The Lancashire Hotpots

Last updated

The Lancashire Hotpots
The Hotpots backstage.jpg
Background information
Origin St Helens, Merseyside, England
Genres Comedy, folk
Years active2006present
LabelsFuss Records
MembersBernard Thresher
Dickie Ticker
Bob Wriggles
Kenny Body
Billy McCartney
Ron Seal
Past membersWillie Eckerslike
Website The Lancashire Hotpots

The Lancashire Hotpots are a comedy folk band from St Helens, (historically part of Lancashire), England, formed in 2006. [1] The group perform and record songs about Lancashire, technology and British culture, such as "He's Turned Emo", "Chippy Tea" and "eBay Eck". [2]

Contents

The group's songs make use of Lancashire dialect. Their first single, "He's Turned Emo", gained over 230,000 plays on MySpace in March 2008, and was featured on BBC Radio One by Colin Murray. [2] Their debut album, Never Mind The Hotpots, was a minor hit, becoming the number one comedy album on iTunes in UK, and number two in the BBC Radio 6 Music Album Charts. [3]

The current members are Bernard Thresher (vocals, guitar, ukulele, drums), Dickie Ticker (bell tree, mandolin, melodica, hand percussion), Bob Wriggles (bass guitar, synth bass), Billy McCartney (keyboards), Kenny Body (drums), and Ron Seal (lead guitar). McCartney and Body joined following the death in May 2010 of founder member Willie Eckerslike (real name Tom McGrath), (drums, vocals), while Seal joined in 2016. [4]

History

Thresher and Wriggles met while working at Knowsley Safari Park and subsequently formed their first rock band together, Korova. Whilst working at St Helens College, Wriggles met Dickie Ticker who was producing electronic music and light-hearted remixes under the name 'Diffusion'. The three became interested in working together and, after Korova disbanded, Thresher and Wriggles joined forces with Ticker to create electronic dance music under the new name Emmet. [5] [6]

They first dabbled with comedy music producing a remix of the Coldplay song "Clocks" for Radio One DJ Chris Moyles in the style of the German dance group Scooter. [7] In a play on words they named the side project Moped. The track proved popular with listeners of the show and they went on to produce several more remixes as well as playing live in clubs around the country. On the request of Moyles, they produced a remix of songs by Norman Cook aka Fatboy Slim in order to perform them at an outside broadcast in a pub in Brighton. Cook was a guest on the show and Moped performed the remix live on the show for him. Whilst being interviewed on the show he said he 'felt as though his whole life had flashed before him.' [8]

Ticker then had the idea of a folk band who write songs and tell stories about modern life: [9] not about orchards and craft fairs but online dating and modern technology. Originally intended to be called the Bolton Weavers (after folk band the Houghton Weavers), the band was instead named the Lancashire Hotpots. They made their first recordings in Thresher's front room in Coventry, after an Emmet gig at a comic convention in Birmingham, where they had played to an empty room.

McCartney was in Liverpool band Lyons and Tigers which supported the Hotpots numerous times around the North West of England. Body was in several St Helens-based bands including Jessica's Ghost, The Ups and Giant Root Attack. Both were enlisted to play in the band following death of original drummer, Willie Eckerslike. [10] Incidentally, Kenny Body briefly appeared as an audience member in their "Carry You Home" video.

Influences include the Oldham Tinkers, George Formby, hip hop and John Cooper Clarke, as well as the Houghton Weavers. [2]

Festivals

As well as touring nationwide, the band play at major music festivals playing events such as Glastonbury Festival, Kendal Calling, Y Not Festival, Carfest and Beat-Herder Festival. [11] [12] [13] [14] [15]

Television

Television appearances for the group have included a performance of their song "Dibnah", live on BBC2's Too Much TV , in March 2016. [16]

Olympic controversy

The group were contacted by the International Olympic Committee in August 2016 over their 2008 song "The Beer Olympics". The IOC claimed trademark rights over the word Olympics stating that Hotpots' use of the word was a breach of their trademark. [17] To avoid further problems, the band subsequently retitled the song "The Beer International Non-Profit, Non-Governmental Sporting Quad Yearly Event". [18]

