam Balloon Company, playing in their parties at Baga and helping organize concerts for them. Much later, Remo would team up in Amsterdam with Lucas Amor, the violinist in this group, and cut a song called Venus And The Moon. He formed a fusion band Indiana with two others around this time.

Between 1977 and 1980, Remo traveled to Europe and North Africa, hitch-hiking around eight countries during a span of two-and-a-half years, often singing and passing a hat around in underground stations and pedestrian streets to get by.

"I'd met a lot of European hippies in Goa; I wanted to be an Indian hippie in Europe"

— Remo commenting on his first trip to Europe.^[1]

He performed in shows with fusion rock bands, such as playing an electric guitar with Rock Synergie in Paris. Almost settling in the West for good, he changed his mind and returned to India.

Pre-fame years[link]

After returning, Remo continued to write some of his most memorable socio-political songs, but had to face rejections from Indian record companies. At that time no recording company in India was willing to release his music because it was in English, and did not believe there was a market for such music. Apart from this, in 1980s, there was no air play on radio and television, they were both monopolized by the government, who seem to refuse to accept pop music's existence. Remo Fernandes recorded his maiden album Goan Crazy and a subsequent album Old Goan Gold, on a four-track cassette Portastudio recorder in his home. In these albums he played all the instruments, sang all voices, and was the only composer of its music and lyrics. He engineered the recording and mixing and designed the album covers. He had cassettes produced in Bombay and personally went about distributing the cassettes from shop to shop on a yellow scooter along with an illustrated book of poems he wrote, postcards and t-shirts he designed to promote his albums.^[2][3]

1986 was a turning point in his career when three things happened. First was being invited to play at an official government function in Goa for the then visiting Indian Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi. There he sang a song titled 'Hello Rajiv Gandhi' causing a controversy in the local press and then in the national one. But on mailing a press clipping to the Prime Minister and getting a reply back from him saying he'd loved the song and found nothing objectionable in it, this letter, together with the whole story with pictures, was carried in countless national publications.

Second was singing to an audience in Bombay at a concert called Aid Bhopal, held to raise funds for victims of the Bhopal gas tragedy, in which he sang two songs 'Pack that Smack' and 'Ode to Graham Bell'. To his surprise, the concert with both his songs, were televised by Doordarshan on four successive Sundays at prime time. In a country with just one monopolistic television channel at the time, that was a tremendous exposure.

Third was composing and performing the title song for the hit movie Jalwa, which was released the next year, this last event made him instantly famous due to the popularity of Bollywood cinema and of the Hindi language.^[4]

Career[link]

After breaking out with his first hit album "Pack That Smack" in 1986 and "Bombay City" the next year, he became the highest-selling English rock musician in India and the only one in the country to be awarded Gold Discs in this category.^[2] "Pack That Smack" became his first album to be actually released by a recording studio, CBS, at a national level. This was an anti-drugs themed album, especially against addiction to Heroin which contained songs such as Down with Brown, Just a Hippie, Mr Minister - a satire on politician who become inactive once elected to power and So Wie Du - a recording of his performance in Dresden. Bombay City contained hits such as Ocean Queen, Against you/Against me and a hilarious take on the condition of telephone services in India with the song Graham Bell.

Around this time, Invited to attend international music festivals and concerts, Remo again started traveling around the world. His first international event was at the Dresden International Song Competition in former East Germany that attracted competitors from socialist and communist countries. There he won three awards, the Press Critics Award, the overall Second Prize, and the Audience Favorite Award. He once represented India, when it was invited, in the Tokyo Music Festival. He also took part in the Festival of India in the USSR, the MIDEM '96 Music Festival in Hong Kong, besides Festivals in Germany, Bulgaria, Macau, Seychelles and Mauritius. As a stage performer he has by now been to every single continent in the world.

Although the 15-minute title song Jalwa for the movie of the same name released in 1987 made him instantly famous in India, he still resisted the urge to join the commercial Hindi film music industry, as he felt that he would have to compromise his artistic values by doing so and because his command in Hindi prevented him from writing good lyrics.

The next album he released was in 1992 with Magnasound titled Politicians don't know to Rock'n'Roll. Released in the backdrop of communal violence spreading in India, terrible events such as the assassination of Rajiv Gandhi and the destruction of the Babri Masjid mosque in Ayodhya, the album expressed the depression of the times. It included songs such as Don't kick up the Rao -a tribute to the then Prime Minister P. V. Narasimha Rao, A song for India, How does it feel? and a song about safe sex titled Everybody wants to.

In 1995, Remo Fernandes finally moved into Hindi Pop and film music to become a playback singer, by teaming up with the legendary director Mani Ratnam and composer A. R. Rahman. He sang the song "Humma Humma" in the Hindi version of the hit movie they produced - Bombay. The song went on to earn Remo a Double Platinum.

Huya Ho was the next song he composed for the film Khamoshi: The Musical which was released in 1996.

