“I’m not expecting to grow flowers in the desert”
Stuart Adamson did more than that during the short 43 years he spent on this earth.
Early December 2021 – Spotify release their “Wrapped 2021” and like the years that have gone before…that band from Dunfermline are firmly in my 5 favourite artists – claiming the Bronze medal position as they did last year.
It then dawned on me that it’s the month of the 20th anniversary of the tragic passing of possibly (well, probably) the greatest songwriter to ever come from our wee country.
I’m not exactly what you would call the traditional Big Country fan. I wasn’t around in the 80s, I was born in the same year the band released Why The Long Face, I’m not exactly from the same generation that witnessed the explosion of the band with The Crossing 12 years earlier…and I’m also no fae Fife!
However, I always remember the first moment I heard those soaring guitars. Bizarrely, I need to actually thank a weekend newspaper for that exact moment. The year was probably 2004, and I can remember a free “Scottish Compilation” CD in a Sunday newspaper that I naturally grabbed as my parents read the headlines and put it in my small and aptly named “Alba” CD player. On came Mark’s trademark drum sound and Stuart shouting “SHAAA”…of whatever he was shouting… “Shock” perhaps?
I will always remember that moment…
I had never heard anything like it before, and to be honest, I’ve never experienced a moment like that since when it comes to musical epiphany.
I mentioned it to my dad – “Have you ever heard of a band called Big Country? His reply…”Son **pulls out his copy of The Seer from his record collection** Have I heard of Big Country?”
Turns out my love for this band may or may not have been genetic.
The sheer mix of sounds and the poetic lyrics. Up until that point in my life, I was only aware of two guitar tones – “Clean” & “Dirty” as those were the only 2 settings on my AXL 10w amp. Talk about expansion of the mind.
The time I first heard his music coincided with the first time I picked up a guitar. I have no doubt that his melodic riffs during the Big Country era, the texturing of his and Bruce’s parts and just the overall sound he produced is one of the reasons I stuck with the instrument through the months and years of lessons. All my music pals wanted to be like the American guitar Olympians such as Slash or Eddie Van Halen…I wanted to be like that guy from Crossgates.
And that’s what made him such a unique guitarist. The way he played was so different from everything else out at the time, which seems amazing considering 1983 was the heyday of Johnny Marr and the the time when The Edge was starting to master his style of pedal use. The sheer volume of guitar sounds that we’re coming out of that era and yet he managed to make a sound very much his own – I can’t believe I’ve managed to get to this stage and I’ve not mention the word ‘bagpipes’ yet **sigh**
I don’t think there’s a better example of that sound than the Restless Natives soundtrack. It is by far my favourite film score of all time and the guitar work and textures of the music make the film. Although Vincent Friell and Joe Mullaney both shine as the Wolfman and The Clown, I think they would even agree that it was very much Big Country that were carrying that film on their shoulders.
The unique genius of Stuart Adamson is maybe not appreciated as much by the people of my generation, but this piece by a guy who is now in his mid 20s can perhaps rectify that – even if that means one person giving his incredible music a listen, whether it be The Skids, BC or even The Raphaels.
I’ve been so lucky to have seen most of my musical heroes live at least once – Springsteen, AC/DC etc etc. The one most close to home I never got to witness as I was only 6 years old when he tragically passed.
In a Big Country, Chance, Harvest Home, Come Back To Me, Wonderland, Restless Natives, Pink Marshmallow Moon and One Great Thing all appeared on my Top Songs of 2021 playlist from Spotify – you can tell how much of an impact this band still has on me
I don’t want to dwell on the situation he was in two decades ago that led to his decision to leave us – other articles will cover that in great detail I’m sure. His music is still very much alive all these years later
Yeah the band might not be quite the same now but I, like many, will be there front and centre as the band hits the road again over the next few months.
The hook line of the bands biggest hit is exactly what we must make sure this man’s music continues to stay…
“Stay Alive“
RB
Ryan Borthwick 