Big Country

  • Dunfermline, Scotland
    hometown
  • Rock
    genre
  • 1981
    started
  • Bio
    full story
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About Big Country

Official Site: http://bigcountry.co.uk/


With their ringing, bagpipe-like guitars and the anthemic songs of frontman Stuart Adamson, Scotland's Big Country emerged as one of the most distinctive and promising new rock bands of the early '80s, scoring a major hit with their debut album, The Crossing; though the group's critical and commercial fortunes dimmed in the years to follow, they nevertheless outlasted virtually all of their contemporaries, releasing new material into the next century. The England-born Adamson formed Big Country in mid-1981 following his exit from the Scottish punk quartet the Skids, enlisting childhood friend Bruce Watson on second guitar; Clive Parker and brothers Pete and Alan Wishart completed the original lineup, but were soon replaced by bassist Tony Butler and drummer Mark Brzezicki. Signing to Polygram's Mercury imprint, the band issued its debut single, "Harvest Home," in the fall of 1982; a series of opening dates on the Jam's farewell tour increased Big Country's visibility exponentially, and the follow-up, "Fields of Fire," cracked the U.K. Top Ten.

The Crossing appeared in 1983, its passionate, idealistic approach and Celtic-inspired arrangements far removed from the prevailing new wave mentality of the moment; the album not only went platinum at home but went gold in America as well, its success spurred by the Top 20 pop hit "In a Big Country." Critics raved, and in early 1984 Big Country returned to the British Top Ten with the single "Wonderland." Their second album, Steeltown, entered the charts at number one, but despite good reviews there were already rumblings that all of the band's material sounded much the same; charges against 1986's The Seer did little to rectify (although the single "Look Away" was their biggest hit yet). A tour of the Soviet Union accompanied the 1988 release of Peace in Our Time, but the following year Brzezicki resigned from duty, with drummer Pat Ahern enlisted for the single "Save Me." Chris Bell replaced Ahern upon completing 1991's No Place Like Home, the first of the band's albums not to receive an American release.

After parting ways with Polygram, Big Country signed with the Compulsion label for 1993's The Buffalo Skinners, recorded with yet another new drummer, Simon Phillips; the record launched a pair of British Top 30 hits, "Alone" and "Ships." Brzezicki rejoined the lineup in time for Without the Aid of a Safety Net, a live LP recorded in Glasgow at year's end. Why the Long Face followed in 1995, and after recording the acoustic effort Eclectic, Adamson relocated to Nashville in 1997, prompting Big Country to go on extended hiatus. The group's first new studio effort in four years, Driving to Damascus, appeared in 1999; the single "Somebody Else" was co-written by Adamson and the Kinks' Ray Davies. Adamson had problems with alcohol that contributed to his brief disappearance in November 1999 and announced his intentions to retire from touring in the spring of 2000, concurrent with the release of the limited edition Nashville Album. Later that fall, Come Up Screaming was issued on SPV. On December 16, 2001 Adamson was found dead in a hotel room in Hawaii. He had been missing for several weeks from his Nashville, Tennessee home. ~ Jason Ankeny, Rovi

