“We’d like to do something now, which is all about being proud of who you are and what you’re about. I think everyone should be that …” – Stuart Adamson, introducing The Seer – BBC In Concert.
On 29th July 2013, thirty-years since Britain’s legendary rocker’s Big Country released their classic debut album ‘The Crossing’, Universal Music will release ‘At The BBC’, a comprehensive four-disc collection that brings together the band’s BBC radio & TV performances between 1982 and 1990.
A must for all Big Country fans, ‘At The BBC’ includes forty-eight audio tracks, with no fewer than thirty of these recordings previously unreleased. In addition, the set’s accompanying DVD contains a staggering thirty-nine previously unreleased performances, including the band’s appearances on Top of The Pops, The Old Grey Whistle Test and live sets from The Edinburgh Playhouse and the Hexagon in Reading, amongst numerous others. The DVD also includes footage of Big Country’s late lead-singer and guitarist Stuart Adamson being interviewed by Richard Jobson, the lead singer with Adamson’s previous band The Skids.
Former Big Country bassist Tony Butler said, “To see, after all these years, such a collection of recordings and great memories made by the BBC, kind of makes me feel we got there. I mean, it’s the BBC! How cool.”
Big Country guitarist Bruce Watson added, “Watching the footage from Sefton Park in Liverpool brought back some fond memories. Loads of bodies covered in mud, very much a Woodstock atmosphere. Great days!”
The super-deluxe box set comes complete with a hardback book containing in-depth liner notes from respected journalist Tim Barr, archive photographs, a Big Country poster and postcards housed in a wallet.
There is also a 2CD version of the release which features selected audio highlights from the box set.
Big Country was originally formed in 1981 by guitar playing founder members Stuart Adamson and Bruce Watson both native of the band’s hometown Dunfermline in Scotland. Initially driven by a shared vision of widescreen guitar melody, harmony and lyric, the classic Big Country sound was further enhanced later that summer by the arrival of London-based rhythm section Mark Brzezicki and bassist Tony Butler. This is the Big Country that broke massively worldwide with the release of debut album The Crossing’s singles ‘Fields Of Fire’, ‘Chance’ and signature song ‘In A Big Country’, which went on to become massive worldwide hits, selling over 2 million copies and driving ‘The Crossing’ to 3 prestigious Grammy nominations in the USA.
The run of success continued throughout the 1980s with the release of the anthemic single ‘Wonderland’ and the second album ‘Steeltown’ (1984), which debuted at Number 1 in the UK and contained the hit singles ‘East Of Eden, ‘Just a Shadow’ and ‘Where The Rose Is Sown’ . In 1985, Big Country appeared at Live Aid in London, followed by further successful album releases ‘The Seer’ (1986, which included the bands biggest UK hit ‘Look Away’, which also reached Number 1 in the Irish Singles chart) and ‘Peace In Our Time’ (1988), which saw the band playing the first ever privately promoted gig in Russia at the Moscow Sports Stadium.
In the 1990s Big Country would go on to release studio albums ‘No Place Like Home’ (1991), Buffalo Skinners (1993) and ‘Why The Long Face (1995) – landing the band the special guest slot on the Rolling Stones ‘Voodoo Lounge’ European tour and several shows in the UK and Ireland with Led Zeppelin’s Jimmy Page and Robert Plant – before releasing ‘Driving To Damascus’ in 1999.
In 2010, Big Country reformed, with the band’s friend Mike Peters from The Alarm on vocals. Following three sell-out UK tours and a run of acclaimed festival appearances bassist Tony Butler retired from the band, to be replaced by former Simple Minds bassist Derek Forbes. In May 2013, Big Country released ‘The Journey’, their first studio album in fourteen years.
Big Country ‘At The BBC’ captures the classic line-up at the peak of their powers, further cementing the band’s reputation as truly great live band.
