Full details of all of Annie Lennox’s exhibits at the Rip It Up exhibition in Edinburgh

Jun 29, 2018

Annie Lennox Rip It Up The Story Of Scottish Pop

This summer the National Museum of Scotland presents Rip it Up: The Story of Scottish Pop, the first major exhibition dedicated to Scottish pop music, exploring the musical culture of the nation over more than half a century, from influential indie pioneers to global superstars.

Rip It Up puts music in the spotlight, featuring archive footage and new interviews with artists and musicians along with iconic costumes, memorabilia, instruments and props from musicians including The Proclaimers, Shirley Manson, Lulu, Midge Ure, Simple Minds, Annie Lennox, Gerry Rafferty, Alex Harvey, Texas, Franz Ferdinand, Young Fathers and more. The majority of the 300 objects on display are being lent to the exhibition by the artists themselves and in many cases have never before been on public display.

Rip It Up Scotland Annie Lennox
Annie Lennox Rip It Up Display Case

Annie Lennox has kindly loaned 8 items to the exhibition as listed below, with several items pictured in the photo above.

Tartan trouser suit made by Jeff Banks, concept and design by Annie Lennox. It was worn for several performances during the Eurythmics Touch tour between November 1983 and September 1984. The back of the jacket is a black and white animal print. Annie’s androgynous fashion style and image played with issues of gender norms.

Diva platinum disc for Annie’s 1992 debut solo album which also won Best Album at the 1993 Brit Awards.

Little Bird / Love Song for a Vampire silver disc for her 1993 double a-side single which reached number 3 in the UK singles chart and taken from Diva album. Love Song for a Vampire was recorded as the theme song to Francis Ford Coppola’s 1992 film adaptation of Dracula.

Medusa platinum disc, Annie Lennox’s second solo album, released in 1995.

Eurythmics’ Greatest Hits platinum disc. The 1991 retrospective compilation album by the duo contains their successful singles spanning the years 1982 to 1990 and is their best-selling album worldwide.

Peace gold disc for the Eurythmics ninth and final studio album, released in October 1999. This was their first album of new material since the release of We Too Are One a decade earlier.

Sweet Dreams (Are Made of This) silver disc for Eurythmics’ breakthrough hit single released in 1983 from their album of the same name. It reached number 1 in the US singles chart and number 2 in the UK, as well being a worldwide hit.

Dress worn by Annie Lennox at the Oscars ceremony in 2004, designed by Stella McCartney. She co-wrote and performed Into The West for the film The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King which won the Academy Award for Best Original Song.

Rip It up cover Vic Galloway

There is also a book that accompanies the exhibition, Rip it up charges through the astonishing story of Scottish pop and rock music from the 1950s to the present day, from Lonnie Donegan to Calvin Harris.

Unbelievably for a country its size, Scotland has been at the very cutting edge of the twentieth century’s most important, accessible and radical art form. The book pinpoints countless commercial success stories and artistic underdogs whose work has gone on to influence film, fashion, design, visual art and politics.

Through the music, record labels, release formats, concert venues, memorabilia, festivals, language and identity Rip it up explores the history (so far) of Scotland’s most successful pop and rock musicians, and the impression they have made on a global stage.

The book costs £14.99+Postage and is available to purchase here

Rip It Up: The Story of Scottish Pop runs to the 25th November 2018 at the National Museum of Scotland, Chambers Street, Edinburgh. Full details of the exhibition can be found here

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