The Men They Couldn't Hang
Encyclopedia
The Men They Couldn't Hang (TMTCH) are a British folk punk
Folk punk
Folk punk , is a fusion of folk music and punk rock. It was pioneered in the late 1970s and early 1980s by The Pogues in Britain and Violent Femmes in America. Folk punk achieved some mainstream success in that decade...

 group. The original group consisted of Stefan Cush (Vocals, Guitar), Paul Simmonds (Guitar, Bouzouki, Mandolin, Keyboards), Philip "Swill" Odgers (Vocals, Guitar, Tin Whistle, Melodica), Jon Odgers (Drums, Percussion) and Shanne Bradley
Shanne Bradley
Shanne Bradley is a punk musician, songwriter, and artist. She founded a punk band The Nipple Erectors in 1976 playing bass guitar with Shane MacGowan on vocals, and cofounded The Men They Couldn't Hang in 1984...

 (Bass Guitar
Bass guitar
The bass guitar is a stringed instrument played primarily with the fingers or thumb , or by using a pick....

).

(1984-1991) Controversy and success

Their first single, "The Green Fields of France", was released in 1984. Written by Eric Bogle
Eric Bogle
Eric Bogle is a folk singer-songwriter. He emigrated to Australia in 1969 and currently resides near Adelaide, South Australia.-Career:...

 (of "And The Band Played Waltzing Matilda
And The Band Played Waltzing Matilda
"And The Band Played Waltzing Matilda" is a song written by Scottish-born Australian singer-songwriter Eric Bogle in 1971. The song describes war as futile and gruesome, while criticising those who seek to glorify it...

" fame), the song's protagonist imagined having a conversation with one of the fallen soldiers of World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...

 whilst sitting by his graveside. It received considerable airplay on the John Peel
John Peel
John Robert Parker Ravenscroft, OBE , known professionally as John Peel, was an English disc jockey, radio presenter, record producer and journalist. He was the longest-serving of the original BBC Radio 1 DJs, broadcasting regularly from 1967 until his death in 2004...

 show on BBC Radio 1
BBC Radio 1
BBC Radio 1 is a British national radio station operated by the British Broadcasting Corporation which also broadcasts internationally, specialising in current popular music and chart hits throughout the day. Radio 1 provides alternative genres after 7:00pm including electronic dance, hip hop, rock...

 and finished at Number 3 in Peel's Festive 50 for that year. It became a big hit on the UK Indie Chart
UK Indie Chart
The UK Independent Chart or Indie Chart is a chart of the best-selling independent record releases in the UK.- History :In the wake of punk, small record labels began to spring up, as an outlet for artists that were unwilling to sign contracts with major record companies, or were not considered...

.

The following year they were signed to the Demon label, which released their debut album, The Night of a Thousand Candles, and its accompanying single "Ironmasters", a self-penned number by main songwriter Simmonds, linking the Industrial Revolution
Industrial Revolution
The Industrial Revolution was a period from the 18th to the 19th century where major changes in agriculture, manufacturing, mining, transportation, and technology had a profound effect on the social, economic and cultural conditions of the times...

 to the present-day treatment of the working class. The original final line of the song - "and oh, that iron bastard, she still gets her way" (a reference to the then Prime Minister
Prime Minister of the United Kingdom
The Prime Minister of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland is the Head of Her Majesty's Government in the United Kingdom. The Prime Minister and Cabinet are collectively accountable for their policies and actions to the Sovereign, to Parliament, to their political party and...

 Margaret Thatcher
Margaret Thatcher
Margaret Hilda Thatcher, Baroness Thatcher, was Prime Minister of the United Kingdom from 1979 to 1990...