In 1998, along with his newly formed band called the Microwave Papadums. He released his first and only Hindi/pop album to date titled O, Meri Munni( sample (help·info)) and in 2000 became the first Indian solo artist to have a song officially released solely on the Internet. The Cyber Viber generated 16,000 downloads in 2 weeks. Other artists in India who also released top hit songs on the Internet that same year were both Mumbai based artists, Pentagram & Dementra.^[5]

Other collaborations and work[link]

In 1995, during the Channel V Music Awards, Remo, on a bass guitar, and Roger Taylor, on drums, played with Led Zeppelin band members, Jimmy Page and Robert Plant.^[6]

When Pepsi USA entered Indian markets in the 1990s as Leher Pepsi, they signed up Remo for an endorsement deal and got him to star in their first two launch ad films, making advertising history in India.

In February 2005, Remo collaborated with Jethro Tull along with renowned Indian percussionist Sivamani, for a concert held in Dubai. They performed tracks such as Mother Goose, Locomotive Breath, and Remo's now very famous Flute Kick also informally called "the flute song".

Until recently, remo has participated in, and helped popularise a local festival called the Siolim Zagor.^[7]

In 2001, three Microwave Papadums band members- Dharamedra Hirve, Selwyn Pereira and Victor Alvares, and Remo's personal assistant Sunil Redkar, were killed in a motorvehicle road accident in Kanpur.

In 2003, on his 50th birthday, Remo held a reunion concert with many of his former band members from The Beat 4, Indiana, and The Savages, besides friends like The Valadares Sisters and Lucio Miranda.

Personal life[link]

He currently resides in his ancestral home in the village of Siolim, in Bardez district of Goa. He was married to a French lady named Michelle, with whom he has two sons Noah and Jonah.

Awards[link]

• Karmaveer Puraskaar Noble Laureates, 26 November 2007
• Padma Shri, 2007

Song samples[link]

•  The Flute Song (help·info)
•  A Konkani Song (help·info)

References[link]

External links[link]

• Official website
• Siolim Zagor
• Siolim & Cortalim Zagor

Chad Smith
Chad Smith performing with Red Hot Chili Peppers at the Prudential Center in Newark on May 4, 2012.
Background information
Birth name	Chadwick Smith
Born	(1961-10-25) October 25, 1961 (age 50) St. Paul, Minnesota, United States
Genres	Funk rock, alternative rock, funk metal, experimental rock, hard rock, heavy metal, jazz-funk
Instruments	guitar, Piano, Guitar, Oboe, Saxophone, Didgeridoo, Flute
Years active	1982–present
Associated acts	Red Hot Chili Peppers, Chickenfoot, Chad Smith's Bombastic Meatbats, Glenn Hughes, Dave Navarro, Toby Redd

Chadwick "Chad" Gaylord Smith (born October 25, 1961)^[1][2][3] is an American musician, best known as the longtime and current drummer of Red Hot Chili Peppers whom he joined in 1988. Smith is also the drummer of the hard rock supergroup Chickenfoot, which formed in 2008.

Smith has also worked with Deep Purple vocalist Glenn Hughes' backing band and on his own instrumental side-project, Chad Smith's Bombastic Meatbats. In 2010 Smith released a children's record, Rhythm Train which he recorded with legend, Dick Van Dyke, and Leslie Bixler. In April 2010 MTV named Rhythm Train one of the best children's records of all time.

In addition to Smith's bands, he also records with many other musicians including The Dixie Chicks, Kid Rock, George Clinton and Outernational. Smith was ranked #87 on Rolling Stone list of "100 Greatest Drummers of All time". He entered the Guinness book of the world records for playing the world's largest drum kit consisting of 308 pieces. In March 2012 Modern Drummer named Smith #2 on its list of best living drummers.

Smith, along with his Red Hot Chili Peppers bandmates, were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame on April 14, 2012.

Biography[link]

Smith was born Chadwick Smith on October 25, 1961 in Saint Paul, Minnesota but spent most of his childhood in Bloomfield Hills, Michigan where he attended Andover High School and graduated from Lahser High School in 1980. Following high school, Smith spent his time playing in many local bands and the local club scene. It wasn't until 1988 when Smith decided to fly to California to visit his brother that his life changed. While in California, Smith was one of the last drummers to audition for the vacant spot left open by D. H. Peligro in the Red Hot Chili Peppers. Smith completely blew the other three band members away with his aggressive drumming, although Smith's personal style and background of hard rock and motorcycles didn't completely mesh with the other three, who came from a punk rock background. Singer Anthony Kiedis hired Smith to be in the band although he insisted that he needed to get rid of his bandana and long hair. The following day, Smith showed up for another audition wearing the same bandanna and sporting the same long hair. Kiedis admired Smith and found his persistence pretty impressive.^{[citation needed]} Smith joined the Chili Peppers in December 1988 and within a few months was recording his first album with the band, Mother's Milk. Smith reflected on joining the band in a 2012 interview by saying “I remember thinking, ‘Oh, cool, they have a record deal. Great! I’d love to be in a band that has a record deal. We started playing, and right away we just hit it off musically. I was like, ‘Man, this is a blast! These guys are great!’ … We were just doing what we do. We just jammed, which is what we still do today. It’s very similar.”^[4]

In 2008, during a break for the Chili Peppers, Smith joined the hard rock supergroup Chickenfoot. The group has released two album to date. In 2011, due to touring commitments with the Chili Peppers, Smith was unable to tour with Chickenfoot and was replaced by Kenny Aronoff although Smith still remains a member of the band and plans to record more music with them during the next break away from the Chili Peppers.

