Without the Aid of a Safety Net | ||||
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Live album by | ||||
Released | May 1994 | |||
Recorded | 29 December 1993 | |||
Genre | ||||
Label | Compulsion | |||
Producer | Big Country | |||
Big Country chronology | ||||
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Review scores | |
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Source | Rating |
AllMusic | ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
NME | 4/10 [2] |
Without the Aid of a Safety Net is the first live album by the Scottish band Big Country, released in 1994. [1] It contains a portion of the tracks from a concert at The Barrowland Ballroom, Glasgow, and was recorded on 29 December 1993. The full concert was released in 2005, labelled as 2CD Expanded Edition: The Complete Concert. This version features eight tracks not on the original release.
In June 1994, the album peaked at No. 35 in the UK Albums Chart. [3]
Upon its release, NME remarked, "Unfortunately for Big Country, 1983 is now a very long time ago – not that you'd guess it from this authentically sweaty live greatest hits set. 'Wonderland' and 'Chance' are as sturdily anthemic as ever, but this is strictly for those lad(d)ies who already love their Big Country." [2]
The cassette and CD releases include these additional tracks:
All tracks written by Stuart Adamson, Tony Butler, Bruce Watson and Mark Brzezicki, unless stated otherwise.
All tracks marked (*) were previously unreleased.
The Crossing is the debut album released by Scottish band Big Country in July 1983. The album reached #3 in the UK; overseas, it hit #4 in Canada on the RPM national Top Albums Chart and #18 in the US on the Billboard 200 in 1983. It went on to be certified platinum in the UK and Canada. It contains the song "In a Big Country" which is their only U.S. Top 40 hit single.
Steeltown is the second studio album by Scottish band Big Country. The album was recorded at ABBA's Polar Studios in Stockholm with Steve Lillywhite producing. It was released on 19 October 1984, in the UK and 29 October 1984, in the United States. It was released on CD only in Germany, as well as remastered and reissued there.
The Seer is the third studio album by the Scottish band Big Country, released in 1986. The album featured very traditional Scottish musical settings, reminiscent of the band's debut album The Crossing (1983). Kate Bush worked on the title song in a duet with lead singer and lyricist Stuart Adamson. The album's first single, "Look Away", was an Irish number one, and was also the group's biggest hit single in the UK, reaching number 7.
No Place Like Home is the fifth studio album by Scottish band Big Country, released in 1991. Its title derives from a quote in The Wonderful Wizard of Oz, which is referenced by the first track, "We're Not in Kansas". Dorothy's statement was in turn taken from the famous poem and song Home! Sweet Home! by John Howard Payne and Henry Bishop.
The Buffalo Skinners is the sixth studio album by the Scottish band Big Country, which was released in 1993. Two songs, "We're Not In Kansas" and "Ships", are re-recordings of songs from their previous album. The difference is more noticeable on "Ships" which features heavy use of guitars. The album featured two UK top 30 hits, "Alone" and "Ships".
Radio 1 Sessions is the second live album released by the Scottish band Big Country, released in 1994.
Why the Long Face is the seventh studio album by Scottish band Big Country, released in 1995. It was produced by Chris Sheldon and members of the band.
William Stuart Adamson was a Scottish rock guitarist and singer. Adamson began his career in the late 1970s as a founding member and performer with the punk rock band Skids. After leaving Skids in 1981, he formed Big Country and was the band's lead singer and guitarist. The group's commercial heyday was in the 1980s. In the 1990s, he was a member of the alternative country band The Raphaels. In the late 1970s the British music journalist John Peel referred to his musical virtuosity as a guitarist as "a new Jimi Hendrix".
Scottish rock band Big Country, which formed in 1981, has released nine studio albums, eighteen live albums, twenty-five compilation albums, one extended play (EP), and twenty-nine singles released on Mercury Records, Reprise Records, Vertigo Records and Cherry Red Records.
Bruce William Watson is a Canadian-born Scottish guitarist, best known for being a member of Big Country.
Big Country are a Scottish rock band formed in Dunfermline, Fife, in 1981.
"Harvest Home" is the debut single of the Scottish band Big Country. It was first released as a single in September 1982, then re-recorded for the band's debut album The Crossing.
Big Country at the BBC is a box set compilation comprising Big Country's recordings and sessions for the BBC between 1982 and 1990. It includes performances from Wembley Stadium, Reading Festival, Hammersmith Palais and London's Soviet Embassy as well as all of the band's appearances on television shows such as Top of the Pops, The Old Grey Whistle Test and The Oxford Road Show.
Where the Rose is Sown is a song by Scottish rock band Big Country, which was released in 1984 as the second single from their second studio album Steeltown. It was written by Big Country and produced by Steve Lillywhite. "Where the Rose Is Sown" peaked at No. 29 in the UK and No. 25 in Ireland.
"East of Eden" is a song by Scottish rock band Big Country, which was released in 1984 as the lead single from their second studio album Steeltown. It was written by Big Country and produced by Steve Lillywhite. "East of Eden" reached No. 17 in the UK, and No. 12 in Ireland.
"The Teacher" is a song by Scottish rock band Big Country, which was released in 1986 as the second single from their third studio album The Seer. It was written by Stuart Adamson and produced by Robin Millar. "The Teacher" reached No. 28 in the UK, and No. 14 in Ireland. A music video was filmed to promote the single.
"Alone" is a song by Scottish rock band Big Country, released in 1993 as the lead single from their sixth studio album The Buffalo Skinners. It was written by Stuart Adamson and produced by Big Country. "Alone" reached number 24 in the UK Singles Chart and remained in the top 100 for three weeks.
"Fragile Thing" is a song by Scottish rock band Big Country, released in 1999 as the lead single from their eighth studio album Driving to Damascus. It was written by Stuart Adamson and Bruce Watson, and produced by Rafe McKenna and Big Country. "Fragile Thing" reached number 69 in the UK Singles Chart. A music video was filmed to promote the single.
"Republican Party Reptile" is a song by Scottish rock band Big Country, released by Vertigo in 1991 as an extended play from their fifth studio album No Place Like Home. It was written by Stuart Adamson and Bruce Watson, and produced by Pat Moran. The "Republican Party Reptile" EP reached No. 37 in the UK and remained in the charts for two weeks. A music video was filmed to promote the EP.
"I'm Not Ashamed" is a song by Scottish rock band Big Country, released in 1995 as the lead single from their seventh studio album Why the Long Face. It was written by Stuart Adamson, and produced by Big Country and Chris Sheldon. "I'm Not Ashamed" reached number 69 in the UK Singles Chart.