# Longpigs

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{{Short description|1990s British alternative rock band}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=August 2015}}
{{Use British English|date=August 2015}}
{{refimprove|date=July 2009}}
{{Infobox musical artist
| name                = Longpigs
| image               = LongpigsFairUse.jpg
| landscape           = yes
| caption             = Longpigs {{circa|1997}} {{br}}From left: Simon Stafford, Crispin Hunt, [Richard Hawley](/source/Richard_Hawley), Dee Boyle 
| image_size          = 
| background          = group_or_band
| origin              = [Sheffield](/source/Sheffield), England
| genre               = [Alternative rock](/source/Alternative_rock), [indie rock](/source/indie_rock), [Britpop](/source/Britpop)
| years_active        = 1993–2000
| label               = [Mother](/source/Mother_Records)
| website             = 
| current_members     = 
| past_members        = Crispin Hunt<br/>[Richard Hawley](/source/Richard_Hawley)<br/>Simon Stafford<br/>Dee Boyle<br/>Andy Cook
}}
'''Longpigs''' were an English [indie rock](/source/indie_rock) band who rose to fame on the fringe of [Britpop](/source/Britpop) in the 1990s, comprising Crispin Hunt (vocals, guitar), [Richard Hawley](/source/Richard_Hawley) (guitar), Simon Stafford (bass guitar) and former [Cabaret Voltaire](/source/Cabaret_Voltaire_(band)) member Dee Boyle (drums), who was replaced by Andy Cook for their second album. Hailing from [Sheffield](/source/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](/source/The_Sun_Is_Often_Out)'' (1996).<ref name="The Great Rock Discography">{{cite book|last=Strong|first=Martin C.|title=The Great Rock Discography|publisher=Mojo Books|year=2000|isbn=1-84195-017-3|edition=5th|location=Edinburgh|page=584}}</ref>

==History==
===Early career (1993)===
The group initially signed with [Elektra Records](/source/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.<ref name="The Great Rock Discography"/> 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](/source/recording_contract).{{citation needed|date=July 2008}}

===The first success (1994–1996)===
The Longpigs' contract was purchased by [U2](/source/U2)'s new record label, [Mother Records](/source/Mother_Records). The band toured extensively, opening for [Echobelly](/source/Echobelly), [Supergrass](/source/Supergrass) and finally [Radiohead](/source/Radiohead) in early 1995. Their first singles on Mother Records, "Happy Again", "She Said" and "Jesus Christ", did little in the [charts](/source/UK_Singles_Chart). The band played the 1995 [Reading Festival](/source/Reading_and_Leeds_Festivals). The new track "All Hype" was featured on the [compilation](/source/compilation_album) CD ''Volume 14: Reading '95 Special'' although was never released as a single.

Their fourth single, "Far", hit the [UK](/source/United_Kingdom) [Top 40](/source/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.<ref name="The Great Rock Discography"/>  In April 1996 the band released their debut album, ''[The Sun Is Often Out](/source/The_Sun_Is_Often_Out)'', which was declared one of 1996's 50 best albums by both ''[Q](/source/Q_(magazine))'' and ''[Melody Maker](/source/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).<ref name="The Great Rock Discography"/>

===Attempted popularity in America (1997)===
Initially things seemed promising in America. In 1997, their single "On and On" was added to the playlist of the influential [Los Angeles](/source/Los_Angeles), California alternative radio station [KROQ-FM](/source/KROQ-FM), briefly reaching the Alternative U.S. Top 10. The song was also featured on the ''[Mission: Impossible](/source/Mission%3A_Impossible_(film))'' [soundtrack](/source/Mission%3A_Impossible_(soundtrack)) (although it was not used in the film). They toured America with [Echo & the Bunnymen](/source/Echo_%26_the_Bunnymen) and [The Dandy Warhols](/source/The_Dandy_Warhols), and even opened for [U2](/source/U2) on several dates of their [PopMart world tour](/source/PopMart_Tour). This tour featured a new track, "Beyond Good and Evil", which was never officially released. The band also played the 1997 [Glastonbury Festival](/source/Glastonbury_Festival), with the live track "Travel" (formerly known as "Far" [B-side](/source/A-side_and_B-side) "Amateur Dramatics") being featured on the official [BBC](/source/BBC) live Glastonbury compilation ''Mud for It''.
The song "On and On" can be found on the soundtrack to the 1997 film ''[Face](/source/Face_(1997_film))'' starring [Robert Carlyle](/source/Robert_Carlyle).

