Half Man Half Biscuit are a UK indie band from Birkenhead in the North West, active since 1983, known for their satirical and sometimes surrealistic songs. The band are huge fans of Tranmere Rovers FC, and once turned down the chance to appear on the Channel 4 80`s rock show The Tube, as Tranmere were playing that night.
The musical styles often parody simple popular genres, while the lyrics are dense with cultural allusions, usually (but not exclusively) UK popular culture. For instance, the interpretation of the title of the band's first album, Back in the DHSS (1985), requires three items of background information: that the Beatles wrote a song called "Back in the USSR"; that the DHSS was the UK state welfare agency, and that at that time unemployment stood at high levels.
The humour of HMHB draws on 1970s and early 1980s popular culture, and in particular children's programmes. Hence, HMHB 'borrowed' wholesale from Trumpton and turned a song about being the driver of a train into an ode to hard and soft drug use.
Members:-
Neil Crossley (Bass, Vocals) 1984-Present
Nigel Blackwell (Rhythm Guitar, Vocals) 1984-Present
Karl Benson (Lead Guitar) 2017-Present
Carl Henry (Drums) 1996-Present
Former Members:-
Paul Wright (Drums) 1984-1993
David Lloyd (Keyboards) 1984-1993
Simon Blackwell (Lead Guitar) 1984-1994
Ian Jackson (Lead Guitar) 1994-1996
Carl Alty (Drums) 1993-1996
Ken Hancock (Lead Guitar) 1996-2017