Rapping minister and priest join climate change battle with Christmas single

The Shoes Brothers Reverend Neil Urquhart and Father Willie Boyd. Picture: TSPL

A Kirk minister and a Catholic priest have joined together to create a Christmas musical rap video to promote awareness of environmental issues.

Reverend Neil Urquhart of Fullarton Parish Church and Father Willie Boyd of St Mary’s and St John Ogilvie’s, both from Irvine, have performed their new festive hit ‘Come To Save Our Planet’ under their musical duo name ‘The Shoes Brothers’.

Featuring scenes shot in a wind turbine and in a car scrap yard, the song encourages people to work together to tackle climate change. The video also features environmental activitists the Irvine Clean-up Crew, Coastwatch, local radio station Irvine Beat and local school pupils.

Rev Urquhart said that they had chosen to sing about the enviornment due to increasing awareness of the effects of climate change.

He said: “Rising tides, floods, programmes like Blue Planet, and the protestations of our young people heighten awareness of the need to better care for Mother Earth.

“We want to remind folk that Jesus is passionate about green issues - come to save our planet as well as us humans. Indeed, his first bed was a recycled animal feeder (manger).”

The video, which features the catchy chorus “Refuse, recycle, reuse, rot, rez” begins with Rev Urquhart throwing some rubbish out of his car window to be stopped by local school children who force him to recycle it.

Father Boyd added: “We love getting into the neighbourhood to celebrate community and catch people doing good. Once again people were so supportive and game for a laugh.

“Filming involved a few firsts, like singing in a wind turbine, dancing in a car knackers’ yard and break-dancing, though I almost needed a ‘hip-hoperation’ after it!”

The pair who have teamed up for numerous joint performances as The Shoes Brothers over the past eight years and are longterm friends, were previously honoured by anti sectarian charity Nil by Mouth for building bridges in the community.

The video, which features impressive dance performances from the ministers, is available on sites such as Spotify, Google Play and Apple Music. The song premiered on Friday 29 November on Irvine Beat FM’s lunchtime show, where the Shoes Brothers were also interviewed.

It will be played four times daily on Irvine Beat shows from Friday. Last year’s Shoes Brothers video tackled the issue of kindness.