COVER: Tribute to the wonderful Housemartins

Don't think they're very well known in the US. But they were all over Smash Hits (a pop magazine) in the UK in the mid 80s and so were the first 80s guitar band I ever heard of. They were the "gateway drug" that led to The Smiths - to whom they are sometimes compared unfavourably, but there's room for both, surely?

Their songs were ruthlessly simple and catchy, and in particular the guitarist Stan (my next role model after John Lennon) was clearly not interested in demonstrating his skills - he mostly just strummed chords on his Ric and was happy to be a rhythm guitarist. The main focus was always the song, verse/bridge/chorus, repeat, fade, which usually seemed to have anything unnecessary removed from it.

But this simplicity made their songs a great invitation to imagine your own additions. I always wanted to add more complex riffs to their songs (even before I could play), and I would spend hours figuring them out in my head.

Here is a version of 'Sitting on a Fence' from the recently remastered album 'London 0 Hull 4', with just such a riff of mine added to it. The 1986 line-up of the band recently got together for the first time in about 20 years to have their picture taken - see Mojo's September 2009 edition for the whole story.

The best intro to the band is probably this brilliant film:

Part 1: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mEOzHNXuZLA
Part 2: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CuRbAeqRw0I
Part 3: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BqxxPvqJhJs

And yes, that is Fatboy Slim on the bass (the bass lines are excellent, aren't they?)

Category:

Music

Tags:

• housemartins
• sitting
• on
• fence
• reunion
• mojo
• reformed
• 2009
• london
• hull

[audiotrax2000]

This is amazing! I can't stop watching this over and over again. I'm thinking to myself this must be one of the best videos on youtube - then I check back and there's another one that's just as good :) I just discovered you by accident a couple days ago, and I can't stop thinking about what you are doing. Thank you for all your work, Daniel. I really relate to your philosophy about music. Very inspiring...this gives me chills down my neck...

[danielearwicker]

@audiotrax2000 - thank you, glad you like it all.

[danielearwicker]

Glad to have introduced a few people to this band. Be sure to look up Think For A Minute on youtube, of which they did two versions. It's a funny video (starring the drummer) for the slow acoustic version, and the faster version is a thing of Ric beauty.

[kvaks3000]

Excellent riffing! Do you use three fingers to hold the pick?

[danielearwicker]

@kvaks3000 - Sometimes, or sometimes my third finger is folded back under my thumb

[DoctorMeatDic]

Comparing the Housemartins to The Smiths is like comparing Tarantino to Polanski - Tarantino tells a story, Polanski lived it.

[danielearwicker]

@DoctorMeatDic - Was Scorcese ever a murderous taxi driver? Was Spielberg ever in a concentration camp? Did McCartney ever keep his face in a jar by the door? Did Morrissey ever encounter a vicar in a tutu? And how does someone "live" a chord change before they write it?

[punkrockxzz]

this is brilliant, thanks for exposing me to this group

[prisonplanetdotcom]

Their first album, called London 0, Hull 4. Classic stuff.

[craigauk]

Hi Daniel - Great video, and fantastic guitar work.

Can you tell me, is your guitar tuned to 'standard' tuning for this one?

Cheers!

[TheSouthmartins]

Great this. Very Johnny Marr! Housemarrtins!

[FillingtheVoidReview]

Awesome riffage! Great cover!

[iaminbetweendays]

Great job. I love the mix.

[woozilmusic]

Brilliant mate, caught the smiths and housmartins at the mayfair Newcastle around the same time in 86. Its like you brought them back to life. Really well done.

[angelbe88]

Hey I like your voice and I think I like your version better.

[RodCow]

@danielearwicker Just wondering,on the subject of Housemartins,what you think about Ted Key vs Norman Cook on bass duties.Norman once complained in a magazine interview that he couldn't do anything 'flash' on the bass because it put Paul off but Ted K. managed to insert some very interesting bass without throwing Mr.Heaton off.

I especially like the Beeb version of 'Drop Down Dead' (dig that E bass note over the A chord) and the early version of 'Flag Day' .

[hi0u50fd]

great cover actually more complex than the original on guitar!