The Hitchers are a band from the Irish city of
Limerick
Limerick ( ; ga, Luimneach ) is a western city in Ireland situated within County Limerick. It is in the province of Munster and is located in the Mid-West which comprises part of the Southern Region. With a population of 94,192 at the 2 ...
. They formed in 1989.
History
The Hitchers released two LPs in the UK and Ireland: ''It's All Fun and Games Til Someone Loses an Eye'' (1997) and ''For the Want of Some Better TV'' (1999).
They are perhaps best remembered in the UK for the song "Strachan", a
kitchen sink opera wherein the protagonist is involved in an argument while simultaneously watching a football match on TV that features the Scottish footballer
Gordon Strachan
Gordon David Strachan ( born 9 February 1957) is a Scottish former football coach and player. He played for Dundee, Aberdeen, Manchester United, Leeds United and Coventry City, as well as the Scotland national team. He has since managed Co ...
in an early 1990s
Leeds United
Leeds United Football Club is a professional football club based in Leeds, West Yorkshire in England. The club competes in the Premier League, the highest level of England's football league system, and plays its home matches at Elland Road ...
side versus an unspecified opposition (though the studio recordings fade-out features a sample that suggests the opposition are the Birmingham club
Aston Villa
Aston Villa Football Club is a professional football club based in Aston, Birmingham, England. The club competes in the , the top tier of the English football league system. Founded in 1874, they have played at their home ground, Villa Park, ...
).
Though the single did not chart on its release in summer 1997 (it was released by a small new independent label, Murgatroid, and distributed by Vital, as a double a-side 33rpm 7" vinyl b/w "You Can Only Love Someone So Much But You Can Hate Them All The Way To Hell" and as track 2 of a 4-song CD EP) it received considerable airplay from prolific UK-based DJs including
John Peel
John Robert Parker Ravenscroft (30 August 1939 – 25 October 2004), known professionally as John Peel, was an English disc jockey (DJ) and radio presenter. He was the longest-serving of the original BBC Radio 1 DJs, broadcasting regularly fr ...
,
Steve Lamacq
Stephen Paul Lamacq (born 16 October 1964), sometimes known by his nickname Lammo (given to him by John Peel), is an English disc jockey, currently working with the BBC radio station BBC Radio 6 Music.
Early life
He attended The Ramsey Academ ...
,
Gideon Coe,
Sean Hughes and
Bob Geldof
Robert Frederick Zenon Geldof (; born 5 October 1951) is an Irish singer-songwriter, and political activist. He rose to prominence in the late 1970s as lead singer of the Irish rock band the Boomtown Rats, who achieved popularity as part o ...
and is still occasionally heard on UK radio to the present day. It has been cited as one of the great "football songs" in the press and in online discussion/commentary.
The alternative A-side of the single, "You Can Only Love Someone So Much But You Can Hate Them All The Way To Hell", the lyrics of which consist solely of the song's title, is notable in that it was nominated in the Best Irish Single 1997 category in Ireland's ''
Hot Press
''Hot Press'' is a fortnightly music and politics magazine based in Dublin, Ireland, founded in June 1977. The magazine has been edited since its inception by Niall Stokes.
History
''Hot Press'' was founded in June 1977 by Niall Stokes, who co ...
'' awards (won by "
A Life Less Ordinary" by
Ash
Ash or ashes are the solid remnants of fires. Specifically, ''ash'' refers to all non-aqueous, non-gaseous residues that remain after something burns. In analytical chemistry, to analyse the mineral and metal content of chemical samples, ash ...
). The song was subsequently used in the movie ''
Rat'' (Universal Pictures-2000).
The Hitchers recorded a Peel Session at BBC Maida Vale 4 in July 1997. This was broadcast in November 1997 and repeated in February 1998. This session has been re-broadcast on multiple occasions since by DJs such as Gideon Coe and Chris Hawkins
While supporting
The Divine Comedy
The ''Divine Comedy'' ( it, Divina Commedia ) is an Italian narrative poem by Dante Alighieri, begun 1308 and completed in around 1321, shortly before the author's death. It is widely considered the pre-eminent work in Italian literature an ...
at Mandela Hall, Belfast in June 1997 The Hitchers were recorded live and broadcast on the Steve Lamacq show.
