Half Man Half Biscuit

Published by Stephen | Filed under Half Man Half Biscuit, Music

Half Man Half Biscuit are probably the best band in the world. Their “instantly intelligent guitars” and wonderfully crafted lyrics referencing the everyday and obscure, combine to create catchy songs with a bit of oomph that make you laugh out loud and dance at the same time.

They have been making records for over twenty years now. The first LP, “Back In The DHSS” (DHSS = UK welfare system), cost £40 to record and was released on the Liverpool based Probe record label back in 1986. It was greeted with widespread adulation amongst the indie kids, the band were championed by the legendary John Peel on his late night Radio 1 show and Back In The DHSS was voted Album of the Year by NME readers. Not a bad start. This was followed up with the iconic 1986 EP, The Trumpton Riots; a true indie classic.

Their impressive back catalogue now consists of ten albums and eight singles and it is very difficult to find a bad track amongst them. Greatest hits compilers would have nightmares finding somewhere to start, but we have had a go here!

Roll of honour - in no particular order!

Outbreak Of Vitas Gerulaitis
4AD3DCD
A Lilac Harry Quinn
Turned Up Clocked On Laid Off
Deep House Victims’ Minibus Appeal
Four Skinny Indie Kids
Bottleneck At Capel Curig
The Light At The End Of The Tunnel (Is The Light Of An Oncoming Train)
San Antonio Foam Party
Corgi Registered Friends
Joy Division Oven Gloves
Everything’s AOR
The Bastard Son Of Dean Friedman
The Best Things In Life
The Trumpton Riots
Vatican Broadside
Shit Arm, Bad Tattoo
It Makes The Room Look Bigger
Paintball’s Coming Home
Nove On The Sly

We have had a mooch at YouTube to see what we could find by way of videos - there are a few live ones and a few that have been created by fans taking the lyrics of the tracks literally and overlaying a series of stills to great effect. The best is this by stetea and is a spoof of Erazerhead to “Restless Legs”. Fantastic!

Check out the unofficial Half Man Half Biscuit website for a full history of the band, news about gigs and other information. You can also download some of their tracks for free if you fancy hearing more.

If you fancy just diving in a buying an album, go for ‘Achtung Bono’, ‘McIntyre, Treadmore and Davitt’, ‘This Leaden Pall’ or ‘Camell Laird Social Club’. All works of pure genius.