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Tony Butler

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"When I first I first saw Stuart Adamson (supporting The Skids at the Leicester De Montford Hall), I discovered the most awesome and refreshing exponent of the electric guitar. Being a rock and prog rock fan, whose hero was Jimi Hendrix, Stuart’s playing style set my soul a light. It was fiery, aggressive, melodic and humble.

After that gig, I set my mind to maybe one day, getting to work with this talent.

 

When that time came to pass, I not only got to hear and play with him close up, I started to get to know him, and in time, got to understand him. His musical talent was obvious, but he was quiet and humble, and at times, a practical joker.

 

I enjoyed developing a musical relationship with him as well as a personal one. Although we were never in each others pockets when not working, we were physically and mentally entwined when we were.

 

We were both family men, and took pride in this aspect of our lives. When his troubles with drink became problematic, I did my best to be as supportive as I could.

 

I always felt that Adamson, the lyricist, and Adamson, the man, were almost two different people; and that to me demonstrated the depths of his talent.

 

If Stuart had played the pop star music game in order to be what records companies wanted him to be, then the band may have had a more successful career, but he was not interested in that, and fought hard to keep his ordinary ‘boy from Crossgates’ self, with no interest in the fickle side of the industry.

 

We did share a passionate interest in football, which gave us both respite from the rigours of our musical mission.

 

He was a good man, a good friend and a huge talent."

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Bruce Watson

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I first met Stuart in an old warehouse in Dunfermline where he was rehearsing with Skids. It was the first time I encountered someone who plied their trade at the business end of a loud guitar. I was blown away, not only by the sheer volume, but the fact that he was a nice guy. 

I told him I was starting a band and he was very supportive and gave me a lot of encouragement. He wouldn’t give me a shot of his guitar though, that would come later. 

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That day changed my life forever and I am eternally grateful for being part of Stuart’s life for 20 odd years. 

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Mark Brzezicki

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"Stuart was very special, a unique and extremely talented singer songwriter and guitarist.  As Big Country we made some great music and achieved a lot creatively.  I am proud of the music that we made."

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Alan Edwards (Big Country Co-Manager, 1983–89)

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“Very hard to put things into words. My recollections of Stuart: strong man, principled man, honest man, true man, straight man, talented man.

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Stuart always had a presence and was definitely a leader of men. His talent was unquestioned—innovative guitar playing and brilliant songwriting. Sometimes stubborn and uncommunicative, but always the man things revolved around. Which makes recent events so tragic.

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Stuart carried demons, but don’t we all? Let’s remember the amazing live shows, great conversations about football, wonderful tours, and all the positive things that went with that.”

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Bill Nelson

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“The last day of 2001, and I can no longer postpone the writing of this diary entry, much as I would like to. Whatever joys the seasonal celebrations have brought, they have been haunted by the recent tragic death of Stuart Adamson, a man whom I once knew as a friend. In a year when death has cut through so many people’s lives, and far too often been a topic of discussion in this diary, it saddens me to have to write once more about the fragility of human life, and in particular one with such personal associations.

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I first met Stuart Adamson many years ago when he was the guitarist of The Skids, one of the second-generation punk bands who were beginning to realise that there were wider and wilder musical avenues available to them. The Skids became one of the first post-punk bands to explore a brighter and more colourful musical palette whilst retaining the visceral energy of earlier bands. Much to my surprise, they approached me with the proposal that I should produce their records.

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Initially this was done in partnership with my old friend John Leckie, but I eventually did the job on my own. It turned out that Stuart Adamson and Richard Jobson had been long-time fans of my work, Stuart having learned how to play guitar from my recordings with Be-Bop Deluxe and Red Noise. I remember being immensely flattered that I had inspired such passion in them, and I was proud of Stuart’s dedication and talent.

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My impressions at our early meetings were that Stuart and Richard were shy and somewhat nervous around me, perceiving me as some kind of hero, although it was obvious that there was a tremendous hunger for musical experience and creativity beneath the surface. At our first pre-production rehearsal in their hometown of Dunfermline in Scotland, I realised I was going to have to break through this respectful shyness if anything was to be achieved. It took a little time, but we got there in the end.

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Stuart and Richard became good friends of mine, and I have many happy memories of working with them at Rockfield Recording Studios in Wales, where we recorded the Days in Europa album. I have lots of photos of us together taken at that time. If I ever get around to making a personal website, some of these private archive photographs will be displayed there.

Looking at these photographs now, I’m struck by the youthful innocence and sense of fun they portray—no sign of the darkness that seems to have engulfed and overwhelmed Stuart’s life in recent months. In the photographs, all I see is a fresh young man, full of the joys of music-making, fired up and ready to go. How could anyone predict how tragically it would all end for him?