===Decline and split (1999–2000)===
Before the recording of the band's second album, ''[Mobile Home](/source/Mobile_Home_(album))'', Dee Boyle left the band and was replaced by Andy Cook. Boyle's relationship with the band resulted in later conflicts with the members.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.nme.com/news/music/longpigs-3-1394908|title=Longpig In Stitches After Reunion With Drummer &#124; News |website=Nme.com |date=1999-10-13 |accessdate=2017-10-08}}</ref>
 
''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](/source/UK_Albums_Chart), sales of the album faded away.<ref name="The Great Rock Discography"/>  Mother Records folded in 2000, and the rest of the band split up shortly afterwards.

==Aftermath and other projects==
Following the break-up of the band, guitarist [Richard Hawley](/source/Richard_Hawley) toured with [Pulp](/source/Pulp_(band)), before embarking upon a successful solo career and also working with [Jarvis Cocker](/source/Jarvis_Cocker) in the electro group [Relaxed Muscle](/source/Relaxed_Muscle). Hawley's fourth and seventh solo albums, ''[Coles Corner](/source/Coles_Corner_(album))'' and ''[Standing at the Sky's Edge](/source/Standing_at_the_Sky's_Edge)'', were nominated for the [Mercury Prize](/source/Mercury_Prize), although each lost out, to fellow Sheffield band [Arctic Monkeys](/source/Arctic_Monkeys) and art rock band [Alt-J](/source/Alt-J) respectively.

Simon Stafford has also played as part of Cocker's backing band on his solo endeavours. He played in Hawley's band for a year and went on to join [Joe Strummer](/source/Joe_Strummer)'s band [The Mescaleros](/source/The_Mescaleros), playing with them until Strummer's death in 2002. He then played with Jarvis Cocker and various other bands, playing various instruments. He now plays keyboards and trombone with Liverpool-based heavy-psych rockers The Bonnacons of Doom on Rocket Records.

In 2004, Hunt lent his voice to the self-titled album by electronic band Mayonnaise, which also featured [Howie B](/source/Howie_B), on the Lunaticworks/BMG label. The following year Hunt joined a band called Gramercy, with Nigel Hoyle (ex{{ndash}}[Gay Dad](/source/Gay_Dad)) and Dylan Rippon. In August 2005 the band recorded a single entitled "Hold On" (Redemption Records), which had begun to pick up airplay on [BBC Radio 2](/source/BBC_Radio_2) when the band split before releasing any material.

Hunt has also worked as a songwriter and record producer for [Ellie Goulding](/source/Ellie_Goulding), [Penguin Prison](/source/Penguin_Prison), Midnight Lion, [Florence and the Machine](/source/Florence_and_the_Machine), [Newton Faulkner](/source/Newton_Faulkner), Kiko Bun, [Natalie Imbruglia](/source/Natalie_Imbruglia), [Gabriella Cilmi](/source/Gabriella_Cilmi), [Lisa Mitchell](/source/Lisa_Mitchell), [Lissie](/source/Lissie), [Richard Walters](/source/Richard_Walters_(singer-songwriter)), [Josephine Oniyama](/source/Josephine_Oniyama), [Clare Maguire](/source/Clare_Maguire), [Liam Frost](/source/Liam_Frost), [Ron Sexsmith](/source/Ron_Sexsmith), [Kate Walsh](/source/Kate_Walsh_(singer)), [Jake Bugg](/source/Jake_Bugg), Misty Miller, Eliza and the Bear and [JP Cooper](/source/JP_Cooper).{{cn|date=July 2017}}

In 2013, a compilation album ''On and On: The Anthology'' was released, featuring material from the Longpigs' two studio albums, singles' B-sides and previously unreleased material.

