Sinister: Hurrah! (longish)

[Hopkins, Tim]

If you don't want to read my views about the once-great P!O!P! group
Hurrah!, then stop reading. But Adam asked about Hurrah!'s best stuff...

Bit of a sad story, really.

Sons of the (then) very depressed North-East  of England, Hurrah signed to
Kitchenware, home to such Geordie luminaries as The Kane Gang, The Daintees
and Prefab Sprout (later, King Cathal Coughlan of course, but that's another
issue). All of these bands had their moments, but Hurrah! were the ace in
the pack, no doubt. 

The first four singles on Kitchenware, 'The Sun Shines Here'. 'Hip Hip',
Who'd Have Thought' and 'Gloria' are all spankingly sparkling prime pop gems
which no self respecting person of taste should find themselves without.
(Almost all of these songs were collected on the mini LP 'Boxed'.)

There were various trials and tribulations, they nearly signed to a major
label a few times (as I remember). I believe that Hurrah!, like the Go
Betweens, signed to UK Elektra (what an A&R dept *that* must have been), but
UK Elektra went under and the bands found themselves dropped pretty much
unceremoniously).

Then...nothing, for what seemed like ages. Horrible tales of them having
sold their guitars to pay for food. And a reappearance on Kitchenware
through Arista Records (of all labels), all buffed up and mid Atlantic and
classic rock iconography and bad leather jackets and (worst of all) coming
over all proud of it, eschewing P!O!P! past and...oh god, I think their
press even called the the Last Great Rock Band. It was horrible.

That album, 'Tell God I'm Here', had lots of songs which had sounded
brilliant live or in demo form, but which had been run through thr rocknroll
mincer and come out sounding coompletely uninteresting. Not long after
'TGIH', Kevin Pearce, Hurrah!'s number one fan and most eloquent advocate,
released a cassette-recorded (I think) LP of a live date they played when
the still burned, 'Way Ahead' (Esurient Communications). Kevin swore he had
permission from Kitchenware to release it. Kitchenware/Arista denied all
knowledge. No doubt it got in the way of their carefully-constructed release
schedule, their plot to take Hurrah! to the very to of the rock tree.

Which really worked, didn't it?

'Tell God I'm Here' and the last LP, 'The Beautiful' (anything but...) are
interesting for archival reasons, I reckon, textbook examples of how not to
behave when signing to a major record label. I dunno, maybe they thought
corporate rock was their only way of getting any sort of payday after years
of being skint and making some of the best music anywhere. Whatever,  they
managed to alienate most of their old fans and failed to win many new ones.

I sort of lose track here, there were singles and comebacks and this and
that I guess, but it never really happened again. Too damn late.

Creation's reissue arm, Rev-Ola, issued a CD, 'The Sound Of Philadelphia',
which reflects how it was, when it *was*. Pretty much all the stuff from
those first four singles, plus demos and radio sessions and stuff.
If you're the sort of musical listener who wants their music vacuum-packed
and CD-shiny, then perhaps this is the package for you. Otherwise, I'd
recommend you start at the singles or an old copy of 'Boxed' (you can still
find them for pennies if you search hard enough). The P!O!P! should shine
through the crackles sure enough. and hey! If you don't like it then give it
away or throw it out...you won't be burdened with the lifetime's commitment
of having a CD. 

Sorry for boring you, if that bored you. But you can't say I didn't warn
you. Apologies for any historical inaccuracies.

Bye for now,

Tim

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