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My overwhelming memory is of a guy with a fine sense of humour, with his feet firmly on the ground and fully in contact with his roots. Ambitious, yes, but not lost in the ego palaces of the music business. A decent, compassionate man.

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Later on, The Skids split up due to the usual inevitable musical differences, and Stuart moved on to form Big Country, whilst Richard led the short-lived Armoury Show before pursuing a career as a television presenter. I lost touch with both of them, although I sometimes came across Richard when visiting London.

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The last time I saw Stuart was in the eighties, in New York I think, backstage at one of the concerts I was giving in the USA with one of my solo-career bands. There is a photograph of this encounter in one of the old Acquitted by Mirrorsfanzines that I used to issue through my Cocteau Records setup. He had changed a little, but not too much—more confident, a little more rock ’n’ roll perhaps, but essentially the same sweet-natured person I had first encountered in a rehearsal room in Dunfermline.

“Writing this is made even more painful by the fact that I was invited last year to present Stuart with a songwriting award of some kind at a music business dinner in Scotland. Stuart was to fly in from Nashville to receive the award, having lived there since the nineties. Unfortunately, the invitation was a last-minute thing and I was already committed to a charity project in Ireland. Had the request come a week or two earlier, I would have been able to rearrange my schedule. As it transpired, I had to reluctantly turn it down.

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Even more recently, I bumped into Rusty Egan, once of the band Visage and drummer on The Skids’ Days in Europaalbum. We exchanged telephone numbers and later talked about Stuart. He gave me an email contact for him, and I meant to get in touch. As happens so often, I became wrapped up in my own busy schedules and never got around to it. How I regret that now.

“I had little awareness of the depth of his troubles until the news of his death. I’d heard stories about his drink problem. Alcohol had always figured in The Skids’ equation, as it has in so many musicians’ lives. A far more common problem than drug misuse, despite public perception.

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And yet there was something grounded about Stuart, something sane. But even the sanest of us is vulnerable to self-destructive despair. I cannot claim any great immunity myself. Some things need constant vigilance, which can be exhausting. The sensitivity required to be a creative person is a double-edged sword.

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There is a danger of romanticising this kind of thing, making it seem poetic or glamorous when it is just sad and tragic, and a terrible waste. I understand that Stuart has a 19-year-old son, Callum. Having a son of twenty myself, this cuts particularly deep. Whatever brought Stuart to the brink must have been terrible to overcome that father-son bond.

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“I can only offer my deepest sympathy to all who loved Stuart, and pray that he has found whatever peace he sought.”

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Steve Lillywhite

 

"I only recently spoke with Stuart after a 15 year break. The memories came flooding back and we had a good laugh about the old days. He told me he was on the mend and was putting his life back together. Sadly we know this did not last. We are dealing with a disease that tells us we do not have a disease. Alcoholism is cunning baffling and powerful, and this is what finally took Stuart from us. I will remember a great wit, a great writer, and a man of the people..... I hope he has now found peace."

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Billy Sloan

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“Every time I think of Stuart, I do it with a smile on my face and a warm feeling in my heart. I don’t have a single bad memory of the man. Over the years, I spent a lot of time with him, and it was always a pleasure.

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There were no big star trips—just one mate talking to another mate. I’ll always be grateful to Stuart and the band for their generosity in 1999 when we organised a benefit concert for refugees in Kosovo.

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Tonight, I’ll play one of Stuart’s songs on the radio. When it blasts out of the studio speakers, my heart will beat that wee bit faster. I’ll always remember Stuart Adamson the musician and Stuart Adamson the man. I feel privileged to say he was a friend.”

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Jim Kerr​

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“With shock and great sadness, we received news of our colleague Stuart Adamson’s recent death. Through his great-spirited music, first with The Skids and then latterly Big Country, Stuart gave pleasure to so many in a career that lasted over two decades. Our thoughts are with his family, friends and fans, who will no doubt ensure that while he is sorely missed, he will never be forgotten.

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It was a strange mixture of excitement and total envy that I felt standing in a packed Dunfermline dancehall witnessing The Skids. The abiding memory for me was the shatteringly powerful effect of Stuart Adamson’s guitar—aural shards of silver, spiralling and chiming, violent yet beautiful.

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That night, through Stuart, The Skids spoke volumes to me. Although I wouldn’t say I knew him well, we were always friendly, sharing many of the same experiences as working-class Scots boys. Music became our salvation, a place where you could invent yourself.

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“Bruce Springsteen once played In a Big Country to me and said whoever wrote it was ‘the real deal’. His words are now also mine. So sleep tight tonight, Stuart Adamson. And don’t tell me that we will never play together again—I don’t want to hear it.”