) had to be removed for the single version to ensure radio airplay. They were again named in Peel's yearly Festive 50, this time at Number 11. They followed this up with a new single not taken from the album, "Greenback Dollar", a cover of the song written by Hoyt Axton
Hoyt Axton
Hoyt Wayne Axton was an American country music singer-songwriter, and a film and television actor. He became prominent in the early 1960s, establishing himself on the West Coast as a folk singer with an earthy style and powerful voice. As he matured, some of his songwriting efforts became well...

 and made famous by The Kingston Trio
The Kingston Trio
The Kingston Trio is an American folk and pop music group that helped launch the folk revival of the late 1950s to late 1960s. The group started as a San Francisco Bay Area nightclub act with an original lineup of Dave Guard, Bob Shane, and Nick Reynolds...

. The single was produced by Nick Lowe
Nick Lowe
Nicholas Drain "Nick" Lowe , is an English singer-songwriter, musician and producer.A pivotal figure in UK pub rock, punk rock and new wave, Lowe has recorded a string of well-reviewed solo albums. Along with vocals, Lowe plays guitar, bass guitar, piano and harmonica...

.

In 1985 the band signed for MCA records and released How Green Is The Valley. The record included "Ghosts Of Cable Street", a political number concerning The Battle of Cable Street
Battle of Cable Street
The Battle of Cable Street took place on Sunday 4 October 1936 in Cable Street in the East End of London. It was a clash between the Metropolitan Police, overseeing a march by the British Union of Fascists, led by Oswald Mosley, and anti-fascists, including local Jewish, socialist, anarchist,...

 in 1936 and "Shirt Of Blue", which regarded the miners' strike of 1984-85. At the end of promotion for the album Shanne Bradley
Shanne Bradley
Shanne Bradley is a punk musician, songwriter, and artist. She founded a punk band The Nipple Erectors in 1976 playing bass guitar with Shane MacGowan on vocals, and cofounded The Men They Couldn't Hang in 1984...

 left to create music with Wreckless Eric
Wreckless Eric
Wreckless Eric is an English rock and roll/new wave singer-songwriter, best known for his 1977 single " Whole Wide World" on Stiff Records. More than two decades after its release, the song was included in Mojo magazine’s list of the best punk rock singles of all time...

 and The Chicken Family, she was replaced on bass by Ricky McGuire (ex UK Subs
UK Subs
The U.K. Subs are an English punk rock band, among the earliest in the first wave of British punk. Formed in 1976, the mainstay of the band has been vocalist Charlie Harper, originally a singer in Britain's R&B scene. They were also one of the first street punk bands.-Career:The U.K...

).

In 1987 the band switched to Magnet Records
Magnet Records
Magnet Records was a record label started in 1973 by Michael Levy and acquired by Warner Bros. Records in 1988 for an estimated £10m.Artists on the label included Alvin Stardust, Matchbox, Adrian Baker, Silver Convention, Guys 'n' Dolls, Darts, Kissing the Pink, Bad Manners, David D'Or, Blue Zoo...

 and the new record released was, what many fans consider their best Waiting For Bonaparte. Once again the strongest songs were stories of historical origin. "The Colours" told of an English mutineer sailor
Spithead and Nore mutinies
The Spithead and Nore mutinies were two major mutinies by sailors of the Royal Navy in 1797. There were also discontent and minor incidents on ships in other locations in the same year. They were not violent insurrections, being more in the nature of strikes, demanding better pay and conditions...

 during the Napoleonic War and "The Crest" a stretcher bearer during World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...

. Sadly whilst "The Colours" was at Number 61 in the British top 75 it was blacklisted by BBC Radio 1
BBC Radio 1
BBC Radio 1 is a British national radio station operated by the British Broadcasting Corporation which also broadcasts internationally, specialising in current popular music and chart hits throughout the day. Radio 1 provides alternative genres after 7:00pm including electronic dance, hip hop, rock...

 due to the line "You've Come Here To Watch Me Hang", which echoed the events happening in South African townships at the time, in particular the plight of the Sharpeville Six
Sharpeville Six
The Sharpeville Six were six South African protesters convicted of the murder of Deputy Mayor of Sharpeville, Kuzwayo Jacob Dlamini, and sentenced to death....

