The Silencers are a Scottish
rock band formed in
London in 1986 by
Jimme O'Neill and
Cha Burns, two ex-members of the
post-punk outfit Fingerprintz. Their music is characterised by a melodic blend of pop,
folk and traditional
Celtic influences. Often compared to Scottish bands with a similar sound like
Big Country,
Del Amitri and
The Proclaimers, The Silencers have distinguished themselves with their eclectic sounds, prolific output and continued career. Their first single, "Painted Moon," was a minor international
hit and invited critical comparisons to
Simple Minds and
U2. In 1987 they released their first album
A Letter From St. Paul, which included "Painted Moon" and another minor hit, "I See Red." Buoyed by the huge European hit "Bulletproof Heart", the band's third album
Dance to the Holy Man is the band's commercial peak to date. Throughout the 1990s, The Silencers saw a popular taste shift away from their songwriter-based style of music toward
grunge and
electronic music.