In 2019 Lamacq curated "Lost Alternatives" a 2x12"/4xCD compilation of some of his favourite bands from his time working at the BBC. He selected Strachan to close the album.
Their 1997
Dave Fanning
David Fanning (born 27 February 1956) is an Irish television and radio broadcaster, rock journalist, DJ, film critic and author. Fanning currently hosts weekend midday magazine/chat show '' The Dave Fanning Show'' on the Irish national radio st ...
Session, recorded for RTÉ, was re-broadcast on the
Dan Hegarty
Dan Hegarty is an Irish radio presenter employed by RTÉ. He presents his show ''The Alternative'' on RTÉ 2fm Monday to Thursday from 10:00 pm – 12:00am (the show is broadcast live each morning on RTÉ 2XM at 10am to 1pm). He is regularl ...
Show in 2006 as part of his 'Classic Session' series.
Though The Hitchers broke up in 2001 they have performed live numerous times since in their native Ireland and released a 20th Anniversary single 'Austin Cusack' in 2009.
In 2021 the band announced a crowdfunder initiative for a 25th Anniversary vinyl re-release of It's All Fun and Games Til Someone Loses an Eye. The Fundit campaign comfortably surpassed its target and the album in due for vinyl release in 2022.
The Cranberries connection
The Hitchers drummer Niall Quinn (b. 1973) was, perhaps somewhat unusually, the band's primary songwriter and while The Hitchers were still only a few months in existence he joined a second band as lead vocalist/guitarist as a further outlet for his song-writing. This band called themselves The Cranberry Saw Us and also featured
Noel Hogan
Noel Anthony Hogan (born 25 December 1971) is an Irish musician and record producer best known as the lead guitarist and co-songwriter of the Irish alt-rock band the Cranberries.
The Cranberries
Hogan formed the Cranberries with his brother Mik ...
(Guitar),
Mike Hogan Mike Hogan may refer to:
* Mike Hogan (American football) (born 1954), former NFL running back
* Mike Hogan (athlete) (born 1943), British Olympic hurdler
* Mike Hogan (The Cranberries) (born 1973), member of Irish alternative rock band The Cran ...
(bass) and
Fergal Lawler (drums). The Cranberry Saw Us did several gigs in Limerick between November 1989 and February 1990 and recorded a demo, called
Anything
Anything may refer to:
Albums
* ''Anything'' (The Cranberry Saw Us demo), by the band later named the Cranberries, 1990
* ''Anything'' (The Damned album) or the title song (see below), 1986
* ''Anything'' (Kinnie Starr album) or the title son ...
, in January 1990, before Quinn quit the band stating he was unsuited to the lead vocalist/frontman role. Post-departure he recommended two other males who might be suitable replacements. After Noel Hogan mentioned to him that the band were considering trying out a female vocalist Quinn had
Dolores O'Riordan
Dolores Mary Eileen O'Riordan ( ; 6 September 1971 – 15 January 2018) was an Irish musician, singer and songwriter. She was best known as the lead vocalist and lyricist for the alternative rock band the Cranberries. One of the most recogniz ...
recommended to him by a friend of his who attended the same school as her. Quinn obtained a phone number, contacted her and invited her to come along to a TCSU rehearsal which he also attended to help show O'Riordan what they had been playing. Thereafter O'Riordan, the Hogan brothers and Lawler began rehearsing and writing together and eventually shortened the band's name to
The Cranberries
The Cranberries were an Irish rock band formed in Limerick, Ireland. Originally named the Cranberry Saw Us, the band were formed in 1989 by lead singer Niall Quinn, guitarist Noel Hogan, bassist Mike Hogan and drummer Fergal Lawler. Quinn was ...
