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Hipsway

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Hipsway
Pim Jones and Grahame Skinner of Hipsway San Francisco, California, US
Pim Jones and Grahame Skinner of Hipsway
San Francisco, California, US
Background information
OriginGlasgow, Scotland
Genres
Years active1984–1989, 2016–present
LabelsMercury
Past membersJohnny McElhone
Grahame Skinner
Pim Jones
Harry Travers
Stephen Ferrera
Gary Houston

Hipsway are a Scottish pop/new wave band.

History and description

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The band was formed in Glasgow in 1984 by ex-Altered Images guitarist Johnny McElhone on bass, and featuring Grahame Skinner (vocals), Pim Jones (guitar) and Harry Travers (drums).[1] Skinner and Travers had been members of the band Kites with Paul McGrath and Ian McGreevy before Hipsway formed. Their music was characterized by Skinner's deep vocals and Jones' rhythmic guitar style. They were quickly signed up by Mercury Records and by 1985 had released their first, eponymously titled album.[1] The album was a moderate success on the UK Albums Chart; while the single "The Honeythief", made number 17 on the UK Singles Chart,[3] and also reached the top 20 on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100 chart. Another song from the album, "Tinder", became well known in Scotland as the soundtrack to a McEwan's Lager commercial.

However the band failed to build on its success; McElhone founded Texas,[4] and by the time the second album Scratch the Surface was recorded, Travers had also left (to be replaced by Stephen Ferrera).[1] Released in 1989, the album was not as critically or commercially successful as its predecessor, and the band split up shortly afterwards.[1]

Skinner and Jones subsequently went on to found the band Witness, releasing the album House Called Love (A&M), before Skinner joined former members of Glasgow peers Love and Money in the band, Cowboy Mouth.[1] Pim Jones later formed Big Yoga Muffin with Ange Dolittle, formerly of Eat, releasing one album, Wherever You Go, There You Are (2000, The Echo Label).

In 2011, Grahame Skinner formed the band Skinner with Douglas MacIntyre (Love & Money, Cowboy Mouth and Sugartown), Gordon Wilson (Love & Money and Cowboy Mouth) and Andy Alston (Del Amitri).

In November 2016, Hipsway reformed, playing at Summerhall, Edinburgh then two dates at Glasgow O2 ABC, in support of the 30th anniversary deluxe reissue of their first album. As a result of the positive reception to the re-issue and the 2016 shows, the band played a limited number of gigs in 2017 and 2018, including sell-out shows at the reopened Glasgow Kelvingrove Bandstand and the Barrowland Ballroom.

Hipsway's first album for almost 30 years, Smoke & Dreams, was released in late 2018.

Post-reformation touring/recording band members have included Jim McDermott (drums), Gary Houston (bass), Stevie Christie (keyboards), Andy May (keyboards), Andy Gillespie (keyboards), David Robertson (percussion) and Louise Murphy (vocals).

Discography

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Albums

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Title Album details Peak chart positions
UK
[5] 		GER
[6] 		NZ
[7] 		US
[8]
Hipsway 42 62 45 55
Scratch the Surface
  • Released: August 1989
  • Label: Mercury
  • Formats: CD, LP, MC
  • Reissued in 1997 as The Rest of Hipsway
 — — — —
Smoke & Dreams — — — —
"—" denotes releases that did not chart or were not released in that territory.

Singles

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Title Year Peak chart positions Album
UK
[5][3] 		AUS
[10][11] 		CAN
[12] 		IRE
[13] 		NZ
[14] 		US
[15] 		US Dance
[15]
"The Broken Years" 1985 72 — — — — — — Hipsway
"Ask the Lord" 72 — — — — — —
"The Honeythief" 1986 17 91 49 20 26 19 9
"Ask the Lord" (new version) 50 — — — — — 44
"Long White Car" 55 — — — — — —
"Your Love" 1989 66 103 — — — — — Scratch the Surface
"Saturday Night (Down in the Garden)" (promo-only release) 2019 — — — — — — — Smoke & Dreams
"—" denotes releases that did not chart or were not released in that territory.

References

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  1. ^ a b c d e f Ankeny, Jason. "Hipsway – Artist Biography". AllMusic. All Media Network. Retrieved 28 April 2016.
  2. ^ Sutton, Michael. "Sugartown – Artist Biography". AllMusic. All Media Network. Retrieved 28 April 2016.
  3. ^ a b Roberts, David (2006). British Hit Singles & Albums (19th ed.). London: Guinness World Records Limited. p. 253. ISBN 1-904994-10-5.
  4. ^ Colin Larkin, ed. (1992). The Guinness Who's Who of Indie and New Wave Music (First ed.). Guinness Publishing. p. 136. ISBN 0-85112-579-4.
  5. ^ a b "HIPSWAY | full Official Chart History | Official Charts Company". www.officialcharts.com. Retrieved 11 February 2022.
  6. ^ "Suche - Offizielle Deutsche Charts". www.offiziellecharts.de. Retrieved 11 February 2022.
  7. ^ "charts.org.nz - New Zealand charts portal". charts.nz. Retrieved 11 February 2022.
  8. ^ Whitburn, Joel (1996). Joel Whitburn's Top Pop Albums 1955–1996. Record Research. p. 347. ISBN 0898201179.
  9. ^ "Hipsway debut" (PDF). Music Week. 5 April 1986. p. 3. Retrieved 11 February 2022.
  10. ^ Kent, David (1993). Australian Chart Book 1970–1992 (illustrated ed.). St Ives, N.S.W.: Australian Chart Book. p. 139. ISBN 0-646-11917-6.
  11. ^ Under, Bubbling Down. "Week commencing 3 July 1989". Retrieved 11 February 2022.
  12. ^ "Image : RPM Weekly". www.bac-lac.gc.ca. 17 July 2013. Retrieved 11 February 2022.
  13. ^ "The Irish Charts - All there is to know". irishcharts.ie. Retrieved 11 February 2022.
  14. ^ "charts.org.nz - New Zealand charts portal". charts.nz. Retrieved 11 February 2022.
  15. ^ a b "Hipsway Songs ••• Top Songs / Chart Singles Discography ••• Music VF, US & UK hits charts". www.musicvf.com. Retrieved 11 February 2022.
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