Monday, January 22, 2024

Stiltskin: The Mind's Eye 1994

 

Stiltskin were a Scottish quartet formed by Peter Lawlor to perform the single Stiltskin - Inside,


developed from the theme he'd written for the Levi's 501 jeans commercial 'Creek'. 'Water Music Publishing' was created to manage this material.  The band  first achieved widespread popularity in the mid-1990s. Stiltskin are led by frontman Ray Wilson, the only constant member throughout the band's history.
                         

The band was put together in 1994 by multi-instrumentalist/songwriter Peter Lawlor to front the record

he had made of the music he had written for the British Levi's television advertisement, "Creek". The resulting single, "Inside" topped the UK Singles Chart in 1994, but the band failed to produce further matching chart success with the follow-up single "Footsteps" reaching No. 34. The Ambrosian Singers performed Lawlor's choir-like intro vocals to "Inside".
                    

Bass player James Finnigan, from the "Hue And Cry" band, had already begun working with composer

& multi-instrumentalist Lawlor and Finnigan's acquaintance, drummer Ross McFarlane, was drafted in from the band "Fireball". Singer Ray Wilson had previously featured in the band "Guaranteed Pure" and, after the release of Stiltskin's only album Stiltskin - The Mind's Eye, he briefly appeared with Genesis on their Genesis - ...Calling All Stations... album before eventually fronting a new "Ray Wilson and Stiltskin" line-up; Ray Wilson and Stiltskin - Sampler.
              

All instruments on the band's hit "Inside" were played by Peter Lawlor; this was also the case on

the album track "An Illusion". The original line-up released only one album, The Mind's Eye, which achieved a silver record in the UK, and sold in decent quantities throughout Europe. The band made significant critical inroads in the US music scene, but little was to follow in the way of sales, though "Inside" reached No. 37 on the Billboard Mainstream Rock chart.
                    

The original Stiltskin disbanded in 1996, during the recording of their uncompleted second album, for

which James Finnigan had been replaced on bass by Aubrey Nunn, who later worked with Faithless.
                       

Stiltskin – The Mind's Eye
Label: EastWest – CD 61785
Format: CD, Album
Country: Canada
Released: 1994    
Genre: Rock
Style: Indie Rock

TRAXS

                   


01. Inside   4:40
Backing Vocals – Tessa Sturridge
Choir – The Ambrosian Choir
02. Sunshine And Butterflies    3:52
03. Rest In Peace   2:55
Cello – Sian Bell
Percussion – Ross McFarlane
04. Footsteps    3:36
05. When My Ship Comes In   3:52

Piano [Wurlitzer] – James Finnigan
06. Horse   4:24
Cello – Sian Bell
07. An Illusion   3:49
Backing Vocals – James Finnigan, Ross McFarlane
Cello – Sian Bell
08. Scared Of Ghosts    4:01
09. Shouting In My Sleep   3:07

Organ [Hammond] – Irvin Duguid
10.Prayer Before Birth   2:35
Cello – Sian Bell
11a. America    9:05
11b. Prayer Before Birth

Cello – Sian Bell
Guitar [Effects], Piano [Wurlitzer], Organ [Hammond] – Peter Lawlor
Piano [Wurlitzer] – James Finnigan

LINE - UP

Acoustic Guitar, Mandolin – Peter Lawlor (tracks: 3, 5, 6)
Backing Vocals – Peter Lawlor (tracks: 1, 3, 4, 6, 7, 11(a))
Bass Guitar – James Finnigan
Drums – Ross McFarlane
Vocals – Ray Wilson   
Producer, Written-By, Engineer, Lead Guitar – Peter Lawlor


Flac Size: 295 MB

  

7 comments:

  1. GREAT KOSTAS again something i don't know. Thanks, that's worth the money. Not a reaction to Minimal Compact. It's nice that the music of my generation (60s early 70s) seems to be the most popular based on the reactions. I assume that most of the people who download here are much younger than me. But i also think later music is GREAT and it's a shame that there is so little feedback.

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  2. Stiltskin for 3e incl. postage. Haha.. that works.

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    Replies
    1. The track "Inside" was a smash hit in Europe.

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    2. I do not know. You can see how poorly informed i am about hits.

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    3. As a Rock DJ, I was obligated to know all the Rock Top hits.

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    4. For me, success or failure has bever been a criterion for good music. As in all other things, for example books. On the contrary the one that most people like is not for me.

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