If you were a fan of U2 in the early 80s, you will remember the reviews that would talk of ‘Big music’ and ‘Celtic rock’. The Alarm, Simple Minds and Big Country were the other bands that got stuck with the same label. While U2 climbed the ladder of succes by walking a fine line between experimentation and world domination, the other three bands – though succesful on a smaller scale – never really broke America, which seems to be the defining factor in these matters.

Stuart Adamson, singer, frontman of Big Country , who went missing on November 7, was discovered in a Honolulu hotel room on Sunday (December 16). He died from asphyxia due to hanging.

A tribute to Stuart Adamson, formerly of Big Country, has been posted at www.womanfish.com. (During a 1983 gig at London’s Hammersmith Palais (3-29), Mike Peters of The Alarm and Adamson of Big Country joined U2 in a performance of Knockin’ on Heaven’s Door. )