I imagine every 40-something who listened to John Peel way back in the mid 80s will have some sort of opinion on Half Man Half Biscuit. Some folk saw them as no more than a novelty or comedy act. Others, and I include myself in this grouping, saw them as a hugely talented bunch of lads who were as astute as anyone at commenting on life in UK plc at the height of Thatcherism when the haves most certainly had but most of us were constantly worrying whether we had a future.Oh and they could also be really funny as well.
Until I came across this single in the cupboard the other day, I had forgotten that HMHB had actually split in 1986. Lead singer Nigel Blackwell at the time said that he hadn't come into music for fame and fortune, and the success of the band was stopping him from watching daytime TV.
And that was that for four years. This was the comeback single:-
mp3 : Half Man Half Biscuit - Let's Not
mp3 : Half Man Half Biscuit - Our Tune
mp3 : Half Man Half Biscuit - Ordinary to Enschede
The surprising connection I mentioned in the title??
Well, this 12" single was recorded & mixed at Shabby Road Studios in Kilmarnock, Scotland. The engineers were two lads called Frank Read and Larry Primrose, the former of whom was just beginning to find fame, if not fortune, as the lead singer and lyricist with Trash Can Sinatras, the band that produced this bit of magic that I made #30 in the 45s at 45 series:-
mp3 : Trash Can Sinatras - Obscurity Knocks
Happy Listening
Trivia Note. The sticker still on the front of the sleeve tells me I paid £3.99 for this 12" single from Tower Records. Proof of how much the record-buying public back then were being ripped off by the retailers.
6 comments:
Blimey - £3-99 for three tracks, 22 years ago? The record companies really are reaping the results of their own greed.
I love the Biscuit - they just get better and better. This year's CSI Ambleside is another classic.
Jeez - it's still £3.99 for a 12" most of the time now. And astounding, given that albums coukld be bought for not much more than a fiver on vinyl or cassette in 1986, I know 'cos that's the year i started buying.
Saw the biscuit for my thirtieth birthday two years ago, a great way to celebrate!
Hardly the same as being in the recording booth at Sun Studios in 1956, but I was at Shabby Road when this was recorded! We all played football on the wee grassy bit outside at lunchtime.
You don't need to be 40-something to like HMHB, I'm still a shade under 30 and love them to bits :)
Hurray! "Ordinary to Enschede" is great, been looking for a decent quality version for a while. Your vinyl rip has a couple of jumps on it though - any chance of cleaning the gravy orf of it & reposting?
Thanks anyway, I've just discovered your blog - as well as Dirk's peel tapes one - just my cup of tea.
Best wishes :)
Pad
'fraid not Pad. The philosophy is that the vinyl rips go up as they are - scratches, jumps, bumps and all....
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