The lights going out in Detroit provided the spark for a landmark live album from Big Country that was 10 years in the making.
Misery in Michigan forced the Dunfermline band to go unplugged and Without the Aid of a Safety Net in June 1994 was the electrifying result.
The story of their break into the big time has been well documented.
Stuart Adamson put Big Country together in 1981.
The three-year cycle of success with The Crossing, Steeltown and The Seer took the music world by storm.
Peace In Our Time in 1988 and No Place Like Home in 1991 failed to match the commercial success of its predecessors.
Drummer Mark Brzezicki left in July 1989.
There were tensions between band and label.
Big Country weathered the period where they were being written off.
The band almost split up before they re-emerged on new label Compulsion.
The Buffalo Skinners was released in March 1993 and got to number 25.
Adamson described it as their best album since The Crossing and Steeltown.
Brzezicki heard it, loved it and asked to re-join the band.
Acoustic concert in Detroit was a success
A successful tour of the UK and Europe was followed by signing to Fox Records and releasing the album in the US where the comeback was completed.
These were the band’s first US shows in seven years.
Big Country performed on The Tonight Show with Jay Leno and played 58 shows in 51 days including dates in Las Vegas, New York and San Francisco.
Bass player Tony Butler recalled how the power went off during a soundcheck before a concert at the Saint Andrew’s Hall in Detroit on November 4.
The venue staff eventually restored power but they were presented with a problem.
“In an adjacent building was a local radio station, pumping out its tunes, unfortunately through our backline,” said Butler.
“This time the venue staff were unable to work their magic.
“So, we decided to play the gig acoustically.
“Completely unrehearsed.
So many live albums have been recorded over a period of time and have so much reworking that they’re not like a live show at all.” Stuart Adamson.
“It was an adventurous gig but a hugely successful one, but demonstrated the importance of being able to play songs that worked on an emotional level, whether electrically or acoustically.
“The power of a good song does not necessarily come from a wall socket.”
The stripped-down set was a big success.
Adamson explained why they did the album
Adamson hit upon the idea of showing off the two different sides of the band.
The son of Crossgates spoke about performing unplugged and why it took 10 years for the first live album in a forgotten interview from June 1994.
“Your songwriting and learning experiences never stop growing,” he said.
“Different things come and go and you grow by them.
“We held off and held off doing a live album.
“It can be difficult to capture the atmosphere on record.
“We wanted it to be a live album that actually did have some atmosphere.
“Ten years ago we brought out a video of Big Country at the Barrowlands in Glasgow so we thought this would be a good time to do the live album.
“It is 10 years on from that.
“So many live albums have been recorded over a period of time and have so much reworking that they’re not like a live show at all.
“We’ve kept away from that and what you get on the album is what you get at the gig.”
Acoustic songs and loud guitars in Glasgow
The band went back to basics.
Without the Aid of a Safety Net was recorded at the Barrowlands on December 29.
Harvest Home started the acoustic section.
Here was Big Country at their most stripped back and intimate.
The Storm found a second life as a lounge staple.
Adamson was at his peak vocally and laying bare the material’s naked emotion.
Just a Shadow, 13 Valleys, Winter Sky and Chance were among the highlights.
The “loud guitars” were brought out after the 40-minute acoustic set.
Business as usual, then, but more so.
The live version of Steeltown got the crowd jumping up and down.
Long Way Home, What Are You Working For, Wonderland and Look Away confirmed their status as one of the best live bands around.
In A Big Country, Lost Patrol and Fields of Fire finished the set.
The crowd loved it from start to finish.
So did the band.
Big Country decided to embark on a small acoustic tour of the Highlands and Islands in April 1994, which Adamson described as “fantastic”.
From the Barrowlands to the Murraygate
Without the Aid of a Safety Net was released in June 1994.
Big Country performed live in John Menzies in Dundee to promote the album.
It got to number 35 and received largely positive reviews.
Long-time fan Andy Inkster, a voice of authority on Big Country, said the acoustic segments eventually came full circle.
“Although Stuart had played some songs solo and acoustically mid-concert in 1989, 1990 and 1991, they hadn’t really all done so together in a live environment before that fateful night in Michigan,” said Andy.
“1993 was the year Big Country re-established themselves as a force to be reckoned with, not only as a recording entity, but in the live arena.
“With Brzezicki returning to the fold, the band was re-energised and raring to go.
“Without the Aid of a Safety Net was a hugely popular live album among fans.
“The Glasgow show was also filmed for a live video to accompany the release.
“Considering Big Country’s reputation as a mighty live act, it was almost astonishing to think that it was actually their first live album.”
It was released on CD, cassette, VHS and LP.
However the LP version only featured 10 songs.
Andy said: “The real treat was in 2005 when EMI, the new custodian of the album, released the entire and unedited concert.
“The full 21 songs of that Glasgow show were spread across two CDs with a bonus of Fields of Fire, which was recorded from the Aberdeen Capitol the night after.”
How did Adamson come up with live album title?
Andy said the acoustic section added to the live shows in late 1993 continued throughout 1994 and 1995.
It was then taken to another level with the semi-acoustic live album Eclectic.
The album featured guest musicians and cover versions of songs from The Band, Bruce Springsteen, The Beatles, Joni Mitchell and The Rolling Stones.
“WTAOASN, as it is fondly abbreviated to in fan circles – and for good reason – is one of many jewels in the Big Country catalogue,” said Andy.
“It was Big Country doing what they did best – playing live on stage and in full flight.
“The album’s title was itself inspired by Stuart’s mid-song introductions of his fellow band mates, and particularly Bruce Watson.
“He described Bruce as playing the guitar ‘without the aid of a safety net’.
“The die was cast.”
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