Edwyn Collins: Difference between revisions

{{Short description|Scottish musician (born 1959)}}
{{BLP sources|date=April 2014}}

{{Use dmy dates|date=JanuaryDecember 20192021}}

{{EngvarB|date=JanuaryDecember 20192021}}

{{Infobox musical artist <!-- See Wikipedia:WikiProject Musicians -->

| name = Edwyn Collins

| image = Edwyn Collins, 2019-09-27.jpg

| image_sizecaption = 200pxCollins in 2019

| caption background = Collins in 2019solo_singer

| background birth_name = solo_singerEdwyn Stephen Collins

| birth_namealias = Edwyn Stephen Collins =

| alias birth_date = {{birth date and age|df= yes|1959|8|23}}

| birth_placedeath_date = [[Edinburgh]], [[Scotland]]

Collins co-founded the band the Nu-Sonics in 1976 in the [[Glasgow]] suburb of [[Bearsden]]. The band changed its name to [[Orange Juice (band)|Orange Juice]] in 1979. Collins and his friend Alan Horne founded the record label [[Postcard Records]] that year to release the band's singles.<ref>{{cite web |title=Show 507 – Edwyn Collins Feature |url=https://soundcloud.com/britishcouncil/edwyn-collins-feature |website=BritishSoundCloud Council on SoundCloud|publisher=SoundCloud|access-date=3 July 2014 |year=2011}}</ref> The band's debut single, "[[Falling and Laughing]]" was issued in February 1980. Although critically acclaimed, the single only sold 2,000 copies.<ref name="uncut">{{cite web| last1=McKay| first1=Alastair|title=Orange Juice: "If anything became too smooth, Edwyn Collins liked to fuck it up" - Uncut| url= http://www.uncut.co.uk/features/orange-juice-if-anything-became-too-smooth-edwyn-collins-liked-to-fuck-it-up-7627| website=Uncut|access-date=3 August 2016|date=20 June 2014}}</ref>

After three more singles with Postcard, Orange Juice signed to [[Polydor Records]] in October 1981 and released their debut album, ''[[You Can't Hide Your Love Forever]]'', in March 1982.<ref name= "uncut"/> The band's second album, ''[[Rip It Up (Orange Juice album)|Rip It Up]]'' followed in November 1982. Their single "[[Rip It Up (Orange Juice song)|Rip It Up]]", released in early 1983, reached number 8 on the [[UK Singles Chart]] and was noted as the first British hit single to feature a bass-line from the [[Roland TB-303]] synthesizer.<ref>{{cite magazine |url=http://www.stylusmagazine.com/articles/seconds/buzzcocks-boredom-orange-juice-rip-it-up.htm |title=Buzzcocks: Boredom / Orange Juice: Rip It Up - Seconds |magazine=Stylus Magazine |access-date=7 September 2015 |archive-date=4 June 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110604010309/http://stylusmagazine.com/articles/seconds/buzzcocks-boredom-orange-juice-rip-it-up.htm |url-status=dead }}</ref> The song was their only Top 40 single.<ref>{{cite web|title=ORANGE JUICE {{!}} full Official Chart History {{!}}| publisher= Official Charts Company| url= http://www.officialcharts.com/artist/19352/orange-juice/| website=www. officialcharts.com}}</ref>

The band's two subsequent albums, ''[[Texas Fever]]'' and ''[[The Orange Juice]]'', were both released in 1984. andThey failed to find the same success as ''Rip It Up''.<ref name="uncut"/>

Orange Juice disbanded in January 1985, after Polydor grew dissatisfied with the band's lack of success and the band's difficulty finding a new label to sign with.<ref name="AMG"/><ref name="uncut"/> During this time in his career, Collins met Grace Maxwell, whom he hired as his manager and later married.<ref name= "uncut"/>

Collins started his solo career in 1986, and signed to [[Elevation Records]], a label that was a co-venture between indie label [[Creation Records]] and major label [[Warner Music Group|Warner Music]].<ref name="AMG"/>

