Simon Hough is a seasoned musician with a career spanning over four decades. From his early days of self-teaching guitar and forming his first band at 13, Simon’s journey has led him to work with some of the biggest names in rock and roll. Notably, he served as the lead vocalist for Big Country for over a decade, stepping into the role of the late Stuart Adamson. Throughout his career, Simon has been influenced by iconic acts like The Doobie Brothers, Eagles, and Tom Petty, shaping his distinctive vocal style and songwriting. Recently, Simon has focused on the Songs of Stuart Adamson project, an intimate acoustic tribute that highlights the raw emotion and lyrics of Stuart’s work. With a new album in the works and live shows on the horizon, Simon continues to honor his influences while paving his own musical path.



Liam : You’ve had an incredibly extensive career spanning over 35 years. What’s your earliest memory of listening to music growing up, and how would you describe the feeling it gave you at the time?



Simon : Growing up, I became aware of live music via my eldest brother’s band, which used to rehearse on my parents farm. I’d listen to them rehearsing, hanging out of my bedroom window, completely besotted with the whole concept of playing guitar and making music. So at 10 years old, I was given my first acoustic guitar, which I learned to play on, completely self-taught. At age 13 I was indeed playing in my brother’s band as lead guitarist, playing 60s and 70s covers, serving my time on mainly the working men’s club circuit, much to the amazement of said band members on how quickly I’d seemingly learned to play and perform. At 16 I found my singing voice, with musical influences being the likes of the Doobie Brothers, Eagles, Paul Carrack, Tom Petty, etc. I then went on to form my own band, writing soon to follow, and to date I still perform my own material with my band. I then also found myself on the path of playing with a variety of fantastic named artists as a guitarist and on lead vocal, but that’s a completely different story!

Liam : You’ve mentioned before that your vocal style and delivery were heavily influenced by Patrick Simmons of The Doobie Brothers. When did you first start working on finding your own voice, and how would you describe that process?

Simon : 
As i mentioned above in answer to your last question, I found my singing voice at the age of around 16, I then went onto to form my own band and continue to play various different circuits with some fellow band mates of my own age. My writing style was indeed influenced by The Doobie Brothers and the wonderful harmonies of The Eagles. As years passed this skill of vocals and guitar forged a new career path for me which would lead to many many doors opening on the professional circuit, and playing alongside some fantastic names in the business.

Liam : It’s been mentioned in various interviews that you taught yourself to play guitar at the age of 11. Can you remember what your first guitar was, and what was your process of learning before you joined your first band?



Simon : As far as guitars go, my first acoustic was a Framus jumbo style guitar, which then led onto my first electric which indeed was a Watkins Rapier 44, then on to other various guitars usually based on the Fender Telecaster or Stratocaster eventually leading to my first brand new American Fender Telecaster at a cost of £238 back in 1973, to which I paid off by helping out on a milk round. The guitar was purchased from a well-known Music Shop in Lancashire namely Ed Brown’s Music to which my pop acted as guarantor on the loan.



Liam : Which band did you work with that marked your first breakthrough moment, the point where you realized you could make a career out of being a musician?



Simon : 
I guess my first breakthrough came when I was asked to join 70s one-hit wonder Lieutenant Pigeon, playing an extensive set list of 70s music, including their number one hit “Mouldy Old Dough.”. After a good number of years with the band things moved on to work alongside many great names, including the likes of Denny Laine from Moody blues and Wings, Clive Bunker from Jethro Tull, Jerry Donahue, USA Guitar bending King of the planet, Pete Zorn from Gerry Rafferty band, Eric Bell from the original Thin Lizzy lineup, Alan Silson, Pete Spencer, from Yorkshire based band Smokie, Trevor Burton from the Move, Noel Redding from the Jimi Hendrix band, Leanne Carroll jazz pianist and vocalist, Paul Burgess legendary drummer from 10cc…and the list goes on, as it were

Liam : How did your collaboration with the ’70s band Lieutenant Pigeon come about? They had a number one hit in 1972 with Mouldy Old Dough, and I remember you mentioning that in the early ’90s, you became their lead vocalist and also took on the role of electric guitarist. Over the years, you’ve spoken about gigging extensively during that time. It must have been a really rewarding experience—can you share more about it?

