Shirehorses

Last updated

Shirehorses
Also known asThe Mighty Horse
Origin Manchester, England
Genres Comedy rock, parody
Years active19972001
Labels Warner, Columbia
Past members Mark Radcliffe
Marc "Lard" Riley
Chris Lee
Rhys Hughes
Patrick Gallagher AKA Dick Scruttock

The Shirehorses were a spoof band comprising two BBC Radio DJs from Manchester, Mark Radcliffe and Marc Riley, known collectively as Mark and Lard. [1]

As part of their BBC Radio 1 shows, the pair produced pastiches of chart songs, such as "You're Gormless", a parody of Babybird's "You're Gorgeous", "Lardy Boy", a parody of Placebo's "Nancy Boy", and "Why Is It Always Dairylea", spoofing Travis's "Why Does It Always Rain on Me?", using the band names 'Baby Bloke', 'Gazebo' and 'Dave Lee Travisty' respectively. When they rewrote The Seahorses' "Love Is the Law" as "(Now) I Know (Where I'm Going) Our Kid", they chose the stage-name Shirehorses, which they then retained for future recordings and performances. Other parodies include "I Want a Roll with It" (spoofing "Roll with It" by Oasis), "Feel Like Shite" ("Alright" by Supergrass), and "Country Spouse" ("Country House" by Blur).

The band toured extensively, playing many small, university gigs to exploit their popularity with students. However, they also performed at larger venues, supporting Blur on a 1997 UK tour, taking in several stadia, and appearing at Glastonbury Festival in 1997.

Marc Riley was formerly a member of British Manchester band the Fall and later the Creepers before embarking on a radio presentation career alongside Mark Radcliffe. Formerly a double act on BBC Radio 1, in March 2004 they went their separate ways, Radcliffe initially to BBC Radio 2, Riley to BBC Radio 6 Music and later joined at the station by Mark Radcliffe as part of the afternoon Radcliffe and Maconie show.

Discography

The Shirehorses have released two albums to date:

Related Research Articles

Britpop was a mid-1990s British-based music culture movement that emphasised Britishness. Musically, Britpop produced bright, catchy alternative rock, in reaction to the darker lyrical themes and soundscapes of the US-led grunge music and the UK's own shoegaze music scene. The movement brought British alternative rock into the mainstream and formed the larger British popular cultural movement, Cool Britannia, which evoked the Swinging Sixties and the British guitar pop of that decade.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">The Smiths</span> English rock band (1982–1987)

The Smiths were an English rock band formed in Manchester in 1982, composed of Morrissey (vocals), Johnny Marr (guitar), Andy Rourke (bass) and Mike Joyce (drums). Morrissey and Marr formed the band’s songwriting partnership. The Smiths are regarded as one of the most important acts to emerge from 1980s British independent music.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">The Verve</span> English rock band

The Verve were an English rock band formed in Wigan, Greater Manchester, in 1989 by lead vocalist Richard Ashcroft, guitarist Nick McCabe, bass guitarist Simon Jones and drummer Peter Salisbury. Guitarist and keyboard player Simon Tong later became a member in their first reunion only from 1995 to 1999.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Liam Gallagher</span> English singer and songwriter (born 1972)

William John Paul Gallagher is an English singer and songwriter. He is the lead singer of the rock band Oasis, which he co-founded in 1991. He fronted the rock band Beady Eye from 2009 to 2014, before starting a successful solo career in 2017.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Noel Gallagher</span> English musician (born 1967)

Noel Thomas David Gallagher is an English musician, singer and songwriter. Gallagher is the primary songwriter, lead guitarist and a co-lead vocalist of the rock band Oasis. After formerly leaving Oasis, he formed Noel Gallagher's High Flying Birds. Gallagher is one of the most successful songwriters in British music history, as the writer of eight UK number-one singles and co-writer of a further number one, as well as the sole or primary writer of ten UK number-one studio albums. He is widely considered to be one of the most influential songwriters in the history of British rock music, cited by numerous major subsequent artists as an influence.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Busted (band)</span> English pop-punk band

Busted are an English pop-punk band from Southend-on-Sea, Essex, consisting of James Bourne, Matt Willis and Charlie Simpson. Formed in 2000, the band has had four UK number-one singles, won two Brit Awards, released four studio albums and sold over 5 million records worldwide. The band released the albums Busted in 2002 and A Present for Everyone in 2003 before disbanding in January 2005.

