Stiltskin

Stiltskin is a post-grunge/rock band who first achieved widespread popularity in the mid-1990s. Currently, Stiltskin's only original member is vocalist Ray Wilson.

Career

Stiltskin were a band put together by Peter Lawlor in order to front the music he had written for the British Levi's advert "Creek." [Directed by Vaughan Arnell and Anthea Benton] The resulting single, "Inside," topped the U.K. Singles Chart in 1994, but the band failed to produce further chart successes of the same kind with the follow-up single "Footsteps" reaching #34. Stiltskin split in 1996, during the recording of their uncompleted second album.

The original band released only one album, "The Mind's Eye", which achieved "Silver Status" in the U.K., and sold in decent quantities throughout Europe. The band made significant critical inroads in the U.S. music scene, but little was to follow in the way of sales.

All instruments on the band's hit "Inside" were played by Peter Lawlor; this was also the case on the album track "An Illusion." Lawlor and bass player James Finnigan had worked together in various line-ups since the late 1980s, with Ross McFarlane on drums being drafted in later. Vocalist Ray Wilson went on to join Genesis, briefly replacing Phil Collins as lead vocalist for the successful album "Calling All Stations" in 1997 and subsequent tour.

Lawlor still works for Water Music Productions - he wrote the music for the "BBC One 'Rhythm & Movement' idents" and also the theme for the year 2000 Olympic games and the new theme for the English Premier League.

McFarlane went on to work with The Proclaimers and recently achieved another number one in the British Charts. He is currently drumming in Sharlene Spiteri's new band.

At present, there is a band using the name "Ray Wilson and Stiltskin". This band has released an album "She". The soi-disant "Stiltskin" were touring Europe during 2006 and 2007, and a live album entitled "Stiltskin Live", recorded on October 25, 2006 with material from this tour, was released in April 2007. In 2008 Stiltskin will be touring again across Europe.

Line-up

Before Wilson was given the job, many people were auditioned for the role of lead singer including, oddly, Naomi Cleaver, who is now a successful television presenter. In the region of forty people attended the various auditions at the Primrose Hill studios of Lawlor's company, Water Music Productions.

Stiltskin's original line-up included:
* Ray Wilson - Vocals
* Peter Lawlor - Guitar, mandolin, vocals, drums and bass
* James Finnigan - Bass, organ (Replaced by Aubrey Nunn, subsequently a member of Faithless)
* Ross McFarlane - Drums, handclaps

Stiltskin's reformed line-up included:
* Ray Wilson - Vocals, guitar and bass (track 10)
* Uwe Metzler - Lead guitar
* Irvin Duguid - Keyboards (Quit the band in September 2006)
* Alvin Mills - Bass guitar
* Nir Z - Drums
* Scott Spence - Lead guitar (tracks 2 & 11)
* Henrik Muller - Drums (track 10)

Although not a member of the original band, Duguid was a member of Stiltskin's original live line-up in 1994/1995.

Stiltskin's current line-up is:
* Ray Wilson - Vocals, guitar
* Uwe Metzler - Lead guitar (only on the "She" album, the 2006 tour and the "Live" album)
* Ali Ferguson - Lead guitar, backing vocals
* Lawrie MacMillan - Bass, backing vocals
* Ashley MacMillan - Drums, percussion

Discography

Albums

*1994 "The Mind's Eye" (CD/LP/MC) UK #12
*2006 "She" (CD)
*2007 "Stiltskin Live" (CD)

ingles

*1994 Inside (CD/7"/12"/MC) UK #1
*1994 Footsteps (CD/7"/MC) UK #34
*1995 Rest In Peace (CD/7"/MC) UK #107
*2006 She (CD)
*2006 Lemon Yellow Sun (CD)

Footnotes

External links

* [http://www.raywilson.co.uk Ray Wilson Online]
* [http://www.myspace.com/stiltskin2006 Stiltskin MySpace]
* [http://www.myspace.com/raywilsonmusic Ray Wilson MySpace]
* [http://www.watermusic.co.uk Water Music]
* [http://www.myspace.com/PeterLawlor Peter Lawlor Myspace]
* [http://www.irvinduguid.com Irvin Duguid]
* [http://www.myspace.com/irvinduguid Irvin Duguid MySpace]
* [http://www.myspace.com/uwemetzler Uwe Metzler Myspace]
* [http://www.myspace.com/nirzmusic Nir Z Myspace]
* [http://www.myspace.com/aliferguson Ali Ferguson Myspace]
* [http://www.myspace.com/lawriemacmillan Lawrie Macmillan Myspace]
* [http://www.myspace.com/ashleymacmillan Ashley Macmillan Myspace]
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