It is 30 years ago that me and my brother spent an evening at a live gig in Stuttgart. Announced for this evening was the newest big thing from Britain. The Scottish based band Big Country was there to promote their first record The Crossing. I bought the record a couple of weeks beforeand had big expectations of the concert. They did a superb show that night and was fascinated about the fantastic sound, infused with Scottish folk and martial music styles as. They played a guitar driven sound added with the spirit of bagpipes, fiddles and other traditional folk instruments.
Stuart Adamson, a former member of The Skids - a punk band from Scotland who released several singels and LP's, formed Big Country after he left the group in 1980. Big Country had a very successful period while they released their first three records. Throughout the 1990s they became a o´popular supporting act, supporting bands such as Rolling Stones and The Who. Big Country had backed Daltry on his 1995 solo album 'Under the raging moon'.
In late 2001 Adamson disappeared again and the band asked over their website to call home or speak to someone in the band, the management company or his ex-wife. Stuart Adamson was found dead in a room at the Best Western Plaza Hotel in Honolulu, Hawaii on 16 December 2001. The autopsy revealed that he hanged himself. At the time of death he had a blood-alcohol content of 0,279%.
RIP
2 Kommentare:
It was a very sad end to for very gifted musician who I feel has never been given the respect and acknowledgement he deserves.
Listened to the Crossing not that long ago for the first time in ages and it brought back a rush of memories. I can't think of a household that I visited at that time that didn't have a copy of the album.
Thank you for recalling Big Country and Stuart Adamson - "our" man and music.
my humble 8 line tribute, if you don't mind. I want to share it about.
https://freefallfictiondotcom.wordpress.com/2014/11/01/big-country-stuart-adamson/
A band’s modest boast: drawing wishing from life,
From the Scot-land, and ghost of the sea-strand in Fife,
Bridge pipe and guitar till they reel a taut bite,
Edge revealed, at his death: songs we ought to write.
– from Edge’s Eulogy to Stuart Adamson
Say not, “Stuart died in vain.” True, all too soon,
As a man with a brain and heart waxing full noon,
But confess, in his pain, Stuart wished mid his tune,
And then weary with wishing, he “fained to lie doon”*
* from Lord Randall
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