Big Country biography
Big Country is an internationally-renowned Scottish rock band formed in Dunfermline, Fife in 1981.
The height of the band's popularity was in the 1980s, although it retained a cult following for many years after, including the release of several further titles. The band's music was most recognisable for the sounds it infused with Scottish folk and martial music styles, as well as for playing and engineering their guitar driven sound to evoke the inspirational spirit of bagpipes, fiddles and other traditional folk instruments.
Career
Formation, commercial success
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Big Country comprised Stuart Adamson (formerly of The Skids, vocals/guitar/keyboards), Bruce Watson (guitar/mandolin/sitar/vocals), Tony Butler (bass guitar/vocals) and Mark Brzezicki (drums/percussion/vocals) though a variety of other drummers had played in the band at various times throughout its existence, including Simon Phillips and Aaron B. Prior, to the recruitment of Butler and Brzezicki; an early incarnation of Big Country was a five-piece band and it featured Peter Wishart, later of Runrig and now an SNP MP, on keyboards, his brother Alan on bass, and Clive Parker, drummer from Spizz Energi / Athletico Spizz '80 (Rough Trade & A&M Records). Parker had approached Adamson to join his new band after the demise of The Skids. Adamson auditioned Parker (1980) at The Members rehearsal room in Ladbroke Grove, London, and the next day was called on to play drums on demos for CBS Records at their Whitfield Street studios. The demos just featured Adamson, Parker, with scarcely a contribution from Watson. Adamson had asked bassist Dave Allen from the Gang of Four to join the band but he declined. Adamson asked Parker to join the band, which led to 8 months of rehearsal in Dunfermline in a disused furniture warehouse. The culmination was a successful concert at the Glen Pavilion at Dunfermline, (playing to a home crowd, mainly Skids fans), and an interview with BBC Radio Scotland where the CBS Studio demos were utilised. What followed were live dates with Alice Cooper's Special Forces tour in 1982. The band appeared out of their depth with their rambling Echo & The Bunnymen-keyboard oriented-sound which went down badly with the metal crowds. Thus the band was dumped from the tour after only two gigs at The Bournemouth Centre and Birmingham Odeon. Adamson's management issued an ultimatum and the Wisharts and Parker were sacked. Adamson later asked Peter Wishart to rejoin on Keyboards, but Peter declined without his brother in the band. Parker formed the synth pop band Scary Thieves, and signed to EMI Records, and later went on to play session drums for ex-Jesus and Mary Chain member John Moore in The Expressway, (Polydor Records) touring the UK and USA. Alan Wishart later joined Parker in contemporary folk band Barra (Sony/ATV Music/Hi-Note Records). The manager Ian Grant brought in Brzezicki, and Butler, and along with Watson, the main band
Big Country line-up was formed. Although the band's music drew from Scottish traditional music, none of its members were born in Scotland. Adamson grew up in Dunfermline though, and his family was of Scottish descent, so to that extent his Scottish accent was genuine.
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