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EARLY DAYS
"THE MUSIC IS UNASHAMEDLY EMOTIONAL, MAGNIFICENTLY CONTAGIOUS FREQUENTLY STIRRING AND OCCASIONALLY RAPTUROUS, ITS FAR TOO GOOD TO WASTE ON THE FICKLE FASHION FOLLOWING OF THE BIZ'S UPPER ECHELONS"
GARRY BUSHELL - REVIEWING BIG COUNTRY'S FIRST EVER GIG AT THE MEMBERSHUIP CLUB JUNE 1982.
"YOU ONLY HAVE TO THINK OF THE NAME AND THE IMAGERY FLOWS FENEROUSLY TO MIND."
CAROL CLERK - MELODY MAKER OCTOBER 1982.
"THEY'RE SO ALIVE, THERE'S A WONDERFUL FLOW TO THIS BAND WHO'LL SOON BE SETTING STANDARDS FOR THE 80'S."
TIM SOMMERS - SOUNDS SEPTEMBER 1982.
"IN ORDER TO ATTRACT A FOLLOWING THIS BAND SHOULS PLAY EXCLUSIVELY TO DUTCH ABRS AND OUTLYING FARMING COMMUNTIES"
MELODY MAKER GIG REVIEW SEPT 1982.
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HARVEST HOME
"HARVEST HOME IS A BEACON OF INSPIRATION TO DISPIRITED POP FANS EVERYWHERE...... THE MOUTH-FULL-OF-GOBSTOPPERS VOCALS AND THE STRIDENT UPPER REGISTER LEAD GUITAR DO BATTLE TO THE FATUOUS BRITTLE END".
REVIEWED GAVIN MARTIN - N.M.E. 16 OCTOBER 1982.
"I'VE ALWAYS HAD A REALLY SHARP AND TOUGH SOUND. THE SCOTTISH FEEL TO HARVEST HOME IS DUE TO THE SOUND OF THE GUITAR RATHER THAN THE TUNE."
STUART TALKING TO 'GUITAR HEROES' DECEMBER 1982.
"BIG COUNTRY TAKE YOUR HEARTSTRINGS AND SHAKE THEM ITS LIKE A FESTIVAL WHEN THEY PLAY. AS SOON AS HARVEST HOME INTRO ERUPTS THE GIG BECOMES A MEETING OF EMOTIONS, A COMPLETE COMMUNICATION THAT ENRAPTURES
EVERYBODY."
MELODY MAKER OCTOBER 1982.
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IN A COUNTRY AND THE CROSSING TOUR
"FUNNY ISN'T IT, HERE WE ARE IN 1983 AND SUDDENLY THIS KIND OF ROCKY GUITAR POP SOUNDS REFRESHINGLY DIFFERENT... THE SONG ISN'T QUITE AS CATCHY AS "FIELDS OF FIRE" BUT THE OLD BAGPIPES GUITAR IS STILL
BLOWING AWAY ACROSS THE GLENS."
NO 1 MAY 21 1983.
"THE MIDDLE SECTION IS EXCELLENT BUILDING UP GLORIOUSLY AMID THUNDERING DRUMS AND WICKED GUITARS."
MELODY MAKER MAY 28 1983.
"THIS IS MARCHING MUSIC, WITH FIERCE INDEPENDENCE: SO YOU CAN POGO OR JIG AND NOBODY CARES. THE BEST SONGS HERE ARE DYNAMIC AND FUN AND... THEIR COMBINED ENERGY AND RESTRAINT IS IRRESTISTIBLE"
PENNY KILEY MELODY MAKER 25 JUNE 1983.
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THE ALBUM AND THE CROSSING THE FALL TOUR
"THE CROSSING IS A ROUSING VISION FRUSTRATED IN ITS SEARCH FOR SONGS. ITS RESPECTABLE BUT NOT RAVISHING. STUART ADAMSON SHOULD BE APPLAUDED FOR HONESTY AND HIS WISH TO RID HIMSELF OF POP'S IMPURITIES -
IT'S A PITY HE FAILED."
STEVE SUTHERLAND MELODY MAKER 30 JUNE 83.
"THIS IS ROCK AT ITS UPLIFTING AND EXHILARATING BEST"
TREVOR DANN SUNDAY TELEGRAPH 31 JULY 83
"STUART ADAMSON'S CHECKED-SHIRT BRIGADE HAVE GIVEN BIRTH TO A REFRESHING AND ORIGINAL GUITAR STYLE AND HAVE HARNESSED IT INTO A MAGICAL FORMULA OF CLASSIC SONGS.
DEBORAH STEELS TIME OUT 24.7.83.
"THE SPIRIT AND DETERMINATION STRUCK LIKE MOLTEN TEARDROPS THIS - THE EMOTIONAL TERRAIN OF SELF-RESOLVE AND PRIDE - IS THE LAND OF BIG COUNTRY. TIME AND PASSION WAIT FOR NO MAN. I ADMIT IT, I'M HOOKED"
JOHNNY WALLER SOUNDS 19.7.83.
BIG COUNTRY ARE ONE OF THE FEW REALLY CONVINCING GUITAR GROUPS IN BRITAIN TODAY. THEY HAVE STAKED OUT A CLEAR PATH AND ARE FOLLOWING IT ADMIRABLY GUIDED BY INTUITION RATHER THAN THE EXPECTATIONS OTHERS HAVE
OF THEM EITHER AS A CHART BAND OR THE INHERITORS OF ROCKISM'S RANDCID HERITAGE. BIG COUNTRY DO NOT SMOULDER. THEY POSITIVELY BURN... FIRE.
