Over the decades, Scottish musicians have made many classic, cult or under-appreciated albums that have stood the test of time. Today, we look back at Eddi Reader's 1998 record, Angels & Electricity OASIS are not the only well-known band to announce that they are getting back together again. To less fanfare, but undoubtedly to the pleasure of their many fans, Fairground Attraction are returning to the scene, with live dates and a new album, Beautiful Happening, three decades after breaking up.
The quartet - Eddi Reader, Mark E.Nevin, Roy Dodds and Simon Edwards - reached number two on the UK album charts in 1988 with their debut, The First of a Million Kisses. The lead single, Perfect, went to number one, while other singles - Find My Love, A Smile in a Whisper, Claire - also charted, with Find My Love’s peaking at number seven.
At the famously chaotic 1989 Brit awards hosted by Sam Fox and Mick Fleetwood, the band won the best album and best single awards (a dual feat only achieved since by Coldplay, Blur and Adele). “Thanks everybody that loves simple music for simple people!”, Reader exclaimed on stage after the album victory was declared. The band, however, broke up early in 1990.
Interviewed alongside Nevin on ITV’s This Morning show a few months ago, Reader was asked if the group hadn't quite been ready for all the attention and acclaim that came their way in the late Eighties. “Possibly”, she said, “but I’m glad it happened, because we created a friends.