.
After The Hitchers
Niall Quinn has continued to write, record and perform since The Hitchers split in 2001. Returning to the lead vocalist/guitarist role for the first time since
The Cranberry Saw Us his next band was called The Pennywhores (sometimes called Niall Quinn & The Pennywhores)
The Pennywhores also featured Eric Fitzgerald on guitar. Two EPs 'Legalise Murder' and 'Murder He Did' were released through 4-3-3 in Ireland in 2004/05. An LP titled 'Javier Clemente is pulling off his Captain' is alluded to in the sleeve notes of the Murder He Did EP but was apparently never released.
In 2009 Quinn released a new single 'Rose' on CD/ download under a new moniker
Theme Tune Boy. The single is less than a minute in duration. This was followed in 2010 by another CD/download EP Tailrace and a third single January Drabs in 2011. An LP to be titled (the) Return of the Living Dead was recorded in 2011 with Dutch punk rock band Cooper performing on the bulk of the tracks. A track list was published on the Theme Tune Boy fb page but no release date, label or other information was given. Following a crowd-funding campaign wherein Quinn offered the front cover of the album among the rewards that could be claimed, Quinn announced on social media that Return of the Living Dead would be released on 19 January 2013. This was confirmed on the alternative music blog Louder Than War which featured an extensive review of the album.
Discography
Albums
* ''It's All Fun & Games 'Til Someone Loses An Eye'' Released: by Murgatroid Independent Recording Company March 1997 Ireland, June 1997 UK Formats: CD (Mur CD02)
* ''For The Want Of Some Better TV'' Released: by Murgatroid Independent Recording Company May 1999 Ireland & UK Format: CD (Mur CD10)
* ''A Well Earned Break For The Firing Squads'' Released: by 4-3-3 December 2003, Ireland Format: CD (4-3-3CDNOREG)
EPs
* ''The Streaking Chicken From Mercury Who Exposed Himself To Everything'' – Released: July 1989 Formats/Reg: Cassette
* ''Fruit'' – Released: by Xeric Records 30 June 1990 Ireland Formats/Reg: Cassette (Xer 06)
* ''She'll Be Sorry'' – Released: by Lodge Records Nov 1994 Ireland Formats/Reg: CD (LDCDS 1005)
* ''Liver'' – Released: by 4-3-3 December 2001, Ireland Format: CD (4-3-3CD01)
* ''The English Stole Our Potatoes'' – Released: by 4-3-3 December 2006, Ireland Format: CD (4-3-3CD05)
Singles
* "Blame It On His Hormones" – Released: by Xeric Records 17 October 1990 Ireland Formats/Reg: Cassette (Xer07)
* "Holy Spirit Level" – Released: 2 March 1992 Ireland Formats/Reg: Cassette
* "Killed It With My Bare Hands" – Released: by Murgatroid Independent Recording Company Jan 1997 Ireland, April 1997 UK Formats: CD (Mur CD01) / 7" vinyl (Mur VINL 01)
* "You Can Only Love Someone... / Strachan" – Released: by Murgatroid Independent Recording Company June 1997 UK & Ireland Formats: CD (Mur CD03) / 7" vinyl (Mur VINL03)
* "Big Mug" – Released: by Murgatroid Independent Recording Company October 1997 Ireland & UK Formats: CD (Mur CD04)
* "I Can't Breath In Outer Space" – Released: by Murgatroid Independent Recording Company November 1998 Ireland & UK Formats: 7" vinyl (Mur VINL09)
* "Austin Cusack" – Released: by 4-3-3 December 2009, Ireland Formats: CD & download
References
Press
Various press clippings.
External links
Official SiteListen to The Hitchers at bandcampThe Hitchers and John Peel"Strachan" video on YouTube."Killed it with my bare hands" video on YouTube.
{{DEFAULTSORT:Hitchers, The
Irish rock music groups
Musical groups established in 1989
Musical groups from Limerick (city)