Immaculate Fools

Having achieved widespread popularity in Spain, the British band the Immaculate Fools ultimately relocated there. The group came together in London, England, in 1984, with Kevin Weatherill supplying lead vocals, acoustic guitar, harmonica, and bass, Paul Weatherill handling acoustic bass, backing vocals, and percussion, Brian Betts contributing acoustic guitar, slide guitar, percussion, and mandolin, and Barry Wickens playing violin, dulcimer, acoustic guitar, and accordion. Although they reached the British charts, the ensemble’s fusion of Celtic music, folk, and alternative rock resonated more strongly in Spain and Germany. A&M Records brought out their LP Dumb Poet in America in 1987, and the track “Tragic Comedy,” styled in the vein of the Psychedelic Furs, enjoyed modest college-radio airplay. The band performed alongside Bob Dylan, Iggy Pop, Simple Minds, the Stranglers, and the Rolling Stones, yet growing disenchantment with the English music scene led them to settle in Spain during the late ’80s, where they became major stars. Weatherill’s departure prompted the Immaculate Fools to disband in 1997. Adopting the name Dirty Ray, he set aside the Celtic aspects of his former band in favor of gritty blues on his solo debut Primitive. Weatherill drew inspiration from John Lee Hooker, Howlin’ Wolf, Tom Waits, and Nick Cave while recording the album alongside Simon Anderson on percussion and Rainy Moor on electric organ.