Del Amitri

Since the mid-'80s Del Amitri have remained a reliable presence on global stages and airwaves thanks to their seamless fusion of Beatlesque pop and country-rock. Justin Currie, who handles bass, vocals, and songwriting, formed the band in Scotland in 1982 with longtime guitarist and creative partner Ian Harvie. The following year the duo issued Sense Sickness through a modest independent label in Glasgow. Persistent touring and favorable grassroots buzz helped the expanded lineup—now including drummer Paul Tyagi and guitarist Bryan Tolland—catch the attention of Chrysalis Records, which signed the group to a deal. Their self-titled major-label debut, produced by Hugh Jones and released in 1985 amid intense promotional fanfare, combined new wave textures with country-folk elements that left both listeners and critics unmoved, leading to the band’s departure from Chrysalis.

A self-financed U.S. tour subsequently widened their audience and secured a contract with A&M. In 1987 the quartet grew to five members with the addition of keyboardist Andy Alston, while David Cummings replaced Tolland on guitar and Brian McDermott took over drums from Tyagi; the refreshed lineup then began recording Waking Hours. The resulting album, again produced by Gil Norton and Hugh Jones and issued in 1989, brought Del Amitri their first British hit with “Kiss This Thing Goodbye,” a track that also performed strongly in the United States. The 1992 single “Always the Last to Know,” drawn from the Change Everything album, reached the charts, yet it was the 1995 release Twisted and its infectious single “Roll to Me” that finally delivered worldwide success.

Some Other Sucker's Parade followed the same adult alternative jangle pop direction that had powered Twisted but failed to yield comparable hits. In 1998 the career retrospective Hatful of Rain: The Best of Del Amitri collected the band’s strongest material and was released alongside the companion collection B-Sides Lousy With Love. The soulful and melodic Can You Do Me Good? appeared in 2002.