A Walk Across the Rooftops
Encyclopedia
A Walk Across the Rooftops is the debut album from Glaswegian adult contemporary
/pop
group The Blue Nile
, released on 13 May 1984 on Linn Records
in the UK and A&M Records
in the US.
The album had an unusual history. Three years previously, The Blue Nile had recorded and independently released their first single, "I Love This Life". It caught the attention of RSO Records
, who re-released it, but the company was absorbed into Polygram
soon afterwards, and the single disappeared from view, as did the band.
The Blue Nile continued to record without success until they were approached by Charlie Brennan, a representative of Scottish audio equipment
company Linn Hi-Fi
. Engineers at Linn had become frustrated by the poor quality of the test LPs that were provided for their flagship turntable product, so they manufactured their own cutting lathe and were looking for local artists to provide recordings to demonstrate the quality of their new equipment. The track the band recorded was "Tinseltown in the Rain" (a tribute to their home town), which impressed the company so much that they agreed to finance an entire album, which became the first release on their new record label, Linn Records. It reached #80 in the UK album charts.
The album was noted for its use of empty space and detailed separation of each musical instrument, designed to showcase the Linn hi-fi equipment to best effect. Two singles were released from the album in the UK, with minor success: "Tinseltown in the Rain" reached #87 in the UK singles chart
, and "Stay" reached #97.
The Irish
singer Andrea Corr
recorded "Tinseltown in the Rain" for her 2011 album of cover versions Lifelines
, and released it as the first single from that album.
Duo Dave Stewart and Barbara Gaskin included a cover of "Heatwave" on their 1989 album The Big Idea.
houses. At some point the tenements were demolished and the church stood in isolation for some years until it was destroyed by fire in 2001, and subsequently demolished.
Adult contemporary music
Adult contemporary music is a broad style of popular music that ranges from lush 1950s and 1960s vocal music to predominantly ballad-heavy music with varying degrees of rock influence, as well as a radio format that plays such music....
/pop
Pop music
Pop music is usually understood to be commercially recorded music, often oriented toward a youth market, usually consisting of relatively short, simple songs utilizing technological innovations to produce new variations on existing themes.- Definitions :David Hatch and Stephen Millward define pop...
group The Blue Nile
The Blue Nile
The Blue Nile is an adult alternative/pop band from Glasgow. The music of The Blue Nile is built heavily on synthesizers and electronic instrumentation and percussion, although later works featured acoustic guitar more prominently.-Early years:...
, released on 13 May 1984 on Linn Records
Linn Records
Linn Records is a Glasgow-based record label which specialises in classical, jazz and Scottish music. It is part of Linn Products.-History:While Linn engineers were testing their flagship product, the Sondek LP12 turntable, they became frustrated with some of the specialist test LPs they were using...
in the UK and A&M Records
A&M Records
A&M Records is an American record label owned by Universal Music Group that operates under the mantle of its Interscope-Geffen-A&M division.-Beginnings:...
in the US.
The album had an unusual history. Three years previously, The Blue Nile had recorded and independently released their first single, "I Love This Life". It caught the attention of RSO Records
RSO Records
RSO Records was a record label, formed by rock and roll and musical theatre impresario Robert Stigwood in 1973. The "RSO" stands for the Robert Stigwood Organisation. The company's main headquarters were at 67 Brook Street, in London's Mayfair...
, who re-released it, but the company was absorbed into Polygram
PolyGram
PolyGram was the name of the major label recording company started by Philips from as a holding company for its music interests in 1945. In 1999 it was sold to Seagram and merged into Universal Music Group.-Hollandsche Decca Distributie , 1929-1950:...
soon afterwards, and the single disappeared from view, as did the band.
The Blue Nile continued to record without success until they were approached by Charlie Brennan, a representative of Scottish audio equipment
Audio equipment
A piece of audio equipment is any device designed principally to reproduce, record or process sound. This includes microphones, radio receivers, AV receivers, CD players, tape recorders, amplifiers, mixing consoles, effects units and loudspeakers....
company Linn Hi-Fi
Linn Products
Linn Products is a Scottish company, based in Glasgow, that manufactures hi-fi audio equipment, home theatre, and multi-room integrated audio systems...
. Engineers at Linn had become frustrated by the poor quality of the test LPs that were provided for their flagship turntable product, so they manufactured their own cutting lathe and were looking for local artists to provide recordings to demonstrate the quality of their new equipment. The track the band recorded was "Tinseltown in the Rain" (a tribute to their home town), which impressed the company so much that they agreed to finance an entire album, which became the first release on their new record label, Linn Records. It reached #80 in the UK album charts.
The album was noted for its use of empty space and detailed separation of each musical instrument, designed to showcase the Linn hi-fi equipment to best effect. Two singles were released from the album in the UK, with minor success: "Tinseltown in the Rain" reached #87 in the UK singles chart
UK Singles Chart
The UK Singles Chart is compiled by The Official Charts Company on behalf of the British record-industry. The full chart contains the top selling 200 singles in the United Kingdom based upon combined record sales and download numbers, though some media outlets only list the Top 40 or the Top 75 ...
, and "Stay" reached #97.
The Irish
Irish people
The Irish people are an ethnic group who originate in Ireland, an island in northwestern Europe. Ireland has been populated for around 9,000 years , with the Irish people's earliest ancestors recorded having legends of being descended from groups such as the Nemedians, Fomorians, Fir Bolg, Tuatha...
singer Andrea Corr
Andrea Corr
Andrea Jane Corr is an Irish musician, songwriter and actress. Corr debuted in 1990 as the lead singer of the Celtic folk rock and pop rock group The Corrs along with her three elder siblings Caroline, Sharon, and Jim...
recorded "Tinseltown in the Rain" for her 2011 album of cover versions Lifelines
Lifelines (Andrea Corr album)
Lifelines is the second studio album by Andrea Corr and consists of covers. It was released on 29 May 2011 as a digital download and 30 May 2011 on CD...
, and released it as the first single from that album.
Duo Dave Stewart and Barbara Gaskin included a cover of "Heatwave" on their 1989 album The Big Idea.
Cover art
The photograph of the band on the front cover was taken on Cathcart Road in Glasgow. The building on the right of the picture was the Hermon Baptist Church, a single-storey pent-roofed structure built on to the end of a block of tenementTenement
A tenement is, in most English-speaking areas, a substandard multi-family dwelling, usually old, occupied by the poor.-History:Originally the term tenement referred to tenancy and therefore to any rented accommodation...
houses. At some point the tenements were demolished and the church stood in isolation for some years until it was destroyed by fire in 2001, and subsequently demolished.
Track listing
The Blue Nile
- Robert Bell - bass, synthesizers
- Paul Buchanan - vocals, guitars, synthesizers
- Paul Joseph Moore – keyboards, synthesizers