When Stuart Adamson accused The Rolling Stones and The Who of being “parodies of themselves”
Naturally, music lovers wouldn’t necessarily mention the late Big Country frontman, Stuart Adamson, in the same breath as The Rolling Stones and The Who. Although he might have reached astounding critical and commercial heights similar to his older forebears, creatively and philosophically, much separates Adamson from them.
This was something the Scotsman was all too aware of, and when he was at his peak in 1985, he critiqued both bands with a searing ferocity. In turn, Adamson demonstrated why classic rock had fallen out of favour with his generation.
The career stories of The Rolling Stones and The Who are synonymous with the proliferation of rock and roll. The Rolling Stones were formed in London in 1962. Boasting the songwriting partnership of Mick Jagger and Keith Richards, as well as Brian Jones, Bill Wyman and Charlie Watts, in the early days, they were greatly inspired by the blues and R&B. Before too long, though, they departed from their original form. They drew on a much broader range of sources for this metamorphosis, which saw them crystallise their legacy as one of the all-time greats.
From ‘Jumpin’ Jack Flash’ to ‘Gimme Shelter’, The Rolling Stones have provided many iconic cuts, which, when at their commercial peak, were matched by such unrelenting hellraising that it threatened to overshadow their undoubted creative talent.
The Who’s story contains parallels to that of The Rolling Stones. Formed in London in 1964, the group also had their roots in blues and R&B. However, they soon broke from the day’s standard and developed a high-octane form of rock that was wholly refreshing. This galvanised significant swathes of listeners with anthems such as ‘My Generation’, ‘Substitute’ and ‘I Can See for Miles’ which confirmed the group as one of the new set’s fiercest weapons.
Comprised of frontman Roger Daltrey, guitarist Pete Townshend, bassist John Entwistle and drummer Keith Moon, they also became notorious for their hard partying. Famously, this culminated in a Lincoln Continental finding its way to the bottom of a swimming pool and, ultimately, Moon’s premature death in 1978.
Despite The Rolling Stones and The Who being two of the biggest acts of their day, by the time punk rolled around in 1976, many were sick of this set of acts who had become caricatures of themselves, creating overblown and pompous music that lacked their original verve. The disdain for such groups was so far-reaching that punk explicitly marketed itself as their antithesis. It had arrived to commandeer the ship and set culture on a different course.
Stuart Adamson was one of the brightest lights to emerge from the punk scene. He first made his name as the lead guitarist in The Skids before departing in 1981 and forming Big Country, his definitive act. In an ironic twist of fate, Big Country would find their rhythm section, bassist Tony Butler and drummer Mark Brzezicki, playing for Pete Townshend, but that is a story for a different day.
In a 1985 interview with The Courier – when Big Country were at their pomp – Adamson was asked how long he thought he’d make music. Despite Townshend having a minor role in the band’s rise, he responded by using The Rolling Stones and The Who as examples of what he didn’t want to do; become an outdated parody of himself.
“Until I stop enjoying it, or until I feel I’m too old,” he said. “I’d hate to end up like the Rolling Stones or The Who, who eventually became parodies of themselves.”
Adamson concluded, taking a pop at both bands as has-beens: “You look daft singing songs about rebellious youth in your forties,” a sentiment ironically uttered by both the band’s during their prime.
