Del Amitri Foundation 1982 Genre AC Rock Website http://www.delamitri.com/ - official homepage Members Vocals, Bass, Guitar Justin Currie Guitar Iain Harvie Keyboard, Accordion etc. Andy Alston Guitar Kris Dollimore Drums Mark Price
Del Amitri are a British pop- rock guitar band, formed in Glasgow, Scotland in 1982. They came together after teenager Justin Currie placed an advert in the window of a music store asking for people who could play to contact him, and the band was formed with the original line-up of Currie (bass and vocals), Iain Harvie (lead guitar), Bryan Tolland (guitar) and Paul Tyagi (drums). Currie and Harvie were the only members of the band to remain present throughout its history – they were also the main songwriters of the group.
The name ‘Del Amitri’ is often reported as being Greek for ‘from the womb’, but this is not correct. There have been many suggestions as to what the name really means, but it seems likely that it was simply a collection of syllables that appealed to Currie. The sleeve notes of one album include the words "..if you ask what the name means, expect violence", strongly suggesting the that band have long since tired of this question.
The group is regarded by both fans and reviewers as one of the best British groups to have recorded during the 1990s, although their success sales- and chart-wise has not always reflected this. They are often mentioned as a kind of back-handed compliment to be one of the best bands never to have had a top ten hit in the UK singles chart, although they have had several top ten albums in Britain.
After becoming popular on the local music scene in Glasgow and having demo material played on popular DJ John Peel’s show on BBC Radio 1, the band broke through in 1985 when they were signed by Chrysalis Records, who released their eponymous debut album the same year. The band also appeared on the front cover of influential weekly music magazine Melody Maker and supported The Smiths on tour, but despite this exposure neither the album nor its singles were a success.