In August 2011, the Chili Peppers released I'm with You, their tenth studio album, seventh with Smith. The band expects to be on the road until at least 2013 supporting the album although Smith said a new album isn't expected until at least late 2013. In April 2012, the band was inducted by Chris Rock into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.

Personal life[link]

On May 8, 2004 in Hopetown, Abaco, Bahamas, Smith got married for the second time to architect Nancy Mack. They have two sons together, Cole and Beckett Cash and as of March 2012 are expecting their third child as announced by Smith on his Twitter page. Smith has 3 other children from previous relationships; daughter Manon St. John Smith with first wife, Maria St. John, daughter Ava Smith, and son Justin Smith.^[3][5]

Smith is a diehard Detroit Pistons fan and loves playing golf, riding motorcycles, surfing and watching Saturday Night Live. He has a striking resemblance to actor Will Ferrell and has acknowledged the resemblance in various interviews.^[6]

Smith regularly contributes to many non profit organizations including: MusiCares, Surfer's Healing, an organization which provides aid to children facing Autism, Right Turn in Boston, Make-A-Wish Foundation, Children's Hospitals across the United States and Camp Korey, which is one of Paul Newman's Hole in the Wall summer camps for children with serious illness.

Equipment[link]

Chad Smith drumming at the London Guitar Show 2008

Chad's Pearl Acrylic kit:

• 12x8 tom
• 14x14 floor tom
• 16x16 floor tom
• 24x18 kick drum
• 14×5 Pearl Ultracast Snare

Note: Chad rarely uses his signature snare.

Sabian cymbals:

• 14" AAX-Celerator Hats,
• 21" AA Rock Ride,
• 20" AA Rock Crash,
• 19" AA Medium Crash,
• 19" Vault Holy China,
• 10" AAX Splash

Vater Percussion sticks:

• Chad Smith Funk Blaster

Pearl hardware:

• C1000 straight stand x 5
• P2000C bass drum pedal
• H2000 hi-hat stand
• S2000 snare stand
• D1000S throne
• T2000 double tom stand
• B1000 boom stand
• AX20 adapter

Remo drumheads:

• Clear Powerstroke 4 (Bass Drum Batter): 24"
• Clear Ambassador (Tom Resonants): 12", 14", 16"
• Clear Controlled Sound(Tom Batters):12", 14", 16"
• Coated Controlled Sound (Snare Batter): 14"
• Ambassador Hazy (Snare Side): 14"

Selected discography[link]

• Jam Sessions - Jamming with Linc (1977)
• Pharaoh - Point Of Entry (1982)
• Toby Redd - In the Light (1986)
• Red Hot Chili Peppers - Mother's Milk (1989)
• Second Self - Mood Ring (1990)
• Twenty Mondays - Twist Inside (1992)
• Queen Remix (1991)
• Red Hot Chili Peppers - Blood Sugar Sex Magik (1991)
• Wild Colonials - Fruit of Life (1994)
• General Clusterfunk - Starin' Straight at the Sun (1994)
• Various Artists - A Means to an End: The Music of Joy Division (1995)
• Red Hot Chili Peppers - One Hot Minute (1995)
• Original Soundtrack - Grace of my Heart (1996)
• Wayne Kramer - Dangerous Madness (1996)
• Thermadore - Monkey on Rico (1996)
• Howard Stern's Private Parts (1997)
• Lili Haydn - Lili (1997)
• John Fogerty - Blue Moon Swamp (1997)
• Leah Andreone - Alchemy (1998)
• Red Hot Chili Peppers - Californication (1999)
• Fishbone - The Psychotic Friends Nuttwerk (2000)
• Various Artists - Loud Rocks (2000)
• Dave Navarro - Trust No One (2001)
• Red Hot Chili Peppers - By the Way (2002)
• Johnny Cash - Unearthed (2003)
• Glenn Hughes - Songs In The Key Of Rock (2003)
• Hughes Turner Project - HTP 2 (2003)
• John Frusciante - Shadows Collide With People (2004)
• Glenn Hughes - Soulfully Live In The City Of Angels (2004)
• Glenn Hughes - Soul Mover (2005)
• Red Hot Chili Peppers - Stadium Arcadium (2006)
• Dixie Chicks - Taking The Long Way (2006)
• Glenn Hughes - Music For The Divine (2006)
• Glenn Hughes - First Underground Nuclear Kitchen (2008)
• George Clinton - George Clinton and His Gangsters of Love (2008)
• Chickenfoot - Chickenfoot (2009)
• Chad Smith's Bombastic Meatbats - Meet The Meatbats (2009)
• B'z - Ichibu to Zenbu/Dive (2009)
• Rhythm Train with Leslie Bixler, Chad Smith and Featuring Dick Van Dyke - (2010) ^[7]
• Paul Oakenfold - Pop Killer (2010)
• Chad Smith's Bombastic Meatbats - More Meat (2010)
• Kid Rock - Born Free (2010) ^[8]
• Red Hot Chili Peppers - I'm with You (2011)
• Chickenfoot - Chickenfoot III (2011)
• Chad Smith's Bombastic Meatbats - Live Meat And Potatoes (2012)

