The Blue Nile is an adult alternative/pop band from Glasgow, Scotland. The music of The Blue Nile is built heavily on synthesizers and electronic instrumentation and percussion, although later works have featured acoustic guitar more prominently.
Early years
The band was formed in 1981 when Paul Buchanan (born 16 April 1956, Edinburgh) and his friend, Robert Bell, met Paul Joseph Moore after graduating from the University of Glasgow in the late 1970s. Although their individual degrees didn't reflect their future career wishes (English Literature, Electronics and Mathematics, respectively), their mutual friendship grew out of their shared interest in music, and they began writing and recording together.
Bell and Buchanan were previously the key members of the band Night by Night, who had a small but enthusiastic following in the Glasgow area; they had made demos of songs like "Rio" and "Stay", but were not commercial enough at the time to secure a record contract.
They formed their own label, Peppermint Records, and released their first single, "I Love This Life", which was later picked up and issued by RSO Records. Soon afterwards, RSO was absorbed into Polygram, and The Blue Nile's first single disappeared from view. The trio kept writing and recording over the next couple of years, including a couple of tracks that would later surface on their debut album.
Albums
The Blue Nile have released four albums over a career spanning more than two decades.
A Walk Across the Rooftops
When local Hi-Fi manufacturer Linn Electronics heard their music, through friend and recording engineer Calum Malcolm, the company offered the band money to record a track that would showcase the sonic range of the company's high-end audio equipment.[2][3] Linn was so pleased with the result, they formed their own record label in order to release The Blue Nile's debut, A Walk Across the Rooftops, in 1983.
sample (help·info) Buchanan later commented that during that time Linn was not really a record company, and The Blue Nile was not really a band. Although it received positive reviews, it sold modestly.
1984 saw a greater exposure for the band throughout Europe with the videos for their two singles "Stay" sample (help·info) and "Tinseltown in the Rain" often shown on the video channel Music Box.
Hats
After a prolonged delay in which an entire album's worth of work was scrapped, The Blue Nile released Hats in 1989 to rave reviews, including a rare five-star rating from Q magazine.[4] The album was recorded in the same studio as much of their previous work, Castlesound in Pencaitland, East Lothian. This album, which explores the highs and lows of romantic love, is considered by most critics and listeners to be the band's most enduring work. At the time, Hats reached #12 on the UK album charts and even slipped into the Billboard 200 in the United States. Rickie Lee Jones, a huge fan of the band, personally selected The Blue Nile as her opening act for her 1990 tour. She would later record a duet with them, a cover of the band's own "Easter Parade", which was featured as a B-side to the single "Headlights on the Parade".
In 1992, the band worked on Annie Lennox's debut solo album, Diva, and co-wrote the track "The Gift". Lennox later covered "The Downtown Lights" (from the Hats album), for her album, Medusa, released in 1995.
Peace at Last
7 years later (1996), The Blue Nile finally released their long-anticipated follow-up to Hats, entitled Peace at Last. In a radical departure from the band's prior two albums, the record is primarily driven by Buchanan's acoustic guitar. Even a gospel choir makes a brief appearance on the leadoff single, "Happiness". sample (help·info) Despite the release of Peace at Last on a major label, the album sold poorly, and the critical reaction to the album was more mixed. However, "Family Life" was singled out for praise by most critics and listeners, many of whom consider it an instant classic.
High
After the longest period between albums—eight years—The Blue Nile released High in 2004. Although acoustic guitar is still present on some tracks, the overall musical sound is more reminiscent of Hats, and as a result, the record has once again received almost universal critical praise.
The album was recorded in Glasgow, Scotland, as the group had had enough of travelling and living in other countries, such as America, Ireland, Italy and France.[5] They also decided to release it on Sanctuary Records instead of a corporate label, as the head of Sanctuary's A&R, John Williams, called the band and suggested releasing a record. According to Buchanan, the people at Sanctuary don't promise "to call on a Tuesday and then nothing comes of it".[5]
Current activities
The Blue Nile now have a workroom in Glasgow, which they try to use every day.[5]
Paul Buchanan and Robert Bell toured England and Scotland in May and June 2006, followed by Scotland and Ireland in November 2006, billed as "Paul Buchanan sings the songs of The Blue Nile". The band consisted of Paul Buchanan on vocals and guitar; Robert Bell on bass guitar and keyboards; Alan Cuthbertson and Brendan Smith on keyboards; Stuart McCredie on guitar; and Liam Bradley on drums. Paul Buchanan stated that this billing was done as an 'act of grace' as one member (PJ) 'didn't feel like doing it this time'.
Paul Buchanan collaborated with Shirley Manson (lead singer of Garbage) on her as yet unreleased solo album.