Simon : Joining Lieutenant Pigeon was an eye-opener indeed, I was asked to play lead guitar and vocals with original member Steve Johnson from said band, Steve and I became very very good friends and in fact he was best man at my wedding, Steve passed away a few years ago and was a sad loss to us all. At this time in the late 80s and early 90s, the band toured extensively throughout the world and Europe; very rarely did we get an evening off. We were probably one of the busiest working bands on the circuit at that time.

Liam : Footage from your time with Lieutenant Pigeon shows you playing a black 1970s Bullet Stratocaster and using what appears to be a Mesa Boogie DC-3 amp. As your guitar playing evolved from your teenage years, when did you begin focusing on developing your electric side? While many fans are familiar with your predominantly acoustic work, die-hard followers have likely noticed your collection includes both Telecasters and Stratocasters—a topic I’ll explore further a bit later. Could you share more about how and when your electric guitar journey began, and what led you to favour the Mesa Boogie DC-3 during that time instead of something more traditional like a Fender Twin?

Simon :
 Playing electric guitar has always been at the forefront since my teenage years; I only really took on board playing acoustic when joining Big Country. Back in the days of Lieutenant Pigeon, I did indeed play a 70s black Stratocaster and a 70s Gibson Explorer, along with a Flying V Gibson, going through a Mk 3 Mesa Boogie with a Mesa Boogie extension cab, which I still own to this day. It was purchased from Music Exchange in Birmingham, to which I traded in an Orange double stack. My current setup is a Victory head with a 1×12 barefaced cab; my guitar choice at the moment is a 335 Gibson custom and a 1973 Stratocaster, along with a J200 Gibson acoustic, which is amplified via an AER 60 acoustic amp. As far as a silver-faced Twin Reverb goes, I did own one in the early 80s when I was involved with a blues band, namely Immediate Blues, which also toured the circuit for a good number of years and was very well respected within the blues fraternity.

Liam :  As the years progressed, you also formed the Simon Hough Quartet alongside the Simon Hough Band, which recently released a new album, The Tramp. At what age did you start writing your own material? Your previous single, Rock Jazz & Poetry, showcases a strong influence from The Doobie Brothers, particularly in its vocal harmonies. I must say, it’s a fantastically written song—the melodic ambience creates such a relaxed and immersive listening experience. Could you share a little more about your songwriting journey and your process of creating new melodies?

Simon : My songwriting days started in the early 80s with a band called On The Edge, for which I wrote a bunch of songs that went on to win a battle of the bands contest, opening doors for a tour of Europe and a video of our latest single. Unfortunately, some band members had other commitments, which meant the band had to take a backseat and was never really played out to its full potential. My songwriting and my own band continue to this day, with material again being likened to the Doobie Brothers and Eagles, etc. The vocal harmonies and melodies have always been a major part of my songwriting.

Liam : For over a decade you served as the lead singer of Big Country, stepping into the role of the late and truly brilliant Stuart Adamson. You dedicated over a decade of your life to promoting Stuart’s incredible legacy as a lyricist, and you continue to honor his work to this day. Is there a particular lyric of Stuart’s that resonates with you on a personal level when you perform? Do you find that you need to get into a specific headspace to convey the depth and meaning of his songs, or is it something that comes naturally to you?

Simon : As far as delivering lyrics and finding the right headspace, there are some truly amazing lyrics and meanings to the songs, which can get lost with the sheer volume of the band. Since having formed the acoustic set, namely with the Songs Of Stuart Adamson, I’m finding that the meanings of the songs are so much more transparent as you can actually hear the lyrics and, more to the point, what Stuart was actually writing about. This has been said by so many fans who have come to see our shows so far. For me, it’s clear to hear and see the direction Stuart’s writing was heading with the amazing band, namely the Raphaels, which was, of course, Stuart and Marcus Hummon. The whole concept of the Songs of Stuart Adamson band is about paying homage to the late great man himself and his wonderful songwriting, which we do hopefully with dignity and respect. One of my favorite songs, which we perform in the set, is the wonderful Thirteen Valleys, which the most excellent Sandi Thom and I recently recorded in a castle in Scotland and got to number 6 in Mike Reads Herritage charts. I think two of the most emotionally charged songs we perform in the set would be those of The Raphael’s, those songs being Private Battlefields and Learning to Row. For me, lyrically, they definitely tell you where Stuart was at emotionally at this particular time.

