Hefner



Hefner were a British indie rock and "urban folk" band formed in east London in 1995. They were active from about 1996 until 2002; since then they have played together only once, for a tribute to the DJ John Peel, who was a strong supporter … (read more at Wikipedia.)

Festive Fifty Entries
Hefner were the 20th most successful act in the history of Festive Fifty during Peel's lifetime, according to Mark Whitby in The Festive Fifty (Nevin Publishing, pg 144), using David Gedge's formula of one point for a 50th placing and 50 points for a chart-topper, additionally weighted to discount the effect of multiple entries of the same song in all-time lists.


 * 1998 Festive Fifty
 * Pull Yourself Together #43


 * 1999 Festive Fifty
 * The Hymn For The Cigarettes #2
 * The Hymn For The Alcohol #3
 * I Stole A Bride #22
 * I Took Her Love For Granted #32
 * Hymn For The Things We Didn't Do #49


 * 2000 Festive Fifty
 * The Greedy Ugly People #7
 * The Day That Thatcher Dies #12
 * Good Fruit #15
 * Painting And Kissing #44


 * 2001 Festive Fifty
 * Alan Beam #31

Sessions
Nine sessions. #1 was chosen for the Peel Sessions: The Best 125 list. #2 (gospel covers) was released as Revelations (Top Dog, 2000), #5 on the double CD single The Greedy Ugly People (Too Pure, 2000) and #6 (live at Maida Vale) as Maida Vale (Belka Records, 2006).

1. Recorded: 1998-09-27. First broadcast: 13 October 1998.
 * The Science Fiction / I Stole The Bride /You Need A Mess Of Help To Stand Alone / Lisa And Me

2. Recorded: 1999-01-17. First broadcast: 03 March 1999. Repeated 17 June 1999.
 * (Gospel Covers session): Nobody Knows / Dragnet For Jesus / Better Things For You / Turkle Dove

3. Recorded: live at Peel Acres. First broadcast: 12 August 1999
 * We Love The City / Hold Me Closer Tonight / Down Street / Seafaring / Good Fruit

4. Recorded: live from Maida Vale (Christmas special). First broadcast: 08 December 1999.
 * Lonely This Christmas

5. Recorded: 2000-02-16. First broadcast: 28 March 2000. Repeated 12 April 2000.
 * Don't Give Up / Kate Cleaver’s House / Milkmaids / Everything Is Falling Apart (first broadcast on repeat)

6. Recorded: live at Maida Vale. First broadcast: 23 August 2000.
 * Your Head To Your Toes / The Greater London Radio / Don’t Flake Out On Me / Good Fruit / The Greedy Ugly People / The Cure For Evil / Don't Go / She Can’t Sleep No More / The Day That Thatcher Dies / The Sad Witch

7. Recorded: 2000-12-13. First broadcast: 19 December 2000 (25 years of the Festive 50 special).
 * Hymn For The Alcohol

8. Recorded: 2000-11-29. First broadcast: 16 January 2001. Repeated: 11 April 2001.
 * King Of Summer / Peppermint Taste / Can't Help Losing You / The Nights Are Long

9. Recorded: 2001-09-09. First broadcast: 11 December 2001.
 * Gabriel In The Airport / New French Tits / The Pines / Anne And Bill

Live
As noted noted above, Hefner played a live session at Peel Acres (#3), a full live session at Maida Vale (#6) as well as live at Maida Vale twice at special events (#4 and #7). In addition, the following live non-session sets by the band were broadcast on the Peel show.


 * 28 October 1998: live set from Newcastle University
 * 1) (please add tracklisting details if known)


 * 25 October 1999: live from L2, Sound City Liverpool
 * 1) We Love The City
 * 2) Hello Kitten
 * 3) Hymn To The Alcohol
 * 4) Blind Girl With Halo
 * 5) Twisting Mary's Arm


 * 11 January 2000 (live set from Gronigen) Recorded: 2000-01-07.
 * 1) Hello Kitten
 * 2) Sad Witch
 * 3) Greedy Ugly People
 * 4) Librarian
 * 5) Hymn For The Alcohol
 * 6) Don't Flake Out On Me
 * 7) Painting & Kissing
 * 8) Hymn For The Coffee
 * 9) Sweetness
 * 10) Twisting Mary's Arm


