Big Country Info Big Country Info



NO PLACE LIKE HOME DISCUSSION
PART 1


10 July 2012
1:14:00




Click here to download episode

  • The state of the band in the late 80s.
  • Memories of picking up PIOT, TABC and the Save Me/Heart of the World singles.
  • Reactions to Save Me and Heart of the World at the time.

“Save Me” – live from the Glen Pavilion, Dunfermline – 1st May 1990.

  • Through A Big Country did phenomenally well.
  • Save Me as an indication of what was coming.

“Heart of the World” – live from the T&C Club, London – 10th August 1990.

  • Looking for information about the band back in the day. Tom's story about writing to Country Club and getting an early track listing for NPLH.
  • Info was harder to come by in those days - Svein only found out that Mark was out of the official line-up when he saw the liner notes of the album. Yet he was still on the album! Confusing.
  • The story behind Mark not continuing is related to Ian Grant's master plan for PIOT: establish Stuart as a figurehead for 'culture', which didn't work & Stuart ended up leaving the band. Mark got other commitments, and then the band continued anyway...
  • Comment about Mark from Stuart, from the Country Club Convention 1991, plus quote from Tony on the drumming on Comes A Time. Was there some animosity there?
  • Talking about Mark's three replacements: Pat Ahern, Chris Bell and Simon Phillips.
  • Tom & Svein discuss their expectations towards NPLH, memories of picking it up, and initial reactions.
  • The success of Through A Big Country (300,000 copies sold) vs. No Place Like Home (an alleged 30,000 copies sold).
  • The search for an identity vs critics views of BC/their guitar style.
  • The role of the producer & the record company in the creative process.
  • Noteworthy: the band's defence of/lack of criticism for NPLH (especially vs. PIOT, where they clearly distanced themselves from the production several times). Do they have a softer spot for NPLH (or its production)?
  • Svein's theory about the two divisive albums: PIOT having the big sound but sounding too polished, while NPLH having the evocativeness but not the “grandiose”/big sound.
  • How we feel about NPLH in general. Setting up the actual album dissection to follow in the next episodes.