My idols are getting old like me but I still love them! Their music and influence are already running in my blood and even death can't take it away from me because it will live within my spirit. Thank you very much guys!
A truly amazing Band - and I do mean Band as while Stuart tends to get the most attention, the total talent of EVERY player in the band was and is exceptional to have in one band. A band that deserved then and still deserves now to be much better known.And the treat is that the material is as fresh today as it was when it was first released. Thanks much mates!
The work that Big Country and the people associated with them have done to combat alcoholism and addiction since the tragic death of Stuart Adamson has to be commended. I am certain that there are many people looking at this who have struggled or have known people who have struggled with such issues. I hope you can help them - or seek help yourselves. You are not alone.
Hey Mark! You guys were a studio band!! Nobody touched you guys as studio performers! Ex: that interplay between you and Tony at the end of Harvest Home on The Crossing. You were equally adept performing live! Just a great and special band! Met you guys at an appearance at a record shop before you played the pier in NYC in '86. You saw my brother and me walking on a backstreet after the signing and pulled the limo over and talked to us(we were carrying autographed Big Country albums). You guys were fantastic!!!! Thanks for all the great memories😍
Seen B.C. about 15 times in many different locations, and the band has never been less than brilliant. Saw them with Mike Peters in Swansea last week with Mike Peters as front man. The band is still alive and kicking and Mike compliments all they do. It`s still raw energy and crazy down the front. Loved it.. so did my wife and daughter. All the big B.C. hits are there and well delivered. Superb!1 What a night. I`d recommend all B.C. fans to go and support them
I am very jealous I have loved them forever since 1983 about and only got to see them play when I was in Ireland in 96 and we got to hang out in an alley after the show and talk to them. It was pure heaven for me to be from the states and see my fav band of all time with just an incredible crowd from all over. Just wish I could travel that far and see it again. God bless Stuart we all miss you..Good to see you guys back at it again!!
John Smith John, I can't begin to tell you how much I utterly love that man. Skids were a favourite of my dad's and after he died, the Crossing was a watershed moment for me. I still listen to it full tilt and jump around like a great tit. I might be 45, but this lets me still rock like a teenage idiot. And I love Stuart & the boys for that
Seen them a few times and they were nothing short of amazing every time, Stewart was always so appreciative of the fans reaction to them and as for The Alarm...another band that puts everything in to their performance, even when Mike was really ill and his voice went towards the end of the gig he soldiered on but in the dressing room after the show he said he felt like he had let the fans down ⚡ what a dude 🍺
So interesting. I had 3 fav bands throughout my teenage years and The Alarm and Big Country were two of them so for Mike to be the vocalist is just a natural progression to me. The talent between all of these guys is infinite and I am so happy to hear their new music and get so much enjoyment from it. Fantastic stuff.
Big Country will forever be an inspiration for me. I miss hearing Stuart's voice. Mike Peters and The Alarm was also a great influence. Great to see the combination.
Great to hear that they're still kickin it, and still get enjoyment out of performing. The unique sound of the band combined with lyrics that actually meant something have been the center of my musical world since their first release.
My world fell to pieces when Stuart took his life - the music was brilliant and enjoyed it so much. The advent of the personal stereo made my life so much better - a truly excellent decade to becoma a teenage.
Back in 1983 in Phoenix Park, Dublin, I saw, on the same day and in the following order, Steel Pulse, Eurythmics, Big Country, Simple Minds and U2. All of them at their peak, and the ticket was probably not much more than a tenner. Quite a day!
40ny OMG, Big Country, Steel Pulse and Simple Minds are bands I adore, to this day! Went thru Basic Training In the US Army to "in a Big Country" and "Alive and Kicking". when Jim Kerr married Chrissie Hynde, I was elated! I saw SM live in Phoenix, AZ, what a show! Just read about Stuart, and Hawaii. OMG, my heart goes out to the band. Very unique guitars... Hope that the soul returns back into music! Ovcourse, when I read about Beyonce and her extreme witchcraft, I wonder. In God we trust, rock on, Air Assault!
I was lucky enough to see the original lineup in 1984 at a free concert in Daytona Bch. during spring break . They where awesome . I was amazed at that time as I had never heard guitars sound like that (bagpipes come to mind) , and I was hooked ! Not only that, Mark is an amazing drummer and Tony a great bass player . I wish the best for this new lineup , and think they too sound great ! Its pretty cool that Mike Peters, ( The Alarm) and the bass player from Simple minds are with them now , also 2 bands that I like alot !