In April 2017, it was reported that Dee Boyle, the band's former drummer, had died. He was 52 years old.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.thestar.co.uk/news/hugely-talented-with-an-amazing-wit-memorial-gig-for-longpigs-drummer-dee-boyle-436884|title='Hugely talented with an amazing wit' - memorial gig for Longpigs drummer Dee Boyle|website=Thestar.co.uk|date=27 March 2018 }}</ref> The cause of death was unknown.<ref>{{Cite news|url=http://stereoembersmagazine.com/dee-boyle-longpigs-died/|title=Dee Boyle Of The Longpigs Has Died - Stereo Embers Magazine|date=2017-04-16|work=Stereo Embers Magazine|access-date=2017-04-20|language=en-US}}</ref>

In April 2019, Hunt was announced as an [MEP](/source/Member_of_the_European_Parliament) candidate for the newly formed [Change UK - The Independent Group (TIG)](/source/The_Independent_Group) political party for the [2019 European Parliament election](/source/2019_European_Parliament_election).<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://inews.co.uk/news/brexit/change-uk-mep-candidates-whos-standing-in-the-european-elections-from-rachel-johnson-to-gavin-esler/|title=Change UK MEP candidates: who's standing in the 2019 European elections, from Rachel Johnson to Gavin Esler|first=Nigel|last=Morris|date=24 April 2019|website=[The i](/source/i_(newspaper))|accessdate=26 August 2019|archive-date=24 April 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190424123014/https://inews.co.uk/news/brexit/change-uk-mep-candidates-whos-standing-in-the-european-elections-from-rachel-johnson-to-gavin-esler/}}</ref> He was not elected.

==Discography==
===Albums===
*''[The Sun Is Often Out](/source/The_Sun_Is_Often_Out)'' (1996) [UK](/source/UK_Albums_Chart) No.&nbsp;26<ref name="everyhit.co.uk">{{Cite web|url=http://www.everyhit.co.uk/|title=everyHit.com - UK Top 40 Chart Archive, British Singles & Album Charts|website=Everyhit.co.uk|accessdate=26 August 2019}}</ref>
*''[Mobile Home](/source/Mobile_Home_(album))'' (1999) UK No.&nbsp;33<ref name="The Great Rock Discography"/><ref name="everyhit.co.uk"/>

====Compilations====
*''On and On: The Anthology'' (2013)

===Singles===
{| class="wikitable"
! rowspan="2" |Year
! rowspan="2" |Title
! colspan="2" |Peak chart positions
! rowspan="2" |Album
|-
! width="30" |<small>[UK](/source/UK_Singles_Chart)</small>
! width="30" |<small>[US Alt](/source/Alternative_Songs)</small>
|-
| rowspan="2" |1995
|"She Said"
| style="text-align:center;" |67
| style="text-align:center;" |–
| rowspan="6" |''[The Sun is Often Out](/source/The_Sun_Is_Often_Out)''
|-
|"Jesus Christ"
| style="text-align:center;" |67
| style="text-align:center;" |–
|-
| rowspan="4" |1996
|"Far"
| style="text-align:center;" |37
| style="text-align:center;" |–
|-
|"On and On"
| style="text-align:center;" |16
| style="text-align:center;" |17
|-
|"She Said" (re-issue)
| style="text-align:center;" |16
| style="text-align:center;" |–
|-
|"Lost Myself"
| style="text-align:center;" |22
| style="text-align:center;" |–
|-
| rowspan="2" |1999
|"Blue Skies"
| style="text-align:center;" |21
| style="text-align:center;" |–
| rowspan="2" |''[Mobile Home](/source/Mobile_Home_(album))''
|-
|"The Frank Sonata"
| style="text-align:center;" |57
| style="text-align:center;" |–
|}

==References==
{{Reflist}}

{{Authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Longpigs, The}}
Category:Musical groups established in 1993
Category:Musical groups disestablished in 2000
Category:Musical groups from Sheffield
Category:English alternative rock groups
Category:Britpop groups
Category:English indie rock groups

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Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Longpigs](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Longpigs) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Longpigs?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.