References[link]

External links[link]

• Red Hot Chili Peppers Official website
• Chad on Twitter
• Rhythm Train
• Guitarworld
• Chad Smith on Drum Channel

Colin McRae

Colin McRae at the X Games XIII in 2007
Personal information
Nationality	Scottish
Born	(1968-08-05)5 August 1968
Died	15 September 2007(2007-09-15) (aged 39)
World Rally Championship record
Active years	1987–2003, 2005–2006[1]
Teams	Subaru, Citroën, Ford, Škoda
Rallies	146
Championships	1 (1995)
Rally wins	25
Podiums	42
Stage wins	477
Total points	626
First rally	1987 Swedish Rally
First win	1993 Rally New Zealand
Last win	2002 Safari Rally
Last rally	2006 Rally of Turkey

Colin Steele McRae, MBE (5 August 1968 – 15 September 2007) was a Scottish rally driver born in Lanark.

The son of five-time British Rally Champion Jimmy McRae and brother of rally driver Alister McRae, Colin McRae was the 1991 and 1992 British Rally Champion and, in 1995, became the first British person and the youngest to win the World Rally Championship Drivers' title. He still holds that record.

McRae's outstanding performance on the Subaru World Rally Team enabled the team to win the World Rally Championship Constructors' title three times in succession in 1995, 1996 and 1997. After a four-year spell with the Ford Motor Co. team, which saw McRae win nine events, he moved to Citroën World Rally Team in 2003 where, despite not winning an event, he helped them win the first of their three consecutive manufacturers' titles. He was appointed a Member of the Order of the British Empire for services to motorsport in 1996.^[2]

McRae died in 2007 when the helicopter he was piloting crashed near his home. The accident also claimed the lives of his son and two family friends. In November 2008 he was posthumously inducted into the Scottish Sports Hall of Fame.

Personal and early life[link]

McRae was married to Alison,^[3] and had two children, Hollie and Johnny.^[4] McRae moved to the principality of Monaco in 1995, partly through his friendship with David Coulthard.^[5] However, as his young family grew up, he spent more time back at his home in Lanarkshire — accepting the higher tax liability of living in Scotland.^[6] The couple bought the 17th century Jerviswood House.

Career[link]

Early career[link]

Colin McRae began his competitive career in motorsport riding trial bikes at an early age, despite being more interested in four wheeled machines rather than two wheel bikes.^[7] At the age of sixteen, through the Coltness Car Club, McRae discovered autotesting, he soon traded his bike for a Mini Cooper and started competing.^[7] A year later, he began to negotiate with another club member to use his Hillman Avenger for the Kames^{[disambiguation needed ]} Stages, a single-staged rally venue not far from McRae's home. McRae finished the event fourteenth; first in his class although he had run most of the event in a higher position.^[7]

In 1986, driving a Talbot Sunbeam, McRae entered the Scottish Rally Championship and soon made a name for himself with his speed and exciting style of driving. His driving style drew many comparisons to Finnish ex-World Rally Champion Ari Vatanen, who McRae had always idolised. In 1988 he performed a giant-killing act when he took the Scottish Rally Championship series crown in a humble Vauxhall Nova. Craving more power, his next car was a Ford Sierra XR 4x4.

His first WRC event was the 1987 Swedish Rally behind the wheel of his Nova, and again two years later, driving the Sierra and finishing 15th overall. Later that year, he finished 5th overall at Rally New Zealand in a rear wheel drive Sierra Cosworth. By 1990 McRae was driving a Sierra Cosworth 4x4 and achieved sixth place in that year's RAC Rally, despite several accidents. 1991 saw McRae turn professional as he was signed by Prodrive boss David Richards to his Subaru team in the British Rally Championship for an annual wage of approximately £10,000.^[8] McRae was British Rally Champion in both 1991 and 1992, soon graduating to the Subaru factory team at World Rally Championship level.^[9] 1992 also saw Colin McRae make his début in the British Touring Car Championship, with a one-off appearance for the Prodrive-run BMW factory team at the Knockhill round. In the second of the two races of the event, McRae collided with Matt Neal. Race officials found McRae to have caused an avoidable collision and subsequently disqualified him.^[10]

World Rally Championship[link]

1993–1998: Subaru[link]

One of the Subaru Impreza rally cars that McRae drove during the 1996 World Rally Championship season.

