PROGRAMME TEXT
IT WAS BOB DYLAN WHO SAID DON'T LOOK BACK. THAT MIGHT BE EASIER SAID THAN DONE WHEN YOU ARE A GROUP THAT HAS CREATED ONE OF THE TRULY DISTINCTIVE SOUNDS IN ROCK AND REMAINED AT THE TOP OF YOUR PROFESSION
FOR EIGHT YEARS. BUT FOR BIG COUNTRY THE TIME HAS COME TO MOVE ON. TO PARAPHRASE A MEMOREABLE MIELS DAVIS REMARK: THEY DON'T PLAY THAT WAY NO MORE.
IT IS OBVIOUS THAT THERE HAS BEEN A RADICAL OVERHAUL OF THE FAMED BIG COUNTRY APPROACH RIGHT FROM THE OPENING BARS OF "REPUBLICAN PARTY REPTILE", THE FIRST SINGLE FROM THE ANGLO-SCOTTISH GROUP'S SIXTH ALBUM
"NO PLACE LIKE HOME". A HOWLING SLIDE GUITAR - MORE DUSTBOWL BLUES THAN HIGHLAND FLING - SETS THE TONE FOR AN INSPIRED COLLECTION OF SONGS THAT QUARRIES DEEP INTO THE ROCK FACE, TAPPING THE TRADITIONS OF
COUNTRY, FOLK, AND SOUTHERN BLUES, WHILE NEVER LOSING THE EMOTIONAL INTEGRITY THAT HAS ALWAYS BEEN THE CORNERSTONE OF BIG COUNTRY'S MUSIC.
THE DEPARTURE OF DRUMER MARK BRZEZICKI HAS OBVIOUSLY HAD A SIGNIFICANT EFFECT. ALTHOUGH BRZEZICKI PLAYS AS A SESSION DRUMMER ON "NO PLACE LIKE HOME", THE INTRICATE MOSAIC OF SYNCOPATIONS AND GALLOPING TOM TOM
TATTOOS THAT WAS SUCH A RECOGNISABLE FEATURE OF THE OLD BIG COUNTRY SOUNDS HAS GONE. IN IT'S PLACE A MORE CONVENTIONAL SET OF RHYTHMIC PATTERNS IS NOW SKETCHED WITH NEW VIGOUR FROM A PALETT OF BOLD PRIMARY
COLOURS.
WHEN BRZEZICKI LEFT FOR THE SHADOWY PASTURES OF THE SESSION WORLD IN JULY 1989 THE OTHER THREE MEMBERS OF BIG COUNTRY - STUART ADAMSON (GUITAR, VOCALS), TONY BUTLER (BASS, BACKING VOCALS) AND BRUCE WATSON
(GUITAR) - CLOSED RANKS AND, INEVITABLY, REVISED WORKING PRACTICES.
THE BAND HAD NOT LONG COME THROUGH THE EXHILARATING AND EXHAUSTING EXPERIENCE OF PLAYING IN THE SOVIET UNION. THE IDEA INITIALLY DEVELOPED FROM A PROMOTIONAL LAUNCH FOR THE "PEACE IN OUR TIME" ALBUM, HELD AT
THE SOVIET EMBASSY IN LONDON IN SEPTEMBER 1988. IN THIS UNLIKELY SETTING THE GROUP PERFORMED A SELECTION OF TRACKS FROM THE NEW RELEASE. THE PRESENTATION WAS BROADCAST ON RADIO ONE AND GENERATED INTENSE MEDIA
INTEREST, INCLUDING AN ITEM ON THAT EVENING'S NEWS AT TEN.