Loved the Oriental celticy sounds, would love to hear some more new choons,ahm still playing ma cds and still collecting the rare songs too, quality guys.. Aitchie fi boness
Saw BC at PJ Molloys Dunfermline in December 2016. Have to say what a great night. Its all about keeping it going letting these great sings being heard full pelt. Long may it continue
Big Country has been my Ultimate Favorite Band from the Beginning. Followed them trough out the bands career. Was Very happy to see that Mike Peters joined in as Vocalist. Loved The Alarm. Was very saddened to see Tony leave but was very happy to see that Derek Forbes took over the bass for Tony. The Dynamics of a band is always changing. I'm glad to see that this Dynamics added 3 great musicians as Jamie Watson is showing that he can hold his own. Sorry I missed you all n Phoenix AZ Broke my
Great to hear from all the current set up, the respect for each other and the older band members is truly amazing. I've been fortunate to see the original set up live sooo many times, I truly cherish those times - I even feel blessed that I got to shake the great mans hand at several of those concerts. My wife bought me tickets to go and see the new set up in Sheffield a few years back, like the TIT that I am, I put the tickets in a safe place, only to forget where that was on the day we were going, alas we didn't go - gutted does not really give it justice !!!!
Thank you for posting this, it was a great opportunity to get to know the guys. It was interesting to see them warm up - they seemed indifferent to the interview at the beginning and then as the memories came back they really opened up. I'm sure it get's old talking about your bandmate (excellent though he was) killing himself while they are still around trying to make an honest go of it. Living is the hard part, yet they have to talk about Stuart each interview. Wish interviews would just focus on them and their musicality. They are brilliant in their own right.
Touring now.... 'STEELTOWN' albums 40th Anniverary. Now with Simon Hough as lead singer,.... and as much as I love all that Mike Peters has done within the band.... Simon's voice suits the 'songs of old' better in my honest opinion. Roll-on end of March '24 in Liverpool.
Do not worry so much on new stuff your back catalogue is so amazing from skids to big Country and I remember just before Stuart passed away he was working with a new band. Pressure is a funny thing~got to Brian from Sweet, Fish Marillion, Syd Barrett Floyd all induced from too many drugs to give them confidence, as the New York Dolls ~ once said Too Much Too Soon & there is not many left from that line up just like The Ramones (one was suicide) I am 55 & I suffered with depression for yrs
The no bending strings was a clever decision, it really set them apart. Later on they did bring that in and it made them more of a poppy rock sounding band which changed them quite a lot. The stronger stuff was definitely the Scottish sounding material, and now there's no Stuart so not sure that's really BC anymore....
Hi Martin, Way Way Back 1982 or there about. First time I heard them they were played on a college station in Milwaukee, WI. Saw them in November 1984 @ the Eagles Club next I saw them was exactly 10 years to the day later at the Roxy in Hollywood, CA. In 2000 my husband had the privilege to interview Bruce for an e-zine we write for DaBelly.com So I was really upset that I missed them here in AZ. Literally was crushed that I missed my favorite band of all time.Rush is 2nd.
watching this tonight amazing, seeing a dad bring his son its like an appernticeship also the alarm and Forbes guy, professionals so good in so many ways, not forgetting the drummer guy, lovely accent btw 🙈
Good interview. The new album is good (Ive got all their studio albums). Keeps the old sound alive and blends in a little new. Get the kid some rock and roll clothes for interviews. :-) Thought he was gonna go bale some hay after the interview with the jacket. And I know what that looks like. Im from Nebraska.
The Crossing - that's the their best work, everything else is just the faded past. I remember it clearly, 1983 riding on the wrestling bus to a meet and one of my buddies was listening to Ozzy, he only liked heavy metal. He asked me what I was listening to. I told him "Big Country". I handed him my Walkman headset and he was first confused by the scottish accented singer, but then the drums came in. After Porroh Man was over he said, "Those are some mad drums!" Laughter lies on faces Where the sun has never shone The fear of life is strong
Sorry I don't agree. I k ow What you mean but BC lived on without Stuart, with Tony for a while. Stuart decided to leave. Iirc correct they were due to do Aberdeen new year show but he couldn't do it. I've met Tony. Big Country are still alive
Whilst I disagree, I personally couldn’t imagine seeing them Live without Stuart. Glad that they seem to be doing well playing gigs, but it’s not for me.