Collins released two singles for the Elevation label in 1987, both produced by [[Robin Guthrie]] of the [[Cocteau Twins]], but both failed to enter the [[UK Singles Chart]]. Elevation was closed in November 1987, just ten months after it released its first single. After the closure, Collins experienced a "falling out" with [[Creation Records]] founder [[Alan McGee]], who had financed Elevation.<ref name="Bio">{{cite web| title= Biography |url=https://itunes.apple.com/us/artist/edwyn-collins/id3478219|website=iTunes Preview|publisher=Apple Inc|access-date= 3 July 2014|year=2014}}</ref> As a result, unlike other Elevation signees such as [[Primal Scream]] and [[The Weather Prophets]], Collins was not migrated to the main Creation label and he was left without a record label contract.<ref name= "Bio"/>

At the request of passionate Orange Juice fans in Germany, Collins recorded his next album at a small German studio, with the aid of producer Dennis Bovell, who had worked with Collins in Orange Juice, and [[Roddy Frame]] of [[Aztec Camera]]. The album, entitled ''[[Hope and Despair]]'', was released in 1989 by the Demon label and achieved success as an independent release. Demon also released Collins's next record, ''[[Hellbent on Compromise]]'' (1990), which was not as successful as its predecessor. Demon and Collins then parted ways and Collins embarked on a lengthy hiatus.<ref name="Bio" />

Collins built his own recording studio in 1994 that was used to record his third solo album, ''[[Gorgeous George (album)|Gorgeous George]]'', which he also produced. The studio, located in [[West Hampstead]], London, UK, would become the West Heath Yard Studios that Collins would use for his future record label, AED Records.<ref>{{cite web| title= Edwyn Collins – Gorgeous George| url= http://www.discogs.com/Edwyn-Collins-Gorgeous-George/release/1515921 |website=Edwyn Collins on Discogs.com| publisher=Discogs |access-date=3 July 2014|year=2014}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|title=AED Welcomes You|url=http://www.aedrecords.com/pages/about|website=AEDAEDRecords.com Records|publisher=AED Records|access-date=3 July 2014|year=2012}}</ref>

In 1995, Collins released the single "[[A Girl Like You (Edwyn Collins song)|A Girl Like You]]", which became a hit in both the United Kingdom and United States after it was featured in the film ''[[Empire Records]]''.<ref>{{cite web|title=Various – Empire Records – The Soundtrack| url=http://www.discogs.com/Various-Empire-Records-The-Soundtrack/release/3187991 |website= Discogs.com |publisher=Discogs|access-date=3 July 2014|year=2014}}</ref> It was subsequently used in the movie ''[[Charlie's Angels: Full Throttle]]'' in 2003.

Collins released his followup to ''Gorgeous George'', ''[[I'm Not Following You]]'', in 1997. One of its singles, "The Magic Piper (of Love)", was featured on the soundtrack for ''[[Austin Powers: International Man of Mystery]]'' that year<ref>{{cite web| title=Various – Austin Powers: International Man Of Mystery – Original Soundtrack| url=http://www.discogs.com/Various-Austin-Powers-International-Man-Of-Mystery-Original-Soundtrack/release/1482181 |website= Discogs.com |publisher=Discogs|access-date=3 July 2014|year=2014}}</ref> and was his only other Top 40 entry on the [[UK Singles Chart]] apart from "A Girl Like You."

In a [[BBC 6 Music]] [[radio station|radio]] interview on 18 February 2005, Collins said he felt unwell, but ascribed the [[nausea]] and [[Vertigo (medical)|vertigo]] to [[food poisoning]]. Two days later, he was admitted to [[intensive care]] in London's [[Royal Free Hospital]] after apparently suffering a major [[cerebral haemorrhage]]. After suffering a second haemorrhage he had an operation on 25 February 2005, which was followed by a lengthy programme of neurological rehabilitation owing to right-sided weakness and difficulty with speech.<ref name="resurrect"/> TheHis [[aphasia]] heleft sufferedhim allowed himable to repeat only four phrases, over and over again: "yes", "no", "Grace Maxwell" (his wife's name) and "the possibilities are endless".<ref>{{cite web |last=Lewis |first=John |url=http://www.metro.co.uk/music/840674-edwyn-collins-back-with-a-vengeance |title=Edwyn Collins: Back with a vengeance &#124; Metro News |publisherwebsite=Metro.co.uk |date=12 September 2010 |access-date=30 March 2013 |archive-date=4 October 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121004130404/http://www.metro.co.uk/music/840674-edwyn-collins-back-with-a-vengeance |url-status=dead }}</ref>