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Ray Davies

 

"I only met Stuart recently when Big Country  played with me at Glastonbury.  He was a handsome lad with a sense of humor which is important if you support Dunfermline Athletic Soccer Club.  We last met in New York when he was putting new material together.  He was proud of his homeland and his family and I am sure they will always be proud of him.  He wanted to write heroic music and came off like a heroic figure. We talked more about football than music and he was a big league player in every sense."

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Nils Lofgren

 

"We've been greatly saddened by the news of Stuart's passing. Our thoughts and prayers are with his family and Stuart. He shared his beautiful musical gifts with us all and he will be greatly missed. I have fond memories of my meeting with him on a U.K. tour and our talk about music and our mutual passion for it. Being a great admirer of Stuart's talent I have always felt honored that he enjoyed some of my music. His music still remains impressive and emotional and I'm grateful he shared it with us. I believe he is now at peace and with God. 

We are so sorry for his families loss and will keep them and Stuart in our prayers."

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The Edge (U2)

 

"I was very sorry to hear of the passing of Stuart Adamson. I was a fan of his both as guitar player and as a man. 

 

He was a great inspiration to me when U2 were starting out. His first band The Skids made such a big noise and with songs like 'Into The Valley' and 'The Saints Are Coming' made most of the other music of the time seem mundane and insignificant. 

 

Unfortunately The Skids didn't last long enough. I got to know Stuart when he was touring with Big Country - the group he founded and led after The Skids broke up. Big Country was all about Stuart, he did the singing and was the principal song writer and guitar player". 

 

Stuart made some great music during his career and his character came through everything he did. He had a heart as big as a mountain and he was a real romantic soul. He will be missed by all who loved his music and even more by those lucky enough to know him personally."

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Steve Harley

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“Stuart Adamson was one of the really good guys of the music industry. That he has died at the age of 43 is so shocking that I can barely accept it. I sang ‘Chance’ on stage with Stuart and Big Country, and our connection grew through mutual friends.

“He had the passion. He was the real thing—no pose, nothing pompous. Passionate through and through about playing and singing.

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I can only hope and pray that his children and family find the strength to cope. There must have been terrible demons in his mind. But he was a fine man. That much we know for certain. If there is a heaven, its doors are open to him.”

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Phil Daniels

 

“some words from William Shakespeare for Stuart...

 

If we shadows have offended,

think but this, and all is mended:

that you have but slumbered here,

while these visions did appear:

and this weak and idle theme,

no more yielding but a dream,

gentles, do not reprehend,

if you pardon, we will mend.

and as I am an honest puck,

if we have unearned luck

now to ‘scape the serpents tongue,

we will make amends ere long,

else the puck a liar call.

so, good night unto you all.

give me your hands, if we be friends

and we shall restore amends.

 

"I remember Stuart (circa 1984) he smoked embassy regal (I smoked embassy english) we talked about his love of football, film & music.

A lovely talented man.

Peace and love."

 

Mick Jagger

 

"Big Country? One of the best opening acts we ever had."​

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David Bowie

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“Big Country opened for me on the Class Spider tour at Wembley, so it was especially tragic to hear of Stuart Adamson’s death and the tragic circumstances surrounding it. My best wishes are with his family and children.”​​

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Fish

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“Stuart Adamson—rest in peace, big guy. I hope at last you found it. Your heart was too big for your head and your passion too big for the world. It’s a crying shame they only want to hear what you had to say once you’ve gone. I wanted to listen while you were alive. You never called. You threw in the towel when all you were fighting were shadows—most of them your own. A plague of ghosts.”

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From the Scottish Parliament website:

 

"Scott Barrie: Death of Stuart Adamson—That the Parliament notes the untimely death of Stuart Adamson; acknowledges the invaluable contribution he made to contemporary popular music in Scotland, particularly as lead singer with Big Country and guitarist with The Skids; recognises the part he played in promoting his home town of Dunfermline, and sends its condolences to his family."

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Others that acknowledged Stuart (Big Country & The Skids) as a talent, as an influence and/or who were admirers.

 

Robert Plant, Phil Collins, Elton John, Pete Townshend, Keith Richard, Charlie Watts, Ronnie Wood, Paul Weller, Stevie Nicks, Brian May, Jerry Lee Lewis, Bruce Springsteen, Paul McCartney, Lemmy, Noel Gallagher, Mani, Rod Stewart, Supergrass, John Squire, The Darkness, Courtney Love, Foo Fighters, Kenny Dalglish, Billy Connolly, Stuart Pearce, Robbie Coltrane, Oliver Reed…….to name some.