Sally, I was obsessed with this band in high school and tracked down their albums through local music store and have lived them ever since. I have never seen them and I would live to. Any idea where I could get a shirt for Big Country?
You can get shirts and other merch from their official website - www(dot)BigCountry(dot)co(dot)UK Original members Bruce Watson and Mark Brzezicki, along with Bruce's son Jamie, former Simple Minds bassist Derek Forbes, and new singer Simon Hough are working on new material at present, though there's no official word on a release, as of yet.
top guy Mike Peters he got up with rockin band the Twangmasters at a club in north wales played guitar and sang I fought the law with a 68 guns line superb got it on dvd .
For a fan like me it's almost as shocking when my fave bands SUPERTRAMP's Roger Hodgson was almost recruited for YES' Talk. However major band collaborations arent as much of a big deal anymore.
Love the band....now don't laugh....I hate seeing anybody years later...as they get older....I want to frezzer them in time...in my mind...it makes me stay young....lol....I want to remember everybody in their prime ....lol...The Crossing....that's what they will always look like to my mind.....you all stay safe and young...
If Mark Burgess of Chameleons VOX bleached his mop , he’d be Mike Stevens . I saw BC at Reading in 1983. They along with Nick Lowe , Ten Years After , The Enid , The Stranglers , Thin Lizzy , Marillion & Sabbath with Ian Gillan & Lots of Metal bands too . I still have Into The Valley / TV Stars on 7” . Super loud production. I can hear Big Country in a band whom my lad plays called Twilight Sad ❤️👍
This is not really the "Big Country Story," its just an interview and the people in it really look depressed to be there. Seriously I've gone to more cheerful AA meetings.
1. They're sitting on stupidly small and uncomfortable bench. 2. They're getting on a bit (even older than me!). 3. Worst of all, they've found themselves having to speak with the semi-conscious Matt Bristow. I'd rather have an asthma attack than sit in there, and talk to _him_, about something that once inspired my life's existence. Fortunately, the pulse rates of these poor sods DO rise a few minutes in :-)
Musiccalgary Yes, Mike Peters couldn't really fill Stuart's boots. To be honest I don't think anyone could. He was such a nice guy, talented musician and song writer.
Interesting point about changing your sound/style, when Bruce says 'All Status Quo songs sound different to me' that's the difference between being a musician and just a music fan.
Go and form another band guys,you are excellent musicians,there is a wide ocean of music to make ,what are you afraid of,not making money?This is not Big Country,please don't spoil one of my cherished memories of a Great Band.A fan from Argentina.
Big Country, one of the best bands ever 1982 - 88. Mark B, one of my drumming heroes, I still love and cherish that period, always will. Driving To Damascus is fantastic as well. Saw them without Stuart in 2010 and the sense of loss was almost too much to bear, given the personal nature of the songs. The interviewer is a complete nob, so wooden and stiff it's like someone has shoved a broom handle up a certain orifice, boring and predictable questions, a wasted opportunity in many ways. But will always love these guys.
"Big Country are one of the most successful rock acts of the last 3 decades..." Hang on a tic. What did the Matt character say? Really? So, of all the big or ridiculously big rock acts over the last 30 years, Big Country are up there with the most successful. Oh, and with no new releases for 14 of those massively successful 30 years. (Cripes, I hope this improves... :-/ At least Bristow has that sunny, inclusive, engaging disposition.)
Depends how you measure success, U2, the edge so many bands influenced by Big Country. Best gig I ever saw live, many people say the songwriting is up there! Very nice people.
Think you will find they were, and by the Skids with Stuart, check out there cover of Saints are coming (wrote after 1976 I think) as well! I am influenced by people of today, I was formed in the 60s.
Yes gutted about Stuart always will be I heard them in the 80s harvest home, big country etc , 12” rock singles were the new thing at the time fields of fire was one going HAT HAT HAT and other stuff to stretch out the record to 12” we though the guitars sounded like bag pipes ( we from Leicester what do we know)
And of course The Alarm and Simple Minds I think you could play in for hours and after what happened put below lol the two tracks on here are are brilliant and for God's sake look after Mike we are not want him going down the same road as the latter poor old sods below
