...And the Native Hipsters

Last updated

...And the Native Hipsters
Also known asNative Hipsters
OriginLondon, England
Genres Experimental, plunderphonics, post-punk, electronic
Years active1979 – mid-1980s
LabelsHeater Volume Records, MRMusic, Glass Records, Illuminated Records
Spinoff ofWildings, Patterns
Past membersWilliam Wilding
Blatt (Nanette Greenblatt)
Robert Cubitt
Tom Fawcett
Lester Square
Annie Whitehead
Ludwina van der Sman
Chris Cornetto
Simon Davidson [1]
Website www.nativehipsters.co.uk

...And the Native Hipsters was an English experimental group formed in London, England in 1979. Centred on the nucleus of musicians William Wilding and Blatt (Nanette Greenblatt), they are best known for their 1980 single, "There Goes Concorde Again", which attracted the attention of BBC Radio 1 DJ John Peel, [1] and reached number five on the UK Independent Charts. [2] [3] The song was listed by New Musical Express in their "NME Writers 100 Best Indie Singles Ever" in 1992. [4]

Contents

AllMusic called the Native Hipsters "[o]ne of the more bizarre groups" from the late-1970s and early-1980s. [1]

Biography

...And the Native Hipsters was a London-based duo of musicians William Wilding from Romford England, and Blatt (Nanette Greenblatt) from Cape Town, South Africa. They had previously worked together as the Wildings, and then the Patterns with Robert Cubitt and Tom Fawcett. The Patterns became the Native Hipsters in 1979 when they recorded "There Goes Concorde Again", a 6:45 minute song featuring Blatt repeating with "childlike enthusiasm" the refrain "Ooh, look, there goes Concorde again", with reference to sightings of the famed "silverbird". [2] AllMusic described the song as a "formless composition" with "perfectly-devoid-of-skill vocals, a wobbly funhouse synth, the occasional guitar pling, and not much bass". [1]

"There Goes Concorde Again" was a home recording that was privately released by the group as a single in a limited edition of 500 copies. [1] Each disc had its label hand-stamped by the group, and the sleeves were cut from advertising posters (including one of Kevin Keegan, an English footballer), making each cover virtually unique. [1] [5] They sent the records to Rough Trade, an independent record shop in London, and about a month later BBC Radio 1 DJ John Peel picked up a copy and began playing the song extensively on his radio program. Soon the group had an order for another 1,000 copies, and then a further 4,000. [1] [5] The song entered the UK Independent Charts in August 1980, where it remained for ten weeks, peaking at number five. [2] [3] Wilding received an offer from producer Tony Visconti to re-record the song, but turned it down for fear of it becoming "too commercial". [2] [5] The song was later listed by New Musical Express in their "NME Writers 100 Best Indie Singles Ever" in 1992. [4]

In 1982 the Native Hipsters released a four-track EP, "Tenderly Hurt Me" which was well received by the music press. [2] Over the next few years the group performed live several times, including opening for Bauhaus, and recorded a number of songs with the help of various musicians, including guitarist Lester Square from The Monochrome Set, and Annie Whitehead, a session trombonist. By the mid-1980s the group had stopped recording, but interest in them was revived in 2001 when Rough Trade included "There Goes Concorde Again" in a box set, Rough Trade Shops – 25 Years. This prompted Wilding to release two CDs, There Goes Concorde Again... (2001) and Songs to Protest About (2006) containing their singles, previously unreleased songs and new material. [1] Interest in the Native Hipsters was renewed again in 2009 when a compilation set, Kats Karavan: The History of John Peel on the Radio included "There Goes Concorde Again". Rock music critic Peter Paphides said in a review of the album that ...And the Native Hipsters was one of the artists always associated with John Peel. [6]

William Wilding went on to perform as comedy act Woody Bop Muddy. [7]

Discography

Source: Discogs [8]

Singles and EPs

Albums

Compilation appearances

The following compilations each include one track by ...And the Native Hipsters, "There Goes Concorde Again".

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">John Peel</span> English DJ and radio presenter (1939–2004)

John Robert Parker Ravenscroft, better known as John Peel, was an English radio presenter and journalist. He was the longest-serving of the original disc jockeys on BBC Radio 1, broadcasting regularly from 1967 until his death in 2004.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">A Certain Ratio</span> English post-punk band

A Certain Ratio are an English post-punk band formed in Greater Manchester in 1977 by Peter Terrell (guitar), Simon Topping, Jez Kerr, Martin Moscrop and Donald Johnson (drums), with Martha Tilson (vocals) joining soon after.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Even as We Speak</span> Australian indie band

Even As We Speak is an Australian indie band from Sydney. Formed in the mid-1980s, founding members Matthew Love and Mary Wyer were later joined by Rob Irwin (bass) Anita Rayner, Paul Clarke and Julian Knowles.

Subway Sect were one of the first British punk bands. Although their commercial success was limited by the small amount of recorded material they released, they have been credited as highly influential on the Postcard Records scene and the indie pop genre which followed.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bearsuit</span>

Bearsuit are an English art-rock/indie pop band from Norwich, England, active from 2001.