To pre-order your copy click here
BIG COUNTRY – ‘At The BBC’ – Track Listing
CD ONE
1. Heart & Soul – Radio 1: David Jensen Session 12/08/82 – Radio 1 Sessions CD (Sep 94)
2. Close Action – Radio 1: David Jensen Session 12/08/82 – Radio 1 Sessions CD (Sep 94)
3. Harvest Home – Radio 1: David Jensen Session 12/08/82 – Radio 1 Sessions CD (Sep 94)
4. Angle Park – Radio 1: David Jensen Session 12/08/82 – Radio 1 Sessions CD (Sep 94)
5. Close Action – Radio 1: John Peel 23/3/83 – Radio 1 Sessions CD (Sep 94)
6. Inwards – Radio 1: John Peel 23/3/83 – Radio 1 Sessions CD (Sep 94)
7. 1000 Stars – Radio 1: John Peel 23/3/83 – Radio 1 Sessions CD (Sep 94)
8. Porrohman – Radio 1: John Peel 23/3/83 – Radio 1 Sessions CD (Sep 94)
9. Balcony – Radio 1 In Concert: Hammersmith Palais -27/06/1983 – Previously Unreleased
10. Lost Patrol – Radio 1 In Concert: Hammersmith Palais – 27/06/1983 – Previously Unreleased
11. The Storm – Radio 1 In Concert: Hammersmith Palais – 27/06/1983 – Previously Unreleased
12. In A Big Country – Radio 1 In Concert: Hammersmith Palais -27/06/1983 – Previously Unreleased
13. Angle Park – Radio 1 In Concert: Hammersmith Palais -27/06/1983 – Previously Unreleased
14. The Storm – Radio 1 In Concert: Reading Festival -26/08/1983 -Previously Unreleased
15. Fields of Fire – Radio 1 In Concert: Reading Festival -26/08/1983 – Previously Unreleased
16. Harvest Home – Radio 1 In Concert: Reading Festival -26/08/1983 – Previously Unreleased
17. Close Action – Radio 1 In Concert: Reading Festival -26/08/1983 – Previously Unreleased
CD TWO (all tracks previously unreleased)
1. Lost Patrol – Radio 1 In Concert: Wembley Stadium (supp. Elton John) – 28/06/1984
2. In A Big Country – Radio 1 In Concert: Wembley Stadium (supp. Elton John) -28/06/1984
3. Porrohman – Radio 1 In Concert: Wembley Stadium (supp. Elton John) – 28/06/1984
4. Inwards – Radio 1 In Concert: Wembley Stadium (supp. Elton John) – 28/06/1984
5. Just A Shadow – BBC TV: Whistle Test: Edinburgh Playhouse – 31/12/1984
6. The Storm – BBC TV: Whistle Test: Edinburgh Playhouse – 31/12/1984
7. Chance – BBC TV: Whistle Test: Edinburgh Playhouse – 31/12/1984
8. Where The Rose Is Sown – BBC TV: Whistle Test: Edinburgh Playhouse – 31/12/1984
9. Come Back To Me – BBC TV: Whistle Test: Edinburgh Playhouse – 31/12/1984
10. Wonderland – BBC TV: Reading Hexagon – 14/04/1986
11. Remembrance Day – BBC TV: Reading Hexagon – 14/04/1986
12. I Walk The Hill – BBC TV: Reading Hexagon – 14/04/1986
13. Look Away – BBC TV: Reading Hexagon – 14/04/1986
14. Chance – BBC TV: Reading Hexagon – 14/04/1986
15. The Teacher – BBC TV: Reading Hexagon – 14/04/1986
16. Harvest Home – BBC TV: Reading Hexagon – 14/04/1986
CD THREE
1. Peace In Our Time – Radio 1: Evening Session ‘Live from Soviet Embassy’ – 21/09/1988 – Unreleased
2. Look Away – Radio 1: Evening Session ‘Live from Soviet Embassy’ – 21/09/1988 – Unreleased
3. Broken Heart – Radio 1: Evening Session ‘Live from Soviet Embassy’ – 21/09/1988 – Unreleased
4. Thousand Yard Stare – Radio 1: Evening Session ‘Live from Soviet Embassy’ – 21/09/1988 – Unreleased
5. King of Emotion – Radio 1: Evening Session ‘Live from Soviet Embassy’ – 21/09/1988 – Unreleased
6. River of Hope – Radio 1: Evening Session ‘Live from Soviet Embassy’ – 21/09/1988 – Unreleased
7. Peace In Our Time – Radio 1 In Concert: Hammersmith Odeon – 23/01/1989 – BBC In Concert (Sep 95)
8. Wonderland – Radio 1 In Concert: Hammersmith Odeon – 23/01/1989 – BBC In Concert (Sep 95)
9. The Seer – Radio 1 In Concert: Hammersmith Odeon – 23/01/1989 – BBC In Concert (Sep 95)