Collins released his sixth solo album, entitled ''[[Home Again (Edwyn Collins album)|Home Again]]'', in September 2007 on [[Heavenly Records]].<ref name="AMG"/> The album was [[sound recording and reproduction|recorded]] before his illness but mixed after his discharge from hospital. While still recovering, Collins returned to singing live, including playing a [[concert|gig]] at The Arts Theatre in London, UK. A tribute song celebrating his return was recorded by the [[indie pop]] band The Candy Twins.<ref>{{cite web| url= https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wZzN34nSYH4 |titlearchive-url=YouTubehttps://ghostarchive.org/varchive/youtube/20211212/wZzN34nSYH4| –archive-date=2021-12-12 |url-status=live|title=The Candy Twins Edwyn Collins is Back (tribute song) |publisherwebsite=Uk.youtube.com |date=25 February 2007 |access-date=26 July 2009}}{{cbignore}}</ref>

A [[BBC Scotland]] [[film documentary|documentary]], ''Edwyn Collins: Home Again'', narrated by [[Franz Ferdinand (band)|Franz Ferdinand]] frontman [[Alex Kapranos]], was broadcast on 19 May 2008. Filmed during 2007, it followedfollows Collins's progress in recovering from his illness, and his first return to live performance at the BBC [[Electric Proms]].{{citation needed|date=April 2014}} Collins then performed at the [[Glastonbury Festival]], which was broadcast on 28 June 2008 on [[BBC Two]], and at [[T in the Park]] on 10 July 2009 (Collins's first ever T in the Park).<ref>{{cite web|title=Daily Record @ T in the Park: Edwyn Collins & Franz Ferdinand|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=646Ng-oyYYs |websitearchive-url=scottishdailyrecordhttps://ghostarchive.org/varchive/youtube/20211212/646Ng-oyYYs| onarchive-date=2021-12-12 YouTube|url-status=live| publisher=Google Incscottishdailyrecord | via= YouTube| access-date=3 July 2014|format=Video upload|date=10 July 2009}}{{cbignore}}</ref>

On 2 October 2009, Collins's wife and manager Grace Maxwell detailed her "running battle" with [[Warner Music Group]] and MySpace over his right to allow fans to listen to "A Girl Like You" for free on his MySpace page.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.nme.com/news/edwyn-collins/47628|title=Edwyn Collins' manager blasts MySpace and major labels over 'A Girl Like You' |publisher=NME |date=2 October 2009 |access-date=7 October 2009}}</ref>

In November 2009, at a gig in London's Bloomsbury Ballroom, following a tour of the Scottish Highlands, Collins's singing was contrasted with his slow speech: "[W]hen he started to sing, his baritone proved as powerful as ever."<ref>{{cite news|url=httphttps://www.cbc.ca/artsnews/musicentertainment/story/2009/11/20/f-edwynmusician-collinsheal-strokethyself-comeback1.html797695 |title=Musician, heal thyself |access-date=20 October 2009 | work=CBC News}}</ref> On 20 February 2010, he joined [[The Maccabees (band)|The Maccabees]] onstage at Brixton Academy for their encore, performing vocals on a rendition of "Rip It Up".

