HMHB News Archive
January - December 2004
A single entry for HMHB in this year's chart:
1. The Fall - 'Theme from Sparta FC Part 2' (CD Single) - (Action Records)
2. Bearsuit - 'Chargr' (7") - (Fortuna Pop!)
3. Caroline Martin - 'The Singer' (LP- I Had A Hundred More Reasons To Stay By The Fire) - (Small Dog Records)
4. Aereogramme - 'Dreams and Bridges' (LP- Seclusion) - (Undergroove)
5. Sluts of Trust - 'Leave You Wanting More' (LP- We Are All Sluts of Trust) (Chemikal Underground)
6. The Delgados - 'Everybody Come Down' (LP- Universal Audio) - (Chemikal Underground Records)
7. Sons & Daughters - 'Johnny Cash' (mini LP- 'Love The Cup') - (Domino)
8. Half Man Half Biscuit - 'Joy Division Oven Gloves' (Peel Session)
9. Graham Coxon - 'Freakin' Out' (Split CD Single thing) - (EMI)
10. Jawbone - 'Hi De Hi' (LP- Dang Blues) - (White Label)
11. Bloc Party - 'Helicopter' (LP- Promo) - (Wichita)
12. Texas Radio Band - 'Chwareon Bwtleg Pep Le Pew' (LP- The North South Divine) - (FF Vinyl)
13. Martyn Hare - 'Do Not Underestimate' (4.55) (12") - (Designer)
14. Cinerama - 'It's Not You It's Me' (7") - (Go Metric! Records)
15. Aereogramme - 'The Unravelling' (LP- Seclusion) - (Undergroove)
16. PJ Harvey - 'The Letter' (CD Single) - (Island)
17. Laura & Ballboy - 'I Lost You But I Found County Music' (CD Single 'Past Lovers) - (Sl Records)
18. Jawbone - 'Jack Rabbit' (LP- Dang Blues) - (Loose)
19. DJ Distance - 'Ritual' (EP- Closer Than You Think) (CDR) - (Lix Recordings)
20. Bloc Party - 'Banquet' (LP- The Silent Album) - (Wichita)
21. Ballboy - 'The Art of Kissing' (LP- The Royal Theatre) (SL Records)
22. The Black Keys - 'Ten AM Automatic' (CD Single) - (Fat Possum)
23. PJ Harvey - 'Shame' (CD Single) - (Island)
24. Decoration - 'It Tried It, I Tried It, I Loved It' (CD Single) (White Label)
25. 65 Days of Static - 'Retreat! Retreat! (LP- The Fall of Math) - (Monotreme)
26. McLusky - 'That Man Will Not Hang' (LP- The Difference Between Me And You Is That I'm Not On Fire') - (Too Pure)
27. Listen With Sarah - 'Animal Hop' (White Label)
28. XBooty - 'O Superman' (12") - (White Label)
29. Digital Mystikz - 'B' (12") - (DMZ)
30. The Black Keys - 'Girl Is On My Mind' (CD Single) - (Fat Possum)
31. Art Brut - 'Formed A Band' (CD Single) - (Rough Trade)
32. The Delgados - 'I Fought The Angels' (LP- Universal Audio) - (Chemikal Underground Records)
33. Shitmat - ''There's No Business Like Propa' Rungleclotted Mashup Bizznizz' (LP- Full English Breakfast) - (Planet Mu)
34. Magic Band - 'Bug Eyed Beans from Venus' - (Peel Session)
35. Jon E Cash - 'International' (12") - (Black Ops)
36. Wedding Present - 'Interstate 5' (CD Single) - (Scopitones)
37. Tunng - 'Tale from Black' (LP- This is…. Tunng - Mother's Daughter and Other Songs) - (Static Caravan)
38. Melys - 'Eyeliner' (CD Single) - (Sylem)
39. Decoration - 'Joy Adamson' - (Peel Session)
40. Cornershop presents Bubbley Kaur - 'Topknot' (CD Single) - (Rough Trade Records)
41. Calvin Party - 'Northern Song' (LP- Never As Black) - (Probe Plus)
42. Plasticman - 'Cha' (12") - (Terrorhythm)
43. Kentucky AFC - 'Be Nesa' (LP- Kentucky AFC) - (Boobytrap)
44. Bloc Party - 'Little Thoughts' (CD Single) - (Witchita)
45. Aphrodisiacs - 'If U Want Me' (CD Single) - (SL Records)
46. Mountain Goats - 'Your Belgian Things' (LP- We Shall All Be Healed) - (4AD)