THE ALBUM LEAPT STRAIGHT INTO THE CHART AT NO. 9, AND THE FOLLOWING MONTH THE BAND WAS PERFORMING THE FIRST PRIVATELY PROMOTED SERIES OF STAND-UP ROCK SHOWS BY A WESTERN ACT EVER TO BE HELD IN THE SOVIET
UNION. ON HAND TO WITNESS THIS COURAGEOUS CONTRIBUTION TO GLASNOST WERE NO LESS THAN 258 MEMBERS OF THE WORLD'S TV, RADIO AND PRESS, ALL FLOWN IN TO MOSCOW FOR THE SECOND OF FIVE CONCERTS AT ONE OF MOSCOW'S
PALACE OF SPORTS, AN 8,000-CAPACITY ICE SKATING RINK CALLED THE PALACE OF WINGS. THIS UNPRECEDENTED JUNKET BEHIND THE FRAYING IRON CURTAIN GUARANTEED AN IMPRESSIVE CRESCENDO OF MEDIA COVERAGE AND, IN AN
INDUSTRY WHICH ROUTINELY PAYS LIP-SERVICE TO THE THEME OF INTERNATIONAL BROTHERHOOD, BIG COUNTRY WILL LONG BE REMEMBERED AS ONE BAND WHICH MADE A GENUINE EFFORT TO FORGE NEW CULTURAL LINKS.
THE GROUP RETURNED FROM THAT MOMENTOUS ADVENTURE WISER, IF NO RICHER. WITH THE RELEASE IN 1990 OF A GREATEST HITS COMPILATION "THROUGH A BIG COUNTRY", THEY NOW DREW A LINE UNDER THE FIRST PHASE OF THEIR
REMARKABLE ACHIEVEMENTS. 16 HIT SINGLES SINCE 1983 - EIGHT OF THEM TOP 20 - AND FOUR TOP 10 ALBUMS, ONE OF THEM, "STEELTOWN", A UK NO. 1. IN TAKING STOCK, AT THIS POINT, THEY COULD REFLECT WITH GREAT PRIDE
ON THE GROUP'S ACHIEVEMENTS.
NATURALLY, NOT EVERYTHING IN BIG COUNTRY'S PAST HAS GIVEN SUCH CAUSE FOR SATISFACTION. IN 1981, WHEN ADAMSON WENT TOUTING FOR A RECORD DEAL WITH THE FIRST BIG COUNTRY DEMOS, HE WAS TURNED DOWN BY COLUMBIA
(THEN CBS), AGM, POLYDOR, ARISTA, RAK, RSO, EMI, SIRE, WEA, CHRYSALIS AND JET. SO POOR WAS THE GROUP'S PERFORMANCE ON THEIR FIRST MAJOR GIG - SUPPORTING ALICE COOPER AT THE BRIGHTON CENTRE IN 1982 - THAT
THEY WERE ASKED TO DROP OUT OF THE BILL ON ONLY THE SECOND NIGHT OF THE TOUR. BUT THAT WAS A VERY DIFFERENT BIG COUNTRY TO THE GROUP WHICH EXACTLY ONE YEAR WAS ENJOYING ITS FIRST TOP 10 HIT WITH "FIELDS OF
FIRE".
THE BAND WAS ORIGINALLY FOUNDED BY GUITARISTS AND FELLOW RESIDENTS, STUART ADAMSON AND BRUCE WATSON. ADAMSON WAS THE MAN WITH THE PEDIGREE. BORN APRIL 11 1958 IN MANCHESTER, HE WAS BROUGHT UP IN CROSSGATES,
A SMALL MINING VILLAGE ON THE OUTSKIRTS OF DUNFERMLINE. HE STARTED HIS MUSICAL CAREER PLAYING IN A LOCAL R 'N' B COVERS BAND CALLED TATTOO, BEFORE JOINING UP WITH SINGER RICHARD JOBSON TO FORM THE SKIDS IN
EARLY 1977.
THE SKIDS WERE ONE OF THE FIRST SCOTTISH BANDS TO CONVERT THE DO-IT-YOURSELF ETHOS OF PUNK FROM LOCAL ENTHUSIASM INTO NATIONAL CHART SUCCESS. IN LITTLE MORE THAN TWO YEARS THEY PUT NO LESS THAN 10 SINGLES
IN THE UK CHART, THE MOST SUCCESSFUL BEING "INTO THE VALLEY" WHICH PEAKED AT NO. 10 IN 1978. THAT SONG HAS LATELY BEEN INTRODUCED TO A NEW GENERATION THANKS TO ITS ECCENTRIC USE IN THE MUCH-LOVED
ADVERTISEMENT FOR MAXELL CASSETTES.
