William Stuart Adamson (11 April 1958 – 16 December 2001) was a Scottish guitarist, vocalist, and songwriter. He was the co-founder, lead vocalist, and guitarist of rock group Big Country, which rose to prominence in 1983.

Prior to that he founded Scottish art-punk band the Skids. In the 1990s he founded alternative country rock act The Raphaels. He was once described by DJ John Peel as "the new Jimi Hendrix". [Wiki]


Seventeen years ago Stuart committed suicide; he was missing for a few weeks and was eventually found in a hotel room in Honolulu, Hawaii. He had had problems with alcoholism for some considerable time.


'Chance' - Big Country.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-E4960jHfgE" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

I certainly remember Big Country but not any members of the them, one of those groups (I still prefer that title) that I liked but had no records by them.

Stuart's daughter Kirsten wrote him a letter to thank him for his music.


https://twitter.com/bbcscotland/status/ ... 68?lang=en" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

SWC...lucky you, you must be too young.

'In a Big Country' - Big Country [1984] live at the Barrowlands, Glasgow.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NMeipHcDmbI" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;



https://www.theguardian.com/uk/2001/dec ... vanvasagar" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false; [The Guardian - Big Country's Stuart Adamson dead in hotel] 17/12/2001

Saw the Skids in Clitheroe last Friday night, brilliant, dedicated one of his songs to his memory Stuart, quite rightly.

They played Knebworth with Queen in 1986 and gave an excellent account of themselves.

Big Country's 1st album is a total classic. Chance is my fave track but run close by others. Seek out the album.

The Wonderland single after that is also superb.

After that not so good...
But always good live.
Can't believe it's 17 years.

Quite liked Big Country, seem to remember they were around at the same time as U2 when they 1st came on the scene.

Love big country, look forward to seeing them next year. Never the same with Stuart, but Simon Hough a good ‘stand in’.

Big Country with Stuart are one of the best live bands I have seen. The Crossing is in my top few albums. Such a sad end to a great performer and by all accounts a really decent bloke.

Cheers for those replies, thought it was going to be a bit of a dead thread with no interest.

Stuart was a very talented lad, and a very nice bloke by all accounts, another Scotsman who went too early..[Gerry Rafferty, Alex Harvey, John Martyn
Billy MacKenzie all had drink or drugs issues]..the Edge of U2 was big mates with Stuart Adamson and he said of Big Country..'they did songs that U2 wished they had written'.

The manner in which he took his life was a very sad tale.

I agree with those comments about 'The Crossing' one of the the best albums of the Eighties imo, I played it at the weekend it still sounds fresh..now 35 years old where did the time go?

BC were [are?] an excellent live band, see the link.

'Fields of Fire'.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9I6QTipR03Q" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Saw Stuart Adamson playing in the skids at KGH Blackburn about 40 years ago, and so the skids on Friday in Clitheroe was very good

Wonderland
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gL378Cwz4zE

and Chance
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NKkhNV8zn-s

This band and The Chameleons are so under rated...

very sad, and a great band. Chance is incredibly good.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EHBzGY-hCh8" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

sorry if its already posted

Big Country are one of my fave bands.Regretfully I have only seen them live once which was at the Mechanics some years after Stuart died.
They were fantastic.

Here's 2 from my fave BC album.

Steeltown
https://youtu.be/e3Veko70OfQ" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Flame Of The West
https://youtu.be/IDjMrVzJoLg" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Big Country were a fantastic band, made some great albums but were even better live.

Aye the skids were good. Good Friday at the grand too. Good venue is that.

Jobber quite energetic for a gentleman of a certain age.

Saw Big Country in Birmingham 1984, they were awesome that night. It was a real effort to get to see them but so glad I did as a wide eyed 16 year old. First gig I ever went to by myself and a trek away. I think it was the Steeltown tour. Whilst they never reached the same brilliance of The Crossing most of their subsequently albums always had a stand out song that stirred the soul. I too saw the remainder of the group play at The Mechanics a few years ago, it was a good evening, but Stuart was so much of the original it did seem like watching a tribute band, a good one obviously.

