Back in May 2020 there was a Facebook Album Challenge going around and I mentioned The Housemartins. Since then I've started this series of reviews and an album blog, so the lads from Hull deserve a longer write-up.
There's a good reason why this post features 3 albums. They only released 2 studio LPs, "London 0 Hull 4" in 1986 and "The People Who Grinned Themselves To Death" in 1987. They followed those with a 1988 double album compilation "Now That's What I Call Quite Good" that included demos, b-sides and non-album tracks. You need all three titles. Trust me, get them all. The 2 initial albums have tracks not included on the compilation and vice-versa.
In the Album Challenge I told the story of my first encounter with The Housemartins. It was 1988 and I was in Kundiawa, Papua New Guinea. Less than 20 ex-pats in town and I was managing a staff of 60+ and only about 5 of them spoke fluent English. Some guy had rigged a way we could watch one Australian TV channel - the ABC. They did a weekly music programme called 'Rage'. One night I was watching and they played about 6 Housemartin videos in a row. It had to be one of the most surreal experiences of my life in the Highlands of PNG.
As soon as I was able I bought everything I could find, which of course were these 3 LP's.
The first album line-up was Paul Heaton, Stan Cullimore, Hugh Whitaker and Norman Cook. Paul and Stan had been together since '83 when they were a duo, busking around the traps. By their second album Hugh, the drummer, had been replaced by Dave Hemingway. I've got to mention the videos showing that change-over, it really reflects the humour injected into their harsh social and political songs.
At the end of the video 'Think For a Minute' from the first album, after a hilarious dance sequence Paul tells Hugh that it's over and leads him away. The credits say "Hugh Whitaker is available for weddings, parties & private functions."
The video for 'Five Get Over Excited' from the second album starts with Hugh getting a bag over his head in an alleyway. We then see only 3 members of the band playing with no drummer, until Dave Hemingway climbs up and takes over. It's refreshing to see a smooth transition between band members instead of the usual acrimonious in-fighting that happens.
Then there's the music. Paul and Stan were the songwriters for both albums and the social and political comment I mentioned comes through. Sometimes classed as 'jangle pop' the music accompanying the lyrics can detract the casual listener from the deeper meaning. In 'Sheep' it's easy to detect the mob mentality when Paul sings 'it's sheep we're up against', and 'Build' on one hand seems to decry the destruction of habitat in favour of development, but the music video may also relate to walls around ourselves ..
"Down with sticks and up with bricks,
In with boots and up with roots,
It's in with suits and new recruits,
It's build..."
'Happy Hour' is joyous. A fast paced tap along song that just makes you smile - however - listen closely and put it in context of time and place. It's about the almost misogynous attitudes and sexism of those 80's yuppy city boys. The video was more graphic in showing the meaning behind the music with a great blend of live action and claymation. For the eagle-eyed there's also a cameo of Phil Jupitus reading a newspaper as the lads dance into the pub. Phil, a bit of a celebrity in England, was at one time a support act for The Housemartins when he recited poetry under the name Porky the Poet. He became their press officer and compere for a while too.
As a bit of extra trivia (you know how I love that) another band classed as 'jangle pop', The Barenaked Ladies, sang a bit of 'Happy Hour' at the end of their song 'Hello City' from the album 'Gordon'.
The Housemartins only #1 'Caravan of Love' didn't appear on their first two albums, we had to wait for the 'Now That's What I Call Quite Good' compilation to come out or buy the single. 'Caravan of Love' was an a cappella version of the Isley-Jasper-Isley song and caused a bit of mixed feeling among Housemartin fans. Personally I thought it was brilliant and they continued the a cappella style when they did a version of 'He Ain't Heavy, He's My Brother' on a Capitol Radio session featured on the compilation.
So many great songs. The ones I've already mentioned, plus 'I Can't Put My Finger On It', 'Me and the Farmer', 'You Better Be Doubtful' .. get them, play them, enjoy them.
Even though the band only lasted a couple of years, the members didn't fade away. Paul Heaton and Dave Hemingway formed The Beautiful South (to be reviewed) followed by solo work, and lately he's paired up again with Beautiful South member Jaqui Abbott. Norman Cook went on to form Beats International but then became massive when he took the stage name Fatboy Slim (to be reviewed).
I'm attaching 4 video links to this review .. I could put in all 9 but start with these and work your way up.
Enjoy
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