ADRIAN THRILLS FOR NME REVIEWING HAMMERSMITH ODEON CONCERT SEPT 1983.
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FIELDS OF FIRE AND THE EARLY GIGS.
"FIELDS OF FIRE TOOK ABOUT 20 MINUTES TO WRITE, I LIKE TO KEEP IDEAS FRESH AND SPONTANEOUS. I'M NOT A PERSON WHO LIKES SPEND FOUR DAYS TO WRITE FOUR LINES"....., WE DON'T COPY ANYBODY
AND WE'RE NOT LOOKING OVER OUR SHOULDERS TO SEE IF ANYBODY IS FOLLOWING, WE'RE MAKING HUSIC TO MOVE MOUNTAINS BY AND MELT THE SNOW IN YOUR HEART".
STUART ADAMSON, RECORD MIRROR, MARCH 5 1983.
"BIG COUNTRY COME OUT REELING, PUNCH-DRUNK BUT PROUD WITH A ROUSING CONCOCTION OF SKIDSIAN BLUSTER AND THE Z CARS THEME ITS A CUTE IDEA BUT REALLY A RETROGRADE STEP."
MELODY MAKER, MARCH 5 1983.
"THEIR LIVE SOUND CAN BE REMARKABLY TIGHT, THEIR INSTRUMENTS IMMACULATLELY PLAYED, THEIR SENSE OF AUDIENCE PARTICIPATION SIMPLY SUPERB AND ADAMSON'S VOICE AT ITS BEST CAN OPEN ANY HEART"
FRANK MORRALL, MELODY REVIEWING MANCHESTER HACIENDA GIG, APRIL 1983.
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Support Bands:
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SECOND THOUGHTS comprise Mike Cotton and Paddy O'Toole. They started out busking the capital's streets to pay the rent, and apart from finding it fun, it gave them an outlet
for the backlog of songs that they had amassed since leaving the Jags in 1980.
In mid 1983 they supported Big Country on tour before returning to a string of pub, club and railway station gigs in London, and in August a tape of their songs found its way to August Darnell
who promptly added them to his mammoth Kid Creole and the Coconuts 'Lifeboats' tour. They then went straight back on the road as guest of Shakin' Stevens in October.
Second Thoughts herald a return to a direct, economical and healthy communication in music.
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PASSIONATE FRIENDS
'Passionate Friends should stick together
Passionate Friends should break the stranglehold'
So runs the chorus of this Glasgow band's eponymous second single, a sharp blast of infectious dance-pop that characterises both their outlook and output. Since their formation through the
first half of '82, Passionate Friends have been determined to adopt their own approach, devise their own tactics, chart their own course.
First step was to develop an extensive repertoire of original material, before gigging around Glasgow and its environs, building up a very healthy following in the process. They then formed
their own label, Tenement Toons, and released their first single on it, 'Time Bandits'/'What's The Odds', last March.
Radio One soon picked up on the single, which led to its being made available nationally. In June the band were seen and heard live in front of 30,000 people when they appeared as Rod Stewart's
guests at his Ibrox Park Show.
Suitably impressed by this performance, top promoter, Harvey Goldsmith offered the group a management contract with his company, AMP Management, at the same time that MCA Records were
expressing a keen interest in them. One thing led to another, and before long Passionate Friends had laid down 'Passionate Friends', which is due for release by MCA in October. A national
tour is also being planned.
PASSIONATE FRIENDS:
John McNeill - lead vocals, guitar
Michael Quinn sax
Tommy Watson guitar
Allan McNeill bass
Malky McNeill keyboards
Davy Halley drums
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RUN RIG began ten years ago in Skye as a three-piece Scottish dance band, and toured the Highlands on a seasonal basis providing an alternative to the traditional
bands on the circuit. These early tours encouraged the songwriting team of Calum and Rory MacDonald to evolve their concept of a band which would retain the style and sentiment of the music
they had grown up with in the Western Isles, and present it in a contemporary musical structure.
Run Rig turned professional in 1979, an event which coincided with the release of their second album, 'The Highland Connection' by their own newly formed record company, Ridge Records. The
formation of their own record company was a significant step forward for the band, as it allowed a greater degree of control over the final product. As a result 'The Highland Connection'
was much more musically ambitious then 'Play Gaelic', and contained both Gaelic and English lyrics. Since then, through extensive touring Run Rig has developed into a tight knit and musically
mature group, forging their own style of Gaelic rock music. Their status as one of Scotland's top groups was confirmed in 1981 when they released the album 'Recovery'.
Run Rig have played extensively throughout Scotland, and their unique style has impressed audiences wherever they have played, and built up a considerable following. The music of Run Rig
transcends linguistic barriers and with this aim in mind the band intend to extend their audience to England and Europe in 1983.
RUN RIG
Calum MacDonald Vocals and Percussion
Richard Cherns Keyboards
Malcolm Jones Lead Guitar/Bagpipes/Vocals
Rory MacDonald Bass Guitar/Vocals
Donnie Munro Lead Vocals/Guitar
Ian Bayne Drums
DISCOGRAPHY
L.P. 'Play Gaelic' Lismor Records NA 105/NC 105
L.P. 'The Highland Connection' Ridge Records RR 0001
L.P. 'Recovery' Ridge Records RR 0002
Single 'Loch Lomond' Ridge Records RRS 0003
MORE INFORMATION:
MILES COONEY - 041-633 2667/339 2619
MARLENE ROSS - 0224 646625/574766
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