Mark and Lard is the stage name of Mark Radcliffe (Mark) and Marc Riley (Lard), who presented various weekday shows on BBC Radio 1 from 1991 to March 2004.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mark Radcliffe (radio broadcaster)</span> British DJ (born 1958)

Mark Radcliffe is an English radio broadcaster, musician and writer. He is best known for his broadcasting work for the BBC, for which he has worked in various roles since the 1980s.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Marc Riley</span> British musician and radio presenter

Marc Riley is an English radio DJ, alternative rock critic, musician, and former music businessman. He currently presents on BBC Radio 6 Music.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Elbow (band)</span> English alternative rock band

Elbow are an English rock band formed in Bury, Greater Manchester, in 1990. The band consists of Guy Garvey, Craig Potter, Mark Potter and Pete Turner. They have played together since 1990, adopting the name Elbow in 1997. Drummer Alex Reeves replaced Richard Jupp in 2016 as a touring and session musician at first, before becoming a full member in 2024.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Noddy Holder</span> English musician (born 1946)

Neville John "Noddy" Holder is an English musician, songwriter and actor. He was the lead vocalist and rhythm guitarist of the English rock band Slade, one of the UK's most successful acts of the 1970s. Known for his unique and powerful voice, Holder co-wrote most of Slade's material with bass guitarist Jim Lea including "Mama Weer All Crazee Now", "Cum On Feel the Noize" and "Merry Xmas Everybody". After leaving Slade in 1992, he diversified into television and radio work, notably starring in the ITV comedy-drama series The Grimleys (1999–2001).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Chris Sievey</span> English musician and comedian

Christopher Mark Sievey was an English musician, comedian and artist known for fronting the band the Freshies in the late 1970s and early 1980s and for his comic persona Frank Sidebottom from 1984 onwards.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Liam Frost</span> Musical artist

Liam Frost is a musician from Manchester, England. He recorded and played with his backing group 'The Slowdown Family' on his debut album Show Me How The Spectres Dance but now performs solo under the name Liam Frost.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Piney Gir</span> American musician

Piney Gir, often shortened to Piney, is an American musician and singer, born in Kansas but based in London, England since 1998. She has released seven studio albums.

<i>Our Kid Eh</i> 2001 studio album by the Shirehorses

Our Kid Eh is the second album from the spoof band the Shirehorses, comprising two BBC Radio 1 DJs, Mark Radcliffe and Marc Riley. This album's title is a play on the name of Radiohead's 2000 album Kid A. Our Kid Eh reached #20 on the UK Albums Chart.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">The Lovely Eggs</span> British band

The Lovely Eggs are a two-piece lo-fi psychedelic punk rock band from Lancaster, England. They consist of married couple Holly Ross and David Blackwell. Ross was formerly the lead singer and guitarist in the all-female band Angelica.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">T. Rex (band)</span> English rock band

T. Rex were an English rock band formed in London in 1967 by singer-songwriter and guitarist Marc Bolan, who was their leader, frontman and only consistent member. Though initially associated with the psychedelic folk genre, Bolan began to change the band's style towards electric rock in 1969, and shortened their name to T. Rex the following year. This development culminated in 1970 with their first significant hit single "Ride a White Swan", and the group soon became pioneers of the glam rock movement.

Grab Grab the Haddock were an English indie pop group that was formed in 1984.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Zervas and Pepper</span> Welsh musical duo

Zervas and Pepper are a musical duo from Cardiff, Wales, who formed in late 2007. They play as a two piece outfit or a full band, and have a strong and growing presence on the UK-wide live circuit and international airtime, including appearances at theatres and festivals such as Glastonbury Festival and Green Man Festival, and regular national radio appearances.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Hit the North</span> 1987 single by The Fall

"Hit the North" is a 1987 song by British post-punk band the Fall. The lyrics are by vocalist Mark E. Smith accompanied with music written by Simon Rogers and Brix Smith. It was released as a single in October 1987 and reached number 57 on the UK singles chart.

References

  1. Kelly, Jon (8 May 2001). "Mark and Lard take to the stage". The Guardian. London. Retrieved 28 May 2018.