The Waterboys
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The Waterboys is a band formed 1983 by Mike Scott. They are known to play in a number of different styles, but most often their music can be described as a mix of Irish folk music with rock and roll, i.e. folk rock.
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History
Formation
Mike Scott, founder and the only permanent member of The Waterboys, made a number of solo recordings while in the band named Another Pretty Face (who changed their name to Funhouse on later releases) in late 1981 and early 1982. These would form the basis of the first Waterboys album. During the same period, Scott formed the short lived band The Red and The Black, with saxophone player Anthony Thistlethwaite, after hearing him play on a Nikki Sudden record. Thistlethwaite introduced Scott to drummer Kevin Wilkinson, who would drum for the nine shows The Red and The Black would perform. During 1982, Scott made a number of recordings, both solo and with Thistlethwaite and Wilkinson. These would become divided between the Waterboys' first and second albums.
In 1983, Scott's label Ensign Records wanted Scott to release an album of these recordings as a solo artist, but Scott decided to start a band he named The Waterboys. The name was taken from the Lou Reed song The Kids, from his album Berlin. In March 1983, Ensign released the first recording under the name The Waterboys, a single titled A Girl Called Johnny. This was shortly followed by The Waterboys' first performance on the BBC's Old Grey Whistle Test. The Waterboys performed as a five piece, including Anthony Thistlethwaite on sax and a new member, keyboard player Karl Wallinger. The Waterboys then released their self-titled debut, The Waterboys, in July 1983. Their music, influenced by Patti Smith, Bob Dylan and David Bowie, was (inevitably) compared by critics to U2 in its cinematic sweep.
Early Years
After the release of their debut The Waterboys began touring, their first show being at The Batschkapp Club in Frankfurt in February 1984. The band at this point consisted of Mike Scott on vocals and guitar, Anthony Thistlethwaite on saxophone and mandolin, Karl Wallinger on keyboards, Roddy Lorimer on trumpets, Martyn Swain on bass and Kevin Wilkinson on drums. The band also made some new recording and over dubbed old material in late '83 and spring '84 to be released as The Waterboys second album. A Pagan Place was released in June 1984 preceded by the single The Big Music whose title was used by some commentators as a description of The Waterboys sound. The release of the album was followed by further touring including support slots for The Pretenders and U2 and a show at the Glastonbury festival.
The band began to record new material in spring 1985 for a new album. Late in the sessions Steve Wickham joined and added his violin to the track The Pan Within after Scott had heard him on a Sinéad O'Connor demo recorded at Karl Wallinger's house. The Waterboys released their third album This Is The Sea in October 1985, their most successful up to this point it managed to get into the top 40 and the single The Whole of the Moon reached number 28 in the U.K. charts hampered by Scott's refusal to perform on Top of the Pops and mime. The album release was followed by successful tours of the U.K. and North America with Macro Sin replacing Martyn Swain on bass. At the end of the tour Karl Wallinger left to form his own band World Party.
A New Sound
At the request of new member Steve Wickham, Mike Scott moved to Dublin and becomes influenced by the traditional Irish music there as well as country and gospel. The band's lineup changed once again with Scott, Wickham and Thistlethwaite now joined by Trevor Hutchinson on bass and Peter McKinney on drums. The new band spent 1986 and 1987 recording in Dublin and touring the U.K., Ireland, Europe and Israel. Some of these performances were released in 1998 on The Live Adventures Of The Waterboys including a famous Glastonbury performance in '86.
In 1988 Scott took the band to Spiddal in the west of Ireland where they set up a recording studio in Spiddal House to finish recording their new album. Fisherman's Blues was released in October 1988 and showcased a host of guest musicians that had played with the band in Dublin and Spiddal. Critics and fans were spilt, with some embracing the new folk influenced sound and others disappointed and had hoped for a continuation of This Is The Sea. Due to the number of tracks recorded in the three years between This Is The Sea and Fisherman's Blues Scott released a second album of tracks from this period in 2001 titled Too Close To Heaven or Fisherman's Blues Part 2 in North America.
After further touring the band returned to Spiddal to record a new album. The Waterboys at this point consisted of Mike Scott, Steve Wickham, Anthony Thistlethwaite, Colin Blakey on whistle, flute and piano, Sharon Shannon on accordion, Trevor Hutchinson on bass and Noel Bridgeman on drums. The Waterboys' fourth album, Room to Roam was released in September 1990. Just before the album was released Steve Wickham left the band in an argument over a new drummer and the band started to fall apart. Scott, Thistlethwaite and Hutchinson recruited Ken Bevins on drums to fulfil the tour dates.
The End and Return of The Waterboys
1991 began with Trevor Hutchinson leaving the band and a re-release of the single The Whole of the Moon from This Is The Sea becoming a success in the UK charts. Scott spent the rest of the year writing new material and moved to New York. In December Anthony Thistlethwaite left the band leaving Mike Scott as The Waterboys' only member. The next album was completed with session musicians and was released in 1993 as Dream Harder with a new hard rock-influenced sound. In his frustration at not being able to get a new touring Waterboys band together, Scott left New York, abandoning the Waterboys name and embarking on a solo career.
To the surprise of many Mike Scott resurrected the Waterboys name for the album A Rock In The Weary Land with a new experimental rock sound Scott called "Sonic Rock". A number of old Waterboys guested on the album including Anthony Thistlethwaite and Kevin Wilkinson. By 2001 the core of the new Waterboys included Mike Scott on vocals and guitar, Richard Naiff on pianos and organs and Steve Wickham on violin who returned to the band. The band changed direction once again in 2003 and released Universal Hall a mostly acoustic album with a return of some celtic influences from the Fisherman's Blues era. The album was followed by a tour of the U.K. and then Europe.
Discography
Primary releases
- The Waterboys (1983)
- A Pagan Place (1984)
- This Is The Sea (1985)
- Fisherman's Blues (1988)
- Room To Roam (1990)
- Dream Harder (1993)
- A Rock In The Weary Land (2000)
- Too Close To Heaven (2001)
- Universal Hall (2003)
Secondary releases
- The Best Of The Waterboys 81-90 (1991)
- The Secret Life Of The Waterboys 81-85 (1994)
- The Live Adventures Of The Waterboys (1998)
External links
- Official web pages for Mike Scott and The Waterboys (http://www.mikescottwaterboys.com/)
- Waterboys Fans (http://www.waterboysfans.com/)