. However it didn't stop the album propelling the group to stardom in Europe.

In 1988 the band were on the move again and signed for new label Silvertone
Silvertone Records (1980)
Silvertone Records is a current British record label, owned by Zomba Music Group. The first and most famous signing to the label was The Stone Roses in the late 1980s, with whom they later had a lengthy legal battle. Other acts signed to the label during its history include Jars of Clay, The Men...

 (who later put out The Stone Roses
The Stone Roses
The Stone Roses are an English alternative rock band formed in Manchester in 1983. They were one of the pioneering groups of the Madchester movement that was active during the late 1980s and early 1990s...

' debut release). The band was joined by Nick Muir
Nick Muir
Nick Muir is a musician, composer and electronic music producer. He is best known as one half of the production team Bedrock, which consists of himself and DJ John Digweed, although he has enjoyed considerable success as an artist in his own right....

 (ex Fire Next Time) at this time on piano organ and accordion, who remained with the band during their time at Silvertone. Muir later found success as an electronic music producer and half of the duo Bedrock
Bedrock (producers)
Bedrock is a British trance and house production duo, featuring John Digweed and Nick Muir. They produced the singles "For What You Dream Of" , "Set In Stone" / "Forbidden Zone" , "Heaven Scent" and "Voices" , all of which reached the UK Singles Chart...

.

The band recorded two albums for Silvertone, the first being Silvertown. Highlights of Silvertown included "Rain, Steam and Speed", "A Place In The Sun" and "A Map Of Morocco". Silvertown was the only TMTCH album to reach the UK Top 40 album chart, peaking at #39. They followed this up in 1990 with "The Domino Club", which had a more conventional rock sound dispensing with much of the folk element.

In August 1990 the band supported David Bowie
David Bowie
David Bowie is an English musician, actor, record producer and arranger. A major figure for over four decades in the world of popular music, Bowie is widely regarded as an innovator, particularly for his work in the 1970s...

 in his concerts at the Milton Keynes Bowl, as part of his Sound and Vision World Tour.

Surprisingly the band split in 1991 after releasing the live album, Alive, Alive-O, a performance recorded at London's famous Town & Country Club
The Town & Country Club
The Town & Country Club was a 2,100 capacity theatre-style venue in Kentish Town in North London, England. The venue was built in 1934 and was originally an art deco cinema....

 which was later released as a DVD The Shooting by Cherry Red Records. Paul Simmonds and "Swill" Odgers then formed Liberty Cage who released an album, Sleep Of The Just, in 1994 and an EP, I'll Keep It With Mine, in 1995.

(1996-) Reformation

The band reformed in 1996, but minus drummer Jon Odgers who had become Therapy?
Therapy?
Therapy? is an alternative metal band from Northern Ireland. The band was formed in 1989 by guitarist–vocalist Andy Cairns from Ballyclare and drummer-vocalist Fyfe Ewing from Larne, Northern Ireland. The band initially recorded their first demo with Cairns filling in on bass guitar...

's drum technician. He was replaced by Kenny Harris of cult 80's band the Screaming Blue Messiahs. Their new CD was Never Born To Follow, released on the Demon label in 1996. The following year the band released the mini-album Big Six Pack. Two "Best Of" collections followed Majestic Grill and The Mud, The Blood And The Beer, both in 1998.

The band again withdrew into semi retirement during which Odgers and Simmonds again released new material together (this time under their own names), Baby Fishlips, (originally released under the pseudonym Preacher Jethro Brimstone and the Watermelon Kid) in 1999 and Folk At The Fortress, in 2002.

The band released a brand new CD in 2003 The Cherry Red Jukebox, which most fans agreed was a real return to form. In 2005 the band released two DVDs, Shooting, and 21 Years Of Love And Hate to celebrate 21 years together. This latter was later released as a live double CD Smugglers and Bounty Hunters.