ALTHOUGH HE HAD NOT BEEN INVOLVED IN ANYTHING IN THE SAME LEAGUE AS THE SKIDS, BRUCE WATSON, BORN MARCH 11 1961 IN ONTARIO, CANADA, WAS A WELL-KNOWN FIGURE ON THE DUNFERMLINE MUSIC SCENE. BROUGHT UP IN THE
DOCKYARD AREA, AND A DOCK WORKER FOR THREE AND A HALF YEARS, WATSON HAD MET ADAMSON WHEN WATSON'S BAND THE DELINQUENTS SUPPORTED THE SKIDS AT ONE OF THEIR GIGS. WATSON WAS ON THE DOLE AND EARNING VERY LITTLE
MONEY WHEN ADAMSON INVITED HIM TO START WRITING MATERIAL WITH A VIEW TO FORMING A BAND. THE PAIR HEAVED A PORTASTUDIO AND SOME GUITAR EQUIPMENT INTO THE NEARBY TOWNHILL COMMUNITY CENTRE AND SETTLED DOWN TO
WRITE WHAT EVENTUALLY BECAME FIRST BIG COUNTRY ALBUM, "BIG CROSSING" (sic).
THE VERY FIRST BIG COUNTRY DEMO WAS RECORDED IN JUNE 1981 BY ADAMSON, WATSON AND DRUMMER RICK BUCKLER OF THE JAM, AND PROMPTED THE AFOREMENTIONED FLURRY OF RECORD COMPANY REJECTIONS. AFTER THE IGNOMINY OF
THE ALICE COOPER DATE, THE SEARCH WAS ON FOR A PROPER RHYTHM SECTION.
WHEN BASSIST TONY BUTLER (BORN IN LONDON ON FEBRUARY 13, 1957) AND DRUMMER MARK BRZEZICKI (BORN IN SLOUGH ON JUNE 21 1957) WERE HIRED TO DO SOME RECORDING BY BIG COUNTRY MANAGER IAN GRANT, BUTLER KNEW THAT
IT WAS GOING TO BE NO ORDINARY SESSION. BUTLER HAD MET ADAMSON SEVERAL YEARS BEFORE WHEN, AS A MEMBER OF SIMON TOWNSHEND'S GROUP ON THE AIR, HE HAD PLAYED AS SUPPORT TO THE SKIDS. SINCE THOSE DAYS, HE AND
BRZEZICKI HAD TAKEN TO WORKING TOGETHER ON THE LONDON SESSION CIRCUIT AS THE TOP RHYTHM SECTION FOR HIRE.
BUTLER RECALLS: "I SAID TO MARK: SOMETHING GOOD'S GONNA HAPPEN, I KNOW THIS GUY ADAMSON. HE'S THUNDER." THE SESSION WENT LIKE A DREAM, WITH EVERYONE GETTING ON FAMOUSLY AND THE RESULTANT DEMO SECURING THE
BAND A CONTRACT WITH PHONOGRAM. BUTLER WAS THRILLED, EVEN TURNING DOWN AN OFFER TO JOIN THE PRETENDERS (AT THAT TIME A MUCH MORE ESTABLISHED PROPOSITION) TO DEVOTE HIMSELF FULL-TIME TO THE NEW GROUP. BUT
HE REMEMBERS EVEN THEN THAT "WHEN IT CAME TO SIGNING ON DOTTED LINE MARK (BRZEZICKI) DIDN'T WANT TO DO IT. HE NEVER WANTED TO COMMIT HIMSELF TO THE BAND. HE JUST WANTED TO FLOAT ROUND THE MUSIC BUSINESS
PLAYING WITH ALL AND SUNDRY. WHICH IS WHAT HE'S ENDED UP DOING. A PITY REALLY". ONE OF THE REASONS WHY BIG COUNTRY'S EARLIER DEMOS HAD MET WITH SUCH A NEGATIVE RESPONSE WAS THE CLIMATE OF THE TIMES. ROCK
IN THE EARLY EIGHTIES HAD BEEN HI-JACKED BY A WAVE OF SYNTHESIZER BANDS - DEPECHE MODE, YAZOO, SOFT CELL, EURYTHMICS, THE HUMAN LEAGUE, ORCHESTRAL MANOEUVRES IN THE DARK, ULTRAVOX, BLANCMANGE - AND THE
IDEA OF LAUNCHING A NEW GROUP THAT FEATURED PROMINENT GUITARS AND NO KEYBOARDS RAN COUNTER TO EVERY FASHIONABLE PRECEPT OF THE DAY. THE FACT THAT "FIELDS OF FIRE", THE GROUP'S SECOND SINGLE, THRIVED IN
SUCH A HOSTILE ENVIRONMENT, SPOKE VOLUMES FOR THE STIRRING QUALITY AND STEADFAST INTEGRITY OF COUNTRY'S MUSIC.
