Electric biscuit

Never thought I'd write a post about them but it's nice to see Merseyside mavericks Half Man Half Biscuit are still going strong, at least on the live circuit. I never much cared for their music, championed and much revered by the late, great John Peel, but always found they had the best song and album titles back then, e.g. Back in the DHSS (indie album chart topper), Trumpton Riots, I Hate Nerys Hughes, All I Want For Christmas Is A Dukla Prague Away Kit etc.

The band has now been newly brought to my attention thanks to a live cover version of fellow-scousers OMD's Electricity ("nu-clear and H-E-P!") which is actually not half bad with some nifty guitar work replacing the tinkling keyboard lines of the McCluskey/Humphreys debut single.
Download here.

For those interested full Half Man Half Biscuit gig available from Burning World.

OMD: half Humphreys half McCluskey

Republic Techniques

Bootleg album find of the day award goes to New Order's Electronic Ecstasy : corny title and ghastly sleeve (not shown) disguise a fantastic recording of a very tight performance from Reading festival summer 1993. The Republic album was not everyone's favourite (their first after the Factory 'split') but many songs are performed well here - Regret, Ruined in a Day, Everyone Everywhere - as well as a few 'favourites' such as True Faith and Perfect Kiss to please the crowd. Others such as the ravey 'Fine Time' or even 'Perfect Kiss' should have been left in the studio as the live performance does nothing to enhance them; Blue Monday was and remains almost compulsory, although again this performance is a little shoddy mostly due to Hooky's rather brash anarchic bass line.

No-one is perfect but this bootleg is a real gem capturing New Order magnificently in those early pre-internet 90s.

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available through nitrofiles

We Have a Download

Download folder of the day.


Thanks to Pacman for pointing me in the right direction and to all those involved.