The Higsons
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The Higsons were an English funk-punk band popular in the United Kingdom in the 1980s.
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[edit] History
Founded in 1980 at the University of East Anglia in Norwich, The Higsons' first recording was on the Norwich - A Fine City compilation album. The band got signed to the 2 Tone Records label, along with bands such as The Specials, The Beat and Madness. The Higsons' first single, I Don't Want to Live with Monkeys, was released in 1981. The band's blend of high-energy funk and groove brought them some chart success: perhaps their most fondly-remembered track was Conspiracy, released in 1982, with the catchy refrain "Who stole my bongos? Did you steal my bongos?" The band folded in 1986.
Since the band's breakup, Charlie Higson found fame as a comedy writer and actor in The Fast Show. Terry Edwards fronted his own band and became a session musician. Simon Charterton founded the Camden-based country band The Aftershave with singer-songwriter and composer Adam Wilson and in 2005-7 wrote the libretto for their opera/musical The Reader's Wife. Stuart McGeachin and Colin Williams got full-time jobs. Singer-songwriter Robyn Hitchcock paid tribute to the band with the song Listening to the Higsons.
[edit] Members
- Charlie Higson - Lead Vocals, Harmonica, Piano
- Terry Edwards - Guitar, Trumpet, Sax, Piano, Vocals
- Simon Charterton - Drums, Vocals
- Dave Cummings - Guitar, Vocals
- Colin Williams - Bass, Vocals
- Stuart McGeachin - Guitar, Vocals
[edit] Discography
[edit] Singles
- I Don't Want to Live With Monkeys 1981 Single on Romans in Britain label. Cat. No. HIG2
- Got to Let This Heat Out Single on Waap Records. Cat. No. WAAP1 / 12WAAP1
- Conspiracy 1982 Single on Waap Records. Cat. No. WAAP2
- Push Out the Boat Single on Waap Recorrds. Cat. No. WAAP4
- Lost and Lonely Single on Waap Recorrds. Cat. No. WAAP5
- Tear the Whole Thing Down / Y Lang, Y Lang 7" Single on 2 Tone. Cat. No. CHSTT21
- Run Me Down (Long Version) / Put The Punk Back Into Funk Pts 1 & 2 1983 7" Single on 2 Tone Records. Cat. No. CHSTT24
- Music to Watch Boys By 1984 Single on Upright Records. Cat. No. UP9
- Take It 1985 Single on R4. Cat. No. FOR2 [1]
[edit] Compilation albums
- Attack of the Cannibal Zombie Businessmen 1987 retrospective singles compilation Waap Records
- It's a Wonderful Life compilation of BBC sessions, on the Hux label 1998 [2]
