Tony Butler – life so far * Tony was bass guitarist and backing vocalist with Big Country for nearly 20 years * Big Country sold 10 million albums worldwide including The Crossing (UK number 3 and on thechart for over a year and top 20 in US) and the number 1 UK album Steeltown. * Tony played bass on three solo albums by Pete Townshend (The Who) * Tony created and played the distinctive bass line on The Pretenders’ single Back on the Chain Gang * He currently lectures in music technology and performance after training as a teacher Tony Butler was born at Hammersmith Hospital, West London in 1957. His interest in music began at school under the guidance of an enlightened music teacher and by the age of 14 he was playing bass in Caribbean-style dance bands with his cousin, Ben Frampton. Tony cites his early influences as Hendrix, T Rex, Yes, Genesis, Bob Marley and The Who. From the mid-1970s Tony was a member of several bands led by Simon Townshend, younger brother of The Who's legendary Pete, including On The Air, who had brief success in 1980, touring as support to a Scottish band called The Skids – Tony’s first contact with guitarist Stuart Adamson. He formed Rhythm for Hire with drummer Mark Brzezicki, putting down tracks in the studio for various artists and producers, including Pete Townshend (Empty Glass, All Good Cowboys Have Chinese Eyes, White City), Roger Daltrey (Under A Raging Moon), The Pretenders (Back On The Chain Gang/My City Was Gone), Lenny Henry (The OK Song), Steve Lillywhite, Mickie Most and Chris Thomas. In 1982 Tony and Mark were called in to do a session with Stuart Adamson’s new band. They both loved the tracks and gelled immediately with Stuart and second guitarist Bruce Watson. Tony turned down an offer from Chrissie Hynde to play bass for The Pretenders, and joined Big Country instead. The band recorded seven studio albums, 15 compilation or live albums, had 17 Top 30 singles and two Grammy nominations. Always popular with fans and music professionals alike, Tony was dubbed “the nicest man in rock ‘n’ roll” by Rolling Stone magazine. The band supported the Rolling Stones on two European tours - the Voodoo Lounge in 1995 and Bridges to Babylon in 1998 (“one of the best opening bands we have had” – Mick Jagger). The band were also involved with Greenpeace anti-nuclear protests, releasing a single, Non, stop the tests. Tony, who moved to Cornwall with his family in 1987 at the height of Big Country’s success, released his first solo album, The Great Unknown, in 1997 to coincide with the launch of his label, Great West Records, set up to record and promote artists from the Westcountry. Three years later, in 2000, Tony announced his departure from Big Country after the promotion of Driving to Damascus – in his opinion their best ever album – with the Final Fling tour which culminated in an emotional farewell night at the Glasgow Barrowlands. The band played one more gig – in Malaysia - the last time he shared a stage with Stuart Adamson, who died in December 2001. Since then Tony has trained as a further education teacher and lecturer, mentoring young people in music technology and performance in Devon and Cornwall. Life Goes On, released on the Great West Records label, has Tony producing and playing most of the instruments, but also features colleagues and students invited for their individual talents. The tone of the album is affected by Tony’s musical heritage - he cites Jimi Hendrix, Genesis, Chuck Berry, The Who, Neil Young and Greg Lake and Peter Gabriel as the main influences when writing Life Goes On. Reflecting a traumatic past, the album gears towards a positive future. For more biographical detail on Big Countryutlermusic.co.uk go to: www.bigcountry.co.uk/biography/biography.php Also, find a whole heap of stuff on www.tonybutlermusic.co.uk and www.myspace.com/tonybutlermusic