If you're new to HMHB I'd recommend 'Back in the D.H.S.S' as their best/most consistent album.
I'm not usually a big fan of 'humour in music', but they are one band who do manage to fit funny/ironic lyrics into what are good tunes anyway.
As the album title suggests it really helps if you can get all the UK centric references (the DHSS was where, back in the day, you had to 'sign on' to get your unemployment benefit).
A good starting point though, where the lyrics will be more relatable, is their parody on stupid/inappropriate band merchandise 'Joy Division Oven Gloves'!
Ordinary World is still a great song. I wasn't aware of HMHB for a long time, and some of the references still puzzle me (99% Of Gargoyles Look Like Bob Todd. Who? ) but they have slowly wormed their way into my subconscious.
Thank you for the shout out! I appreciate that. :)
In my circle, the closest equivalent to appointment viewing was Casey Kasem's American Top 40 radio show. Sure there was American Bandstand & Soul Train on TV, but neither were countdown shows. Rick Dees' weekly Top 40 was full of skits, and too cheesy for us.
We would always wonder who would be at #1 too.
They've syndicated the shows, and (at least) one of the stations here replays them on Sundays. Some of it seems so quaint now, but I also kind of miss how we were all tuned in to the same thing at once.
As for Naught by Nature, the best way to guess someone's age is to play Hip Hop Hurray; if they reflexively start waving their arms like the video, they're definitely a Gen Xer. Still a total banger, btw.
P.S. I don't think I've ever listened to HMHB either. At least that I know of?
Hi Bernard (& Kevin),
If you're new to HMHB I'd recommend 'Back in the D.H.S.S' as their best/most consistent album.
I'm not usually a big fan of 'humour in music', but they are one band who do manage to fit funny/ironic lyrics into what are good tunes anyway.
As the album title suggests it really helps if you can get all the UK centric references (the DHSS was where, back in the day, you had to 'sign on' to get your unemployment benefit).
A good starting point though, where the lyrics will be more relatable, is their parody on stupid/inappropriate band merchandise 'Joy Division Oven Gloves'!
Tim
Ordinary World is still a great song. I wasn't aware of HMHB for a long time, and some of the references still puzzle me (99% Of Gargoyles Look Like Bob Todd. Who? ) but they have slowly wormed their way into my subconscious.
Thank you for the shout out! I appreciate that. :)
In my circle, the closest equivalent to appointment viewing was Casey Kasem's American Top 40 radio show. Sure there was American Bandstand & Soul Train on TV, but neither were countdown shows. Rick Dees' weekly Top 40 was full of skits, and too cheesy for us.
We would always wonder who would be at #1 too.
They've syndicated the shows, and (at least) one of the stations here replays them on Sundays. Some of it seems so quaint now, but I also kind of miss how we were all tuned in to the same thing at once.
As for Naught by Nature, the best way to guess someone's age is to play Hip Hop Hurray; if they reflexively start waving their arms like the video, they're definitely a Gen Xer. Still a total banger, btw.
P.S. I don't think I've ever listened to HMHB either. At least that I know of?