On his promotion for 1993, McRae initially drove the Prodrive-built Group A Subaru Legacy alongside Finns Ari Vatanen, Hannu Mikkola and Markku Alén. McRae then won his first WRC rally in the car at that year's Rally New Zealand. It was also the first rally win for the newly formed Subaru World Rally Team, shortly before the Legacy was due to be pensioned off in favour of the new Subaru Impreza 555. Such were the rising fortunes of his young Subaru factory team as they competed against the frontrunning TTE ran Toyotas, aided by the latter team's exclusion from the championship after the 1995 Rally Catalunya where it was discovered that the Japanese team had been using illegal turbochargers, it took only until 1995 for McRae to win the drivers title, which he secured with victory in a straight contest with his double champion team-mate, Carlos Sainz, on the season-ending Rally of Great Britain. Although still a winner with the outfit in individual rallies in succeeding years, including, increasingly, more specialised events such as the Acropolis Rally, Safari Rally and the Tour de Corse, McRae could not better second place in the standings in either 1996 or 1997, on both occasions behind Finland and Mitsubishi Ralliart's Tommi Mäkinen. He helped Subaru complete their run of three consecutive manufacturers' titles during this time. In what would turn out to be his final season with the team, in 1998 he won three more rallies and placed third in the standings, as well as winning the Race of Champions in Gran Canaria, the Canary Islands.

1999–2002: Ford[link]

McRae with a Ford Focus WRC at the 2001 Rally Finland.

After several years of varying success, McRae switched to the M-Sport-run Ford factory team for 1999, driving the new Ford Focus rally car. The deal saw McRae earning six million pounds over two years, which at the time made him the highest earning rally driver in history.^[11] This move was immediately rewarded with two consecutive wins at the Safari Rally and Rally Portugal. A number of shunts and reliability issues for the new car for much of the rest of that season, however, resulted in only sixth place in the championship standings overall. Moreover, a rare personal pointless run had begun for McRae that year which was only to be halted with a podium on the following February's Swedish Rally, the beginning of a recovery which saw McRae victorious in on the asphalt turns of Catalunya and the gravel of Greece, and post 4th in the 2000 overall standings. Midway through the 2000 season, the lacking reliability of the Focus had led to McRae threatening to leave the team if the problems continued.^[12] The upturn towards the end of the season resulted in him deciding to renew his contract with Ford for a further two years.^[13] McRae's intermittent success with Ford continued into 2001, where after failing to score in any of the first four rounds, including having momentarily led defending winner Tommi Makinen on the stages of the season opening Monte Carlo Rally prior to being forced into retirement, he then went on to score three consecutive victories in Argentina, Cyprus and Greece to tie with Mäkinen at the top of the points table. However, having again led the championship outright entering the final round in Great Britain, McRae once more missed out on a possible second title, crashing out and finishing second in the drivers championship, two points behind Subaru's Richard Burns.

With victory in the Safari Rally in 2002, McRae made the record books as the driver with most event wins in the World Rally Championship. His record has since been broken by Carlos Sainz, Sébastien Loeb and Marcus Grönholm. McRae's contract with Ford came to an end following the 2002 season, and after reportedly asking for wages of five million pounds a year, Ford decided against renewing the contract, reluctant to commit such a high amount of their budget to a drivers salary. The two parties split on amicable terms, with Ford's European director of motorsport Martin Whitaker stating "On behalf of all of us at Ford Motor Company I would like to publicly thank Colin and Nicky for their efforts during the past four years with the Ford team… I wish them both well in the future."^[14] McRae said of his time with Ford "It's been a very successful four years, we've achieved a lot of very good results and I'm quite happy that myself and Ford have had a very successful partnership."^[15]

2003: Citroën[link]

For 2003, McRae signed for Citroën, a team of winning pedigree due to its successes of the previous year with young Frenchman Sébastien Loeb but otherwise undertaking its first complete campaign at World Rally Championship level. McRae's second place finish on his début in Monte Carlo alongside Loeb and Carlos Sainz whom, aboard the Xsara WRC, helped complete a 1-2-3 finish, transpired to be the finest result he would achieve for the team, for the season was to end with seventh in the drivers' championship, with no victories. Rule changes that were to be brought in for the 2004 season changed the previous practice of having three nominated points-scorers within a team to two. With Loeb partway through a multiple year contract, this meant the Citroën factory team, under Guy Frequelin's leadership, were forced to choose between dropping McRae or Sainz. With Sainz being the more successful of the two during the 2003 season, it was McRae who had to look elsewhere for 2004.^[16] David Richards, McRae's former boss at Subaru, who had by now taken over WRC's commercial rights holders ISC and worried that the loss of a character like McRae would damage his ability to market the sport, set about trying to help McRae find a drive for 2004.^[17] McRae was unable to find a team, and for the first time in over ten years he would not be competing in the World Rally Championship.

Later career[link]

McRae driving a Škoda Fabia WRC on the Millennium Stadium, Cardiff super special stage of the 2005 Rally GB.

