Subcultural engagement for the 21st Century...
Barbelith is a new kind of community (find out more)...
You can login or register.

Underground > Radio & Music >

Achtung Bono- Half Man Half Biscuit

STOATIE LIEKS CHOCOLATE MILK

15:46 / 16.10.05

OK, I know at least one other person on this board DEFINITELY owns this album... anyone else?

Like most HMHB albums, the first listen gave me a chuckle, but it really takes a few listens to appreciate its true comic majesty.

In a parallel universe somewhere, Nigel Blackwell is praised as a comic genius to the same degree as Morrissey (or, more controversially, Jim Steinman).

The sneering's all present and correct ("Corgi Registered Friends" is downright nasty, but fucking spot-on: Your children are painfully soulless- "Ralph's in Brize Norton!") as are the sleazy and abusive (copyright, erm, some guy) potshots at crap celebrities- "Shit Arm, Bad Tattoo" tears Pete Doherty the new one he so richly deserves.

And is it just me, or has Mr B gone a bit slushy on us? Piss-funny though it may be, "For What Is Chatteris..." is actually strangely touching. Weird.

Anyone else got any comments on this gem?

ONLY NICE THINGS

12:27 / 17.10.05

The potential for pathos in HMHB is often overlooked, but such classics as "The Light at the End of the Tunnel (is the Light of an OncomingTrain)", "Soft Verges" and "Turned Up, Clocked On, Laid Off" are strangely touching. In one sense, "What is Chatteris?" is a standard patter song, but it does feel unusually wistful and indeed romantic. It also shows HMHB's interest in the way emotional landscapes are created throught the municipal landscape - in a similar wise to "Letters Sent", which collages letters to a local paper, as also features in the inlay card:

Keeper, you've just made a decent save,
Why'd you feel the need to rant and rave?
Shouting at defenders makes you look dead stupid,
Specially when they haven't done much wrong.
Please cease this trait.

Blackwell's interest in Thomas Hardy, whom he seems not to be referencing in this album (can anyone spot a quote?) makes sense in these terms - there is a real sense of the locality, the parish as an expression of Englishness (and HMHB, I think, are a very English band, but feel free to disagree), but expressed with some ambivalence...

STOATIE LIEKS CHOCOLATE MILK

13:39 / 17.10.05

Indeed, on the songs you mention. But even they seem somehow more cynical, and have a bit more of that HMHB sneer. Maybe it's just the mood I was in when I first heard it, but I've heard similar reactions from other people. You know, he's doing the "standard patter song" stuff, but it seems a little more affectionate than usual.

ONLY NICE THINGS

14:55 / 17.10.05

Oh, deffo - it's a love song (albeit expressed through municipality)... thinking about it, stylistically it reminds me a bit of a much more polished and coherent "Noreen".

18:04 / 17.10.05

I intend to post a full, frank and heartfelt defence of the man and his work, as well as a detailed track by track review, when his new album comes out, but in the meantime, why oh why can't everyone lay off Pete Doherty?

And wasn't Nigel Blackwell in any case essentially advocating the kind of behaviour Pete Doherty's been so villified by the UK tabloids for indulging in lately in that song about being a train driver? Or was he saying the cocaine, heroin(?) and marijuana were/are only acceptable in the context of public transport? Or am I missing something here?

STOATIE LIEKS CHOCOLATE MILK

18:44 / 17.10.05

(brief aside- I've known many different types of smackhead in my life, and they tend to fall into two categories. The category who burgle their mates' houses for drug money tend to be pricks).

19:27 / 17.10.05

(Aside to brief aside - the reasons why I think Pete broke into Carl's house that time will be dealt with in the forthcoming career retrospective-cum-review of what I confidently expect to be this decades Velvet Underground & Nico, its London Calling, or its The Queen Is Dead.

And he is off the smack now, apparently - I'm not entirely sure if Pete Doherty's allegedly erstwhile problems with the horse are anything that anyone should be taking all that seriously, in this bad world of ours, but, y'know - Pete, if you're reading this, I'm in your corner!)

Anyway, back to HMHB, apologies for deviation.

Tom Paine's Bones

22:19 / 17.10.05

According to Nigel Blackwell on the HMHB site, "Shit Arm, Bad Tattoo" isn't aimed at anyone specifically:

It isn't particularly about anyone specific....I have in mind slightly overweight bass players in local Punk (old 'skool')/Heavy Rock outfits who all seem to have flabby upper arms which is fine but not if you're going to get y'self a 'Tat'.

No-one specifically refers to the Book of Revelation(s) but there are plenty enough certainly who add that superfluous 's' and often do it whilst pontificating, thus making them appear doubly idiotic. 'If you're going to pontificate, don't manufacture brickbats for any possible counter attack' - that was said by either Andrey Tarkovsky or Stuart Boam (ex-Middlesbrough) - I can't remember which.

On the subject of "What is Chatteris?", I've always felt that to a large extent, HMHB's cynicism is that of the disillusioned romantic.

I think the difference here is more the optimism of the song, which is less expected then the plaintive sentiment of lines like my enthusiasm ran away with me, which is more then you did. Or the bitterness in If this is New Labour Mr Blair, if anyone needs me I'll be over there.

16:43 / 10.11.05

Right so Mr Stoatie reminded me that I should be here and here I am.

As my Last FM account will testify, I've been giving Achtung Bono fairly heavy rotation and was already familiar with some of the tracks from the last peel session they did. While I think it up to the usual HMHB standards, I feel that Cammel Laird Social Club was such a good one that Achtung slightly disappoints. As I've got a social appointment now I can't go into detail but will attempt to say more soon.

My main concern is when are they gonna play London? They haven't been here for what, two years at least? Its the only time I go into a mosh pit nowadays being of advancing years, even if its the politest mosh pit in christendom. Bloody northerners.

22:58 / 10.11.05

Was thinking the same thing about a London gig. Hurry the fuck up. There is something very HMHB about waiting about for a London gig though. Also had Achtung Bono on heavy rotation play the last few weeks. Cammel Laird Social Club is indeed a hard one to follow but i think it holds up well and they have really put their hearts and souls into this one. There are some beautiful touches and some melodys that can be quite haunting. The lyrics are quite lovely.

23:13 / 10.11.05

...and even if the song isn't about Pete Doherty, i've told all my friends that it is and i'm damned if i'm going to look a fool by telling them it isn't. And anyway it fits. Well the shit arm bit does and the £14.99 bit.