DREAM ACADEMY

The airy baroque British pop trio dubbed the Dream Academy emerged in the mid-’80s as one of the leading lights of the psychedelic revival movement. The group was led by vocalist/guitarist Nick Laird-Clowes, also comprised of multi-instrumentalist Kate St. John and keyboardist Gilbert Gabriel. Co-produced by Pink Floyd’s David Gilmour, the atmospheric lead single “Life in a Northern Town,” an elegy for Nick Drake, quickly reached the Top 20 of the U.K. charts; released in the U.S. the following year, it became a Top Ten hit. A cover version of “Life in a Northern Town”, was recorded by the country music duo Sugarland with guest vocals from Little Big Town and Jake Owen, and was a Top 40 country hit. Laird-Clowes has also worked with his friend David Gilmour on lyrics for Pink Floyd’s The Division Bell. Dream Academy reformed in 2013 and released new material in 2014 on Rhino Records.