This bands debut single "The Trumpton Riots" from 1986 remains an all time favourite, whilst they never really went away they are once again somewhat back in the limelight with their new album with the great title "CSI:Ambleside"
History
The band's first single, "The Trumpton Riots", topped the British Independent Chart in 1986, and they went on to perform a set at the Glastonbury Festival, rapidly becoming tipped as the 'next big thing'. Their sound at the time was very much in the post-punk tradition, with similarities to Josef K or The Fall. After the first record, someone in the band learnt to tune a guitar, which some feel removed something of the particular character of the music. So, as their second single "Dickie Davies Eyes" entered the national top 40, lead singer Nigel Blackwell announced his retirement claiming that rock and roll success had led to him missing too much daytime television. 1986 saw the release of a compilation album and Nigel's return to the dole.
The band reformed in 1990, beginning to tour and give interviews. Their third album, McIntyre, Treadmore And Davitt, showed a move forwards in terms of musical technique, and a wider musical palette. Since then, the band have produced a new album every two or three years, and remain a much loved fixture on the British music scene.
Half Man Half Biscuit were long championed by DJ John Peel, for whom they recorded twelve sessions before Peel's death in 2004, and it was on his programme in 1990 that the band announced their return.
The band played live more and more infrequently, preferring one-off gigs to tours, driving home each night to sleep in their own beds and arranging concerts to coincide with Tranmere Rovers' away fixtures, a football team supported by all the members of the band. Half Man Half Biscuit famously turned down the chance to appear on seminal 80s rock show The Tube, as Tranmere were playing that night, even though Channel Four offered to fly them by helicopter to the game following their take in the studio.
The band's musical styles often parody popular genres, while their lyrics are dense with cultural allusions, usually to UK popular culture and geography (Blackwell often refers to North Wales, often in the context of hillwalking in Snowdonia; he also appears fond of Shropshire, East Anglia and Oxfordshire) or to the more obscure backwaters of the lower divisions of British or international football. Blackwell's enthusiasm does not only encompass popular culture; to give just a few examples, explicit references to Sylvia Plath, the works of Thomas Hardy, and the Bible are all to be found in his lyrics. In the context of HMHB's enthusiasm for football, Blackwell's close resemblance to footballer Jaap Stam has been frequently commented upon.
As the nineties progressed Nigel's love of blues and folk became more and more apparent both in musical style and lyrical references, as befits a group who perhaps more than any other record the minutae of everyday life and culture. In 2002 Andy Kershaw dubbed them "the most authentic English folk group since the Clash". Bassist Crossley's musical tastes include many late-70s/early-80s new wave or post-punk bands, and at gigs HMHB have been heard to perform covers of tracks by acts as diverse as Joy Division, Tim Buckley, The Beach Boys and Tiffany.
Blackwell has also started making references to various fictional bands who appear not only on the sleeves of HMHB releases (for example "Joe Public And The General Consensus") but also in the songs -- a long essay on "Evil Gazebo" (and that band's relationship to "Pankhurst") appears on the liner notes of Trouble Over Bridgwater and both bands are mentioned in the songs. Assorted fake cover version acts have also been mentioned in HMHB songs such as "I Can't Believe It's Not Focus". In interviews Nigel has alluded to the possibility of there being an HMHB tribute band called "It Ain't Half Man, Mum", most recently in a BBC Radio 3 interview with Andy Kershaw prior to last summer's appearance at the Brampton Live folk festival, where they headlined on Saturday night. However as yet no one has come forward with any evidence to support the existence of said tribute act, and the likelihood is that the whole thing is one of Nigel's own creations to amuse or confuse journalists and fans. The tribute band Half Arsed Half Biscuit do exist.
In 2001, Nigel Blackwell provided the voice over for a BP television advert.[1]
The band's first release since 2005's album Achtung Bono is titled CSI:Ambleside, and was released on April 28, 2008.
