A biography of Fife music legend Stuart Adamson is finally available to borrow in his home town library in Dunfermline.
Author Allan Glen donated a copy of his 2011 book about the Skids and Big Country star after discovering patrons could only view the library’s sole copy through glass.
Stuart Adamson: In A Big Country tells of how the rocker went from growing up in a small mining community to selling millions of albums worldwide.
The original hardback edition and two subsequent paperback versions are sold out and difficult to find.
And copies that do come up for sale tend to go for hundreds of pounds.
Allan says he only found out recently the only one available to borrow in Fife was in the small Benarty Library in Lochore.
‘Unfortunate there was no copy for loan’
“I’m from Dunfermline and spent many happy hours in the library while growing up in the town,” he said.
“There was one copy on display behind glass in Dunfermline but this cannot be removed from the library.
“This is to ensure it remains in good condition and doesn’t go missing.
“I thought it was unfortunate there was no copy for loan.
“As such, I’ve donated a signed copy of the limited edition original hardback to Carnegie.”
The book includes a foreword by Manic Street Preachers singer James Dean Bradfield, and an introduction by Fife Rebus author Ian Rankin.
Dunfermline Carnegie Library manager Tracy McCafferty is delighted with Allan’s donation.
“It’s all the more special that he signed it too,” she said.
“Stuart Adamson was a local legend and, through the Skids and Big Country, he earned a rightful place in Fife and Scotland’s music history.”
Stuart Adamson: From Crossgates to international fame
Big Country are currently touring the UK, which ends in Dunfermline in December.
Meanwhile, Skids – complete with original frontman Richard Jobson – are on a world tour finishing in Scotland at the end of the year.
Stuart Adamson grew up in the village of Crossgates, about a mile from Dunfermline.
And the former Beath High School pupil founded Skids in 1977 when he was 18.
Their biggest single, Into The Valley, hit number 10 in the charts two years later.
He quit the band in 1981 and went on to form Big Country with friend and fellow guitarist Bruce Watson.
Stuart Adamson tragically took his own life in November 2001.
His funeral service was held in Dunfermline and there are several memorials to him in the area, including a street bearing his name in Crossgates.
Conversation