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Photos

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News

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  • Big Country
    'Donkey Kong Country Returns 3D' Review - Monkeying Around, Again
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    May 22, 2013
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  • Big Country
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    May 22, 2013
    This week's new manga releases are brought to you by the letter "S." Also: Grab your wig and sword, because there are two big anime cons, and a lot ...
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    'The Voice' Judge Blake Shelton Planning All-Star Oklahoma Tornado Benefit
    MTV News
    May 22, 2013
    Oklahoma native country star hints he might tap 'Voice' co-stars like Usher for prime time fundraiser.
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  • Big Country
    Darius Rucker Talks About True Believers
    CMT News
    May 22, 2013
    With Hit Single "Wagon Wheel," New Album Continues Steady Career Rise
    Read More
  • Big Country
    Darius Rucker Talks About True Believers
    CMT News
    May 22, 2013
    With Hit Single "Wagon Wheel," New Album Continues Steady Career Rise
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  • Big Country
    'Avengers 2' Rumors Surround The Maximoffs And Black Panther
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    May 21, 2013
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  • Big Country
    Additional CMT Music Awards Performers Revealed
    CMT News
    May 21, 2013
    Fan Voting Underway for the June 5 Awards Show in Nashville
    Read More
  • Big Country
    Additional CMT Music Awards Performers Revealed
    CMT News
    May 21, 2013
    Fan Voting Underway for the June 5 Awards Show in Nashville
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  • Big Country
    Whose 'World Of Jenks' Story Made The Biggest Impression On You: Chad's, Kaylin's Or D-Real's?
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    May 21, 2013
    After a year of racking up frequent flyer miles,  Andrew Jenks has officially signed off of the second season of " World Of Jenks ," leaving behind t...
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    Kendrick Lamar, Macklemore, Kings Of Leon Make Music The Star At Hangout Fest
    MTV News
    May 20, 2013
    Though the scenery was plenty nice, the music stole the show at Hangout 2013.
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  • Big Country
    Big Country Serve Up Personal Empowerment With 'Hurt' - Song Premiere
    music.yahoo.com
    Related ContentView Photo Big Country Serve Up Personal Empowerment With 'Hurt' - Song Premiere The Scottish rock band Big Country aim to inspire with...
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  • Big Country
    Big Country Serve Up Personal Empowerment With 'Hurt' Song Premiere
    www.rollingstone.com
    The Scottish rock band Big Country aim to inspire with "Hurt," an empowering ballad off their long-awaited next album The Journey. The message in "Hur...
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Tour Dates

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  • May 22 Wednesday
    Hamburg, Germany Markthalle
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  • May 23 Thursday
    Dresden, Germany Tante Ju
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  • May 24 Friday
    Karlsruhe, Germany Substage
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  • May 25 Saturday
    Vienna, Austria Szene Wien
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  • May 27 Monday
    Basel, Switzerland Sommercasino
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  • May 28 Tuesday
    Milan, Italy Tunnel
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  • May 29 Wednesday
    Memmingen, Germany Kaminwerk
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  • May 30 Thursday
    Bremen, Germany Modernes
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  • Jun 2 Sunday
    London, UK The Forum
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  • Jun 6 Thursday
    Asbury Park, NJ, US Lance & Debbies Wonder Bar
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  • Jun 7 Friday
    New York, NY, US Gramercy Theater
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  • Jun 8 Saturday
    Huntington, NY, US The Paramount
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  • Jun 8 Saturday
    Staten Island, NY, US Paramount
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  • Jun 9 Sunday
    West Chester, PA, US The Note
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  • Jun 11 Tuesday
    Leesburg, VA, US Tally Ho
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  • Jun 14 Friday
    Denver, CO, US The Marquis Theater
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  • Jun 19 Wednesday
    Solana Beach, CA, US Belly Up Tavern
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  • Jun 21 Friday
    San Juan Capistrano, CA, US The Coach House
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  • Jun 22 Saturday
    Agoura Hills, CA, US Canyon Club
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  • Jun 29 Saturday
    Napa, CA, US Uptown Theatre
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  • Jul 2 Tuesday
    Vancouver, BC, Canada Venue
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  • Jul 4 Thursday
    Calgary, AB, Canada Republik
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  • Jul 5 Friday
    Edmonton, AB, Canada Starlite Room
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  • Jul 10 Wednesday
    Aspen, CO, US Belly Up Aspen
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  • Jul 13 Saturday
    Austin, TX, US The Belmont
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Discography

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  • The Journey (2013)
    Big Country
    The Journey (2013)
    Cherry Red
  • In a Broken Prom (2013)
    Big Country
    In a Broken Prom (2013)
    Cherry Red
  • And in the Beginning (2012)
    Big Country
    And in the Beginning (2012)
    CD Baby
  • Live in New York City 1986 (2012)
    Big Country
    Live in New York City 1986 (2012)
    Immortal
  • Dreams Stay With You: Live at the Edinburgh Picture House, April 2011 (2011)
    Big Country
    Dreams Stay With You: Live at the Edinburgh Picture House, April 2011 (2011)
  • Big Hits Live (2008)
    Big Country
    Big Hits Live (2008)
    Legacy
  • From The Front Row...Live! (2003)
    Big Country
    From The Front Row...Live! (2003)
    Silverline
  • John Wayne's Dream (2002)
    Big Country
    John Wayne's Dream (2002)
    Track Records
  • Live in Cologne (2002)
    Big Country
    Live in Cologne (2002)
    Cleopatra
  • Under Cover (2001)
    Big Country
    Under Cover (2001)
    Track Records
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