Formed: 1984
How I became a fan
It was an awesome moment. I'd just heard an SFA session with the great John Peel and had kept the show on in case the band did anything else. And then, after an introduction telling us how good this song is, Vatican Broadside was played. Within 30 seconds I was an immediate fan, so bought their E.P. and then all the albums!
Comments
First impressions first: A joke band? It seems quite wrong to dismiss Half Man Half Biscuit as such. Although their appeal will always centre on their awesome lyrics, HMHB accompany the words with regularly exceptional melodies which on first play feel simple and unspectacular, but prove on repeated listens to be genuinely good and durable.
Half Man Half Biscuit have a strong reason to be here, and that's because they've released eleven very good albums of almost unsurpassed consistency and amassed more top tunes than almost anyone else: They could easily play a four hour set without any filler! They may have kept to a similar formula throughout their career but that clearly doesn't matter as they're so good at it and show no signs of ageing badly.
Bad points
Half Man Half Biscuit only really do one thing, but they're so good at it it's hard to criticise them for that. It would be nice if they did more serious songs because material such as Everything's A.O.R. and Turned Up Clocked On Laid Off are brilliant and not because they makes you laugh. They're also generally not that great at quiet songs, but that feels like a trivial complaint too.
Ten songs you really should know before you judge this band
A Country Practice (1998)
Assessment
Tunes: 9/10
Final judgement: 9.0/10
The bottom line
If you can't respect the genius in the works of Half Man Half Biscuit either you have no sense of humour or take music far too seriously!
Everything's A.O.R. (1991)
For What Is Chatteris... (2005)
Look Dad No Tunes (2000)
Paintball's Coming Home (1997)
Restless Legs (2005)
The Light At The End Of The Tunnel (Is The Light Of An Oncoming Train) (2002)
The Referee's Alphabet (2002)
Time Flies By (When You're The Driver Of A Train) (1985)
Vatican Broadside (2001)
Accessibility: 8/10
Originality: 8/10
Diversity: 6/10
Rockability: 8/10
Balladability: 6/10
Consistency (of b-sides): 8/10
Consistency (over career): 9/10
Live show: 8/10
Influence: 6/10
Vocals: 8/10
Interestingness: 10/10
Lyrics: 10/10
Work ethic: 8/10
Image: 5/10
