Jump to content

Stiltskin

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Stiltskin
Ray Wilson and Ali Ferguson performing in 2013
Ray Wilson and Ali Ferguson performing in 2013
Background information
OriginPrimrose Hill, London, England
GenresPost-grunge, alternative rock
Years active1994–1996, 2005–present
LabelsWhite Water Records
East West Records
Inside Out Music
Jaggy D
MembersRay Wilson
Ali Ferguson
Ashley MacMillan
Lawrie MacMillan
Filip Walcerz
Steve Wilson
Past membersJames Finnigan
Peter Lawlor
Ross McFarlane
Aubrey Nunn
Irvin Duguid
Uwe Metzler
Alvin Mills
Henrik Muller
Scott Spence
Nir Zidkyahu

Stiltskin is a Scottish rock band that first achieved widespread popularity in the mid-1990s. Stiltskin are led by frontman Ray Wilson, the only constant member throughout the band's history. They are best known for their 1994 UK chart-topper "Inside".[1]

Career

[edit]

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,[1] 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". 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,[1] 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.[2]

Lawlor continued to run Water Music, writing and producing many high-profile themes: he wrote all of the music for the BBC One 'Rhythm & Movement' idents and also the theme for the 2000 Olympic Games coverage, and the theme for Premier League and FA Cup football matches shown on TV.[3] Simultaneously, he worked as a city economist and academic economics lecturer, becoming Principal Economic Advisor at the German Stock Exchange Deutsche Börse.[4]

McFarlane went on to work with The Proclaimers and achieved another number one in the UK Singles Chart. He went on to join the band Texas in 2009, leaving in early 2019.

Wilson joined Genesis and recorded Calling All Stations with the band (released in 1997) and toured Europe the following year. In 1999 he formed Cut_. In 2002, he launched a solo career.

In 2005, Wilson put a new band together under the name Stiltskin. Wilson himself and touring keyboardist Irvin Duguid (who later left the line-up) were the only members from the original line-up.

The new incarnation of Stiltskin released the album She in 2006. They toured Europe during 2006 and 2007, and a live album entitled Stiltskin Live, recorded on 25 October 2006, with material from this tour, was released in April 2007. In 2008, Stiltskin toured across Europe. A new Stiltskin album called Unfulfillment [5] was released in 2011. In 2015, it was reported in the Edinburgh Evening News that drummer Ashley Macmillan had left Stiltskin to become a chef, citing the rigours of touring as a reason for the change.[6]

Personnel

[edit]

Members

[edit]

Lineups

[edit]
1994–1995 1995–1996 1996–2005 2005–2006
  • James Finnigan – bass, keyboards
  • Peter Lawlor – guitar, bass, keyboards, drums, backing vocals
  • Ross McFarlane – drums, percussion
  • Ray Wilson – lead vocals
Touring musician
  • Peter Lawlor – guitar, bass, keyboards, drums, backing vocals
  • Ross McFarlane – drums, percussion
  • Ray Wilson – lead vocals
  • Aubrey Nunn – bass

Disbanded

  • Ray Wilson – lead vocals, guitar
  • Irvin Duguid – keyboards
  • Uwe Metzler – guitar
  • Alvin Mills – bass
  • Henrik Muller – drums, percussion
  • Scott Spence – guitar
  • Nir Zidkyahu – drums, percussion
2006–2010 2010–2011 2011–2015 2015–present
  • Ray Wilson – lead vocals, guitar
  • Uwe Metzler – guitar
  • Ali Ferguson – guitar, backing vocals
  • Ashley MacMillan – drums, percussion
  • Lawrie MacMillan – bass, backing vocals
  • Ray Wilson – lead vocals, guitar
  • Uwe Metzler – guitar
  • Ali Ferguson – guitar, backing vocals
  • Ashley MacMillan – drums, percussion
  • Lawrie MacMillan – bass, backing vocals
  • Filip Walcerz – keyboards
  • Steve Wilson – guitar, backing vocals
  • Ray Wilson – lead vocals, guitar
  • Ali Ferguson – guitar, backing vocals
  • Ashley MacMillan – drums, percussion
  • Lawrie MacMillan – bass, backing vocals
  • Filip Walcerz – keyboards
  • Steve Wilson – guitar, backing vocals
  • Ray Wilson – lead vocals, guitar
  • Ali Ferguson – guitar, backing vocals
  • Lawrie MacMillan – bass, backing vocals
  • Filip Walcerz – keyboards
  • Steve Wilson – guitar, backing vocals

