The Waterboys
Founded: 1983
Location: United Kingdom
The Waterboys are a British-Irish folk rock band formed in London in 1983 by Scottish musician and songwriter Mike Scott. The band's membership, past and present, has been composed mainly of musicians from Scotland, Ireland, Wales and England. Mike Scott has remained the only constant member throughout the band's career. They have explored a number of different styles, but their music is mainly a mix of folk music with rock and roll. They dissolved in 1993 when Scott departed to pursue a solo career. The group reformed in 2000, and continue to release albums and to tour worldwide. Scott emphasises a continuity between the Waterboys and his solo work, saying that "To me there's no difference between Mike Scott and the Waterboys; they both mean the same thing. They mean myself and whoever are my current travelling musical companions."The early Waterboys sound became known as "The Big Music" after a song on their second album, A Pagan Place. This style was described by Scott as "a metaphor for seeing God's signature in the world." Waterboys chronicler Ian Abrahams elaborated on this by defining "The Big Music" as "...a mystical celebration of paganism. It's extolling the basic and primitive divinity that exists in everything ('the oceans and the sand'), religious and spiritual all encompassing. Here is something that can't be owned or built upon, something that has its existence in the concept of Mother Earth and has an ancestral approach to religion. And it takes in and embraces the feminine side of divinity, pluralistic in its acceptance of the wider pantheon of paganism.""The Big Music" either influenced or was used to describe a number of other bands specializing in an anthemic sound, including U2, Simple Minds, In Tua Nua, Big Country and Hothouse Flowers.In the late 1980s, the band became significantly more folk-influenced. The Waterboys eventually returned to rock and roll, and have released both rock and folk albums since reforming.
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World Party, The Waterboys' Karl Wallinger Passes Away, Aged 66
The Waterboys singer Mike Scott called his former bandmate "one of the finest musicians [he's] ever known."
Writing 'Top-Class Songs' And Keeping Busy
The muso talks about his musical evolution.
The Waterboys Announce Bluesfest Sideshows
Three headline shows locked in
Album Review: The Waterboys - Modern Blues
"At best, it can be sweeping and utterly sincere."
Live Review: The Waterboys & Oh Mercy
Their second encore of Fisherman’s Blues and A Man Is In Love sees everyone standing, aisles full of dancers and a broadly grinning band.
Live Review: The Waterboys
Though few outside of Waterboys and/or Yeats fans would have really enjoyed this show, it was a great way to reinvigorate Yeats’ valuable canon.
Bring Me Water
“When I’ve been going through the songs wondering which ones to play on this tour it’s quite a novelty knowing that for 90% of the audience it will be the first time they’ve heard us play these songs."
Water Under The Bridge 2
"I’ve never done what other people have wanted me to do at the expense of the music."
Scot-Rock Veterans The Waterboys Announce First Ever Aussie Tour
'80s veterans finally come down under
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