Discography

Albums

  • Never Mind the Hotpots (2007)
  • Pot Sounds (2008)
  • The Lancashire Hotpots' Christmas Cracker (2009)
  • Criminal Record (2010)
  • Achtung Gravy (2011)
  • A Hard Day's Pint (2012)
  • Crust for Life (2013)
  • Golden Crates (2014)
  • A Fistful of Scratchcards (2015)
  • Now't Like the 80's (2016)
  • Sing-A-Longa Knees Up Jamboree (2018)
  • The Lancashire Hotpots Save Christmas! (2020)

Live albums

DVDs

Singles

  • "He's Turned Emo" (2007)
  • "Chav" (2008)
  • The Beer Olympics (EP) (2009)
  • "Carry You Home" / "Chippy Tea" (2009)
  • "You Could Get Hit by a Bus Tomorrow" (2011)
  • "The Beer Olympics 2012" (2012)
  • "The Beer Festival" (2012)
  • "The Baking Song" (2013)
  • "The Flappy Bird Song" (2014)
  • "Mum's for Tea" (2014)
  • "Cheer Up Thom Yorke" (2015)
  • "Lancashire's for Me" / "Black Friday" (2015)
  • "Dibnah" (2016)
  • "Has the Bin Man Bin Mon?" (2018)
  • "The Austerity Blues" (2018)
  • "Lean Forwards, Lean Backwards" (2019)
  • "Egg, Sausage, Chips and Beans (Ricardo Autobahn Mix)" (2020)
  • "O'reet Owdoo Sithee Latter Cocker" (2021)
  • "Gravy" (2021)
  • "Breakfast Dinner Tea" (2022)
  • "Non Competitive Football Song" (2022)
  • "A Lancashire DJ (Ricardo Autobahn Remix)" (2023)

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Lancashire</span> County of England

Lancashire is a ceremonial county in North West England. It is bordered by Cumbria to the north, North Yorkshire and West Yorkshire to the east, Greater Manchester and Merseyside to the south, and the Irish Sea to the west.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Get Back</span> 1969 single by the Beatles with Billy Preston

"Get Back" is a song recorded by the English rock band the Beatles and Billy Preston, written by Paul McCartney, and credited to the Lennon–McCartney partnership. It was originally released as a single on 11 April 1969 and credited to "The Beatles with Billy Preston". The song is one of the few examples of John Lennon featuring prominently as lead guitarist. The album version of this song contains a different mix that features a studio chat between Paul McCartney and John Lennon at the beginning, which lasts for 20 seconds before the song begins, also omitting the coda featured in the single version, and with a final dialogue taken from the Beatles' rooftop concert. This version became the closing track of Let It Be (1970), which was released just after the group split up. The single version was later issued on the compilation albums 1967–1970, 20 Greatest Hits, Past Masters, and 1.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Lonnie Donegan</span> British skiffle singer (1931–2002)

Anthony James "Lonnie" Donegan was a British skiffle singer, songwriter and musician, referred to as the "King of Skiffle", who influenced 1960s British pop and rock musicians. Born in Scotland and brought up in England, Donegan began his career in the British trad jazz revival but transitioned to skiffle in the mid-1950s, rising to prominence with a hit recording of the American folk song "Rock Island Line" which helped spur the broader UK skiffle movement.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Brand New (band)</span> American rock band from New York

Brand New was an American rock band formed in 2000 from Long Island, New York. Consisting of lead vocalist and rhythm guitarist Jesse Lacey, lead guitarist Vincent Accardi, bassist Garrett Tierney and drummer Brian Lane, the band earned critical recognition as one of the most influential emo bands, and was acclaimed for their musical development and artistic innovation compared to other groups in the scene which they originated from.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Fred Dibnah</span> English steeplejack, mechanic and television personality

Frederick Travis Dibnah,, was an English steeplejack and television personality. Having a keen interest in mechanical engineering, he described himself as a "backstreet mechanic".

