The Big Dish (band)

The Big Dish
Origin	Airdrie, Scotland
Genres	Pop
Years active	1983–1991, 2012
Members	Steven Lindsay Brian McFie

The Big Dish are a Scottish pop band formed in Airdrie, Scotland in 1983. The band initially comprised Steven Lindsay (vocals/guitar), Mark Ryce (guitar) and John Harper (keyboards). The trio was subsequently augmented on stage by Paul Albertis (bass) and John Hendry (drums). As well as releasing three studio albums, the band performed live as support to Lloyd Cole and Big Country.

By the time their debut album Swimmer was released on Virgin Records in 1986 the line-up had undergone notable changes, with Lindsay and Raymond Docherty joined by new guitarist Brian McFie, keyboardist/saxophonist Ian Ritchie (album recordings only), Allan Dumbreck on Keyboards and Dave Cantwell replacing John Hendry on drums. Tracks on Swimmer were significantly polished versions of the tracks that had been played live up until then.

Lindsay, McFie and Docherty then completed the follow-up album Creeping Up On Jesus in 1988 with session musicians — including drummer John Hendry and hornman Gary Barnacle, Craig Armstrong and Paul Wickens (keyboards) and a horn section. Despite Bruce Lampcov's muscular production, this second effort proved commercially unsuccessful and the band was dropped from Virgin, when Lindsay refused to countenance recording a cover version.

Lindsay and McFie recorded the band's last album Satellites for the American East/West label (a subsidiary of Warner Bros. Records) in 1991 with assistance from Armstrong, Docherty, record producer Warne Livesey and a number of session musicians, including bassist Pino Palladino and drummer Manu Katché. They also put together a new touring line-up featuring bassist Tracey Gilbert and drummer Skip Reid. However, despite critical acclaim for the new record and a hit single ("Miss America" entered the UK Singles Chart at #37), the group disbanded shortly afterwards.

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