We did each song in a day ... and a day consists of about four hours. So there's a real expediency about how it's recorded. The whole attitude of the album is just doing that. Not indulging anyone. Not having any band sitting round for days and days. "Have you got a guitar part yet? No? Just do it. You've got a coupla hours." They [Collins's collaborators] all looked quite petrified but they did it.<ref name= "Sleep" /></blockquote>

In 2009, during the making of ''Losing Sleep'', Lewsley observed Collins gradually regain his musical proficiency—Lewsley explained: "The studio is more of an instrument again for Edwyn.”"<ref name= "Sleep" /> The cover art for the album features a collection of bird drawings that Collins started working on in 2005.<ref name="Sept" />

On 30 September 2010, Collins and his band broadcast three live songs from the Royal Beacon Hotel in [[Exmouth]] for [[BBC Radio 2]]'s "[[Radcliffe and Maconie Show]]".<ref>{{cite web| url= http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p00bch8n |title=BBC Radio 2 – The Radcliffe and Maconie Show, 30/09/2010, Edwyn Collins – Losing Sleep and What Is My Role |publisher website=BbcBBC.co.uk |date=30 September 2010 |access-date=30 March 2013}}</ref> ([[Stuart Maconie]] is a former [[music journalist]] and his first ''[[NME]]'' article was a review of Collins's 1987 gig at the Manchester International.)<ref name="Cider">{{cite book| first= Stuart| last= Maconie| year= 2004| title= Cider With Roadies| edition= 1st| publisher= Random House | location= London| isbn= 0-09-189115-9| page= 182}}</ref>

On 30 July 2011, Collins performed at the [[Indietracks]] festival that was held at the Midland Railway, [[Butterley]], UK.<ref>{{cite web| last1= Jack| first1= Malcolm| title=Indietracks – review| url= https://www.theguardian.com/culture/2011/aug/02/indietracks-festival-review|website work=theguardian The Guardian | date= 2 August 2011|access-date=11 August 2016}}</ref> During the 2012 Kendal Calling event Collins sang "A Girl Like You", with Roddy Frame on guitar and [[Tim Burgess (artist)|Tim Burgess]] on backing vocals.<ref>{{cite web|title=Edwyn Collins, Tim Burgess and Roddy Frame- A Girl Like You (At Tim Peaks- Kendal Calling 2012)| url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pku0Pb4Espw |workarchive-url=tunafishmediavideoshttps://ghostarchive.org/varchive/youtube/20211212/pku0Pb4Espw| onarchive-date=2021-12-12 |url-status=live|via=YouTube| publisher=Google Inctunafishmediavideos |access-date=17 April 2014|author=tunafishmediavideos |format=Video upload|date=4 August 2012}}{{cbignore}}</ref>

Understated is more than just another step to recovery, it is indeed a fine record in its own right, and utterly life-affirming. It’sIt's also perhaps the ultimate testament to the healing power of music. He lost the ability to read, write, and lost movement in half of his body, but what he didn’tdidn't lose was his gift for coming up with an ear-catching tune, as is proved here. It will make you smile, it may even make you cry, and it's an album that reminds you how good it is to be alive.<ref>{{cite web|author first=Ben P| last= Scott |url= http://www.godisinthetvzine.co.uk/2013/03/29/edwyn-collins-understated-aed-records/ |title=Review: Edwyn Collins – Understated (AED Records) |publisherwork= Godisinthetvzine.co.uk |date=29 March 2013 |access-date=24 May 2013}}</ref></blockquote>

A documentary film about Collins entitled ''[[The Possibilities Are Endless]]'', directed by James Hall and Edward Lovelace, was released in November 2014.<ref>{{cite web |url= http://www.thepossibilities.co.uk/about.html |title=The Possibilities Are Endless |work=thepossibilities.co.uk |year=2014 |access-date=14 November 2014}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url= https://www.imdb.com/title/tt3512066/ |title=The Possibilities Are Endless |work=IMDb |year=2014 |access-date=14 November 2014}}</ref>

Collins has been friends with [[Roddy Frame]], the frontman for the new wave group [[Aztec Camera]], has maintained a long-term friendship with Collins, since they were both signed to Postcard Records in the 1980s.<ref name="March">{{cite web|title=Roddy Frame chats to Stuart Maconie|url=http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p01wk20s|work=Radcliffe and Maconie on BBC Radio 6|publisher=BBC|access-date=17 April 2014|format=Audio upload|date=31 March 2014}}</ref><ref name="Tom" /> Collins and Frame collaborated on the Aztec Camera album ''Stray'', including a live performance of the song "Consolation Prize".<ref>{{cite web|title=Aztec Camera Stray – Credits|url=http://www.allmusic.com/album/stray-mw0000689857/credits|work=Aztec Camera on AllMusic|publisher=All Media Network, LLC|access-date=17 April 2014|year=2014}}</ref>

