Into the valley (Skids) (LP 3784)

Skids Fanfare (Vinyl, Virgin Records, 1982)  *** 

Genre: Rock. alt-rock, punk, new-wave

Places I remember: Chaldon Books and Records

Fab, and all the other pimply hyperboles: Into the Valley

Gear costume: TV Stars, Of One Skin

They loom large in his legend (The Album Collection playlists): Part 1; Part 2; Part 3; Part 4; Part 5; Part 6

Active compensatory factors: I don't usually add compilations to this collection compendium, but I do need to make an exception for Scottish band Skids. Fanfare cherry picks all of their best moments.

The big draw for me is Stuart Adamson on guitar. This is where he honed his craft before Big Country. He's raw, feral almost, and unfettered in this punk setting. R.I.P.

Where do they all belong? Those early Skids albums do the business - there's nothing on Fanfare from their fourth and final album (Joy).

Made in heaven (Big Country) (LP 196-197)

Big Country At the BBC, The best of the BBC recordings (CD - BBC, 1996) ****
Big Country Restless Natives and Rarities (CD - Mercury, 1998) ***

Genre:  Scottish pop/rock

Places I remember:  HMV (Stratford Mall, London) and Real Groovy (Auckland)

Fab, and all the other pimply hyperboles: On The Shore (RN), Lost Patrol (BBC) - at the Hammersmith Palais 1983  






Gear costume:  Winter Sky (RN), Porrohman (BBC) - and anything else on the BBC album.

Active compensatory factors:  Strictly speaking, these aren't the kinds of compilations I have chosen not to include in my album run down. Did that make sense? 

Rather than being greatest hits albums, instead, each of these CD collections looks at the band's back pages. 

Restless Natives is all about blind alleys, B sides and choice cuts. The great (honest) liner notes by Stuart Adamson are worth your hard earned cash on their own!

Like all these types of alternative history anthologies, there are plenty of interesting tracks amongst the ones that didn't make the cut.

As for the BBC one - there is ample proof throughout this collection to prove that LIVE is where Big Country thrived. The big songs, the big sound, the big hurdy gurdy presence, the Big Country extravaganza!

Where do they all belong? That's it for my Big Country collection. Love this band! Best band of the eighties? Maybe. Long may they reign - they have a permanent place in Scottish rock history and in my heart.

Wonderland (Big Country) (LP 163 - 164)

Big Country Live in New York City 1986 (CD - Immortal, 2012) ***
Big Country Without The Aid Of A Safety Net (Live) (CD -EMI, 1994) *****

Genre:  Scottish pop/rock

Places I remember:  The Warehouse (Hastings); Music store in the Onehunga Mall back in 1994.

Fab, and all the other pimply hyperboles/ Gear costume: Just A Shadow (Live in NYC); Everything on Without...Net. 




The whole concert is magical but if you want a brief sample - try Thirteen Valleys at 9.40 mark.

Active compensatory factors: I quite liked Big Country when, in 1994, I came across Without...a Net in a remainder store in the Onehunga Mall (best $5 I've ever spent).  

From that point on, I LOVED Big Country.

Without...a Net is a nigh on perfect live album: bags of atmosphere at the Barrowlands in Glasgow; Stuart Adamson's warm vocals and welcome; the way it begins with a number of acoustic versions and builds and builds; the crowd singalongs and chiming in at appropriate times; the electric intensity at the end of the concert!

It is magic and I could listen to it every day without ever getting weary of it. 

The other live album in this post has some great moments but the audio quality and atmosphere is not a patch on Without...a Net.

Where do they all belong? A fitting tribute to Adamson's genius. More BC to come.

King of emotion (LP 106 - 107)

Big Country Peace In Our Time (CD - Phonogram, 1988) *** 
Big Country The Buffalo Skinners (CD - Chrysalis, 1993) ***

Genre: Scottish pop/rock

Places I remember: Real Groovy (Auckland)

Fab, and all the other pimply hyperboles: Broken Heart (Thirteen Valleys)


Gear costume: Peace In Our Time.

Active compensatory factors: Mid period studio albums by Big Country can be tricky wee beasties at times. 

These two albums bookended their No Place Like Home album, which doesn't appear here because I didn't like it  much- production especially was very thin and un Big Country like, so I flicked it off.

Peace In Our Time has some cracking songs as mentioned above, so too does The Buffalo Skinners but they also contain too many lesser moments. And those late eighties production values, where the bagpipe sound is replaced by more mainstream rock guitars, don't do the band too many favours.

Where do they all belong? Big Country released further studio albums, both with and (sadly) without Stuart Adamson, but for me - the studio journey was ended with The Buffalo Skinners. Live albums! Now - that's another thing entirely as we'll see in time.

Remembrance day (Big Country) (LP 83)

Big Country The Seer (CD - Phonogram, 1986) ****

Genre: Scottish rock

Places I remember: Marbecks Records

Fab, and all the other pimply hyperboles: Look Away was the big hit single.



Gear costume: The Teacher

Active compensatory factors: This was the third studio album from Stuart Adamson's great band.

The band started to become more accessible around this point after the darker second album, with their distinctive sound from the first album intact. Kate Bush even makes an appearance!

It's still hard listening to it knowing what we do about Adamson's death but albums like this are all we have left, and I for one, cherish them.

Where do they all belong? In the bosom of a Big Country extravaganza.

Heart and soul (Big Country) (LP 58-59)

Big Country The Crossing (CD - Mercury Records, 1983/1996) ****
Big Country  Steeltown (Vinyl - Mercury Records, 1984) ****

Genre: Scottish pop/rock

Places I remember: New Plymouth from 1983-1985

Fab, and all the other pimply hyperboles: Tough to choose the best track on the debut but I'll go for Porrohman, Just A Shadow on Steeltown.




Gear costume: Harvest Home, The Storm, Lost Patrol and Chance from The Crossing are awesome.

Active compensatory factors: I was first aware of Big Country and their main man Stuart Adamson via a Skids song on a Virgin sampler. Into The Valley has a great guitar sound.

In 1983 In A Big Country and Fields Of Fire were huge, thanks to some videos and radio play on NZ stations. 

The big sound of Steve Lillywhite seemed to be everywhere in the early eighties (Simple Minds, U2, and XTC were a few). For me, he's at his best with Big Country and these two albums.

Adamson was trying for music that could make pictures, music that could spread out wide landscapes and great dramas. Lillywhite was a perfect fit.

When I hear these songs I can't help but imagine the wide vistas in the highlands, which I love.

Where do they all belong? Big Country studio albums would become patchier but still essential purchases for me. 

Rest in peace Stuart.  Such a sad waste of immense talent.

With innocence within ourselves (Big Country) #446

Big Country Wonderland (extended version)/ Wonderland; Giant (Mercury 12", 818 006-6, 1984)

In the course of the last 445 posts I bought one new single. Sadly - I just don't look any more.

I do still go through the vinyl LP bins whenever I spot them and this 12 inch leaped out at me (in mint condition too).

As you know, I'm a Big Country fan. That live album (Without A Net) only enhances its reputation the longer it stays in my collection.

The strong whiff of eighties production does not diminish the power of Wonderland.

Hidden gem: This was a single only release (the 12" EP came out between the first and second albums) so there is value for money here with Giant. The first album's chiming guitars are instant markers of BC sound - all present and correct in this instrumental.


Big Country - Wonderland by jpdc11

NEXT POST: So - that's it for the vinyl singles - all 446 of them - PHEW - what a mish. Next post starts us off with the CD singles in my collection - from the A's to the Z's. Fun times ahead!