# Strange musical connections...(and Housemartins appreciation thread) **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [July 25, 2003, 9:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/strange-musical-connections-and-housemartins-appreciation-thread/190973 "2003-07-25T21:38:53Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 10\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![rexnervous](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e9c0ed/32.png) [@rexnervous](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rexnervous)\ **Post date:** [July 25, 2003, 9:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/strange-musical-connections-and-housemartins-appreciation-thread/190973/1 "2003-07-25T21:38:53Z")
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**? ---
**Author:** ![rexnervous](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e9c0ed/32.png) [@rexnervous](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rexnervous)\ **Post date:** [July 26, 2003, 3:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/strange-musical-connections-and-housemartins-appreciation-thread/190973/2 "2003-07-26T03:36:11Z")
What? Nothing? No one? Well, my only shameless bump of this thread. ---
**Author:** ![Robot\_Arm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/robot_arm/32/18280_2.png) [@Robot\_Arm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Robot_Arm)\ **Post date:** [July 26, 2003, 3:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/strange-musical-connections-and-housemartins-appreciation-thread/190973/3 "2003-07-26T03:43:46Z")
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. ---
**Author:** ![SmackFu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/53a042/32.png) [@SmackFu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SmackFu)\ **Post date:** [July 26, 2003, 4:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/strange-musical-connections-and-housemartins-appreciation-thread/190973/4 "2003-07-26T04:02:20Z")
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? ---
**Author:** ![rexnervous](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e9c0ed/32.png) [@rexnervous](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rexnervous)\ **Post date:** [July 26, 2003, 4:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/strange-musical-connections-and-housemartins-appreciation-thread/190973/5 "2003-07-26T04:40:28Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by SmackFu \* > \*\*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? \*\* 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. ---
**Author:** ![Robot\_Arm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/robot_arm/32/18280_2.png) [@Robot\_Arm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Robot_Arm)\ **Post date:** [July 26, 2003, 4:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/strange-musical-connections-and-housemartins-appreciation-thread/190973/6 "2003-07-26T04:44:08Z")
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.) ---
**Author:** ![SmackFu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/53a042/32.png) [@SmackFu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SmackFu)\ **Post date:** [July 28, 2003, 11:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/strange-musical-connections-and-housemartins-appreciation-thread/190973/7 "2003-07-28T23:43:32Z")
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. ---
**Author:** ![World\_Eater](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/f04885/32.png) [@World\_Eater](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/World_Eater)\ **Post date:** [July 29, 2003, 12:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/strange-musical-connections-and-housemartins-appreciation-thread/190973/8 "2003-07-29T00:02:38Z")
Wow, I was just thinking about that song flag day a week or so back. ---
**Author:** ![ruadh](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/d2c977/32.png) [@ruadh](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ruadh)\ **Post date:** [July 29, 2003, 8:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/strange-musical-connections-and-housemartins-appreciation-thread/190973/9 "2003-07-29T08:18:57Z")
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. ---
**Author:** ![longjohn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/65b543/32.png) [@longjohn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/longjohn)\ **Post date:** [July 29, 2003, 12:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/strange-musical-connections-and-housemartins-appreciation-thread/190973/10 "2003-07-29T12:19:38Z")
… And it’s come full circle. I understand that Norman is credited as “Rhythm consultant” on the latest Beautiful South disc.