In the fall of 2010, the surviving members of Big Country regrouped, tapped Mike Peters of The Alarm to fill in for late frontman Stuart Adamson and proceeded to tour the world, and record and release a new album called The Journey. Three years later, though, Peters is out of the band — and it’s not yet clear what exactly happened.
The band on Saturday posted a short message on Facebook from guitarist Bruce Watson and drummer Mark Brzezicki announcing that “Big Country and Mike will now be parting ways. The band will continue using Stuart’s original blueprint as a four-piece. We wish Mike well in the future.”
Peters, who will be touring next year in support of the 30th anniversary of The Alarm’s Declaration album, does not appear to have confirmed or addressed his departure publicly, either on The Alarm’s site or social media outlets, and the Big Country announcement — later posted on the band’s website under the headline “Big Country continues” — does not elaborate.
The departure of Peters follows the announcement a year ago that bassist Tony Butler — who joined Big Country prior to the recording of the band’s 1982 debut single “Harvest Home” — was leaving the reunited group “to look to new horizons.” He was replaced by original Simple Minds bassist Derek Forbes.
In their statement about Peters, Watson and Brzezicki thank Forbes, Peters, Butler, the Adamson estate and Watson’s son Jamie, who has been playing guitar in the band — but don’t reveal who else will be involved in the ongoing four-piece incarnation of Big Country.
Read the band’s full statement below:
PREVIOUSLY ON SLICING UP EYEBALLS
- Big Country ‘At the BBC’ box set to compile studio sessions, live tracks, TV appearances
- Big Country to release new album ‘The Journey,’ tour U.K., Europe and North America
- Tony Butler quits Big Country, band promises ‘adventure’ with Simple Minds’ Derek Forbes
- Big Country’s ‘The Crossing: Deluxe Edition’ reissue to include 10 unreleased tracks
- Big Country releasing ‘Another Country’ — first single in 12 years — with Mike Peters
- Big Country enlists The Alarm’s Mike Peters as lead singer for 30th anniversary tour
So sad. I love BIG COUNTRAY’s music and also The Alarms (rain in he summertime, rescue me etc. etc)
Yeah, this was a great pairing and their latest cd was really enjoyable. Sorry to see him go!
Really sad to hear Mike is leaving. The Journey was a great comeback album for this band, and I was hoping this line-up would release at least a couple more albums. I’m guessing his departure probably came down to 2 issues: 1)Mike wanted more flexibility to do his Alarm/solo shows and not to only tied down to BC and 2) Money….I’m sure the US tour did not make the money the band was hoping. And when you have to split the proceeds among 5 members, its even less.
Truly hope BC continues on….Stay Alive!!
Looks like this Country wasn’t Big enough for the five of them.
Just call it quits. BC is already a legend and has nothing to keep proving and Remaster Steeltown already.
Mike Peters responding this morning with this farewell note and video:
http://www.thealarm.com/archives/20440
I would wait for more info to come out before people take sides or cast judgments. Mike’s response makes it sound like he was unaware of his departure…..think there is a lot more to it than that. Obviously its not his health, because he’s got several solo dates booked thru March 2014. I’m guessing the guys in BC wanted Mike to treat the band as his priority and not a side project to his solo / Alarm career. I truly hope BC recovers and continues to make great music!!
Mike was the perfect person to celebrate Stuart’s legacy with reverence. Something about this is odd, quite sad, and not in keeping with Stuart’s vision. Time to put the BC name for good,
Daft buggers, parting ways with Mike. His position as the frontman made perfect sense. That was a brilliant album of “The Big Music.” Made you want to stand on a mountain and thrust a fist skyward.
To Bruce, Mark, et. al.: Isn’t it bad enough Stuart killed himself. Then you have to kill the band when it was just coming back to life by parting ways with Mike?
Again I say: Daft buggers.
I think everyone needs to stop making a martyr out of Mike. Let Bruce & Mark tell their side of story before casting snide remarks. Didn’t Mike quit The Alarm years back after a concert??
It’s the music that will do the talking.roll on the steeltown tour.richard jobson might come out of retirement
Time to retire BC. Help the next generation make good music, they need all the help they can get.
BC will retire when Bruce & Mark decide to. I truly hope BC continues to record and tour. The Journey is proof the band can still write great songs. People should stop making Mike out as this innocent victim….wait for the full story to come out.
i agree with everything PerfectWorld said, yes Mike was a great frontman but he has had falling outs with all his bands, The Alarm he walked out on,Dead Men Walking he had falling outs with one or two members, didnt his “new” Alarm sack one of their guitarists, we all have are opinions on what lead to this and who is to blame……..i love Cyndi Laupers music, its an old track but still one of my favorites “Money Changes Everything”
Whoever their American road managers were, they couldn’t manage a sandwich if you spotted them a loaf of bread, a jar of mayonnaise, and your choice of meat (i.e. they were either brain damaged or natively very stupid). How so? Glad that ye asked:
1. No budget
2. Bizarre booking of shows with only a few days or a week’s notice
3. No live shows in New York or L.A. at the beginning, to raise fan awareness
This band does not need a lead singer who sounds like a strange combination of Bono and Mayor McCheese (someone even cheesier than Mayor McCheese, actually).
Instead, what it needs is to ask U-2’s manager to manage BC, since that guy is a genius.
Lets leave the 1980’s where it belongs ….. RIP!
Sorry to be blunt but Big Country is not Big Country without Stuart Adamson.
To endorse what someone else said above, when a key member has sadly passed away, it is best just to call it a day. They will always be remembered as a great band!
Dollar short and a couple years late+.
BC ended when SA passed. Its like INXS…dont run a bad tallent show looking for a replacement..