Frame performed with Collins in November 2007 during Collins's first concert after his recovery from a serious illness,<ref>{{cite news |title=The Soulful Survivor|url=http://www.thisislondon.co.uk/music/gig-23371370-details/Edwyn+Collins,+Vic+Godard+And+The+Subway+Sect/gigReview.do?reviewId=23421983&expand=true|newspaper=[[Evening Standard]]|date=20 November 2007|access-date=15 March 2008}}</ref> and the pair played again at the [[Glastonbury Festival 2008|Glastonbury Festival]] in June 2008, on the Park Stage, and at the Purcell Rooms in London, UK, in September 2008.<ref>{{cite web|title=Glastonbury Festival 2008|url=http://www.gettyimages.com/detail/news-photo/photo-of-edwyn-collins-and-roddy-frame-roddy-frame-news-photo/85112081|work=Getty Images|publisher=Getty Images|access-date=17 April 2014|author=Hayley Madden|format=Image upload}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|title=A GIRL LIKE YOU EDWYN COLLINS PURCELL ROOMS SEPT 14 2008|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ib5hnzOnXFg |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/varchive/youtube/20211212/ib5hnzOnXFg| archive-date=2021-12-12 |url-status=live|website=David Yeates on YouTube|publisher=Google Inc|access-date=22 June 2014|format=Video upload|date=14 September 2008}}{{cbignore}}</ref>

Collins also produced ''The Official Body'', the third album by the British post-punk band [[Shopping (band)|Shopping]], which was released on 19 January 2018.<ref>{{cite web|title=Shopping announce new LP ‘The'The Official Body,’' share "The Hype"|url=http://www.brooklynvegan.com/shopping-announce-new-lp-the-official-body-share-the-hype/|website=BrooklynVegan|access-date=20 January 2018}}</ref>

In addition to his music career Collins also produced and starred in the [[Channel 4]] television show ''West Heath Yard''.<ref>{{cite web|author1=Matt Frost|title=Edwyn Collins: Recording Losing Sleep|url=http://www.soundonsound.com/sos/jan11/articles/edwyn-collins.htm|website=Sound on Sound|publisher=SOS Publications Group|access-date=3 July 2014|date=January 2011}}</ref> Collins released his first book of illustrations, ''Some British Birds'', with Morel Books in 2009.<ref>{{cite book|author1=Edwyn Collins|title=Some British Birds|url=https://books.google.com/books/about/Some_British_Birds.html?id=JfhDXwAACAAJ&redir_esc=y|website=Google Books|publisher=Google Inc|access-date=3 July 2014|year=2009|isbn=9781907071072}}</ref> [[Liberty (department store)|Liberty of London]] printed his bird illustrations on fabric as part of a series of fabrics created in collaboration with musicians; his print is named Ornithology.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.creativereview.co.uk/liberty-rocks/|title=Liberty Rocks - Creative Review|date=20 July 2011|work=Creative Review|access-date=20 November 2017|language=en-US}}</ref>

In 2010 he received an honorary master's degree from the [[Buckinghamshire New University]], in recognition of his "strong influences and contribution to the national and international music industry over the last three decades".<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.bucksfreepress.co.uk/news/educationnews/8363140.University_to_honour_Olympic_gold_hero/ |title=University to honour Olympic gold hero (From Bucks Free Press) |publisher=Bucksfreepress.co.uk |date=31 August 2010 |access-date=2 January 2012 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120319194653/http://www.bucksfreepress.co.uk/news/educationnews/8363140.University_to_honour_Olympic_gold_hero/ |archive-date=19 March 2012 }}</ref>

On 21 August 2010, Collins attended the Helmsdale Highland Games as the chieftain, an honour also previously bestowed on his grandfather.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.helmsdalegames.info/This_Years_Chieftain.html|title=This Years Chieftain 2010|publisher=Helmsdalegames.info|access-date=22 September 2014}}</ref>

[[Category:Scottish male songwriters]]