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 group for a session in 1981 before they 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 follower 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. [1]

Festive Fifty Entries

• 1982 Festive Fifty: Conspiracy #47

Sessions

The Higsons - Peel Session 1982

1. Recorded: 1981-05-27. Broadcast: 01 June 1981. Repeated: 24 June 1981, 19 August 1981, 28 December 1981, 02 June 1982

• (I Don't Want To Live With) Monkeys / Got To Let This Heat Out / A Dash To The Shops / Surrender

2. Recorded: 1981-10-21. Broadcast: 04 November 1981. Repeated: 30 December 1981,

• We Will Never Grow Old / Conspiracy / Where Have All The Club A-Go-Go's Went? / Touch Down

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,

• John Peel's New Sig Tune / You Should Have Run Me Down / Gangway / Annie And Billy / Put The Punk Back Into Funk

4. Recorded: 1983-05-09. Broadcast: 22 June 1983. Repeated: 11 July 1983

• Push Out The Boat / Clanking My Bucket / Round And Round / Attack Of The Cannibal Businessman

5. Recorded: 1984-06-13. Broadcast: 25 June 1984. Repeated: 12 July 1984

• Walk On Water / 1958 / Keep The Fire Alight / It's A Wonderful Life

Other Shows Played

THE HIGSONS - I DON'T WANT TO LIVE WITH MONKEYS

1981

• 16 April 1981: My Love Is Bent (At Both Ends) (v/a album - Norwich - A Fine City) Romans In Britain NERO 1
• 23 April 1981 (BFBS): My Love Is Bent (At Both Ends) (v/a album - Norwich - A Fine City) Romans In Britain NERO 1
• 27 April 1981: We Will Never Grow Old (v/a album - Norwich - A Fine City) Romans In Britain NERO 1
• Liverpool's Night Of Victory: 'My Love Is Bent (At Both Ends) (v/a album - Norwich - A Fine City) Romans In Britain NERO 1
• 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 NERO 1
• 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
• 14 December 1981: It Goes Waap (7") Waap
• 17 December 1981 (BBC World Service): It Goes Waap (7" - The Lost And The Lonely) Waap

The Higsons - Conspiracy

1982

• 05 January 1982 / Karl's Tape 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
• 25 February 1982: Conspiracy (7") Waap WAAP 2
• 27 February 1982 (BFBS): Conspiracy (7") Waap
• 27 February 1982 (BFBS): Touch Down
• 01 March 1982: Conspiracy (7") Waap WAAP 2
• Karl's Tape 02 - March 1982: Conspiracy (7") Waap
• John Peel 1982 edited 2: Ylang Ylang (7" - Tear The Whole Thing Down) Two-Tone CHS TT 21
• 05 August 1982 (BBC World Service): Tear The Whole Thing Down (7") Two-Tone
• September 1982 (BBC World Service): Tear The Whole Thing Down (7") Two-Tone
• 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

1983

• 26 February 1983 (BFBS): Run Me Down (7") Two-Tone CHS TT 24
• 26 February 1983 (BFBS): Put The Punk Back Into Funk (7" - Run Me Down) Two-Tone CHS TT 24
• 15 November 1983: Push Out The Boat (7") Waap
• 29 November 1983 / Karl's Tape - November 1983: Push Out The Boat (7") Waap
• 30 November 1983 (BFBS): Push Out The Boat (7") Waap 4
• 03 December 1983 (BFBS): Push Out The Boat (7") Waap 4
• 08 December 1983: Push Out The Boat (7") Waap 4
• 12 December 1983: Got To Let This Heat Out (7") Waap
• 21 December 1983 (BFBS): Push Out The Boat (7") Waap 4

1984

• ß9 May 1984 (BFBS): Push Out The Boat (7") Waap 4
• 10 September 1984 / Peel Aug-Sep 1984: Music To Watch Girls By
• 16 October 1984: Where Have All The Club-A-Go-Gos Went Went? (LP - The Curse Of The Higsons) Upright

1990

• 27 January 1990 (BFBS) / Peel 132 (BFBS): 'I Don't Want To Live With Monkeys! (7")' (Romans In Britain)

1992

• 18 April 1992: 'My Love Is Bent At Both Ends (Various Artists LP - Norwich A Fine City)' (Romans In Britain Records)

1993

• 06 February 1993: Conspiracy (7") Waap WAAP 2

1995

• 02 June 1995 / Dat 081: ‘I Don't Want To Live With Monkeys (LP-Attack Of The Cannibal Zombie Businessmen)’ Waap

1996

• 22 July 1996: (I Don't Want To Live With) Monkeys (John Peel's Classic Sessions)

1998

• 29 April 1998: Got To Let This Heat Out (CD - It's A Wonderful Life ) Hux Records

2002

• 05 February 2002: 'The Junk Keeps Piling Up (CD: The Curse Of The Higsons)' (Sartorial)

External Links

• Wikipedia
• Discogs
• 2-Tone Records
• Feature in Smash Hits, May 1982.