| British rock musician Date of Birth: 14.12.1958 Country: Great Britain |
Mike Scott, born on December 14, 1958, in Edinburgh, Scotland, is a British rock musician, one of the founders, frontman, and main songwriter of the rock group "The Waterboys." He is also known for releasing two solo albums, "Bring 'em All In" and "Still Burning." Scott is a vocalist, guitarist, and pianist, and he also plays various other instruments, including bouzouki, drums, and the Hammond organ, all of which can be heard on his albums.
Growing up, Mike Scott developed a passion for music from an early age. At 12 years old, after his family moved to Ayr, he began learning to play the guitar. He recalled that from the moment he bought the single "Last Night in Soho" by the group "Dave Dee, Dozy, Beaky, Mick & Tich" in 1968, he knew he had to pursue a career in music. By the following year, Mike was playing in school bands and had formed his own band, "Karma." The sound of the group was heavily influenced by David Bowie, The Beatles, and Bob Dylan.
In 1977, Mike Scott enrolled at the University of Edinburgh, where he studied English literature and philosophy. It was during this time, later with "The Waterboys," that he started setting the poetry of William Butler Yeats, Robert Burns, and George MacDonald to music. The works of Clive Staples Lewis, the author of "The Chronicles of Narnia," had a profound literary influence on his future creativity. Scott left the university after his first year.
Around the same time, Mike Scott became interested in the British punk movement and began writing for fanzines. He eventually founded his own magazine, "Jungleland." He was particularly fascinated by the music of "The Clash" and Patti Smith, and the first single by "The Waterboys" titled "A Girl Called Johnny" was a tribute to them. In 1978, Scott and guitarist Allan McConnell formed the band "The Bootlegs," which later transformed into "Another Pretty Face." They also created their own label, "New Pleasures." The band quickly gained success after their first single, signed a contract with Virgin Records, and appeared on the cover of "Sounds" magazine. In 1980, "Another Pretty Face" moved to London and changed their name to "Funhouse" after signing with Ensign Records. However, Scott was unsatisfied with the group's sound and shifted his focus to solo projects, which eventually led him to form "The Waterboys."
Throughout the years, "The Waterboys" had a rotating lineup of over 50 musicians, many of whom had a significant influence on their music. Despite this, Mike Scott always considered the group his project. After the band disbanded in 1993, he completed the recording of their album with session musicians. In addition to the albums released under "The Waterboys," Scott also released solo albums in the 1990s. In 2003, he established his own record label, "Puck Records," and released "Universal Hall" by "The Waterboys." In 2005, "Karma to Burn" was released on the same label. In March 2010, Scott premiered his show "An Appointment with Mr. Yeats" at the Abbey Theatre in Dublin, which was based on the poems of William Butler Yeats.
Mike Scott has had a diverse personal life. He has been married twice and currently resides in Dublin, Ireland, when he is not on tour with "The Waterboys." His father left the family when Mike was ten years old, and they were able to reconcile many years later in 2007.