Timeline

[edit]

Discography

[edit]

Studio albums

[edit]
List of studio albums, with selected details and chart positions
Title Details Peak chart positions
AUS
[7] 		AUT
[8] 		GER
[9] 		NLD
[10] 		NZL
[11] 		SWE
[12] 		SWI
[13] 		UK
[14]
The Mind's Eye
  • Released: 17 October 1994
  • Label: White Water (UK)
    East West (US)
  • Formats: CD, cassette, LP
 100 10 11 76 36 13 13 17
She — — — — — — — —
Unfulfillment
  • Released: 9 September 2011
  • Label: Jaggy D
  • Formats: CD, digital download
 — — — — — — — —

Live albums

[edit]
List of live albums, with selected details
Title Album details
Ray Wilson and Stiltskin Live
  • Released: 2007
  • Label: Inside Out Music
  • Format: CD

Singles

[edit]
List of singles, with selected chart positions
Title Year Peak chart positions Album
AUS
[15] 		AUT
[8] 		BEL
[16] 		FRA
[17] 		GER
[9] 		NLD
[10] 		NOR
[18] 		SWE
[12] 		SWI
[13] 		UK
[14]
"Inside" 1994 40 2 23 9 5 7 5 4 5 1 The Mind's Eye
"Footsteps" — — 26 — — — — — 34 34
"Rest in Peace" 1995 — — — — — — — — — 92
"She" 2006 — — — — — — — — — — She
"Lemon Yellow Sun" — — — — — — — — — —

References

[edit]
  1. ^ a b c Colin Larkin, ed. (1995). The Guinness Who's Who of Heavy Metal (Second ed.). Guinness Publishing. p. 343. ISBN 0-85112-656-1.
  2. ^ "faithlessuk.co.uk". 19 August 2003. Archived from the original on 19 August 2003. Retrieved 20 October 2020.
  3. ^ "Ask us about: Music details". BBC News. 12 June 2007.
  4. ^ "Point of View: Creative - Peter Lawlor Interview | AdForum Talent". www.adforum.com. Retrieved 17 October 2021.
  5. ^ "Ray Wilson and Stiltskin Live". Raywilson.net. Archived from the original on 24 July 2011. Retrieved 17 July 2011.
  6. ^ "Stiltskin drummer quits music to be a chef | Edinburgh News".
  7. ^ Ryan, Gavin (2011). Australia's Music Charts 1988–2010 (PDF ed.). Mt Martha, Victoria, Australia: Moonlight Publishing. p. 268.
  8. ^ a b "Discography Stiltskin". austriancharts.at (in German). Retrieved 18 October 2022.
  9. ^ a b "Discographie Stiltskin". offiziellecharts.de (in German). Retrieved 19 October 2022.
  10. ^ a b "Discografie Stiltskin". dutchcharts.nl (in Dutch). Retrieved 18 October 2022.
  11. ^ "Discography Stiltskin". charts.nz. Retrieved 18 October 2022.
  12. ^ a b "Discography Stiltskin". swedishcharts.com. Retrieved 18 October 2022.
  13. ^ a b "Stiltskin – The Mind's Eye". hitparade.ch (in German). Retrieved 18 October 2022.
  14. ^ a b "Stiltskin | full Official Chart History". Official Charts Company. 7 May 1994. Retrieved 19 October 2022.
  15. ^ "Discography Stiltskin". australian-charts.com. Retrieved 18 October 2022.
  16. ^ "Stiltskin – Inside" (in Dutch). Ultratop. Retrieved 18 October 2022.
  17. ^ "Discographie Stiltskin". lescharts.com (in French). Retrieved 18 October 2022.
  18. ^ "Discography Stiltskin". norwegiancharts.com. Retrieved 18 October 2022.
[edit]
Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Stiltskin&oldid=1264803033"