Religion, Revolution and Railways

The Dream Academy Seven CD box set includes the complete recordings of the band. It features their three official albums and includes all official B-sides and remixes. The band’s Nick Laird-Clowes has searched the Warner Bros archives to find rarities and unreleased tracks. He has been closely involved with remastering, creating all new artwork, and choosing photographic material. He has also written comprehensive liner notes for the set.

The Dream Academy were a British band featuring singer/guitarist and songwriter Nick Laird-Clowes, multi-instrumentalist Kate St. John, and keyboardist/songwriter Gilbert Gabriel. In 1985, the group achieved worldwide success following the release of their first single "Life In A Northern Town" which led to their debut album entering the American Top 20.

The band's atmospheric music was unique, blending oboe and cor anglais, string synthesizer, and acoustic guitar. Their three albums for Warner/Reprise garnered them a large and devoted following. They had musical collaborations with David Gilmour, Lindsey Buckingham, and Hugh Padgham, resulting in a cinematic sound.

The Dream Academy were also known for contributing music to films by directors like John Hughes and Diane Keaton. Despite disbanding in 1990, their music has continued to be influential with sampling and cover versions, leading to international chart success and a Grammy nomination. All three members remain active in the music industry. Nick Laird-Clowes has pursued a career as a film composer, Kate St John is sought after as a musical director and string arranger, and Gilbert Gabriel continues his involvement in film music and multimedia exploration with his doctorate.