During further breaks from the band Phil "Swill" Odgers released two CDs with his band "The Swaggerband", which includes Ricky McGuire and Jon Odgers, plus lyrical contribution from Paul Simmonds. The Day After, in 2004 and, Elvis Lives Here, on Irregular Records in 2006.

The group continue to play occasional live concerts, their next planned release is an acoustic folk orientated CD, including the reworking of several popular old songs from their back catalogue. On 19 October 2006 the band announced on their web-site titles of five new tracks they are demoing for their new album, "Brixton Hill", "Jam Tomorrow", "Madelaine", "Man In The Subway" and "The Winter Wind". On 31 January 2007 more song titles were announced on their site "Cocaine Housewife", "Love Tomorrow", "Pair Of Shoes", "Lead Me To The Gallows", "Whisky & Wine", "Snow Is Falling" and "Call Me Darling". Although these were originally identified primarily as songs that would appear on the next TMTCH album this was not to be the case. All except "Jam Tomorrow" and "Man In The Subway" subsequently appeared on Paul Simmonds solo country album titled The Rising Road which was released in June 2008.

In January 2007 Paul Simmonds had the book A Bag of Songs published . It features a personal selection of 50 songs with lyrics, chords and commentary.

In March 2007 the band released a new CD through their website Demos & Rarities Volume 1. This album is a collection of rare unreleased TMTCH recordings from the Silvertown
Silvertown
Silvertown is an industrialised district on the north bank of the Thames in the London Borough of Newham. It was named after Samuel Winkworth Silver's former rubber factory which opened in 1852, and is now dominated by the Tate & Lyle sugar refinery and the John Knight ABP animal rendering...

and The Domino Club albums.

They released a new CD titled Devil On The Wind on Robb Johnson
Robb Johnson
Robb Jenner Johnson is a British musician and songwriter, who has been called "one of the last genuinely political songwriters", and is known for his mix of political satire and wit...

's label Irregular Records
Irregular Records
Irregular Records is a British independent record label specialising in folk music, which was established in 1985 by the singer Robb Johnson. In addition to Johnson's own recordings the label has also issued albums by artists such as Barb Jungr, Des de Moor, Maggie Holland and Russell...

 on 1 June 2009 and distributed by Proper. As a prelude to the album the band released a 6 track EP CD Devil On The Wind EP via their website. The EP contains an alternative mixes of Devil On The Wind and Aquamarine plus 4 songs not available on the full album.

On Thursday 8 October 2009, almost 25 years since The Men They Couldn't Hang played their first proper gig in Camden Town
Camden Town
-Economy:In recent years, entertainment-related businesses and a Holiday Inn have moved into the area. A number of retail and food chain outlets have replaced independent shops driven out by high rents and redevelopment. Restaurants have thrived, with the variety of culinary traditions found in...

 at The Electric Ballroom
Electric Ballroom
The Electric Ballroom is a performance venue and indoor market located at 184 Camden High Street in Camden Town, London . The Electric Ballroom has been in operation for over seventy years, during which time it has been used in many different ways.The two storey building has two dance floors and...

, they returned for the official 25 Year Anniversary Celebration.

Album discography

Year Type Album Label
1985 Studio The Night of a Thousand Candles Demon, IMP
1986 Studio How Green Is The Valley MCA
1988 Studio Waiting For Bonaparte Magnet
Magnet Records
Magnet Records was a record label started in 1973 by Michael Levy and acquired by Warner Bros. Records in 1988 for an estimated £10m.Artists on the label included Alvin Stardust, Matchbox, Adrian Baker, Silver Convention, Guys 'n' Dolls, Darts, Kissing the Pink, Bad Manners, David D'Or, Blue Zoo...

, WEA
Warner Music Group
Warner Music Group is the third largest business group and family of record labels in the recording industry, making it one of the big four record companies...