47. Magic Band - 'Electricity' - (Peel Session)
48. Ella Guru - 'Park Lake Speakers' (LP- The First Album) - (Banana Recordings)
49. Ballboy - 'I don't have time to stand here with you fighting about the size of my dick' (LP- The Royal Theatre) - (SL Records)
50. The Vaults - 'No Sleep No Need' (10") - (Red Flag)
As a tribute, Radio 1 are devoting this week's programmes to session tracks recorded for Peel over the years (Tue-Thu, 11pm-1am). HMHB's 'Trumpton Riots' appeared on Tuesday.
Farewell John.
You can see the sketches here. The artist was Simon Madine.
There is a Probe Plus compilation on its way to the CD buying public (released 31st October) containing "rare & deleted treasures including an 8 1/2 mins live verson of A Country Practice from the band".
Probe 55 "Wake Up With Probe Plus" will be a mid-priced cd £9.75 from Geoff inc. p&p.
There are no plans to release this 'single' anywhere.
Described as a "national treasure" by none other than John Peel, Half Man Half Biscuit are certainly something of an institution. Averaging an album every couple of years chief lyricist Nigel Blackwell - with bassist Neil Crossley the only ever-present member - were decided outsiders on the then-jangly pop scene when they formed in the 80s. Almost-hit 'Trumpton Riots' was an homage to dole-enforced daytime TV-watching, and the band have spent the following 20 years poking fun at po-faced musicians, yuppies and minor celebrities, and making the point that modern life is, indeed, rubbish.
Catching Nigel Blackwell for a chat is tricky - he's just been out walking the dog. So he's not your typical musician, but neither is he the square-eyed couch-potato some of Half Man Half Biscuit's lyrics suggest. He plans a run later, which he'll combine with working on new material - taking 3 lines of a verse with him in his head, the need for a concluding lyric staving off any jogging-induced torpor.
The band's now annual trip to Edinburgh will see at least some new Biscuit tunes, all to go on a new album early next year. And yes, it will feature satirical songs in a jocular style - something which Nigel occasionally dwells on. "In rehearsals we're quite different from on stage and capable of producing a very musical album - we've got the Pixies back catalogue!" he laughs. But as a music obsessive himself, he's very much about giving the public what they want. "What some people call being 'true to yourself' I call 'self-indulgence'," asserts. So 'Dukla Prague Away Kit' and 'Dickie Davies' Eyes' will doubtless be wheeled out of mid-80s hibernation to the delight of their more long-standing following. However, Nigel's well of hysterically wry lyrics shows no sign of drying up. So expect a homage to "The Mate of the Bloke Who Does the PA", and a look at the ominous fate awaiting those who follow country lanes signposted "new potatoes next left".
Before Nigel pounds the pavement, I suggest an iPod - not to interfere with his lyric-writing, but to download all those bands he only ever hears occasionally on Peel. "I let other people filter out the chaff for me," he says. "If a band's any good then people will still be shouting about them 3 or 4 years down the line!"
Almost 20 years on, there's still plenty of noise being made about Half Man Half Biscuit.