Liam : As I mentioned earlier, you’ve built an impressive guitar collection over the years. I recall seeing a Guild 12-string, a Gibson J200, and various Fender Stratocasters and Telecasters in your lineup. However, there was a time when many, myself included, associated you more with acoustic playing. You’ve always seemed to have a close relationship with Takamine guitars, most notably the EN20, which became your go-to acoustic for live performances from the mid-2000s onward. What led you to choose the EN20 as your main acoustic for that period? Was it a particular feature or tone that made it stand out for your live work?

Simon : Yes, the Takamine EN 20…what an underrated guitar this surely is. Having joined Big Country, I found myself leaning towards playing acoustic instead of electric, as three electric guitars in the lineup was not necessary, but having always performed with a guitar, the acoustic seemed like a natural progression, which also kept me in my comfort zone, plus playing the guitar and following the chord progression kept me on track to where I was within the song. My love for the EN 20 came about when I went to a dealer in Macclesfield to look at a various selection of acoustics. The dealer pointed out that he had just taken in a 1991 Takamine EN 20 (funnily enough, it was the same guitar as Stuart used when he was playing in the band acoustically), so having played the guitar in this shop, I immediately fell in love with the way it played and sounded; it almost played as an electric, plus action-wise, it was superb. Don’t get me wrong, I love my Gibson J200, but as a roadworthy workhorse, the Takamine was the obvious choice; it can be a tough life on the road for guitars.

Liam : In 2024, you launched the Songs of Stuart Adamson project alongside the incredible Mark Brzezicki, someone who has devoted so much of his life to showcasing Stuart’s extraordinary music. With this new project, you both offer an intimate insight into Stuart’s career, curating evenings that present his songs in stripped-back, acoustic arrangements. This approach brings the lyrics and vocals to the forefront, allowing their melodic and emotional essence to shine—much like Stuart himself did on occasion, particularly with The Raphaels toward the end of his life. How does it feel to present his lyrics in such a raw and intimate way, after years of remaining faithful to the original recordings? Does this approach change your connection to the material or reveal new layers of meaning in his work?

Simon : Yes playing the songs acoustically is a completely different concept to playing the tunes electrically , it’s a much more in-depth feel to the melodies and lyrics, as I said earlier, you really get to understand the lyrics more and what they actually meant to Stuart, this is much more prominent in the two Raphael tunes we play, Learning to Row and Private Battlefield’s, it’s amazing just how many people have approached me saying it’s really the first time we’ve heard your vocals clearly and that they kinda understand now the meaning behind lyrics. With regards to some of the songs, I completely rearranged some of the chord structures to suit more the melodies and harmonies. For example, Thirteen Valleys, In A Big Country, and I’m Not Ashamed. The whole concept of the acoustic show has received glowing remarks and indeed brought a tear to many an eye in the audience; all of our shows so far have been sold out and have gone extremely well.

Liam : What does the future hold for Simon Hough? Are there any plans for shows or a tour to support the new release with the Simon Hough Band?



Simon : Well, the future is looking very bright for us both for the acoustic show and the electric show with a good number of dates in so far for 2025. I have to say, for the first time in over a decade of being with Big Country, I feel like at last I am now able to do my job and front the band correctly. As for my own band, I am still writing and hope to get a new album out this autumn or early in 2026, along with a small tour, which would be absolutely amazing. Once again, I’d just like to thank all the fans for the support they’ve given to me. Although the last 8 months have been difficult, we’re now on the right track.

Liam : I must thank you again for your time—I know how busy you are at the moment, and I truly appreciate you agreeing to take part in this. It means a lot!

Simon :

You’re welcome.