Edwyn Collins

Edwyn Collins was born in Edinburgh in 1959 and first came to prominence as the leader of Orange Juice, the Glasgow post-punk band whose jangly, witty pop was enormously influential on the C86 generation. After Orange Juice dissolved in 1985, Collins pursued a solo career, releasing a series of albums that earned critical respect but limited commercial success through the late 1980s and early 1990s.

'A Girl Like You' (1994) changed everything — a gloriously simple, groove-based pop song that became a global hit, reaching the top five in the UK and charting across Europe and the US. The song's combination of a killer riff, Collins's distinctive voice, and an irresistible melody made it one of the great British pop singles of the decade. The album 'Gorgeous George' (1994) was a strong record that deserved the attention the single brought it.

In February 2005, Collins suffered two cerebral haemorrhages that left him with significant physical and cognitive impairments. His recovery — documented in the film 'The Possibilities Are Endless' (2014) — was extraordinary, and he has continued to record and perform, releasing 'Losing Sleep' (2010) and 'Understated' (2013) to considerable acclaim. His story is one of the most remarkable in British music.