Big Country Info Big Country Info

 

LINER NOTES

(jump to: Credits)

“Big" in name, big in sound: Big Country brought a sense of majesty back to rock music in the wake of punk. The group was formed in 1982, ironically, by an ex-punk, Englishman-moved-to-Scotland Stuart Adamson, late of the Scottish new wave act, the Skids, which he co-founded with Richard Jobson. Adamson, along with childhood friend Bruce Watson on second guitar [rescued from a day job cleaning nuclear submarines in Dunfermline), completed the ready-to-record line-up with bassist Tony Butler and drummer Mark Brzezicki. The demos they produced quickly secured a contract with Phonogram, followed by the release of their first single and a key gig supporting the Jam at Wembley Stadium for six nights

Phonogram released The Crossing, the band's debut LP, in 1983 and it established the sound for which the band would be known: rousing, anthemic melodies with an unmistakeably "bagpipe-like" ring to the guitars. No wonder they quickly became the leading exponents of what was dubbed "Celtic rock". Helped by the Top 20 hit, "In a Big Country", The Crossing's success led to the band breaking world-wide. It went on to sell over three million copies, earning a brace of Grammy nominations, and hitting platinum sales in the UK and gold in America. In 1984, their second album, Steeltown, entered the charts at Number One and Big Country enjoyed near-equal success with a run of albums throughout the decade: The Seer (1986), which provided the single "Look Away” their biggest hit up to that point: Peace In Our Time (1988), and No Place Like Home (1991). All earned gold status on release, while taking the band’s total record sales tally to over ten million.

A group of high intensity and integrity, Big Country was perfectly suited for such memorable, charitable events as Live Aid and The Prince's Trust 10th Birthday Party. In a trailblazing move, they toured the Soviet Union in 1988, promoting the appropriately-named Peace In Our Time; bravely, they would play in Kosovo a decade later. Following the Russian tour, the first major personnel change occurred when Brzezicki left, to be replaced briefly by drummer Pat Ahern. Chris Bell then replaced Ahern, continuing a Big Country tradition: a drummer version of musical chairs. At the end of the 1980s, they released Through la Big Country – a compilation containing all the band's hits - which charted in the Top 5 and sold over two million copies.

When the group change labels in 1993, the move featured yet another new drummer, Simon Phillips, and before long Phillips was replaced with the original drummer, Mark Brzezicki. A few more studio albums followed - one unplugged - before Adamson chose to relocate to Nashville in 1997, forcing Big Country int semi-retirement. Big Country wound down as a functioning entity as the last century closed, after tours with major acts including the Rolling Stones, Bob Dylan, Faith No More, Jethro Tull and the Black Crowes. There was even an intriguing collaboration between Adamson and the Kinks'  Ray Davies, but, in the spring of 2000, Adamson decided to retire from touring, thus heralding the end of Big Country's gigging and recording, effectively ending the group's story ....for the time being.

KEN KESSLER Hi-Fl News

CREDITS

(jump to: Liner Notes)

1. Look Away
(Adamson) Big Country Music Ltd.
Ⓟ1986 Mercury Records Ltd.
Produced by Robin Miller
Mixed by Welter Turbid

2. Chance
(Butler/Brzezicki/Watson/Adamson)
Big Country Music Ltd.
Ⓟ1983 Mercury Records Ltd.
Produced by Steve Lillywhite

3. Fields of Fire
(Butler/Brzezicki/Watson/Adamson)
Ten Music Ltd./Big Country Music Ltd.
Ⓟ1983 Mercury Records Ltd.
Produced by Steve Lillywhite

4. In A Big Country
(Butler/Brzezicki/Watson/Adamson)
Big Country Music Ltd.
Ⓟ1983 Mercury Records Ltd. P
Produced by Steve Lillywhite

5. Peace In Our Time
(Adamson) 10 Music Ltd.
Ⓟ1986 Mercury Records Ltd.
Produced by Peter Wolf
Mixed by Brien Malouf

6. Harvest Home
(Butler/Brzezicki/Watson/Adamson)
Big Country Music Ltd.
Ⓟ1983 Polydor Ltd.
Produced by Steve Lillywhite

7. King Of Emotion
(Adamson) 10 Music Ltd.
Ⓟ1988 Mercury Records Ltd.
Produced by Peter Wolf
Mixed by Brian Malouf

8. Broken Hearts (Thirteen Valleys)
(Adamson) 10 Music Ltd.
Ⓟ1988 Mercury Records Ltd.
Produced by Peter Wolf
Mixed by Brian Malouf   '

9. Lost Patrol
(Butler/Brzezicki/Watson/Adamson)
Big Country Music Ltd.
Ⓟ1983 Mercury Records Ltd.
Produced by Steve Lillywhite

10. One Great Thing
(Butler/Adamson) Big Country Music Ltd.
Ⓟ1988 Mercury Records Ltd.
Produced by Robin Millar
Mixed by Welter Turbitt

11. East Of Eden
(Adamson/Brzezicki/Butler/Watson)
Big Country Music Ltd.
Ⓟ1984 Mercury Records Ltd.
Produced by Steve Lillywhite

12. The Crossing
(Adamson/Brzezicki/Butler/Watson)
Big Country Music Ltd.
Ⓟ1983 Mercury Records Ltd.
Produced by Big Country

13. Steeltown
(Adamson/Brzezicki/Butler/Watson)
Big Country Music Ltd.
Ⓟ1984 Mercury Records Ltd.
Produced by Steve Lillywhite

14. The Seer
(Watson/Adamson)
Big Country Music Ltd.
Ⓟ1988 Mercury Records Ltd.
Produced by Robin Miller
Mixed by Walter Turbitt

15 The Teacher
(Adamson) Big Country Music Ltd.
Ⓟ1986 Mercury Records Ltd.
Produced by Robin  Millar
Mixed by Welter Turbitt

16. Where The Rose Is Sown
(Adamson/Brzezicki/Butler/Watson)
Big Country Music Ltd.
Ⓟ1984 Mercury Records Ltd.
Produced by Steve Lillywhite

LC 00268
UN899
A UNIVERSAL MUSIC COMPANY
586 314-2 BIEM/MCPS
Ⓟ & © 2001 Mercury Records Ltd

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Compiled by Richard Ganter