Strange musical connections...(and Housemartins appreciation thread)

Cafe Society
1

So back in the day (the 80’s) one of the bands I loved to throw on to the stereo was The Housemartins, one of the bounciest, most “pop-ish”, yet interesting (in that they were dedicated socialists, quasi-Marxists) groups of that era. Great songs like Happy Hour, *I Can’t Put My Finger On It
*, We’re Not Deep, and Build. Even now I love to hear those songs.

One of their members was bass player Norman Cook. Nice, unassuming name. Except some 15 years later he surfaces with another nom de plume. That name?

Fatboy Slim:eek: I had no idea. Just found this out the other day.

Weird.

Any other strange musical connections? Or, anyone else out here remember The Housemartins?

2

What? Nothing? No one?

Well, my only shameless bump of this thread.

3

I haven’t heard the Housemartins (not yet, anyway), but I saw The Beautiful South a few years ago (opening for Barenaked Ladies) and have picked up a few of their discs. Rarely has such bitterness been so beautifully sung.

4

Whoah, that’s freakyy Robot Arm. I did the same thing with the Beautiful South, when they opened for the same band. Some great songs. But what’s the connection to the Housemartins?

5

P.D. Heaton was lead singer for Housemartins - when they broke up he became lead singer for Beautiful South.

I suggest you both try the Housemartins - great stuff. Great pop. I think of them as the Creedence Clearwater Revival of the 80’s - great singles writers, with a social conscience.

Also - a rare song by the Housemartins - an acapella one, no less, called Caravan of Love - great song as well.

6

When the Housemartins ended (I don’t know the circumstances, “creative differences” or whatever), some of the members stuck together to form a new band, the Beautiful South.

Where did you see them, SmackFu? It was probably the same tour, maybe the same show; I saw them at the Tweeter Center amphitheater in Mansfield, MA. And now that I know both groups a little better, it seems like an odd combination, but it was a great show. (Really wish I’d seen Barenaked Ladies during their up-and-coming club days, though.)

7

I saw them on that same tour in Hartford, CT at the Meadows Music Center. August 1, 1999. Egads, that’s a long time ago. I’m not sure how those two got hooked up. It seems like BNL likes to grab obscure Canadian bands as openers.

8

Wow, I was just thinking about that song flag day a week or so back.

9

I love the Housemartins - “Build” is my favourite.

I’m surprised you never knew about the Fatboy Slim connection, though. I think that was the first thing I ever learned about Fatboy Slim.

10

… And it’s come full circle. I understand that Norman is credited as “Rhythm consultant” on the latest Beautiful South disc.