On 14 July 2007 Paul Buchanan and Robert Bell played Manchester's Bridgewater Hall as part of the Manchester International Festival. Bridgewater Hall's website previewed the night as "One of the jewels of British music, The Blue Nile have infrequently yet consistently created music of rare truth and beauty. For their first appearance in more than seven years they perform their only UK show at Manchester International Festival. The perfect Saturday night". Saturday Night. (help·info)
In 2008, the band played shows at the Glasgow Royal Concert Hall (9 July, 10th and 11th), London Somerset House (13 July) and Galway Radisson Hotel (15 July).
Discography
Albums
The albums all have one or two music samples on their respective pages.
Singles
Non-album single:
- "I Love This Life" / "The Second Act" (RSO, 1981)
From A Walk Across the Rooftops:
- "Stay" (remix) / "Saddle the Horses" (Linn, 1984)
- "Tinseltown in the Rain" / "Heatwave" (Instrumental) (Linn, 1984) (7" single)
- "Tinseltown in the Rain" / "Regret" / "Heatwave" (Instrumental) (Linn, 1984) (12" single)
From Hats:
- "The Downtown Lights" / "The Wires are Down" / "Halfway to Paradise" (Linn/Virgin, 1989)
- "Headlights on the Parade" (Bob Clearmountain remix) / "Headlights on the Parade" (LP Version) / "Easter Parade (with Rickie Lee Jones)" (Linn/Virgin, 1989)
- "Saturday Night" (edit) / "Seven A.M." (Live USA NYC) / "Saturday Night" (LP version) (Linn/Virgin, 1989) (CD5 version 1)
- "Saturday Night" (edit) / "Our Lives (1. Lost / 2. Bolivia / 3. New York)" / "Saturday Night" (LP version) (Linn/Virgin, 1989) (CD5 version 2)
From Peace at Last:
- "Happiness" (edit) / "O Lolita" / "War is Love" (A Different Day) (Warner Bros., 1996) (CD5 version 1)
- "Happiness" (edit) / "New York Man" / "Wish Me Well" (Warner Bros., 1996) (CD5 version 2)
From High:
- "I Would Never" / "I Love This Life" / "The Second Act" (Sanctuary, 2004)
- "She Saw the World" / "Soul Boy" (remix) (Sanctuary, 2005 - Promo only - never released)
Collaborations with other artists
- Craig Armstrong: "Let's Go Out Tonight" from The Space Between Us
- Chris Botti: "Midnight Without You" from Midnight Without You
- Julian Lennon: "Other Side Of Town" from Help Yourself
- David Sylvian : "Forget His Voice" Produced and Written by Paul Buchanan & Robert Bell
- Maire Brennan: "Big Yellow Taxi" from Misty Eyed Adventures
- Rickie Lee Jones: "Easter Parade" from "Headlights on the Parade" single from Hats
- Michael McDonald : "I Want You" Written & Produced by Paul Buchanan & Robert Bell from the Album "Blink Of An Eye"
- Annie Lennox: "The Gift" from Diva
- Quiet City: "Due North" and "Things We Should Say" from Public Face, Private Face
- Grace Pool: "Stay" from Grace Pool (1988)
- Robbie Robertson: "Breakin' the Rules" from Storyville (Moore and Bell on several other tracks)
- Texas: "Sleep" from Red Book
- Robin Danar: Paul Buchanan sings on "Message of Love" from the CD Altered States
- Peter Gabriel: Paul Buchanan featured in the songs "Downside Up" and "Make Tomorrow" from the album OVO
- Aqualung: Paul Buchanan featured on the song "Garden of Love" from Memory Man
- Brian Kennedy: "Wish Me Well" written by Paul Buchanan, Original Blue Nile version is on the B Side of "Happiness" Single,Covered here by Brian Kennedy on the Album "A Better Man"
- Michael Brook: Paul Buchanan featured in the songs "RockPaperScissors" from RockPaperScissors
- The Devlins: Robert Bell as guest producer on the Devlin's first album Drift for the song "I don't want to be like this"
- Seasons Of Light: Christmas CD - Paul Buchanan sings the title track and Silent Night
- Melanie C: Paul Buchanan wrote the track titled Soul Boy from Reason (the song's first release was in 1997, by polish singer Edyta Górniak).
- Tinsel Town: "Tinseltown in the Rain" remixed for the soundtrack and used as the theme for the 2000-2001 BBC Scotland show. Plays during opening and closing credits and appears on the soundtrack cd to the show.
Notes
References
External links
External links that can be used for references (please don't delete these):
Interviews:
Songs:
Reviews and other:
Collaborations:
