By For all you new-schoolers to the scene English alternative rock band The HouseMartins formed in Hull and were active in the 1980s. Many of The HouseMartins’ lyrics were a mixture of Marxist politics and Christianity, reflecting singer Paul Heaton’s beliefs at the time.
These pioneers of the British indie scene dawned before the time of The Smiths and Joy Division but didn’t get their big break until 1986 with their biggest hit ‘Happy Hour’; hitting the number three spot in the UK charts.
The band finally hit the number one spot with a Capella cover of ‘Caravan of Love’, originally created by Isley-Jasper-Isley.
Unfortunately the band split in 1988 on good terms spending the next few years helping each other out with musical projects. The biggest future success from the group was Bassist Norman Cook who went onto become the notorious Fatboy Slim. On the other hand Heaton, Hemingway and former roadie Sean Welch formed ‘The Beautiful South’.
Now wasn’t that a nice history lesson worth reading about? Below is regarded, as their most well-know songs ‘Caravan Of Love’.
By George O’Dell