RIP Stuart.

A couple of the members visit the Music and Arts Centre in Barnoldswick. Seen them perform there this past year. They are pals of Peter who owns the place. If you don’t know it, it’s a great venue.

Great live band saw them at manc Apollo mid ish 80’s and again about 89. Then next saw then possibly 2001/2ish at manc academy ( great gig venue) rammed out they were superb and the band really enjoyed themselves ,they came on with huge grins when they saw the place utterly rammed and rocking (supported by the Alarm I think ) then year later they played Again not as packed out but still great and I think that was their last tour .

Since SA tragic passing ,saw them play the tiny Academy 3 I think where the band shared the vocals and then seen Mike Peters as front man and a fine job he did as well .The crossing is a total classic and Chance has to be one of the most powerful live songs in history .

hampsteadclaret wrote:Cheers for those replies, thought it was going to be a bit of a dead thread with no interest.

Stuart was a very talented lad, and a very nice bloke by all accounts, another Scotsman who went too early..[Gerry Rafferty, Alex Harvey, John Martyn
Billy MacKenzie all had drink or drugs issues]..the Edge of U2 was big mates with Stuart Adamson and he said of Big Country..'they did songs that U2 wished they had written'.

The manner in which he took his life was a very sad tale.

I agree with those comments about 'The Crossing' one of the the best albums of the Eighties imo, I played it at the weekend it still sounds fresh..now 35 years old where did the time go?

BC were [are?] an excellent live band, see the link.

'Fields of Fire'.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9I6QTipR03Q" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

As an old rocker I tend to keep up with things past and present but I'm absolutely amazed that John Martyn died 9 years ago and it somehow passed me by. I saw him back in the 70s at Salford Uni I think it was and he started the gig on his own (sounded like there were 4 of him with his effects and sheer brilliance) and he kept adding to people on stage until he was joined by that other sadly-died-too-young Paul Kossof (ex-free). It was a tremendous night.

Always remember a rock disco I used to go to at the old Broadswords in Burnley (up on the balcony in the shopping centre) and he always ended with May You Never by John Martyn - happy days.

Nice one Houseboy..I was best man for my best mate about 18 years ago at a wedding in rural Notts - as they were all signing the register 'May you Never' was being played in the venue. John Martyn suffered from various addictions for much of his life, killed him in the end - what a talent he was.



'May you Never' - John Martyn [1973..from 'Solid Air']

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sboOfQA2rKM" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

I'm not great doing links on the phone but check out this excellent tribute on YouTube: 'Bill Nelson - For Stuart'

One of my favourite BC songs from a great live gig at Reading Hexagon, filmed for Whistle Test from memory. Just check out the audience, like a boiling cauldron bubbling away in time to this great song. From the album Steeltown

If I die in a combat zone, box me up and ship me home
If I die and still come home, lay me where the rose is sown

https://youtu.be/GrnzznkK408" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

dougcollins..

Bill Nelson - 'For Stuart'

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H6MJIEwXc1I" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;


Thanks dc and Herts for those excellent links.

I don't know enough about Bill Nelson, and was unaware that he was in Be-Bop Deluxe..cheers

The first band i saw live, circa 86. I still listen to their stuff regularly, The Crossing is a fantastic first album and songs like Chance, Steeltown snd Wonderland are excellent.

My favourite tune from them though just has to be Porrohman. It is very haunting and yet has the feel that the band are essentially jamming.

https://youtu.be/u3xcfOCqtqQ" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Braindead...not a word I use very often but 'Porrohman' is an awesome piece of music...four musicians at the top of their game.

- this is the version from 'The Crossing'.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sY3efKrLl3Q" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Loved the skids not only because they were talented but because they was so different from other bands at the same time. Stuart Adamson was the driving force even though Richard Jonson was the public image of the band. Big Country were also brilliant loved them but just didn’t have the energy of the skids! Stuart Adamson is and always will be sadly missed and the most underrated guitarist of all time

Pretty much agree with Sackville's post.

