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Longpigs

Longpigs were an English indie rock band who rose to fame on the fringe of Britpop in the 1990s, comprising Crispin Hunt (vocals, guitar), Richard Hawley (guitar), Simon Stafford (bass guitar) and former Cabaret Voltaire member Dee Boyle (drums), who was replaced by Andy Cook for their second album. Hailing from Sheffield, the group had success with singles such as "She Said" and "On and On", and their well-received debut album, The Sun Is Often Out (1996).

The group initially signed with Elektra Records, but just before the release of their first single, two major crises struck the band: Lead singer Hunt was seriously injured in a car accident, resulting in his being in a coma for three days. Then, shortly afterwards, the UK arm of the record label closed, leaving the Longpigs' future in doubt. Elektra set a price of £500,000 to release them from their recording contract.[citation needed]

The Longpigs' contract was purchased by U2's new record label, Mother Records. The band toured extensively, opening for Echobelly, Supergrass and finally Radiohead in early 1995. Their first singles on Mother Records, "Happy Again", "She Said" and "Jesus Christ", did little in the charts. The band played the 1995 Reading Festival. The new track "All Hype" was featured on the compilation CD Volume 14: Reading '95 Special although was never released as a single.

Their fourth single, "Far", hit the UK Top 40. In March 1996 this was followed by the ballad "On and On", which received considerable radio airplay and hit the Top 20 of the UK Singles Chart. In April 1996 the band released their debut album, The Sun Is Often Out, which was declared one of 1996's 50 best albums by both Q and Melody Maker. On the heels of their newfound success, the band repackaged and re-released "She Said", which also reached the UK Top 20 in June 1996, which was followed by "Lost Myself" (No. 22).

Initially things seemed promising in America. In 1997, their single "On and On" was added to the playlist of the influential Los Angeles, California alternative radio station KROQ-FM, briefly reaching the Alternative U.S. Top 10. The song was also featured on the Mission: Impossible soundtrack (although it was not used in the film). They toured America with Echo & the Bunnymen and The Dandy Warhols, and even opened for U2 on several dates of their PopMart world tour. This tour featured a new track, "Beyond Good and Evil", which was never officially released. The band also played the 1997 Glastonbury Festival, with the live track "Travel" (formerly known as "Far" B-side "Amateur Dramatics") being featured on the official BBC live Glastonbury compilation Mud for It. The song "On and On" can be found on the soundtrack to the 1997 film Face starring Robert Carlyle.

Before the recording of the band's second album, Mobile Home, Dee Boyle left the band and was replaced by Andy Cook. Boyle's relationship with the band resulted in later conflicts with the members.

Mobile Home was released in October 1999, along with the two singles "Blue Skies" and "The Frank Sonata". After briefly reaching the Top 40 in the UK Albums Chart, sales of the album faded away. Mother Records folded in 2000, and the rest of the band split up shortly afterwards.

Following the break-up of the band, guitarist Richard Hawley toured with Pulp, before embarking upon a successful solo career and also working with Jarvis Cocker in the electro group Relaxed Muscle. Hawley's fourth and seventh solo albums, Coles Corner and Standing at the Sky's Edge, were nominated for the Mercury Prize, although each lost out, to fellow Sheffield band Arctic Monkeys and art rock band Alt-J respectively.

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