 * 01 November 2001: live from the Medicine Bar, Birmingham. No known commercial release.
 * 1) The Nights Are Long
 * 2) Don't Go
 * 3) Pull Yourself Together
 * 4) The Hymn For The Alcohol
 * 5) Alan Bean
 * 6) China Crisis
 * 7) The Greater London Radio
 * 8) Painting And Kissing
 * 9) I Stole A Bride
 * 10) The Sad Witch
 * 11) I Love Only You
 * 12) Hello Kitten
 * 13) The Hymn For The Cigarettes

Other Shows Played

 * 1998


 * 16 June 1998: A Hymn For The Postal Service (LP-Breaking God's Heart) Too Pure
 * 18 June 1998: The Sad Witch (CD-Breaking God's Heart) Too Pure
 * 23 June 1998: The Librarian (CD-Breaking God's Heart) Too Pure
 * 24 June 1998 (BFBS): A Hymn For The Postal Service (LP-Breaking God's Heart) Too Pure
 * 01 July 1998 (BFBS): The Sad Witch (CD-Breaking God's Heart) Too Pure (JP: “I have to be honest with you, in a way, I didn't really want to like this LP, because somebody whose opinion I don't normally respect much has been telling me how wonderful it is. But I'm only three tracks into it and those three tracks, each one of them is wonderful, I have to say.”)
 * 22 September 1998: An Evening With Hefner (12”) Inertia
 * 22 December 1998: Pull Yourself Together (CD single) Too Pure FF#43 (JP: “I can't remember that I actually played that when it first came out, but I'm playing it now because it's number 43 in the Festive Fifty, your choice of your favourite tracks of the year.”)


 * 1999
 * 03 February 1999: The Hymn For The Alcohol (Single) Sticky
 * 14 February 1999 (BFBS): The Hymn For The Alcohol (7") Sticky
 * 04 May 1999: The Weight Of The Stars (CD-The Fidelity Wars) Too Pure
 * 05 May 1999: I Took Her Love For Granted (LP - The Fidelity Wars) Too Pure
 * 11 May 1999: Every Little Gesture (LP - The Fidelity Wars) Too Pure
 * 20 May 1999: I Took Her Love For Granted (LP - The Fidelity Wars) Too Pure
 * 27 May 1999: The Weight Of The Stars (CD-The Fidelity Wars) Too Pure
 * 09 June 1999: You Need A Mess Of Help To Stand Alone (EP – Hymn For The Cigarettes) Too Pure
 * 07 July 1999: May God Protect Your Home (CD-The Fidelity Wars) Too Pure
 * 15 July 1999: Took Her Love For Granted (CD-The Fidelity Wars) Too Pure
 * 20 July 1999: The Weight Of The Stars (LP – The Fidelity Wars) Too Pure
 * 11 August 1999: The Weight Of The Stars (CD-The Fidelity Wars) Too Pure
 * 06 October 1999: A Belly Full Of Babies (CDS-I Took Her Love For Granted) Too Pure
 * 10 October 1999 (BFBS): A Belly Full Of Babies (CDS-I Took Her Love For Granted) Too Pure
 * 13 October 1999: To Hide A Little Thought (CDS-I Took Her Love For Granted) Too Pure (A Jonathan Richman cover, originally recorded for Steve Lamacq's show (1999-04-12))
 * 25 November 1999: My Art College Days Are Over (EP-Canciones Huerfanas (Orphan Songs))
 * 21 December 1999: Wicker Girl (CD-Canciones Huerfanas) Everlasting
 * 23 December 1999: Hymn For The Things We Didn't Do (EP-The Hefner Heart) Ovni FF#49
 * 23 December 1999: I Took Her Love For Granted (CD-The Fidelity Wars) Too Pure FF#32
 * 27 December 1999 (BFBS): Normal Molly (CDS-The Sweetness Lies Within) Too Pure
 * 28 December 1999: I Stole A Bride (CD-The Fidelity Wars) Too Pure (after JP starts the previous track again by mistake) FF#22
 * 29 December 1999: The Hymn For The Alcohol (CD-The Fidelity Wars) Too Pure FF#3
 * 29 December 1999: The Hymn For The Cigarettes (CD-The Fidelity Wars) Too Pure FF#2