Loved the Skids for their energy and innovation. Found Big Country a little more mainstream but as has been said by many excellent live - saw them supporting David Bowie at Wembley in 1987 (I think) and they were perfect for the occasion - superb stadium band.

UK punk didn't produce many guitar virtuosos but Stuart Adamson, if not the best was amongst a small handful which IMO would also include Bob Andrews, Billy Duffy and Keith Levene.

Just for you hampers - Be Bop on the OGWT

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lPDzqllyGH4" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

bobinho wrote:Aye the skids were good. Good Friday at the grand too. Good venue is that.

Jobber quite energetic for a gentleman of a certain age.

I remember when Richard Jobson had quit the Skids, and became a TV music based presenter, a bit like Terry Christian, in the 80's/90's,he came across, like Christian, as a bit of a cock. However, I have to say he was a brilliant front man at the Grand last week, never stopped dad dancing and got a very lively response from a usually quiet Clitheroe crowd, job well done, and looked like he was enjoying it !!

Pimlico_Claret wrote:I remember when Richard Jobson had quit the Skids, and became a TV music based presenter, a bit like Terry Christian, in the 80's/90's,he came across, like Christian, as a bit of a cock. However, I have to say he was a brilliant front man at the Grand last week, never stopped dad dancing and got a very lively response from a usually quiet Clitheroe crowd, job well done, and looked like he was enjoying it !!

You’ll see Terry regularly in Burnley Tesco doing his shopping. His TV persona isn’t a million mile away from a night out in Burnley and the people you meet.

EarbyClaret wrote:Pretty much agree with Sackville's post.

Loved the Skids for their energy and innovation. Found Big Country a little more mainstream but as has been said by many excellent live - saw them supporting David Bowie at Wembley in 1987 (I think) and they were perfect for the occasion - superb stadium band.

UK punk didn't produce many guitar virtuosos but Stuart Adamson, if not the best was amongst a small handful which IMO would also include Bob Andrews, Billy Duffy and Keith Levene.

Mick Jones?

John McGeogh.

The Crossing is one of my Top Ten Albums, and one of the most original Debuts of all time. I have it on CD now but first bought it on the original Cassette version. This had extra tracks on it; ‘Angle Park’ and ‘Heart and Soul’(which I believe we’re B Sides of the first two singles, and 12 inch mixes of ‘In A Big Country’ and ‘Fields Of Fire’.
Sadly I lost the copy when it was chewed up by the tape player in Ma Beamish’s car when I crashed it, back in the day.

It’s now on my iPod. To this day I’m still wont to but it on whilst walking on a high Pennine bridleway, earbuds in my ears, singing the album, verbatim, with gay abandon; with every Adamsonian “sha!” included.

Mick Jones and John McGeogh - great shouts - definitely worthy of mention. The difference IMO with Stuart Adamson was that he defined the sound of both the Skids and Big Country,

Can't post links but this thread has got me checking out Big Country's regular appearances on The Tube - early 80s which were immense - which kind of endorses that they were at their best live and perhaps didn't quite capture that energy on vinyl (as it was then).

Angle Park was indeed the B-side of the 7-inch Fields of Fire and is a brilliant track.

Listened to Days In Europa all the way through earlier - forgotten what an absolutely top album that is.

One of my favourite 80’s bands saw at the Manchester
Apollo early 88 On the Peace in our time tour and they were stunning.
I saw them a few years in Clitheroe for me not the same band without Adamson.

I had that album on vinyl. The blue one. Loved it. Shout! Ha! Ha! Shout!

Beehole67 wrote:One of my favourite 80’s bands saw at the Manchester
Apollo early 88 On the Peace in our time tour and they were stunning.
I saw them a few years in Clitheroe for me not the same band without Adamson.

I was at that Manchester Apollo gig. As I said, their albums were great, but live they raised it to a different level. I must have seen over 100 bands live over the years, Big Country are right up there with the absolute best.

Just got my tickets, only £20. Great line up!