1989 Studio Silvertown Silvertone
Silvertone Records (1980)
Silvertone Records is a current British record label, owned by Zomba Music Group. The first and most famous signing to the label was The Stone Roses in the late 1980s, with whom they later had a lengthy legal battle. Other acts signed to the label during its history include Jars of Clay, The Men...

, Jive
Jive Records
Jive Records was a record label based in New York City, operating under RCA Music Group. Jive was primarily known for a string of successes with hip hop artists in the 1980s, and in teen pop and boy bands in the late 1990s. The word "jive" was inspired by Township Jive, a form of South African...

1990 Studio Domino Club Silvertone
Silvertone Records (1980)
Silvertone Records is a current British record label, owned by Zomba Music Group. The first and most famous signing to the label was The Stone Roses in the late 1980s, with whom they later had a lengthy legal battle. Other acts signed to the label during its history include Jars of Clay, The Men...

, Jive
Jive Records
Jive Records was a record label based in New York City, operating under RCA Music Group. Jive was primarily known for a string of successes with hip hop artists in the 1980s, and in teen pop and boy bands in the late 1990s. The word "jive" was inspired by Township Jive, a form of South African...

1991 Live Alive, Alive-O Fun After All
1996 Studio Never Born To Follow Demon
1997 Studio Big Six Pack Demon
1998 Studio Majestic Grill: The Best of the Men They Couldn't Hang Demon
1999 Studio The Mud, The Blood And The Beer (Best Of, Volume 2) Demon
2003 Studio The Cherry Red Jukebox Twah!
2005 Live Smugglers and Bounty Hunters Recall
2007 Studio Demos and Rarities Volume 1 Vinyl Star
2008 Studio Demos and Rarities Volume 2 Vinyl Star
2009 Studio Devil On The Wind Irregular Records
Irregular Records
Irregular Records is a British independent record label specialising in folk music, which was established in 1985 by the singer Robb Johnson. In addition to Johnson's own recordings the label has also issued albums by artists such as Barb Jungr, Des de Moor, Maggie Holland and Russell...

2011 Studio 5 Go Mad on the Other Side Vinyl Star

Musical references

Canadian rock band The Tragically Hip
The Tragically Hip
The Tragically Hip, often referred to simply as The Hip, is a Canadian rock band from Kingston, Ontario, consisting of Gordon Downie , Paul Langlois , Rob Baker , Gord Sinclair and Johnny Fay . Since their formation in 1983 they have released 12 studio albums, two live albums, and 46 singles...

 make apparent reference to the band in the song "Bobcaygeon".

Shane MacGowan
Shane MacGowan
Shane Patrick Lysaght MacGowan is an Irish musician and singer, best known as the original singer and songwriter of The Pogues.-History:...

 of the Pogues named an instrumental "Shanne Bradley
Shanne Bradley
Shanne Bradley is a punk musician, songwriter, and artist. She founded a punk band The Nipple Erectors in 1976 playing bass guitar with Shane MacGowan on vocals, and cofounded The Men They Couldn't Hang in 1984...

" after the original bassist of The Men They Couldn't Hang and member of his previous band The Nipple Erectors
The Nipple Erectors
The Nipple Erectors are an English punk rock band formed in London in 1976 by female punk artist Shanne Bradley and are notable as Pogues frontman Shane MacGowan's first musical group.-Career:...

. The track appeared on the 12" of "Fairytale of New York
Fairytale of New York
"Fairytale of New York" is a song by the Irish rock group The Pogues, released in 1987 and featuring the British singer Kirsty MacColl. The song is an Irish folk style ballad, written by Jem Finer and Shane MacGowan, and featured on The Pogues' album If I Should Fall from Grace with God...

" and remastered versions of "If I Should Fall from Grace with God
If I Should Fall from Grace with God
If I Should Fall from Grace with God was well-received by critics. Mark Deming of Allmusic awarded the album four and a half out of five stars, calling it "the best album the Pogues would ever make." Robert Christgau gave the album a B+ and said that "neither pop nor rock nor disco crossover stays...

" CDs.

External links

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