"No-one ever interviews us," says Nigel Blackwell, seemingly surprised by the sudden interest in Half Man Half Biscuit. The band are preparing to play their first gig in Scotland after 6 years or so, but gigging isn't exactly a priority for Nigel: 17 years ago the band, on the crest of a wave with 'Back in the DHSS' - the top-selling indie album of the year twice refused to play The Tube because Tranmere were playing at home. Even the offer of a private helicopter wasn't lure enough. Ironically, were Jools and Paula back on our screens now - unlikely, I know - HMHB would have a window in their diaries.
"It's Saturdays now," he says of the club's move from its traditional Friday evening matches. "It's the first day of the season, we're at home to the glamorous Brentford - though I'm sure they looked at the fixture list and thought 'good god, Tranmere away!'"
Nigel's in Birkenhead rather than Tranmere - I remember this before I make some Wirral-based faux-pas. "Yes, Birkenhead - we built this village on a traditionally-arranged tune," he says, in a cryptic reference to 80's hair rock. Later, we find the Liquid Room stowed and it's clear they could clean up with regular tours. Nigel confesses that it's all he knows - "I can't even mend a plug," he confesses - but multi-date tours are out. "We'd not enjoy it and that'd rub off [on the crowd]," he explains. "I don't want to ever become blas about playing live. I always feel after the 8th gig I'm on autopilot and I don't want to be in that situation." So how does he pay the rent? "I don't drive a car or go on holiday, so music makes enough money for my season ticket and groceries... and I've got a dog now; I can't bring it on the road - I'd not expose it to Geoff Davis [the Biscuits' legendary label manager]."
I chide him that it sounds like another excuse for staying at home. "I just love my own bed so much, and like I say when we do have a gig we're really excited when we're on there."
The current line-up is becoming, dare I say it, 'tight' live. On the EP 'Saucy Haulage Ballads' they sound very together and very 'rock', especially on lead track 'Jarg Armani'. "It was Neil the bassist who wrote it and that's his guitar work," says Blackwell. "Steve Jones is his hero. We were like, 'Is that your stab at MTV2?' It does rock like a bastard though, I must admit."
Also on the EP is a new take on debut single 'Trumpton Riots' - a banjo version! Do they tire of retreading the oldies live? "I suppose you could get a bit frustrated but I'm a punter as well - if I go see the Beach Boys I want them to do 'Good Vibrations'. A lot of bands are pigheaded 'This is our new direction.' You're there to entertain!" For some reason Lou reed comes to mind. "Lou changes them so much he can be terrible live. One of those people that goes off on one and forgets there's people there to hear songs they know. I always wanted to shout for the Laughing Policeman."
I wonder if as the Biscuit's lyricist people have him down as a grumpy so-and-so. "With music it's peoples attitudes which amuse me, the things people will complain and get het up about," he says. "We live in one of the most spoiled societies in the western world; nothing is bad enough to moan incessantly about. You can write about your art or your angst-ridden love life, but you can't expect people to think you're hard done by, set against the scale of human suffering."
So there'll be no moaning when the shouts for Dukla Prague Away Kit go up? "They've paid money to see you. Which, okay, is a bit of a Meatloaf way of looking at things! When the Jesus and Mary Chain did their 15-minute sets that was an interesting curio, but they couldn't have got away with it a year down the line."
The band do believe in value for money when they do play. "We usually do 1 hour 15, because we do enjoy it, though we really are like a band that's just starting out."
Nigel believes the new line-up is helping. "I think we've got marginally tighter - what a horrible phrase that is - but I don't want to big us up too much!"
The band traditionally do a cover or two live so I ask for 'Song to the Siren', a great BBC session version. "I'd hate people to think I was taking the piss," frets Blackwell. "I love that song. His voice is incendiary. He did some crap, Tim Buckley; we can't canonise him, but when he hit home..." So what else is on the Blackwell stereo? "Everything and anything - a horrible reply! Oh, I bought 'The Great Eastern', it's fantastic. Usually if they weren't dead and blind before 1930 I'd not bother," he laughs, referring to his blues leanings. "But I have to go a long way to find a band I don't like. Nothing in particular annoys me, I'm into the history of music," he says, and grasps a few names from the ether. "Leadbelly, Melt Banana. Interpol. Neil's a big Joy Division fan. And we're going to do 'Bird on a Wire', but make it a bit happier."