10. River of Hope – Radio 1 In Concert: Hammersmith Odeon – 23/01/1989 – BBC In Concert (Sep 95)
11. Come Back To Me – Radio 1 In Concert: Hammersmith Odeon – 23/01/1989 – BBC In Concert (Sep 95)
12. The Travellers – Radio 1 In Concert: Hammersmith Odeon – 23/01/1989 – BBC In Concert (Sep 95)
13. King of Emotion – Radio 1 In Concert: Hammersmith Odeon – 23/01/1989 – BBC In Concert (Sep 95)
14. In A Big Country – Radio 1 In Concert: Hammersmith Odeon – 23/01/1989 – BBC In Concert (Sep 95)
15. Fields of Fire – Radio 1 In Concert: Hammersmith Odeon – 23/01/1989 – BBC In Concert (Sep 95)
DVD
1. Fields of Fire – Top of the Pops (previously unreleased)
2. In A Big Country – Top of the Pops (previously unreleased)
3. Chance – Top of the Pops (previously unreleased)
4. East of Eden – Top of the Pops (previously unreleased)
5. Look Away – Top of the Pops (previously unreleased)
6. King of Emotion – Top of the Pops (previously unreleased)
7. Fields of Fire – Oxford Road Show (previously unreleased)
8. Close Action – Old Grey Whistle Test (previously unreleased)
9. A Thousand Stars – Old Grey Whistle Test (previously unreleased)
10. Just A Shadow – Oxford Road Show (previously unreleased)
11. Interview – Jobson interviews Stuart Adamson for The Garden Party (previously unreleased)
12. Heart of The World – Garden Party (previously unreleased)
13. Porrohman – Live at the Sefton Park – Pop Carnival -1983 (previously unreleased)
14. The Storm – Live at the Sefton Park – Pop Carnival -1983 (previously unreleased)
15. In A Big Country – Live at the Sefton Park – Pop Carnival -1983 (previously unreleased)
16. Chance – Live at the Sefton Park – Pop Carnival -1983 (previously unreleased)
17. Angle Park – Live at the Sefton Park – Pop Carnival -1983 (previously unreleased)
18. Fields of Fire – Live at the Sefton Park – Pop Carnival -1983 (previously unreleased)
19. Just A Shadow – Live at the Edinburgh Playhouse – 1984 (previously unreleased)
20. The Storm – Live at the Edinburgh Playhouse – 1984 (previously unreleased)
21. Chance – Live at the Edinburgh Playhouse – 1984 (previously unreleased)
22. Where The Rose Is Sown – Live at the Edinburgh Playhouse – 1984 (previously unreleased)
23. Come Back To Me – Live at the Edinburgh Playhouse – 1984 (previously unreleased)
24. A Thousand Stars – Live at the Edinburgh Playhouse – 1984 (previously unreleased)
25. Harvest Home – Live at the Edinburgh Playhouse – 1984 (previously unreleased)
26. Interview with Billy Sloan – Live at the Edinburgh Playhouse – 1984 (previously unreleased)
27. Wonderland – Live at the Reading Hexagon – 1986 (previously unreleased)
28. Where The Rose Is Sown – Live at the Reading Hexagon – 1986 (previously unreleased)
29. Remembrance Day – Live at the Reading Hexagon – 1986 (previously unreleased)
30. I Walk The Hill – Live at the Reading Hexagon – 1986 (previously unreleased)
31. Look Away – Live at the Reading Hexagon – 1986 (previously unreleased)
32. Chance – Live at the Reading Hexagon – 1986 (previously unreleased)
33. The Teacher – Live at the Reading Hexagon – 1986 (previously unreleased)
34. In A Big Country – Live at the Reading Hexagon – 1986 (previously unreleased)
35. Inwards – Live at the Reading Hexagon – 1986 (previously unreleased)
36. Harvest Home – Live at the Reading Hexagon – 1986 (previously unreleased)
37. Fields of Fire – Live at the Reading Hexagon – 1986 (previously unreleased)
38. In A Big Country – 2nd TOTP performance (previously unreleased)
39. In A Big Country – 2nd TOTP Performance (previously unreleased)
Big Country At the BBC box set will be released on 29th July.
