Half Man Half Biscuit Fans - recommend an album. (1 Viewer)

[Scientician 0.8]

I've only heard two of their songs, "Dickie Davies Eyes" and that slipknot one. I liked them both. I don't know anything about this band so could any fan please recommend an album of theirs to purchase?
thanks. .|..|

 

[nEiLo]

I've Back in the DHSS and it's deadly

nggggggggggbbbblth is the one to answer this i reckons

 

[Buckrake]

I've Back in the DHSS and it's deadly

So is 'Back Again in the DHSS'.

 

[pavlos]

Whet your whistle with a few mp3s:

http://cobweb.businesscollaborator.com/hmhb/audio/index.htm

Cammell Laird Social Club is good, so is Trouble over Bridgwater. But probably best to start with Back in the DHSS

They have some of the best songtitles ever:

We Built This Village On A Trad. Arr. Tune;

Twenty Four Hour Garage People

Styx Gig (Seen By My Mates Coming Out Of A)

etc. etc.

 

[Dktr. Faustus]

I've got the new one, Achtung Bono, and Four Lads who Shook The Wirral

They're both good.

Look at me, i'm being helpful

 

[nEiLo]

"depressed beyond pills" is my favourite song title ever.

 

[nlgbbbblth]

My favourite is Voyage To The Bottom Of The Road [1997] which is their 6th album.

The humour is sharpest and the songs are a delightful mix of styles.
That would be a good one to start with.

Then I'd go for the aforementioned

- Back In The D.H.S.S.
- Back Again In The D.H.S.S.

[These date from 1985 and 1987]

After that
- McIntyre Treadmore And Davitt [1990]. Almost like a comeback record. Features Everything's A.O.R. and Outbreak Of Vitas Gerulaitis.

- Trouble Over Bridgwater [2000]. Very immediate and wry. Standouts - Uffington Wassail and Twenty Four Hour Garage People.

- Achtung Bono [2005]. The latest one. Joy Division Oven Gloves.

Of the remaining four
- Four Guys Who Shook The Wirral [1998] is most immediate. The only record I know that mentions Roger Casement [in Secret Gig]. You're Hard is hilarious.

- This Leaden Pall [1993], Some Call It Godcore [1995] and Cammell Laird Social Club [2002] take a while longer to get going. But are all worth it.

They also have a few six track EPs worth tracking down, Saucy Haulage Ballads and Editor's Recommendation have their highlights.

I had a career-spanning CDR done a few months ago but wasn't happy with the sound quality from the vinyl sources. Must get round to it again.

 

[Bobby Sandwich]

i'd love half a biscuit......i'm starvin!

 

[Jerry Twig]

ah nlgbbbblth, absolutely most respect!!

voyage to the bottom of the road is also my fave!

i used to have all the sessions before they took them off their site (and then had me comp pilfered) and there was some rare gems in there, such as epiphany and an alternate version of paintball's coming home.

what a great great great great band.

 

[aoboa]

'Back in...' and 'Back Again in...' are the best.

Anyone like I, LUDICROUS ???

 

[nlgbbbblth]

Anyone like I, LUDICROUS ???

Yes. They're not as good as HMHB though.

First heard them on Peel. That flexi thingy Preposterous Tales did well in the Festive 50 of 1987 - a great tune.

Bought their debut LP, It's Like Everything Else, the above single plus the Quite Extraordinary 12" around that time. 1990's Light and Bitter is ok too. [The song, My Favourite Records, rocks]

Those early I, Ludicrous records are on Kaleidoscope Sound which I'm pretty sure put out the Aidan Walsh, Life Story Of My Life LP around the same time.

Frank Sidebottom's 5.9.88 double LP was a regular on my turntable in those days too. Funny stuff.

I, Ludicrous had a comeback single, Approaching Forty, a couple of years ago. Wasn't bad.

 

[gugai]

I tried to get them to come over for a show but they won't travel across water...

 

[Buckrake]

I tried to get them to come over for a show but they won't travel across water...

They famously turned down Top of the Pops twice (back when it meant something) because it clashed with Tranmere Rovers home fixtures.

 

[nlgbbbblth]

I tried to get them to come over for a show but they won't travel across water...

Is it flying that Nigel doesn't like?

It would be deadly if you could bring them over.

I seriously contemplated going to Derby to see them a couple of months ago but it didn't work out in the end.

 

[Raudi Raus Schinkel]

Look at Rowdy's signature! It's a biscuit lyric,
my fav lyric ever is:
"There's people who can't spell 'weird' right, drivin round with thousands in the bank!"
Or
"When I had my loft converted, back into a loft, the neighbours came around and scoffed and called me retro"

 

[jack nance hair]

After the DHSS albums (which I kinda overdosed on in my college years), I've always had a soft spot for Four Lads That Shook The Wirral. Having said that, I don't think I've heard any of their stuff since Trouble Over Bridgewater. As for I,Ludicrous, I have an album called Idiots Savants which is pretty good.

 

[outoftheblue]

I don't know half as much as I'd like to about HMHB, but Achtung Bono might be the easiest one to find at the moment, and is, as everyone's said, utterly ace.

I was speculating with friends a few days ago about the idea of them playing here and whether anyone would get it, or even go. But the not-travelling-across-water thing... drat.

 

[Scientician 0.8]

Ok I'll try and find their albums, would tower have em? Thanks so much everyone for recommendations. If i'm stuck could someone do a cd-burny or tapey jobby for me? I'd reward with a dodgy compilation + some rep.

 

[nlgbbbblth]

- Back In The D.H.S.S.
- Back Again In The D.H.S.S.

[These date from 1985 and 1987]

Forgot to mention the anomalies with the CD versions of these.

Back In The D.H.S.S. LP has 10 tracks [not too difficult to buy second hanbd], the CD has 17. The seven extra tracks are comprised of five b-sides plus tracks numbered 9 and 10 from Back Again In The D.H.S.S. The CD version is widely available.

Back Again In The D.H.S.S. LP has 10 tracks and should still be available new from Probe records in Liverpool. It does not exist on CD in its own right but instead there is a release called ACD (easy enough to get) which has 17 tracks. Tracks 1 to 8 replicate tracks 1 to 8 on Back Again In The D.H.S.S. while the remaining 9 tracks comprise a Peel Session tune and live tracks from Sheffield.

 

[nlgbbbblth]

Ok I'll try and find their albums, would tower have em? Thanks so much everyone for recommendations. If i'm stuck could someone do a cd-burny or tapey jobby for me? I'd reward with a dodgy compilation + some rep.

Tower usually have Back In The D.H.S.S., ACD (see previous post for explanation) and Achtung Bono. HMV might have one or two also.

If you're stuck I can burn you some stuff. Of the ten albums I own six on vinyl but my standalone CD burner is playing up. I have the other four on CD and they will be easy to do.