Lyrics
Blackwell's personal mythology covers a wide range of topics which are often juxtaposed in counter-intuitive ways. A full understanding of HMHB lyrics is perhaps predicated on being born on Merseyside in the 1950s or 1960s, being unemployed (or at least not working, to permit exposure to daytime television) in the mid-1980s to early 1990s, and being an obsessive hoarder of books, records, football trivia, and memories of obscure television programmes. Occasionally Nigel turns his attention to the absurdities of everyday life.
Discography
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- Misc.
- "David Wainwright's Feet"; on the charity album Colours Are Brighter (2006)
External links
- Half Man Half Biscuit's official website
- Half Man Half Biscuit at the BBC
- Spike Magazine's review of 2005 album Achtung Bono
- 2001 Guardian interview with Nigel Blackwell
- Exclusive Cult Cargo Interview with Nigel about Birkenhead
- The Half Man Half Biscuit Lyrics Project
Stags Head quiz question "who sang "Two Out of Three Ain't Bad" david Carson answer "Half Man Half Brisket"
Say no more!!
I had intended to post about this new Glasgow group later in the week however fate intervened and gave me a one off chance to use both a track and a video, first a track from their debut album "God"
The fate angle relates to the resignation of Wendy Alexander as the leader of the Scottish Labour Party
"Wendy It's Over" being the forthcoming new single!!!
Tomorrow the 29th June will be my first wedding anniversary the picture below was from the stag day
however in recognition of this big day here are two appropriate songs.
First up is "Marry Me" which is a Nina Simone composition from her last ever studio album "A Single Woman" which was originally released i 1993 and has just become available again recently having been out of print for many a year.
Next up and also from 1993 are the Cowboy Junkies and "Anniversary Song"
By the time Taste split up and Gallagher's self titled debut solo album hit the shelves back in 1971 he was a well respected guitarist......few were aware of his talent as an alto-sax player displayed in this jazzy track.
Thursday night is my traditional night out with the football lads old and young so thought this return of The Wedding Present would be an appropriate post.
Thanks to the modern technology of USB 3G internet access I can still post whilst travelling on the 5:15 Virgin Trains London to Glasgow service, so here are The Who from the fan club only live compilation "View From A Backstage Pass"
Short on time today so this will have to do.
I have posted on Paul before his duet with Edwyn Collins on their cover of The Velvet Underground's "Pale Blue Eyes" is an all time favourite of mine.
Below is "Breaking Point" from his band Bourgie Bourgie (1984) and a the solo single from 1985 penned with Edwyn.
Big Rab won't appreciate these as he has only has ears for one Paul
Dumbarton's new signing Stevie Murray is the wee guy in this video, you need to be patient as the trick starts at 2.09 with a bit of keepy uppy and finishes with a bit of a lotto rollover!
To keep you occupied here is a song!
First "Cover Story" since my return and it's a two for the price of one plus an additional great original.
Martha sister of Rufus has recently released her great new album, the cover of The Eurythmics "Love Is A Stranger" is only available on the US release.....so I believe, but you can hear it here!
Martha also appeared on her brother's recent live CD/DVD opus in tribute to Judy Garland and stole the show with this version of "Stormy Weather"
Finally a Martha original from the new album featuring the guitar playing of one Pete Townshend......ya who!!
The waiting is almost over and after a hectic close season the Dumbarton players returned to Strathclyde Homes Stadium for the start of a ferocious pre-season training programme.
Picture copyright Donald Fullarton Instore.
www.donaldfullartonphotos.co.uk
The players had a close season programme to adhere to and based on how fit Mark Canning has returned it would appear to have been a big success.
More exiting signing news should be revealed tomorrow with the arrival at SHS of a real entertainer and someone who will create an abundance of opportunnities for the likes of Keggans and Moore, currently full time the lad and his agent have been sold on the ambitions of the club and will I'm sure set the 3rd Division on fire.
This gives me an excuse to post some traditional Scottish music which is undergoing a bit of a revival, later on I will bring you some new talent from this genre but for the present here is the legendary "Steam Jenny" and the appropriate "Dumbarton Drums"
