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Kirsty
MacColl A
Tribute Available nationally at all good record stores
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Walking with Cole The music industry lost an angel in December last year when singer/songwriter Kirsty MacColl was tragically killed. Her death marked the end of an on and off career spanning over 20 years. MacColl,
the daughter of folk singer Ewan MacColl, commenced her career at an early
age, signing with Stiff Records at age 16. Her first single "They Don't
Know" met with little success, but undeservedly was later a huge UK hit
for comedienne Tracey Ullman. She had to wait until 1981 for her first
chart recognition when she signed with Polydor Records and released her
rendition of "There's A Guy Works Down the Chip Shop Swears He's Elvis"
which made the top 20. She also released her first album, "Desparate Characters".
Over the next three years, she had two children and worked regularly as a backing singer for heavy-weight artists such as the Rolling Stones, Van Morrison, Talking Heads, Robert Plant, Morrissey and The Smiths. In late 1987, MacColl was rewarded with her highest ever chart place, hitting number two duetting with Pogues front man, Shan MacGowan on "Fairytale of New York". MacColl went on to record "Kite" in 1989. The album included a version of the Kinks' "Days" and several tracks featured Smiths guitar-wizard Johnny Marr who later returned for the follow-up "Electric Landlady", released in 1991.>>>
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She split from
her husband in 1997 and resurfaced early last year with her fifth and
final album, "Tropical Brainstorm". In 1995, a compilation album "Galore"
was released. It show-cased a diverse career which included forays into
country, pop and dance music. Along with the songs already mentioned,
the album is full of catchy tunes and features another duet with the Pogues,
on Cole Porter's "Miss Otis Regrets" and a cover of the Smiths' "You Just
Haven't Earned It Yet Baby". As the eccentric Morrissey once rather cryptically
wrote of MacColl, "Kirsty is a voice gradually added to a body. She has
great songs and a crackin' bust. She is a supreme original, although not
- as far as I know - one of the original Supremes. Everything shows in
the voice. The best of the last of. Furthermore, a full set of teeth.
What more? Not cursed". In fairness to Morrissey, even the great prophets of our time could not have predicted MacColl's death at age 41on 19 December 2000 after she was struck by a speedboat in a freak accident while swimming in the sea close to the coral island of Cozumel. Pete Crethary Send us your feedback on this article or anything else in The Blurb |
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Three
years later, she returned with a wonderful cover of Billy Bragg's "A New
England" which also enjoyed chart success. In 1984, MacColl married producer
Steve Lillywhite. 
She
hit the top 40 once again with the dance-influenced "Walking Down Madison"
that same year. Her next album, "Titanic Days" came three years later
and reached number 46 in the charts. 