On December 16, 2001 Stuart Adamson was found dead, hanging from a rope, in his hotel room in Honolulu, Hawaii. I heard the news on the radio, and it depressed the hell out of me.
Stuart Adamson provided the distinctive lead vocal and lead guitar of the ’80s band Big Country. He also wrote much of the music. Everybody has a band that speaks to them in their teens, Big Country was mine. Their use of harmony, Celtic motifs, and powerful lyrics really moved me. Of course, I was in a tremendous minority, even then, and it didn’t get any better even though they continued to do studio work into the ’90s.
So, if you will permit a bit of self-indulgence, this edition of Music Video Madness is intended to highlight one of the most underestimated bands of the ’80s (at least in my opinion). Here are four songs by Big Country that you probably never heard, but should have.
Big Country - Chance
Big Country - East of Eden
Big Country - King of Emotion
And my own personal favorite Big Country single:
Big Country - Wonderland
Thanks, Stuart, wherever you are.