As the only other potential alternative suitors, Subaru instead eventually chose Mikko Hirvonen to partner Petter Solberg, McRae found himself without a drive for the 2004 season. He instead pursued other interests, including competing in the Dakar Rally and the 24 Hours of Le Mans (see below).

In 2004 and 2005 McRae represented Great Britain in the Race of Champions alongside Formula One driver and fellow Scot, David Coulthard. For the 2006 event England and Scotland entered separate teams with McRae and Coulthard re-uniting to represent Scotland.

McRae then returned to the series for one off drives for Skoda on the 2005 Rally GB and Rally Australia, respectively finishing seventh and retiring due to a clutch problem on the final leg of the rally, the latter dashing hopes for what may otherwise have been only the team's second ever podium place after the 2001 Safari Rally.

On 5 August 2006, McRae competed for Subaru in the first live televised American rally in Los Angeles as part of the X-Games. McRae rolled the car on the penultimate corner after landing awkwardly from a jump, which damaged the front bumper and left front tyre. Despite this, McRae kept the car running and continued on to the finish, his time only 0.13 seconds slower than eventual winner Travis Pastrana. McRae was, though, to have one more opportunity at world championship level: he was unexpectedly entered for his final rally by semi-works Kronos Citroën at Rally Turkey in September, where he replaced Sébastien Loeb while the Frenchman recovered from an injury he sustained in a cycling accident immediately prior to the event.^[18] A final-stage alternator problem consigned him and returning co-driver Nicky Grist, to a final placing outside the top ten.

The Ferrari 550-GTS Maranello driven by McRae at the 2004 24 Hours of Le Mans

McRae's competitive spirit also led him to compete in racing series other than the WRC. In September 2002 he tried his hand at oval racing when he took part in the Ascar (UK version of NASCAR) race at the Rockingham Motor Speedway, Northamptonshire; eventually finishing in sixth place.

McRae rejoined Prodrive for the 2004 24 Hours of Le Mans where he took third place in the GTS class, and ninth position overall in a Ferrari 550-GTS Maranello partnering Darren Turner and Rickard Rydell. Fellow countryman, and Le Mans winner Allan McNish commented that "Colin has adapted far better than people expected" to endurance sportscar racing.^[19]

McRae, made his debut on the gruelling Dakar Rally Raid with Nissan in January 2004, and impressed the team by scoring two stage wins on his way to a memorable finish on the gruelling Sahara event. He returned to the Dakar in 2005 and was fastest on two of the first three stages in Morocco, before crashing out of the rally towards the end of stage six.

In August 2007, McRae claimed to still be working on finding a seat for the 2008 WRC season, stating that "if it doesn't happen next year, then I won't (return) because you can only be out of something at that level for so long."^[20]

Death[link]

McRae died on 15 September 2007 when his helicopter, a Eurocopter AS350,^[21] crashed 1 mile north of Lanark, Scotland, close to the McRae family home.^[22] McRae was piloting the helicopter (with an expired license) at the time of the crash.^[23][24] McRae's five-year-old son Johnny, and two family friends, Graeme Duncan and Johnny's six-year-old friend Ben Porcelli, also died in the crash.^[25][26] McRae's previously active website, ColinMcRae.com, was later replaced with a memorial screen stating a few details about the crash, and then with a short statement released on behalf of McRae's father, Jimmy,^[27] and later a book of condolences.^[27]

Funeral and celebration services[link]

The funeral for Colin and Johnny took place on 26 September at Daldowie Crematorium near Glasgow, conducted by the Rev Tom Houston, who had married the McRaes, and the Rev Steven Reid, chaplain at Johnny's school. An address was given by Robbie Head, a former rally driver and commentator who was a close friend of McRae's, with the Rev Houston giving the benediction. McRae's niece and nephews performed the tune Highland Cathedral, a popular funeral song. Also, the song "(Sittin' on) the Dock of the Bay" by Otis Redding, a favourite song of McRae's, was played when the family entered the chapel; and The Proclaimers' song "I'm on My Way" was played when they left. Colin and Johnny McRae were cremated in the same coffin. Among the attendees at the funeral were fellow Scottish racing drivers Jackie Stewart and Dario Franchitti.^[28]

A "Celebration of Life" service took place at St Nicholas Church in Lanark on Sunday 30 September at 4 pm. Images from McRae's career and personal life were displayed on large video screens outside the church. Around 700 mourners filled the church, with crowds of up to 15,000 outside. Shortly before 4pm, a lone bagpiper played "Flower of Scotland" as the family arrived at the church. The service was conducted by the Rev Alison Meikle, who said "Two weeks ago Lanark was struck by silence. A terrible silence bought at an enormous price. However, in our tears love is stronger than death." Later, the Kenny Rogers and Dolly Parton song "Islands in the Stream", a favourite of Johnny's, was played. Friends of the pair shared poems and anecdotes from the McRaes' lives. After the service, Colin McRae's widow, brother and father bowed and applauded the crowds who had gathered outside to pay tribute to the McRaes.^[29]

Reaction[link]

McRae tribute during the 2007 Race of Champions.