THE FOLLOW-UP "IN A BIG COUNTRY" BECAME A BIG HIT IN AMERICA AS THE DEBUT ALBUM "THE CROSSING". IN THE UK THE ALBUM BECAME A PLATINUM SELLER, EVENTUALLY STAYING IN THE CHART FOR MORE THAN A YEAR A HALF.
THE FOLLOW-UP ALBUM, "STEELTOWN", RELEASED IN OCTOBER 1984 ENTERED THE UK CHART AT NO. 1 AND CEMENTED BIG COUNTRY'S REPUTATION AS ONE OF THE LEADING BRITISH BANDS OF THE DECADE. IN 1985 THEY PERFORMED AS
PART OF THE SUPERGROUP DURING THE FINALE OF LIVE AID. IN 1986 "THE SEER" ROCKETED UP TO NO.2 IN THE CHART AND PROVIDED THE BAND'S BIGGEST HIT SINGLE SO FAR, "LOOK AWAY". THEY FEATURED PROMINENTLY AT THE
CONCERT TO MARK THE 10TH BIRTHDAY PARTY OF THE PRINCE'S TRUST AND SUPPORTED QUEEN AT KNEBWORTH.
IN 1987 THEY TOURED THE STADIUMS OF THE UK WITH DAVID BOWIE AND IN JULY 1988 THEY CO-HEADLINED (WITH BRYAN ADAMS) AT A PEACE FESTIVAL IN EAST BERLIN ATTENDED BY 140,000 PEOPLE, NONE OF WHOM HAD THE
SLIGHTEST INKLING THAT THE BERLIN WALL WAS DESTINED TO BE DEMOLISHED TWO YEARS LATER. AFTER EAST BERLIN, THE GROUP TRAVELLED TO TALLIN IN THE SOVIET REPUBLIC OF ESTONIA WHERE IN AUGUST THEY CO-HEADLINED
WITH PUBLIC IMAGE LTD AT ANOTHER GROUND-BREAKING FESTIVAL, THIS TIME ATTRACTING AN AUDIENCE OF 200,000. "PEACE IN OUR TIME" WAS RELEASED THE FOLLOWING MONTH.
BIG COUNTRY'S FIRST NEW ALBUM OF THE NINETIES, "NO PLACE LIKE HOME", MARKS A NEW PHASE IN THE GROUP'S CAREER, AN OPENING UP OF BIG COUNTRY'S MUSIC TO A WIDE RANGE OF INFLUENCES PAST AND PRESENT. IN
PARTICULAR, ON TRACKS LIKE "COMES A TIME" AND THE FIRST SINGLE "REPUBLICAN PARTY REPTILE", A BEGUILING, ROOTSY QUALITY HAS COME INTO EVIDENCE.
"I GREW UP PLAYING R 'N' B MUSIC," ADAMSON SAYS, RECALLING HIS EARLY DAYS IN DUNFERMLINE HOPEFULS TATTOO, "SO IT'S STILL COMPLETELY NATURAL FOR ME TO PLAY IT NOW."
BIG COUNTRY HAS USED MANDOLINS AND ACOUSTIC GUITARS BEFORE, BUT THE BANJO AND HONKY TONK PIANO WHICH CONTRIBUTES TO THE MELLOW CELTIC-COUNTRY SWING OF "BEAUTIFUL PEOPLE" IS UNDOUBTEDLY A FIRST.
