The height of the band's popularity was in the early to mid 1980s, although they have retained a cult following for many years since. The band's music incorporated Scottish folk and martial music styles, and the band engineered their guitar-driven sound to evoke the sound of bagpipes, fiddles, and other traditional folk instruments. On Christmas 1984, the four members participated in the Band Aid charity record " Do They Know It's Christmas?". They are among a small handful of acts to contribute a spoken message to the B-side of the single. Some critics reacted negatively towards the album, calling it muddled and overly dense. [ citation needed] The album's relative failure has been attributed to the fact that many American and international fans couldn't relate to its themes and lyrics, which dealt with the misfortunes of Scottish workers and contained references to British politics. [ citation needed] However, many fans today consider Steeltown to be the band's finest work. [ citation needed] a b Schruers, Fred (17 January 1985). "Big Country: Steeltown". Rolling Stone. No.RS 439. Wenner Media. ISSN 0035-791X. Archived from the original on 13 June 2008.

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a b c d e f g h i Colin Larkin, ed. (2003). The Virgin Encyclopedia of Eighties Music (Thirded.). Virgin Books. pp.60/1. ISBN 1-85227-969-9.a b "The Great Divide Podcasts". Bigcountryinfo.com. Archived from the original on 16 April 2014 . Retrieved 8 April 2014.

Big Country – Steeltown Lyrics | Genius Lyrics Big Country – Steeltown Lyrics | Genius Lyrics

We are thrilled to announce the 40th anniversary tour for our 1983 debut LP ‘The Crossing’ along with very special guests Spear of Destiny on selected dates. Mike Peters left the band in November 2013 at the end of their 19-date Land's End to John O'Groats UK Tour. The band attributed Peters' departure to his inability to commit fully to Big Country, much of his time being devoted to The Alarm and solo projects. Initially, the band intended to continue as a four-piece, sharing lead vocals and returning all the songs to their original keys; Peters had required the songs to be tuned lower to accommodate his deeper voice. [26] However, when they resurfaced in December 2013, they were joined by English singer Simon Hough, who performed most of the lead vocals as well as harmonica and additional guitar. [27] [28] While the status of Hough's membership was not immediately clarified, in a March 2014 podcast, Bruce Watson confirmed that Hough was now the band's fifth member. He also indicated that the group was working on new material, which would involve Hough, for potential future release. [29] Big Country Star Believed To Have Committed Suicide | News". Nme.Com. 18 December 2001 . Retrieved 8 April 2014. The feeling that chaos was about to erupt was palpable": Thurston Moore's memoir Sonic Life is a fascinating insider account of life-changing outsider art, and one music geek's insatiable lust for the loudThe box includes the live-in-the-studio Nashville Sessions, single versions, alternate mixes from the US release ‘John Wayne’s Dream’ and two discs of demos. James Dean Bradfield from Manic Street Preachers has cited the album as being one of his all-time favourites. Big Country released the non-LP extended play single " Wonderland" in 1984, [1] while in the middle of a lengthy worldwide tour. The song, considered by some critics to be one of their finest, [4] [5] was a Top Ten hit (No. 8) in the UK Singles Chart [3] but, despite heavy airplay and a positive critical response, was a comparative flop in the US, reaching only No. 86 on the Billboard Hot 100. It was the last single by the band to make the US charts.