McRae's death was met by much grief from former colleagues, rivals and fans alike. Formula One driver David Coulthard, a good friend of McRae, who was due to represent Scotland along with him in the Race of Champions at Wembley Stadium on 16 December,^[30] described him as "an understated yet fantastically talented individual", he also announced that he would race the 2007 Japanese Grand Prix with a helmet paint design similar to that of McRae's as a tribute.^[31] During the finale of the 2007 Scottish Rally Championship, the "Colin McRae Forest Stages" held in Perth in September 2007,^[32] there was no number 1 car as McRae had been due to drive the course car on the event. Instead, his car was parked at the starting point of the rally, where fans were able to sign a book of condolences.^[33]

Following his win at the Brands Hatch meeting of the 2007 World Touring Car Championship season, Andy Priaulx dedicated it to McRae, commenting that his death "shows how fragile life can be".^[34] McRae's former rival, four-time World Rally Champion Tommi Mäkinen commented the helicopter accident as terrifying news, and described McRae as "a pleasant fellow and a tough rival".^[35] Valentino Rossi, who was taught the basics of driving a rally car by McRae, said he was shocked and saddened by the sudden departure of the former World Rally Champion. Valentino dedicated his win at Estoril MotoGp in 2007 to Colin McRae saying to the media "I want to dedicate this to Colin McRae. He was one of my big idols when I was very young and it's because of him I have a big passion for rally".^[36]

As a mark of respect for McRae, the Swedish Rally organisers set up an award for the longest jump over a crest on the Vargåsen stage of the rally. The inaugural winner of the award, named Colin's Crest, was Ford's United Arab Emirates driver Khalid al-Qassimi who recorded a distance of 30 m.^[37]

McRae's father, Jimmy, driving a Porsche 911 at the 2008 Colin McRae Forest Stages.

On 27 September 2008 the Colin McRae Forest Stages Rally took place in Perth, Scotland. An enhanced entry list of several former big name rally drivers took part in memory of Colin.^[38] The impressive entry list included ex-World Championship drivers Hannu Mikkola, Ari Vatanen (partnered by his 1981 WRC winning co-driver David Richards), Björn Waldegård, Stig Blomqvist, Malcolm Wilson, Russell Brookes, Jimmy McRae, Andrew Cowan and Louise Aitken-Walker, many competing in their original cars. A handful of current WRC drivers also took part including Matthew Wilson, Kris Meeke and Travis Pastrana. The event was deemed a great success, attracting record spectator numbers to the Perthshire forests. Outright winner was Stobart VK M-Sport Ford Rally Team driver Matthew Wilson in a Ford Focus WRC. Fittingly, Colin's brother Alister McRae won the classic category.

In video game Colin McRae: Dirt 2 there is a race series named "Colin McRae Challenge" that is dedicated to him. Winning the race unlocks a video that is a tribute to him.

Investigation[link]

After the crash, an investigative team from the UK Department for Transport Air Accidents Investigation Branch attended the scene in co-operation with Strathclyde Police. The wreckage of the helicopter was removed to Farnborough for further forensic investigation. Pilots operate under strict regulations, and are expected in the case of helicopters under CAA rules to undertake a competency test every year, and to renew their licenses every five years — not to do so is illegal. It later emerged that McRae had not undertaken a competency check as required in March 2006, and that effectively his license had expired in February 2005. A CAA spokesman commented "The investigators must determine why he (McRae) hasn't kept up to date with his documentation. There is no suggestion that Mr McRae was not a competent pilot."^[39]

A report into the accident was published on 12 February 2009. In it, the AAIB did not reach a definite conclusion as to the cause of the accident, stating instead that "the helicopter crashed in a wooded valley while manoeuvering at high speed and low height. It was intact prior to impact, and the available evidence indicated that the engine was delivering power. The cause of the accident was not positively determined. Although no technical reason was found to explain the accident, a technical fault could not be ruled out entirely. However, it is more likely that the pilot attempted a turning manoeuvre at low height, during which the helicopter deviated from his intended flight path; whether due to the pilot encountering handling difficulties, misjudgement, spatial disorientation, distraction or a combination of such events. There were indications that the pilot had started a recovery but, with insufficient height in which to complete it, the helicopter struck trees in the valley and crashed, killing all four occupants."^[40]

A Fatal Accident Inquiry into the incident concluded, on 6 September 2011, that McRae was at fault for the avoidable helicopter crash that led to his death and the death of his passengers.^[41] Sheriff Nikola Stewart stated, after the 16-day inquiry, that McRae had been engaged in "unnecessary and unsafe" low-level flying at the time of the crash.^[42][43]

Colin McRae Rally[link]

Codemasters released the first Colin McRae Rally video game in 1998. Version 2, known as Colin McRae 2.0, was released in the year 2000, for Sony's PlayStation and for the PC; it was also ported to the Game Boy Advance in 2002. A third version found a wide audience on the PC and Xbox. Versions 04 and 2005 arrived in 2004 on all major platforms. 2005 was also remade for Sony's PSP and Nokia's N-Gage. Colin McRae: Dirt was the title for the next installment of the series, which launched in 2007 for the PC, Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3. The PlayStation 3 edition was released in the UK on 14 September, the day before McRae's death.^[44] A special edition for mobile phones will also be available from Codemasters Mobile. Colin McRae: Dirt 2 was released on the Xbox 360 and the PS3 on 11 September 2009, the PC version was released on 8 December 2009. Colin McRae: Dirt 3 was released in Europe and North America on the 24 May 2011, and two days later in Australia for Microsoft Windows, PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360.