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Show of Hands</span> English acoustic roots/folk duo

Show of Hands is an English acoustic roots/folk duo formed in 1986 by singer-songwriter Steve Knightley and composer and multi-instrumentalist Phil Beer. Joined by singer and double-bassist Miranda Sykes for a tour in 2004, Show of Hands continued to regularly perform as a trio with Sykes, as well as in their original format. The line-up was further expanded in 2019 by the addition of Irish percussionist Cormac Byrne.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Steve Knightley</span> English singer, songwriter and acoustic musician (born 1954)

Steve Knightley is an English singer, songwriter and acoustic musician. Since 1992 he has been one half of folk/roots duo Show of Hands along with Phil Beer. Knightley was named "Songwriter of the Nineties" by BBC Radio 6 Music in 2012.

"Barrett's Privateers" is a modern folk song in the style of a sea shanty, written and performed by Canadian musician Stan Rogers, having been inspired after a song session with the Friends of Fiddler's Green at the Northern Lights Festival Boréal in Sudbury, Ontario. The song describes a 1778 summer privateering journey to the Caribbean on a decrepit sloop, the Antelope, captained by Elcid Barrett; when it engages in a failed raid on a larger American ship, the Antelope sinks and all the crew is killed except the singer, who returns six years later "a broken man", having lost both his legs in the disaster. Although Barrett, the Antelope and other specific instances mentioned in the song are fictional, "Barrett's Privateers" is full of many authentic details of privateering in the late 18th century.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">All Time Low</span> American rock band

All Time Low is an American rock band from Towson, Maryland, formed in 2003. Consisting of lead vocalist and rhythm guitarist Alex Gaskarth, lead guitarist Jack Barakat, bassist/backing vocalist Zack Merrick, and drummer Rian Dawson, the band took its name from lyrics in the song "Head on Collision" by New Found Glory. The band has consistently done year-long tours, headlined numerous tours, and has appeared at music festivals including Warped Tour, Reading and Leeds, and Soundwave.

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

The Storys were a Welsh rock band from Swansea, Wales, active from 2003 to 2010. Their main influence was 1970s US West Coast country rock bands.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Lucy Meacock</span> British journalist and presenter

Lucy Meacock is an English journalist and broadcaster. She is best known for her work in the North West of England as a main anchor of the ITV regional news programme, Granada Reports between 1988 and 2024.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Paul McCartney</span> English musician and member of the Beatles (born 1942)

Sir James Paul McCartney is an English singer, songwriter and musician who gained worldwide fame with the Beatles, for whom he played bass guitar and shared primary songwriting and lead vocal duties with John Lennon. One of the most successful composers and performers of all time, McCartney is known for his melodic approach to bass-playing, versatile and wide tenor vocal range, and musical eclecticism, exploring genres ranging from pre–rock and roll pop to classical, ballads, and electronica. His songwriting partnership with Lennon is the most successful in modern music history.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Chris While</span> English singer-songwriter

Chris While is an English songwriter, singer and musician, known particularly for her vocals and live performances. She has worked as a solo artist, a songwriter and as a member of a number of duos and groups. Her music is often classified as English folk, but contains strong American influences.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Seven Seas (song)</span> 1984 single by Echo & the Bunnymen

"Seven Seas" is a single by the English rock band Echo & the Bunnymen, which was released on 6 July 1984 by Korova. It was the third single to be released from their fourth studio album Ocean Rain (1984). It reached number 16 on the UK Singles Chart and number 10 on the Irish Singles Chart.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mumford & Sons</span> British folk rock band

Mumford & Sons are a British folk rock band formed in London in 2007. The band consists of Marcus Mumford, Ted Dwane, and Ben Lovett.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">The Bloody Beetroots</span> Italian electronic music project

The Bloody Beetroots is an Italian electronic music project of musician and producer Bob Rifo. Established in late 2006, the Bloody Beetroots were initially a duo consisting of Bob Rifo and Tommy Tea, who later left in 2012.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Steph Fraser</span> Musical artist

Stephanie Fraser, is an English folk rock, singer-songwriter from Lancashire, England.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">The Bad Shepherds</span> English folk band starring Adrian Edmondson and Troy Donockley

