I bet you have never heard of the ex-guitarist of The Longpigs & Pulp.

 

Some little details for you:

Richard Hawley, (born 17 January 1967 in Sheffield, England) is a critically acclaimed guitarist, singer, songwriter and producer. After his first band, Treebound Story (formed while he was still at school), broke up, Hawley found success as a member of Britpop band The Longpigs in the 1990s. When a drug-filled torpor after an extensive tour of America brought the band to the brink of extinction in 1997, Hawley was asked to play with Pulp by his close friend and Pulp frontman Jarvis Cocker. "They saved my life," Hawley later recalled, "I was going mental with drink and drugs." The subsequent world tour in support of Pulp's album This Is Hardcore left Hawley emotionally and physically drained on his return to his home city. During this time, he even considered leaving the music industry altogether

 

Session work

 

Hawley's skills as a session musician and producer remain in high demand. After contributing towards her eponymous 2004 release, Hawley also supported Nancy Sinatra on her European tour in 2005. Praise from R.E.M.'s Mike Mills led to him being approached to support the Georgia group on several concert dates that year. In the past, Hawley has also worked with artists as diverse as Hank Marvin of whom he is a big fan, New York's A Girl Called Eddy, All Saints, for Nellee Hooper's soundtrack for Baz Luhrman's Romeo and Juliet, with Jarvis Cocker's Relaxed Muscle project and on Cocker's 2006 solo album. He played the guitar solo on the cover of "Under the Bridge" by pop group All Saints. He has also contributed guitar work on the Gwen Stefani song Wonderful Life. The track was produced by Nellee Hooper and also features guitars by Martin L. Gore. The song is on her second solo album, The Sweet Escape. Aside from his solo and session work, Hawley occasionally gigs with The Feral Cats, a side project that enables him to explore his interest in rockabilly music. Hawley once auditioned for the role as guitarist in the rockabilly-inclined Morrissey's band, but was rejected after he started singing during his audition (to show he could do backing vocals)

 

Solo career

 

It was an encounter at Hawley's Sheffield home that led the longtime collaborator out of the shadows. Impressed by a home demo of his songs, both Pulp's Jarvis Cocker and Steve Mackey urged Hawley to head into the studio and begin work on his first solo release. 2000's eponymous mini album encouraged Hawley to return to the studio once more. In 2001 Late Night Final, named after the cry of vendors selling the Sheffield Star evening newspaper on the streets of the city, was released to positive reviews from the press, if unspectacular sales.

 

Two years later Hawley released Lowedges, another Sheffield reference, this time to the curiously named suburb of the city that had so entranced the young Hawley when he had seen it on the destination board of a bus (the 53 and 76 services currently go to Lowedges). NME called Lowedges the "first great album of 2003" and it topped an end of year poll held by Virgin Radio. Critical praise was widespread, leading many big names such as Coldplay, Radiohead and R.E.M. to enthuse about Hawley's work.

 

After the demise of Setanta Records in 2004 Hawley eventually signed to Mute Records, a division of the giant EMI. Legal wrangling delayed Coles Corner, Hawley's fourth release, until September 2005. Again Hawley mines the theme of his beloved home city, this time referencing the location where courting lovers meet. Coles Corner eventually gained a nomination for the acclaimed Mercury Prize in 2006. Alex Turner of the Arctic Monkeys, whose debut album won the prize, famously exclaimed 'Someone call 999, Richard Hawley's been robbed!'.

 

Hawley's 2007 album Lady's Bridge (again named with a Sheffield reference - Lady's Bridge in the centre of Sheffield) was released in the UK on August 20. The first single from the album was Tonight The Streets Are Ours. He performed a 16 date tour during September 2007 to promote the album. Merchandising on the tour included the usual t-shirts and posters but also special edition bottles of Henderson's Relish. The bottles featured the album artwork and a note to those unfamiliar with the relish that it gave extra flavour to meat, fish, soups, pies, casseroles and vegetables. Hawley previously used the relish to promote Cole's Corner.

 

His 5th solo record, Lady's Bridge is one of the best records of the year, celebrating the simple, honest, earthy values born of working class upbringing

What's the odds on this thread getting ignored?

^Pretty good it seems^ LOL

 

But seriously, his show last night was out of this world, he knows how to work the crowd, plus the new songs which sound great on his new CD are even better live.

I'd be more than happy to give his songs a listen if a link could be provided in the appropriate thread.:D

You have de spotify?

Nope.

[ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pR-MTZVppkA]YouTube - Richard Hawley - Coles Corner[/ame]

[ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5eBkrs4YpzI]YouTube - Richard Hawley - Tonight The Streets Are Ours (Video)[/ame]

[ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XVihcsjZKL4]YouTube - Richard Hawley - Valentine (Video)[/ame]

[ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dFogRBFT-GU]YouTube - Richard Hawley - Born Under A Bad Sign (Video)[/ame]

[ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2MKKx8un_KI]YouTube - Richard Hawley - Soldier On[/ame]

[ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oG6itlFun5A&feature=related]YouTube - Richard Hawley - For Your Lover, Give Some Time[/ame]

[ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lx4xrYx_KHY]YouTube - Richard Hawley - Open up your door[/ame]

He's good.

He used to be in Pulp ;)

Richard Hawley's is a great guy in music. Correct me if I'm wrong but didn't he audition to be in Morrissey's backing band?