WITH ITS CRISP, OPEN-ENDED PRODUCTION - COURTESY OF PAT MORAN AND THE BAND - "NO PLACE LIKE HOME" IS AN ALBUM OF BOUNTIFUL EXTREMES, ENCOMPASSING THE SIMPLE VOICE-AND-PIANO BALLAD OF "SHIPS", THE BELTING
INSTRUMENTAL CODA OF "INTO THE FIRE", AND THE MOUNTING PARANOIA OF THE MIDDLE EASTERN SCENARIO OF "HOSTAGE" WITH ITS GRAINY, DESERT-BAKED RIFF AND NEUROTIC WAH WAH EMBELLISHMENTS.
"WE'RE TRYING TO DO TRADITIONAL THINGS IN A CONTEMPORARY STYLE", IS HOW ADAMSON SUMS THE ALBUM UP. "IT IS A NEW CHAPTER, BUT FOR ME IT'S ALWAYS BEEN ABOUT WRITING SONGS THAT MAKE A DIFFERENCE IN PEOPLE'S
LIVES, SONGS THAT CONNECT WITH PEOPLE. THERE'S NO MASTER PLAN. THIS IS WHAT WE DO NOW."
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COUNTRY CLUB
PERSONAL YEARLY MEMBERSHIP OF THE COUNTRY CLUB IS AVAILABLE AT £8.50 PER YEAR. ALL NEWLY ENROLLED MEMBERS WILL RECEIVE A PACK THAT WILL NORMALLY COMPRISE THE FOLLOWING:-
10" X 8" PHOTOGRAPH
MEMBERSHIP CARD
KEY RING
FULL BIOGRAPHY
LETTER WRITTEN BY STUART
CURRENT MAGAZINE/NEWSLETTER
IN ADDITION, EACH MEMBER RECEIVES A REGULAR MAGAZINE/NEWSLETTER, WITH A PENPAL AND SWAPS SERVICE, COMPETITIONS AND PRIOR NEWS OF TOURS AND RELEASES THROUGH OUR "HOT NEWS" SERVICE AND SPECIAL OFFERS
ON MERCHANDISING AND RECORD COMPANY PROMOTIONAL ITEMS ETC.
COUNTRY CLUB CONVENTION
I DO HOPE WE HAVE CALCULATED CORRECTLY AND THERE ARE SUFFICIENT, BUT FOR ONE REASON OR ANOTHER, WERE UNABLE TO ATTEND THE COUNTRY CLUB CONVENTION IN DUNFERMLINE ON 31ST AUGUST IN PERSON, BUT WERE
THERE AT HEART, WE DO HAVE A CONVENTION PACK OF GOODIES FOR YOU.
THIS PACK WILL INCLUDE:
THE CONVENTION T-SHIRT
(WHITE 100% HEAVYWEIGHT COTTON SHIRT, FULL COLOUR PRINT) L, XL
THE CONVENTION BASEBALL CAP
(RED AND WHITE CAP, BLACK PRINT)
THE CONVENTION LEATHER-THONGED NECK-PEN
ALL IN THE CONVENTION CARRIER BAG
THE SPECIAL PRICE OF THE PACK IS £13.00 TO MAKE UP FOR MISSING SUCH A WONDERFUL EVENT, PLUS AS BELOW.
POST AND PACKAGING £0.80/EUROPE £2.00/THE REST OF THE WORLD £4.00 AIR
OTHER EXCLUSIVE MERCHANDISE ITEMS INCLUDE
EMBROIDERED SWEAT-SHIRTS £19.50
LEATHER-THONGED-PENS £2.00
"RIVER OF HOPE" VIDEO
(DOCUMENTARY OF THE BAND'S TRIP TO MOSCOW) £15.00
EMBROIDERED BASEBALL AND SATIN JACKETS £59.50
EMBROIDERED RUGBY SHIRTS £19.50
EMBROIDERED POLO SHIRT £16.50
SPECIAL CONVENTION PACK (AS ABOVE) £13.00
MUGS £3.00
PHONOGRAM NIPPON BOXED CD SET £36.00
(PLEASE NOTE THAT THE ABOVE PRICES ARE ALL PLUS POSTAGE AND PACKING)
FOR FULL DETAILS, PLEASE WRITE TO ME AT THE ADDRESS BELOW, INCLUDING A STAMPED, SELF-ADDRESSED ENVELOPE, I LOOK FORWARD TO HEARING FROM YOU. JAN
COUNTRY CLUB, BOX 59, ASHWELL, HERTS, SG7 5NG
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