When Nigel gets going he's hard to stop. "Without wanting to sound horribly pompous I'm a massive Wagner fan. I read loads of books on music so I was fascinated by Wagner the man before I heard any of his music - what a horrible horrible man, so for him to write such great music... same with Beethoven - very bad-tempered, disabled, but he writes Ode to Joy and the 9th Symphony, it's beyond my ken."
Perhaps surprisingly (if you've heard the Biscuits' 'Bad Review'), Nigel still buys the music press. "I read the NME all the time, but never got round to hearing the music so I could have told you all about the Delgados and the cycling analogy before I hear the music. Someone said I should 'check it out' - I said "I'm not going to 'check it out' but I will go and buy it."
It's not just music that Nigel absorbs of course, in his role of social commentator. "I read Keats, but I can then go watch Big Brother - it doesn't mean you have to live your life like them. Same for Joy Division, I'd not have wanted to have hung around with Ian Curtis. No pun intended... But the music was great. A lot of people can't separate the artist from the music." So, we have to ask, what's annoying you at the moment? Who's the inspiration for the next album? I light the blue touch paper... "People who say "we don't choose cats, cats choose you". Generally liberals living in posh fiats."
And he's on a roll! "And you'd have thought your hatred of Davina McCall would have worn off by now, but it hasn't! You'd thought someone would have had a word, she's not particularly stupid." I suggest maybe it's just him, me and you, dear reader. "I keep forgetting we are the minority, the public gets what the public want. But the producer needs sacking immediately. They went for warmth and wit rather than shenanigans and it didn't work."
So how do they sort it? "They should allow fist fights - no weapons obviously, no knives - but that would liven it up." Was daytime TV this bad when the Biscuits looked at it affectionately? "I should pretend I'm watching BBC3 all the time. But I'll watch anything and everything. I like the aspect of trash television. I'll buy the Observer and the Sunday Sport for both ends of the spectrum."
Mark Silverman has put a few photos of the last Manchester gig on his website - click here.
The latest issue of fanzine The Unpredictable Same contains an interview with Nigel, conducted at the Sheffield gig. In it he talks about local history, the websites dedicated to the band, the band's early days, musical snobbery, Kenickie and various other things. A bit more 'full' than the recent Word interview.
£1 and stamped A5 SAE from:
John Kell, 17 Valley Drive, Handforth, Wilmslow, Cheshire SK9 3DN, UNITED KINGDOM.
...but only in a minor way this month. In the "110 Songs You Have To Hear" poll, Dave Gorman picks Bad Review:
'This beautifully pricks the egos of all performers who have ever skipped past the headlines to their review on page 27 as if it was really the most important thing in the paper. "Well I know what you look like so don't ever come near Stroud. Page 32, it's a bad review. Oh Lord, my girlfriend's fuming". It lasts 3 minutes and 45 seconds so if I had a 5 minute slot on the radio I would also play Vatican Broadside also by HMHB from the mini-album Editor's Recommendation which makes me laugh three times in 31 seconds.'
HMHB feature on the latest Old Grey Whistle Test DVD (Vol 3) - a 1986 performance of All I Want For Xmas Is A Dukla Prague Away Kit. I've updated the Discography...
Another article quoting various HMHB lyrics appears in Stylus magazine - you can read it on their website.
A 4-page HMHB article/interview with Nigel appears in the March edition of Word magazine - you can read it on their website.
The new HMHB site had a few teething problems with Gator installations and poups - these can all be avoided by clicking on this link: http://www.geocities.com/hmhb_03.