The Bad Shepherds were an English folk band, formed by the comedian Adrian Edmondson in 2008. They played folk punk songs with traditional folk instruments. The band primarily consisted of Edmondson and Troy Donockley.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Blackbeard's Tea Party</span> British folk rock band

Blackbeard's Tea Party are a contemporary folk rock band based in York, England. The five-piece band plays a mix of traditional folk songs as well as covers of more recent songs from the folk genre. They are also known for their instrumental arrangements of traditional and modern folk tunes, as well as self-penned material. Blackbeard's Tea Party function as both a concert and ceilidh band and have become well known on the English festival circuit, having performed at mainstream festivals including the Glastonbury Festival, Larmer Tree Festival & Bingley Music Live, as well as folk festivals such as Fairport's Cropredy Convention, Towersey Festival and the Cambridge, Bromyard, Shrewsbury & Sidmouth folk festivals.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Crywank</span> English anti-folk band

Crywank is an English anti-folk band based out of Manchester, England. The band is a trio consisting of vocalist/guitarist and founder Jay Clayton, drummer Dan Watson, who joined in 2012 and bassist Jules Noel, who joined in 2024. Allmusic describes their body of work as containing "sadness, paranoia, misery, and dry humor", comparing them to AJJ or 'a sarcastic Bright Eyes'. The group have independently released eight full length albums. They have previously toured the UK, Ireland, Mainland Europe, Russia, South East Asia, South America, Australia, New Zealand, US, Mexico and Canada.

References

  1. Aitch, Iain (19 May 2007). "Masters of parody". The Guardian. Guardian News and Media. Retrieved 1 March 2008.
  2. 1 2 3 Taylor, Paul (7 August 2007). "Folk's t'internet sensations". Manchester Evening News. M.E.N. Media. Archived from the original on 25 October 2007. Retrieved 1 March 2008.
  3. "Big Interview - The Lancashire Hotpots". The Lancashire Post. 31 October 2008. Retrieved 21 October 2018.
  4. "Lancashire Hotpots drummer found dead". St Helens Star. Newsquest Media Group. 13 May 2010. Retrieved 27 May 2011.
  5. "Emmet". Sthelensreporter.co.uk. Retrieved 4 September 2016.
  6. "The Lancashire Hotpots are such funny folk". Lancashire Life. 23 December 2009. Retrieved 21 October 2018.
  7. "MoPed - Clocks". YouTube. 11 January 2009. Archived from the original on 21 December 2021. Retrieved 4 September 2016.
  8. "Moped live on Radio 1". YouTube. 30 July 2006. Archived from the original on 21 December 2021. Retrieved 4 September 2016.
  9. "Interview: The Lancashire Hotpots". Lancashire Telegraph. 25 February 2008. Retrieved 4 September 2016.
  10. Wallwork, Melanie (29 June 2015). "Folk comedy group The Lancashire Hotpots ready for sell-out gig at The Met in Bury". Bury Times. Retrieved 21 October 2018.
  11. "Photographic image" (JPG). Cdn.glastonburyfestivals.co.uk. Retrieved 21 January 2018.
  12. "Kendal Calling Artists". Kendalcalling.co.uk. Retrieved 22 January 2018.
  13. "2016 Lineup - Y Not Festival". Ynotfestivals.co.uk. Archived from the original on 6 September 2016. Retrieved 2 September 2016.
  14. "Carfest North 2014". Efestivals.co.uk. Retrieved 2 September 2016.
  15. "The Beat-Herder Festival - Dates T.B.C." Beatherder.co.uk. Retrieved 2 September 2016.
  16. "The Lancashire Hotpots - DIBNAH Live On BBC2". YouTube. 30 March 2016. Archived from the original on 21 December 2021. Retrieved 2 September 2016.
  17. "Lancashire Hotpots in trouble with International Olympics Committee". www.burnleyexpress.net. Retrieved 12 January 2020.
  18. "The Beer Olymp*cs - A Statement". The Lancashire Hotpots. Retrieved 2 September 2016.