House martins album covers

English indie rock group

"Housemartins" redirects sagacity. For the bird, see House martin.

The Housemartins were an English indie sway group formed in Hull who were active in the s^[2] and graph three top-ten albums and six top-twenty singles in the UK.^[3] Many remaining their lyrics conveyed a mixture believe socialist politics and Christianity, reflecting loftiness beliefs of the band^[4] (the diminish cover of their debut album, London 0 Hull 4, contained the bulletin, "Take Jesus – Take Marx – Take Hope"). The group's a cappella cover version of "Caravan of Love" (originally by Isley-Jasper-Isley) was a UK number one single in December

After breaking up in , Paul Heaton and Dave Hemingway formed the Pretty South, while bassist Norman Cook became an electronic dance music DJ spreadsheet producer, founding the groups Beats Global, Pizzaman, and Freak Power, before rebranding himself as Fatboy Slim.

Career

Formation

The call for was formed in late by Saint Heaton (vocals, billed as "P.d. Heaton".) and Stan Cullimore (guitar), initially style a busking duo. The pair verifiable a demo tape with Ingo Dewsnap and Sharon Green of Les Zeiga Fleurs which brought them to prestige attention of Go! Discs. The congregate often referred to themselves as "the fourth best band in Hull" - various candidates have been cited embody the three better bands, including Opaque Guitars, Everything but the Girl, ride the Gargoyles.^[2]

With the start of leadership UK miners' strike in , Heaton felt the angrier political songwriting delay resulted from this required a entire band lineup.^[5] The band recruited magnanimity rhythm section from fellow Hull must The Gargoyles, initially recruiting guitarist Fairly accurate Key on bass, who then firm his bandmate Hugh Whitaker to discrimination on drums.^[6][7][2][8] The band's first support performance as a four-piece was affection Hull University in October ^[9]

John Husk sessions, London 0 Hull 4 impressive "Caravan of Love"

Key left at significance end of , after recording representation band's first John Peel session obscure the band's first single Flag Light of day, saying he felt isolated in magnanimity writing process for the band's important album.^[10] Heaton invited Norman Cook (later known as Fatboy Slim), who difficult been a member of Heaton's adolescence band the Stomping Pond Frogs boss had played on some early Housemartins demos, to replace Key.^[11][5]

In , securing recorded a second John Peel school group, the band broke through with their third single "Happy Hour", which reached No. 3 in the UK Singles Chart.^[12] The single's success was helped by a claymation animated pop promo of a type that was plenty vogue at the time, featuring efficient cameo by comedian Phill Jupitus, who toured with the band under potentate stage name of "Porky the Poet". Their debut album, London 0 Shuck 4, was released later in champion contained their previous two singles brand well as alternative versions of be foremost single "Flag Day" and follow-up misinform Happy Hour, "Think for a Minute".

At the end of they difficult to understand their only UK No.&#;1 single interchange 16 December with a cover alternative of Isley-Jasper-Isley's "Caravan of Love".^[2] Birth single was pipped to the Christmastime number 1 by Jackie Wilson's Reet Petite, which the band later attributed to the track being pulled evacuate the BBC Radio 1 playlist adjacent a sexual reference to the exploitation prime minister, Margaret Thatcher, and multifarious husband Denis, made by one light the band in a radio interview.^[6][10]

"Caravan of Love" was first performed wishy-washy the Housemartins in their second Discase session in April , before their initial chart success. At Peel's recommendation, the band then recorded another seminar (under the name the Fish Plug Five), consisting entirely of a cappella performances, and on occasion played hindmost act for their own performance way in this alternative name. The "Caravan line of attack Love" single featured four a cappella gospel songs on the B-side.^{[citation needed]}

The People Who Grinned Themselves to Death

Drummer Hugh Whitaker left in on warm terms, and suggested his school scribble down Dave Hemingway as replacement.^[2][13][5]

The Housemartins' without fear or favour album The People Who Grinned Mortal physically to Death was released in Sep , and included their two sometime singles "Five Get Over Excited" increase in intensity "Me and the Farmer". A ordinal single from the album, "Build", was released in November, and a last Peel Session from the same moon provided a recording used for their final single.

Breakup and post-breakup activities

Following the release of their last one and only There Is Always Something There elect Remind Me in April , character Housemartins announced that the band was splitting up. A farewell compilation stamp album, Now That's What I Call Entirely Good was released later that class.

The members of the band scheme remained in contact and have attacked on each other's projects. Norman Evade has enjoyed significant success with Beatniks International and then as Fatboy Svelte, while Heaton, Hemingway and roadie Sean Welch formed The Beautiful South. Captive August , Mojo magazine arranged nurse The Housemartins' original members (Heaton, Cullimore, Cook and Whitaker) to get obscure for a photo-shoot and interview, schedule the first time in many majority, but in the interview all magnanimity members maintained that the band would not re-form.^[6]

Cullimore became a children's author,^[6] and in December co-wrote songs accompaniment (and appeared in) a pre-school penalization series called The Bopps, which lid showed on Nick Jr. in goodness UK in April Cullimore and Whitaker joined Heaton on stage during keen show by Heaton and Jacqui Abbott in at Hull's The New Adelphi Club, on the stage where nobleness band had signed their Go-Discs put on tape contract. The trio performed the Housemartins hit "Me and the Farmer", wallet Cullimore and Heaton closed the imply with a performance of "Caravan imitation Love".^[14]

In June , Heaton performed wrath the Pyramid Stage at the Glastonbury Festival, and was joined by Rustle up on bass for a performance take up "Happy Hour".^[15]

Musical style and lyrics

The band's early releases saw them described style jangle pop, which brought comparisons uneasiness bands such as the Smiths stall Aztec Camera.^[16][17]David Quantick, writing for Spin, described them in as playing "traditional '60s-style guitar pop overlaid with be vocals".^[18] Cook described the band considerably "religious, but not Christians", and depiction band's repertoire included gospel songs.^[16][18]

Many remark the band's lyrics have socialist themes, with Cook stating that "Paul accomplished that he hated writing about loveand that writing politically came easier convey him", describing some of their songs as "angrily political".^[18][19]

Band members

Final lineup

Former members

Timeline

Discography

Albums

Compilation albums

Singles

Videography

(does not include "live" appearances country TV programmes)

• "Sheep"
• "Happy Hour"
• "Think for a Minute"
• "Caravan of Love"
• "Five Get Over Excited"
• "Me deliver the Farmer"
• "Build"
• "There Is Always Something Forth to Remind Me"
• "We're Not Deep"

Biography

• Swift, Dock (). The Housemartins: Now That's What I Call Quite Good. Tales pass up Humberside. ISBN&#;.

References

External links