Higsons

The Higsons were an English funk-punk band founded in 1980 at East Anglia Polytechnic in Norwich. They released several singles and one studio album in 1984 called The Curse Of The Higsons before splitting up in 1986. The band consisted of Charlie Higson: Lead Vocals, Harmonica, Piano; Terry Edwards: Guitar, Trumpet, Sax, Piano, Vocals; Simon Charterton: Drums, Vocals; Dave Cummings: Guitar, Vocals; Colin Williams: Bass, Vocals and Stuart McGeachin: Guitar, Vocals. Vocalist Charlie Higson later founded fame as a comedy writer and actor in The Fast Show.

Links To Peel
Peel was a fan of the band and was amazed that anyone in the Norwich area was making music, that he invited the band in for a session in 1981 before the group released their first record. The band did 5 sessions for Peel's show and singer Charlie Higson later was the main writer for the Fast Show, which Peel was a fan of. In an article on the Radio Times published on 20th October 2015, Charlie Higson stated that John Peel's regular column on the magazine saved the Fast Show from being axed after the first series, because he was a fan:


 * "It was John Peel’s column. Peel was a big supporter of The Fast Show in it – that’s why we got a second series.”

The radio DJ wrote a column in Radio Times for almost a decade, until his death in 2004. The Fast Show ran from 1994 until 1997.

Festive Fifty Entries

 * 1982 Festive Fifty: Conspiracy #47

Sessions
1. Recorded: 1981-05-27. Broadcast: 01 June 1981. Repeated: 24 June 1981, 19 August 1981, 28 December 1981 2. Recorded: 1981-10-21. Broadcast: 04 November 1981. Repeated: 30 December 1981, Shambiko! Say Wah! 1982 3. Recorded: 1982-09-22. Broadcast: 11 October 1982. Repeated: 28 October 1982, Karl's Tape Mid October 1982, 22 December 1982, Kid Bryan:The Higsons, Kid Bryan And The Farmers Boys / Higsons 1982, 4. Recorded: 1983-05-09. Broadcast: 22 June 1983 5. Recorded: 1984-06-13. Broadcast: 25 June 1984. Repeated: 12 July 1984
 * (I Don't Want To Live With) Monkeys / Got To Let This Heat Out / A Dash To The Shops / Surrender
 * We Will Never Grow Old / Conspiracy / Where Have All The Club A-Go-Go's Went? / Touch Down
 * John Peel's New Sig Tune / You Should Have Run Me Down / Gangway / Annie And Billy / Put The Punk Back Into Funk
 * Push Out The Boat / Clanking My Bucket / Round And Round / Attack Of The Cannibal Businessman
 * Walk On Water / 1958 / Keep The Fire Alight / It's A Wonderful Life

Other Shows Played
1981
 * 16 April 1981: 'My Love Is Bent (At Both Ends) (Compilation LP-Welcome To Norwich A Fine City)' (Romans In Britain)
 * 27 April 1981: We Will Never Grow Old (LP – Norwich - A Fine City) Romans In Britain
 * Liverpool's Night Of Victory: 'My Love Is Bent (At Both Ends) (Compilation LP-Welcome To Norwich A Fine City)' (Romans In Britain)
 * 14 July 1981: (I Don't Want To Live With) Monkeys (7") Romans In Britain
 * 04 August 1981: I Don't Want To Live With Monkeys (7") Romans In Britain
 * 11 August 1981: My Love Is Bent (At Both Ends) (v/a album - Norwich - A Fine City) Romans In Britain
 * 16 November 1981: It Goes Waap (b/w 'The Lost And The Lonely' 7") Waap
 * Karl's Tape November 1981: The Lost And The Lonely (7") Waap

1982
 * 14 December 1981: It Goes Waap (7") Waap
 * 05 January 1982 / Karl'sTape 01 - January 1982: 'It Goes Waap! (12"-Got To Let This Heat Out)' (Waap)
 * 11 January 1982: Got To Let This Heat Out (12") Waap


 * 25 January 1982: Got To Let This Heat Out (12") Waap
 * 22 February 1982: 'Conspiracy (7 inch)' (Waap)
 * 23 February 1982 / Karl's Tape - Mid-Late February 1982: Touchdown (b/w 7" - Conspiracy) Waap
 * 27 February 1982 (BFBS): Unknown

1983
 * Karl's Tape 02 - March 1982: Conspiracy (7") Waap
 * Karl's Tape Early November 1982: Tear The Whole Thing Down (7") Two-Tone
 * 15 November 1982: Tear The Whole Thing Down (7") Two Tone
 * 15 December 1982: 'Conspiracy (7 inch)' (Waap) FF #47
 * 15 November 1983: Push Out The Boat (7") Waap

1984
 * 29 November 1983 / Karl's Tape - November 1983: Push Out The Boat (7") Waap
 * 08 December 1983: Push Out The Boat (7") Waap
 * 12 December 1983: Got To Let This Heat Out (7") Waap
 * 10 September 1984 / Peel Aug-Sep 1984: Music To Watch Girls By

1990 1992 1995 1998 2002
 * 16 October 1984: Where Have All The Club-A-Go-Gos Went Went? (LP - The Curse Of The Higsons) Upright
 * 27 January 1990 (BFBS) / Peel 132 (BFBS): 'I Don't Want To Live With Monkeys! (7")' (Romans In Britain)
 * 18 April 1992: 'My Love Is Bent At Both Ends (Various Artists LP - Norwich A Fine City)' (Romans In Britain Records)
 * 02 June 1995 / Dat 081: ‘I Don't Want To Live With Monkeys (LP-Attack Of The Cannibal Zombie Businessmen)’ Waap
 * 29 April 1998: Got To Let This Heat Out (CD - It's A Wonderful Life ) Hux Records
 * 05 February 2002: 'The Junk Keeps Piling Up (CD: The Curse Of The Higsons)' (Sartorial)