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In 1997, Ray Davies secretary called my office. "Are Big Country's rhythm section available to do Glastonbury with Ray"? "He wants to do a Kinks set and isn't working with his brother at present". I said they weren't but Big Country was. This puzzled her. I always jumped at opportunities that benefited the band and thought I would turn this one round so it suited them and not merely Tony and Mark. Ray was delighted. They rehearsed in Cornwall (minus Bruce who was already otherwise engaged) and then did a great set at Glastonbury. Ray took a liking to the band. He couldn't believe how good they were and why they were without a recording deal. He made it known to me that he would like to continue working with them in some capacity. So, there were writing sessions in Sussex, Scotland, London (at Ray's Konk studios) New York & Nashville. Ray came to one in Sussex and I found him outside the building, standing in drizzling rain. I suggested we go inside and he said "no, I get more from listening to them outside with them not knowing I am here, than it they were playing to me inside". Stuart also wrote three songs (two completed) at Ray's New York apartment. The two previous Big Country albums (The Buffalo Skinners and Why The Long Face) were very good albums particularly the former in my opinion but, the band didn't get back on their feet commercially and life was somewhat in the doldrums. But, the enthusiam from Ray galvanised them somewhat. I had recently chanced upon theatrical impressario Bill Kenwright who offered to back me with the reformation of the legendary Track Records. Whilst at Midem in Cannes with Big Country in January 1996 during a Hugh Cornwell showcase, I bumped into an old hero of mine in Arthur Brown. By the end of the evening he decided I knew more about him than he did. He asked if I could help him procure royalties for his big hit "Fire" as he had never been paid any money. I did. The investigation led me to Chris Stamp who founded Track with Kit Lambert and he proposed I start a management led label and use Track name and logo. I was astonished when he suggested this. So, with Bill offering finance and the label needing a band to kick the new era off, because Big Country had a wealth of new songs and two cowritten with Ray Davies, I knew a large part of their European fan base was still out there and considered with a great new album they would do well for us. The scene was set to kick start their career. I had worked on Bill Kenwright's film "Don't Go Breaking My Heart" and a new band had three songs in the film that formed part of an album Bill had financed. The were called Kolony and their producer was a chap called Rafe McKenna. I liked what he had done with the band. He had also produced the recent Ash album so, I put his name forward to the band. Tony met with him and thought my hunch may well be right. I worked out a deal with Kingsley Ward at Rockfield Studios and the band descended on Monmouth to sift through the abundance of songs, which you hear on these two cd's. The end result was "Driving To Damascus". Ian Grant
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CD 1 CD 2 Under license from Big Country
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