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Bio:
Hirameka Hi-Fi formed in that long hot summer of 97. Tom Coogan and Chris Baldwin
met whilst downing cheap alcohol at a ruined Roman wall in Colchester. The two
had schooled together, and quickly found that they shared the desire to make music
that was exciting, angular and accessible enough to buy them and the nascent Gringo
Records a ticket out of Colchester. The pair rehearsed with fanatic fervour. This
was all they had. They would pass the days trading ideas and honest thoughts.
Within weeks Lando men Dom Gentry and Steve Nice joined on drums and bass. Enthusiasm
and morale were high. The four began work on a record, ruthless and eager. By
late Autumn they were recording their debut 7" for Gringo. That
first record, 'Munchin', was released in January 1998. It's canny mix of shouty
vocals, sugary car-alarm guitar riff and pounding rhythm may have owed a lot to
contemporary influences like The Yummy Fur, Bis and Urusei Yatsura , but it also
won the band support from both John Peel and Steve Lamacq's Radio 1 shows. Soon
afterwards the band played their first show, a sparsely attended affair in Chelmsford.
Underehearsed and scattershot, nevertheless they made it through. Their second
show, days later, was in support of Mogwai and Aerial M. Again the group were
ramshackle, yet their spirit was obvious, and the kindly Dave Pajo of Aerial gave
the guys props for their inventive tunings. (actually they were just out of tune!) The
live experience and early encouragement yielded a self-perpetuating confidence.
Recorded in another scorching spring, the next Hirameka Hi-Fi release was an assured,
expansive affair. The 4 track 'Play Hard EP' was released in September 1998, and
stands up as one of the classic records to come out of the UK underground in recent
times. It evoked the disparate spirits of Nirvana, Fugazi and Slint. Initial supporter
Steve Lamacq got the band in to record a Session Unsigned. The diligent BBC engineers
captured the band in raw, dambusting form. So powerful that, when Radio One aired
them, it broke down and the emergency back-up tape cut in! All
this aroused the interest of Che Records who set up a new label, Extreme Sports,
to release a Hirameka 7" and mini-album. The double A-side single 'No Pictures
/ Hold It Up' (imagine 'Goo'-era Sonic Youth meets Joy Division) came out in February
1999, leading to pieces in Melody Maker and i-D, a Peel session, live performances
as much as university and college would allow, and a trip up to Scotland to record
at Chemikal Underground's Chem 19 studios. However,
Dom had left on New Year's Day, unable to handle the growing musical differences
within the band. The Hi-Fi advertised for a replacement. The only reply was from
Ben Wright, who didn't even think all that much of these overhyped bratpoppers!
Having needlessly covered up his love of 80s pop in his "audition",
he was welcomed into the fold, swiftly proving himself to be a big-hitting adventurous
drummer and a thoroughly awesome guy. The
mission to Scotland proved to be fatal for this incarnation. The rot had set in,
and various members began rejecting material even as the tape was running. The
even temper of Ben proved to be the rock on which the record was built, as Baldwin
and Coogan were reconciled to make the best record they could. "A Proud Tradition
Of Failure" was the result. Flawed but bold, it was the band's most diverse
record yet. Their
swan song was the Radio 1 Peel Session, where the animosity between Coogan and
Nice had reached fever pitch, and the latter didn't even appear on their final
song, the prophetically titled "A Warning And An Ultimatum"
The fever broke in the rush of pre-release publicity. In their debut NME interview
Nice hijacked the interview and Coogan rose to the bait. The ugly spat was jazzed
up by the journo and the death knell of the band was crowed in print. Everyone
thought Hirameka had split for good, and 'A.P.T.O.F.' was released without fanfare.
Just how well it sold remains a mystery to this day. Apparently it did well around
Europe. We cannot confirm or deny this allegation. With
Nice not in the band, Baldwin chose to devote himself to his studies. Coogan thought
long and hard and decided that to stop now was to throw away all the work they'd
done. Long-time Hi-Fi supporter, friend of Wright and incredibly nice chap Pete
Heddle joined to play bass and swiftly proved himself to be exceptionally talented
and innovative. The new three piece Hirameka Hi-Fi throbbed with energy and enthusiasm.
They also had something to prove. Months of practising led to the release of the
defiant 'Hirameka Hi-Fi EP' on Extreme Sports, which melded sprightly melody with
rigid noises to announce a new, tight focus. It rocked. The
band returned to their loyal friends Gringo, and swiftly issued a new 7",
"The Imperfect Approach" / "Self-Starter" in September 2000,
marking the three year anniversary of their birth. The band were back on the radio,
and off on their first proper UK tour with labelmates Eska and Reynolds between
September 7th and 20th. Tom
moved cities and wallowed in a job that drove him nuts. The only thing that kept
him going was the thought of recording the first HHF album. As the time drew near,
Ben and Pete came to stay for a month of intense songwriting. The result-a sparse
cadre of tough songs, snapped up by The Electric Press in a matter of hours on
the cusp of September. Weeks
later, Ben was departed for New Zealand, and Selah drummer Thomas Seston bravely
stepped into his shoes for a UK tour with American chums Electro Group. At a triumphant
homecoming show at Colchester Arts Centre, HHF were joined for the last song by
one Chris Baldwin. He subsequently rejoined. Sprezzatura
was released in May 2002. |