(JP: "Track originally recorded for a session for this show; a chart bound sound we like to think. ... That was Hefner, and this is Hefner.")
 * 2000
 * 13 January 2000: Nobody Knows (CDS-Revelations!) Top Dog
 * 18 January 2000: Dragnet For Jesus (EP-Revelations!) Top Dog
 * 19 January 2000: He Got Better Things For You (EP-Revelations!) Top Dog
 * 25 January 2000: Turkle Dove (EP-Revelations!) Top Dog
 * 30 January 2000 (BFBS): Turkle Dove (CDS-Revelations!) Top Dog
 * 01 February 2000: Nobody Knows (EP-Revelations!) Top Dog
 * 03 February 2000: Hello Kitten (LP: Boxing Hefner) white label
 * 07 February 2000 (BFBS): Nobody Knows (CDS-Revelations!) Top Dog
 * 09 February 2000: Pull Yourself Together (LP - Boxing Hefner) white label
 * 10 February 2000: Christian Girls (single) Too Pure
 * 13 February 2000 (BFBS): Christian Girls (single) Too Pure
 * 19 February 2000 (BFBS): Twisting Mary's Arm (CD-Boxing Hefner) Too Pure
 * 24 February 2000: The Science Fiction (LP - Boxing Hefner) Too Pure
 * 01 March 2000: He Got Better Things For You (EP - Revelations) Top Dog
 * 02 March 2000: Christian Girls (single) Too Pure
 * 29 June 2000: A Hymn For The Postal Service (LP-Breaking God's Heart) Too Pure
 * 20 July 2000: I Will Make Her Love Me (CD double single - Good Fruit) Too Pure
 * 25 July 2000: We Love The City (LP – We Love The City) Too Pure
 * 03 August 2000: We Love The City (LP – We Love The City) Too Pure
 * 08 August 2000: Painting And Kissing (LP - We Love The City) Too Pure
 * 09 August 2000: Greater London Radio (LP - We Love The City) Too Pure
 * 10 August 2000: As Soon As You're Ready (LP - We Love The City) Too Pure
 * 13 September 2000: Milkmaids (EP - The Greedy Ugly People) Too Pure
 * 20 September 2000: Kate Cleaver's House (EP: The Greedy Ugly People) Too Pure
 * 20 September 2000: An Evening With Hefner (LP: Residue) Inertia
 * 22 November 2000: Greater London Radio (CD: We Love The City) Too Pure
 * 26 December 2000: Painting And Kissing (CD-We Love The City) Too Pure FF#44
 * 27 December 2000: Half A Life (split 7 inch with Murry The Hump) Too Pure
 * 28 December 2000: Good Fruit (CD-We Love The City) Too Pure FF#15
 * 28 December 2000: The Day That Thatcher Dies (CD-We Love The City) Too Pure FF#12
 * 28 December 2000: The Greedy Ugly People (CD-We Love The City) Too Pure FF#7


 * 2001
 * 11 July 2001: When The Angels Play Their Drum Machines (LP - Dead Media) Too Pure
 * 18 July 2001: Alan Bean (single) Too Pure
 * 19 July 2001: (JP: “Twenty four hours ago my favourite track on the new Hefner LP was probably 'When The Angels Play Their Drum Machines'. But it's been supplanted in my affections by this.”) Peppermint Taste (LP - Dead Media) Too Pure (JP: “From the excellent LP 'Dead Media', that's Hefner - definitely a steel guitar on that - which is called 'Peppermint Taste'. One of the sad things about growing old is that you know you're never going to experience those kind of breathlessly exciting moments again.”)
 * 08 August 2001: Alan Bean (LP - Dead Media) Too Pure
 * 22 August 2001: Peppermint Taste (LP - Dead Media) Too Pure (JP: “Still my favourite track from the LP I think.”)
 * 23 August 2001:
 * 04 September 2001: Alan Bean (Rothko Remix) Too Pure
 * 06 September 2001: Trouble Kid (LP - Dead Media) Too Pure
 * 19 September 2001: King Of Summer (LP – Dead Media) Too Pure
 * 25 September 2001: Alan Bean (Remixed by Rothko) (7") Too Pure
 * 18 December 2001: Can’t Help Losing You (EP – The Hefner Brain) Too Pure
 * 20 December 2001: All I'll Ever Need (EP- The Hefner Brain) Too Pure
 * 26 December 2001: Alan Beam (CD-Dead Media) Too Pure #FF31


 * 2002


 * 10 January 2002: All I'll Ever Need (Too Pure)
 * 16 January 2002: When The Angels Play Their Drums Machines (Mothership Mix) Too Pure
 * 22 January 2002: Dark Hearted Discos (Too Pure)
 * 12 February 2002: When The Angels Play Their Drum Machines (EP - The Hefner Brain) Too Pure
 * 09 July 2002: Painting And Kissing (LP - Kick, Snare, Hats, Ride) Hefner
 * 01 August 2002: I Stole a Bride (LP - Kick, Snare, Hats, Ride) Hefner
 * 06 August 2002: Alan Bean (LP - Kick, Snare, Hats, Ride) Hefner