STARDOM: LIFE AND TIMES OF PUNK HERO

1958 - Stuart Adamson is born in Manchester on 11 April, but is brought up in Crossgates, Fife.

1977 - Forms punk band The Skids with Richard Jobson, Bill Simpson and Tom Kellichan.

1979 - The Skids break through after they are seen in Falkirk by Stranglers bassist Jean Jacques Burnel.

1979 - Into The Valley reaches No 10 in the charts, the first of The Skids’ five top 40 hits.

1980 - Despite the success, Adamson later admits he had a nervous breakdown around this time.

1982 - Leaves The Skids to form Big Country with Bruce Watson. They are later joined by bassist Tony Butler and drummer Mark Brzezicki.

1983 - Seminal debut album The Crossing is released. Wins two Grammy nominations. It spawns the first of the band’s 15 Top 40 hits, Fields of Fire, which reaches No 10. Quickly followed into the top 20 by In A Big Country and Chance.

1984 - Second album, the harder-edged Steeltown is released, but poorly received.

1985 - Big Country perform at Wembley finale of Live Aid. In the same year, Adamson tells the band he has quit alcohol after a long battle with it.

1986 - Biggest hit Look Away reaches number seven.

1988 - Tour Soviet Russia

1993 - Ships is the band’s last top 40 hit.

1996 - Splits with wife Sandra. She still lives in Fife with their two children, Callum, now 19, and Kirsten, now 17. Admits being back on the bottle, leaves Scotland for Nashville and begins relationship with Melanie Shelley whom he later marries. Forms a new band called the Raphaels.

1999 - In November, goes missing for first time. Sends e-mail saying: "I’m sorry for what I’ve done. I will be in touch when I sort myself out."

2001 - In November, goes missing again. On 16 December, he is found dead in a hotel room in Hawaii.