Colin McRae R4[link]

This unreferenced section requires citations to ensure verifiability.

A Colin McRae R4 on display at the Goodwood Festival of Speed

Colin McRae chose the 2006 Goodwood Festival of Speed to unveil the McRae R4, which had been conceived at the beginning of 2005. The intention was to make a cheaper alternative to WRCs (World Rally Cars) with significantly lower running costs. The McRae R4 was designed for use in rallying, rally cross, circuit racing and ice racing events, with the possibility of a one-make race series.

Designed by Colin McRae and Dave Plant and built by DJM Race Preparation, the McRae R4's chassis is based on a steel safety cage with carbon panelling front and rear, and a steel-covered cockpit area. Suspension consists of twin wishbones with Proflex dampers. The body styling has been done by Keith Burden and Tom Webster. It appears that some components of the vehicle have been taken from existing production cars, the doorline in particular appears very close to that of the Ford Ka.

The engine is a naturally aspirated, 4-cylinder, 2.5-litre Millington Diamond Engine producing 350 BHP. Transmission is via a six-speed gearbox, manual or semi-automatic, and by mechanical front and rear differentials with the option of mechanical or active central differential. The car can be produced in either 2 or 4 wheel drive formats.

Alison McRae has said that she would like production of the car to continue following Colin's death.

The R4 appears in Codemasters titles Colin McRae: DiRT, Colin McRae: DiRT 2 and DiRT 3.

Complete WRC results[link]

World Rally Championship victories
#	Event	Season	Co-driver	Car
1	23rd Rothmans Rally of New Zealand	1993	Derek Ringer	Subaru Legacy RS
2	24th Rothmans Rally of New Zealand	1994	Derek Ringer	Subaru Impreza 555
3	50th Network Q Rally	1994	Derek Ringer	Subaru Impreza 555
4	25th Smokefree Rally New Zealand	1995	Derek Ringer	Subaru Impreza 555
5	51st Network Q Rally	1995	Derek Ringer	Subaru Impreza 555
6	43rd Acropolis Rally of Greece	1996	Derek Ringer	Subaru Impreza 555
7	38° Rallye Sanremo — Rallye d'Italia	1996	Derek Ringer	Subaru Impreza 555
8	32° Rallye Catalunya-Costa Brava (Rallye de España)	1996	Derek Ringer	Subaru Impreza 555
9	45th Safari Rally Kenya	1997	Nicky Grist	Subaru Impreza WRC
10	41ème Tour de Corse — Rallye de France	1997	Nicky Grist	Subaru Impreza WRC
11	39° Rallye Sanremo — Rallye d'Italia	1997	Nicky Grist	Subaru Impreza WRC
12	10th API Rally Australia	1997	Nicky Grist	Subaru Impreza WRC
13	53rd Network Q Rally	1997	Nicky Grist	Subaru Impreza WRC
14	31° TAP Rallye de Portugal	1998	Nicky Grist	Subaru Impreza WRC
15	42ème Tour de Corse — Rallye de France	1998	Nicky Grist	Subaru Impreza WRC
16	45th Acropolis Rally of Greece	1998	Nicky Grist	Subaru Impreza WRC
17	47th Safari Rally Kenya	1999	Nicky Grist	Ford Focus WRC
18	32° TAP Rallye de Portugal	1999	Nicky Grist	Ford Focus WRC
19	36° Rallye Catalunya-Costa Brava (Rallye de España)	2000	Nicky Grist	Ford Focus WRC
20	47th Acropolis Rally	2000	Nicky Grist	Ford Focus WRC
21	21° Rally Argentina	2001	Nicky Grist	Ford Focus WRC
22	29th Cyprus Rally	2001	Nicky Grist	Ford Focus WRC
23	48th Acropolis Rally	2001	Nicky Grist	Ford Focus WRC
24	49th Acropolis Rally	2002	Nicky Grist	Ford Focus WRC
25	50th Inmarsat Safari Rally	2002	Nicky Grist	Ford Focus WRC

References[link]

Journals[link]

• Evans, David (20 September 2007) Autosport, "McRae Tribute", Vol. 189, No. 12, pp. 6–11, Haymarket Publications.

Notes[link]

External links[link]

Wikinews has related news: Colin McRae feared dead in helicopter crash

• Official site
• Official sportswear brand
• Rallybase stats page
• WRC Archive stats page
• Obituary in The Times
• Obituary and Memorial
• McRae R4
• McRae Dakar Buggy