Post-punk funk pioneers THE HIGSONS are to have their recordings for 2Tone reissued for Record Store Day.
Formed at the University Of East Anglia in Norwich in 1980, the hugely influential band released several singles and shared stages with the likes of Bow Wow Wow, The Fall, Scars, Simple Minds and James Chance & The Contortions. Following an appearance at the Leeds Futurama festival, the band signed to 2Tone in 1982, as part of Jerry Dammers' plan to broaden the label's outlook.
It was to be a shortlived relationship, resulting in two singles - the Dammers-produced 'Tear The Whole Thing Down' and 'Run Me Down', produced by Warne Livesey (Julian Cope, The The).
After leaving the label, the band released their sole full-length studio album The Curse Of The Higsons, eventually splitting in 1986. Frontman Switch aka Charlie Higson achieved fame as a co-creator of BBC sketch show The Fast Show and as a TV scriptwriter and novelist, while brass-player/guitarist Terry Edwards formed The Scapegoats, joined Gallon Drunk and has been constantly in demand as a session-player with the likes of Nick Cave, PJ Harvey, Siouxsie, The Blockheads, The Jesus & Mary Chain, Tom Waits, Madness, Glen Matlock, Snuff and many more.
Run Me Down - The Complete 2Tone Recordings is set for release on 22 April (Record Store Day) through Sartorial Records and comprises the tracks from the 7" and 12" versions of both singles on a limited edition vinyl album with a sleeve designed specifically for this release by Charlie Higson.
Edwards' and Higsons drummer Simon Charterton's current band The NJE, also featuring Madness bassist Mark 'Bedders' Bedford, have two shows lined up this month...
Fri 10 Mar – Chats Palace, Hackney, London (w/Darren Hayman, BAG & Rhoda Dakar DJ set) tickets
Sat 11 Mar – Kino-Teatr, St Leonards-on-Sea (w/Miki Berenyi Trio) tickets
Check out 'Run Me Down' live from Camden Palace...