Shop Assistants were a Scottish indie pop band from Edinburgh, Scotland, formed in 1984, initially as 'Buba & The Shop Assistants'. After achieving success with independent releases they signed to Chrysalis Records sublabel Blue Guitar, releasing their only album in 1986. After splitting in 1987, with singer Alex Taylor moving on to The Motorcycle Boy, they reformed for two further singles in 1990.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Lester Square</span> Musician

Lester Square is the former lead guitarist for The Monochrome Set. He joined the first incarnation of Adam and the Ants as lead guitarist, after meeting Adam while studying at Hornsey College of Art, writing Ants staples "Fall In" and "Fat Fun" during this period. He left in 1978 to form The Monochrome Set with singer-songwriter Bid, a band cited as "a major influence on the Smiths, Franz Ferdinand, Orange Juice, Fire Engines and a whole host of UK indie and post punk bands." He has also briefly played guitar with The Invisible (1985–1987), ...And the Native Hipsters, and Jesus Couldn't Drum.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">There Is a Light That Never Goes Out</span> 1992 single by the Smiths

"There Is a Light That Never Goes Out" is a song by the English rock band the Smiths, written by guitarist Johnny Marr and lead vocalist Morrissey. Featured on the band's third studio album The Queen Is Dead (1986), it was not released as a single in the United Kingdom until 1992, five years after their split, to promote the compilation album ...Best II. It peaked at No. 25 on the UK Singles Chart and No. 22 on the Irish Singles Chart. The song has received considerable critical acclaim; in 2014, NME listed it as the 12th-greatest song of all time. In 2021, it was ranked at No. 226 on Rolling Stone's list of the "500 Greatest Songs of All Time".

Ooberman were an English band first formed in 1997 in Liverpool, England. The band released their debut album The Magic Treehouse in 1999. They split up in 2003, shortly after the release of their second album Hey Petrunko, but reformed in 2006 and released their third album Carried Away the same year. Six of their singles have charted on the UK singles chart, with "Blossoms Falling" (1999) peaking at #39.

Blue Orchids are an English post-punk band formed in Manchester in 1979, when Martin Bramah left the Fall, after playing on the band's debut album Live at the Witch Trials. Christened by Salford-based punk poet John Cooper Clarke the band recorded for Rough Trade and acted as backing band for the Velvet Underground's Nico before a 25-year period of intermittent activity and fluctuating line-ups.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Leather Nun</span> Swedish rock band

The Leather Nun are a Swedish rock group. Careening from garage rock to goth and pop-rock.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">This Charming Man</span> 1983 single by The Smiths

"This Charming Man" is a song by the English rock band the Smiths, written by guitarist Johnny Marr and singer Morrissey. Released as the group's second single in October 1983 on the independent record label Rough Trade, it is defined by Marr's jangle pop guitar riff and Morrissey's characteristically morose lyrics, which revolve around the recurrent Smiths themes of sexual ambiguity and lust. A different version, from the John Peel Show on BBC Radio 1, was included on the compilation album Hatful of Hollow in 1984.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mumm-Ra (band)</span> English indie rock band

Mumm-Ra are an English indie rock band, formed in Bexhill-on-Sea in the early 2000s. The band's name is borrowed from the 1980s cartoon, ThunderCats, whose main villain is named Mumm-Ra the Ever-Living. The group consists of vocalist, keyboard player, and occasional guitarist James New, guitarists James Arguile and Oli Frost, bassist Niall Buckler, and drummer Gareth Jennings. Keyboard player Tommy Bowen joined in 2006 as a touring member, before being made a fully fledged member in their 2012 reunion.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Frank Chickens</span> British-Japanese musical group

Frank Chickens are a Japanese musical group based in London, who have performed songs mainly in English since 1982.

Brilliant were a British pop/rock group active in the 1980s. Although not commercially successful and mauled by the critics, they remain notable because of the personnel involved – Martin Glover a.k.a. Youth of Killing Joke and subsequently a top producer/remixer; Jimmy Cauty, later to find fame and fortune as one half of The KLF; and Ben Watkins a.k.a. Juno Reactor. Equally notable was their management, their record company A&R manager, and songwriting and production team.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Hand in Glove</span> 1983 single by The Smiths

"Hand in Glove" is the debut single by English rock band the Smiths, written by singer Morrissey and guitarist Johnny Marr. It was released in May 1983 on independent record label Rough Trade. It peaked at No. 3 on the UK Indie Chart but did not make the top 75 of the UK Singles Chart, settling outside at No. 124.

Murry the Hump were a Welsh indie rock and "urban folk" band. They were active from 1999 until 2001. Since then they have continued to release music under the name The Keys.

BOB were an indie pop band from North London, England, formed in 1986.

60 Ft. Dolls were a Welsh rock trio active in the 1990s, known as the Cool Cymru era.

Formed in January 1979, the Funboy Five were an English post-punk band from Hemel Hempstead, Hertfordshire and originally had four members, Mick Sinclair, John McRae (keyboards), Bob Brimson (bass) and Robert Radhall (drums).

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 Kellman, Andy. "...And the Native Hipsters". AllMusic . Retrieved 14 April 2011.
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 Larkin, Colin (2006). The Encyclopedia of Popular Music. Oxford University Press. p. 127. ISBN   0-19-531373-9.
  3. 1 2 "Indie Hits". Cherry Red Records. Archived from the original on 8 June 2011. Retrieved 15 April 2011.
  4. 1 2 "NME Writers 100 Best Indie Singles Ever". NME . 25 July 1992. Archived from the original on 26 May 2011. Retrieved 15 April 2011.
  5. 1 2 3 "Hipster History – The Full Story". ...And the Native Hipsters homepage.
  6. ↑ Paphides, Peter. "Kats Karavan: The History of John Peel on the Radio". The Sunday Times . Retrieved 15 April 2011.[ dead link ]
  7. ↑ "Comedy CV – Woody Bop Muddy". Comedy CV. Retrieved 7 February 2012.
  8. ↑ "...And The Native Hipsters". Discogs . Retrieved 14 April 2011.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.