Ian Donaldson is a Scottish singer and writer. Donaldson's music career spans more than 40 years. He came to prominence in the early 1980s as co-founder and lead singer of new wave band H₂O, which released two UK Top 40 hits in 1983 with the singles " I Dream to Sleep" and " Just Outside of Heaven". After the band's break-up, he pursued a solo career and played in a band called FourGoodMen. Donaldson released his debut novel, ''A Rainbow in the Basement'', in 2016. In 2018, he released his debut solo studio album, ''From Stars We Came'' on Toy Town Records. Two sold-out concerts in

Glasgow Glasgow ( ; sco, Glesca or ; gd, Glaschu ) is the most populous city in Scotland and the fourth-most populous city in the United Kingdom, as well as being the 27th largest city by population in Europe. In 2020, it had an estimated popul ...

commemorated his official return to the

music industry The music industry consists of the individuals and organizations that earn money by writing songs and musical compositions, creating and selling recorded music and sheet music, presenting concerts, as well as the organizations that aid, train, ...

Early life

Donaldson grew up in Govan, Glasgow, and showed early interest in music. He studied Art & Design in Glasgow, and by age 16 he was singing in the band 8 Miles Out.

Career

Trying to stand out from other bands in the area, Donaldson formed the punk band Skroo with

Alan McGee Alan John McGee (born 29 September 1960) is a Scottish businessman and music industry executive. He has been a record label owner, musician, manager, and music blogger for ''The Guardian''. He co-founded the independent Creation Records label, r ...

, where he also performed as lead singer. The band performed its first gig from the back of a lorry at the

Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament The Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament (CND) is an organisation that advocates unilateral nuclear disarmament by the United Kingdom, international nuclear disarmament and tighter international arms regulation through agreements such as the Nucle ...

(CND) Rally in

Elder Park Elder Park is a public open space in the city of Adelaide, South Australia on the southern bank of the River Torrens and that is bordered by the Adelaide Festival Centre and North Terrace. The park is named after the Elder family who wer ...

, and went on to be a local success, playing gigs at the Mars Bar in Glasgow. The band signed a

recording contract A recording contract (commonly called a record contract or record deal) is a legal agreement between a record label and a recording artist (or group), where the artist makes a record (or series of records) for the label to sell and promote. Artists ...

and played on the TV music show ''

Top of the Pops ''Top of the Pops'' (''TOTP'') is a British Record chart, music chart television programme, made by the BBC and originally broadcast weekly between 1January 1964 and 30 July 2006. The programme was the world's longest-running weekly music show ...

''. After Donaldson left Skroo, he founded H₂O with Davie Wells (guitar), Colin Ferguson (bass), Ross Alcock (keyboards), Kenny Dorman (drums) and Colin Gavison (saxophone). In 1981, the band released its first single "Hollywood Dream". H₂O signed with RCA in 1983, and made the Top 20 UK charts with their single " I Dream to Sleep". The band released their sole studio album ''

Faith Faith, derived from Latin ''fides'' and Old French ''feid'', is confidence or trust in a person, thing, or In the context of religion, one can define faith as "belief in God or in the doctrines or teachings of religion". Religious people often ...

'' in 1984. H₂O broke up in 1988 over creative differences, but reunited periodically for one-off gigs. After H₂O disbanded, Donaldson went on to pursue a solo career. He also played in a band called FourGoodMen with

Big Country Big Country are a Scottish rock band formed in Dunfermline, Fife, in 1981. The height of the band's popularity was in the early to mid 1980s, although it has retained a cult following for many years since. The band's music incorporated Scot ...

's guitarist Bruce Watson, former

Simple Minds Simple Minds are a Scottish rock band formed in Glasgow in 1977. They have released a string of hit singles, becoming best known internationally for "Don't You (Forget About Me)" (1985), which topped the '' Billboard'' Hot 100 in the United St ...

bassist

Derek Forbes Derek Forbes (born 22 June 1956) is a Scottish bassist, vocalist, and occasional guitarist. He is mostly associated with the Scottish band Simple Minds, having joined in time to record their early demos in 1978 and stayed with the band during ...

and keyboardist

Mick MacNeil Norman Michael MacNeil is a Scottish songwriter and keyboardist born 20 July 1958 on the Isle of Barra, Scotland. He is best known as a former member of the group Simple Minds. MacNeil joined the band in 1978 and left in 1990. He released the ...

. The group released an album in 2006 titled ''Heart of Winter: 2006 Tour Sampler''. In September 2016, Donaldson released a debut novel titled ''A Rainbow in the Basement''. In February 2018, Donaldson released his debut solo studio album, ''From Stars We Came''. The album got an official launch at Websters Theatre in Glasgow, which saw two nights of concerts with a full band.

Discography

With H₂O

Solo

Studio album Singles

Bibliography

*''A Rainbow in the Basement'' (I Dream Books, 2016)

References

External links

* * 21st-century Scottish male singers Scottish new wave musicians Scottish tenors Male new wave singers Living people Year of birth missing (living people) 20th-century Scottish male singers {{UK-singer-stub