The Hitchers (Irish band)

Infobox Musical artist
Name =The Hitchers


Img_capt =Eric, Niall, Andy, Hoss
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Background =group_or_band
Alias =
Origin =Limerick City, Ireland
Instrument =
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Years_active =1989 - present
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URL = [http://www.thehitchers.gencodesigns.com/ thehitchers.gencodesigns.com]
Current_members =Andy Gallagher (vocals, guitars)
Niall Quinn (vocals, drums)
Hoss Carnage (bass, vocals)
Eric Fitzgerald (guitars, vocals)
Past_members =
Notable_instruments =

The Hitchers are a band from Limerick City, Ireland who formed in early January 1989.

History

Timeline:

*6 January 1989: “10.6 Rothmans & a Stolen Barrel of Heineken Please” officially shorten their moniker to “The Hitchers” – a name derived from the Rutger Hauer ‘80’s road movie, The Hitcher.
*20 January 1989: First gig in Limerick Youth Service Center non-alcoholic teen disco “The Oasis Club”.
*Summer 1989: following several line up changes and a local band slam win, -first studio recording emerges “The Streaking Chicken From Mercury Who Exposed Himself to Everything E.P.”.
*Spring 1990: “Alice is here” on “The Reindeer Age”, a compilation of Shannonside bands. The Hitchers win ‘Skool Band 90’ Band slam (see press below). First TV appearance on ‘Jo-Maxi’.
*Aug 1990: Video for ‘Alice is here’ shown on Network 2s Puirini.
*18 October 1990: Release second single ‘Blame it on His Hormones’.
*April 1991: Perform ‘Blame it on His Hormones’ and ‘Dirty Diane the Deceased Citroen’ on Network 2s Scaoil Amach an Bobailinn.
*5 March 1992: New three-piece line up, Andy, Niall and Hoss, release third single ‘Holy Spirit Level’.
*Autumn 1992: Niall wins inaugural Hot Press Songwriter of the Year award for ‘Red Mohair Jumper’.
*Summer 1993: Invited to play RTÉ 2fm Cork Rocks …Cassette EPs ‘Spermgargle’ and ‘New Improved Spermgargle’ released.
*Spring 1994: Red Mohair Jumper’ makes final of 2TV new band challenge.
*Autumn 1994: The Hitchers become a four piece with the addition of Eric Fitzgerald on guitar. Release fourth single ‘She’ll Be Sorry’.
*Summer 1995: The Hitchers play Freiburg Music Festival, Germany and support ‘A House’ on southern Irish tour.
*Feb 1996: Sign to Murgatroid Independent Record Company and spend first half of 96 in Xeric studios recording debut L.P.
*7 January 1997: ‘Killed It With My Bare Hands’ is The Hitchers fifth single and their first for Murgatroid.
*Mar 1997: Debut L.P. ‘It’s All Fun & Games ‘Till Someone Loses An Eye’ is released in Ireland. The Hitchers perform on [http://vids.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=vids.individual&videoid=1058716407 Kenny Live] .
*April 1997: The Hitchers First UK dates coincide with the release of ‘Killed It…’ in Britain. Positive reviews in the UK press (see press below). [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k__IgXLmjIs Video] shown on MTV's Alternative Nation and on No Disco.
*June 1997: Support The Divine Comedy (band) in Belfast’s Mandela Hall. The Hitchers set later broadcast by BBC on Steve Lamacq show. Double A-side single ‘You Can Only Love Someone’/’Strachan’ released in Ireland & UK – receive positive reviews in NME/Melody Maker. Single of the fortnight in Hot Press. See press below.
*July 1997: Coventry City F.C. manager Gordon Strachan phones to wish the lads well on first major UK tour as ‘It’s All Fun & Games…’ is released in the UK. The Hitchers kick off their tour with an appearance at the Phoenix Festival and while in London record session for [http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio1/johnpeel/artists/h/hitchers/ John Peel] at BBC Maida Vale.
*Oct 1997: ‘Big Mug’ is final single lifted from ‘…Fun & Games…’.
*Spring 1998: Monthly trips to UK for showcase and demo-ing second L.P. Spend St. Patrick’s weekend playing in Paris, France.
*April 1998: In Belfast on the day Good Friday Agreement is reached as nominees in best Irish single category of Heineken Hot Press awards. –‘A Life Less Ordinary’ by Ash (band) wins.
*August 1998: Record second L.P. in just eleven days at Xeric studios just before it closes for good.
*Nov 1998: ‘I Can’t Breath in Outer Space’ – the first single from the new L.P. is released in UK & Ireland. Bob Geldof describes The Hitchers as ‘…the best Irish band in the last twenty years…’. [http://www.thehitchers.gencodesigns.com/press-pages/2006-the-hitchers-press-may99-btv-reviewll.htm]
*May 1999: The Hitchers second L.P. ‘For the Want of Some Better TV.’ is released in UK & Ireland. However shortly after it’s release Murgatroid cease trading and release their artist roster, which also includes The Shanks, Figment and Siobhan McGowan from their contracts. [http://www.nme.com/reviews/hitchers/1220 Link to album review in NME.]
*Spring 2000: The Hitchers set up their own record label 4-3-3. Universal Pictures use the song ‘You Can Only Love Someone…’ in a new Steve Barron movie, Rat [http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0234570/ Rat] .
*April 2000: Bassist and founder member Hoss Carnage announces his retirement and plays his last Hitchers gig.
*Sep 2000: Frank Ryan - lead singer and guitarist with Limerick band Barberskum joins as the Hitchers new bassist and plays his first gig in Galway. ‘Rat’ is released in Ireland.
*Dec 2000: The Hitchers play the AMCs 1st birthday party in Dolan’s, Limerick. The gig is recorded for future release.
*Feb 2001: The Hitchers announce they are to split, saying that their 286th gig, in The Basement at The Globe on Thursday 15th, will be their last.
*Dec 2001: The Hitchers briefly reform to release their farewell CD EP ‘Liver’ with a gig at Dolans Warehouse, Limerick on 30 December.
*Spring 2002: Liver video receives repeat plays on Irish language TV's Pop TV (TG4) and No Disco (Network 2).
*Dec 2002: The Hitchers are back at Dolans Warehouse, Limerick on 29 December, despite having claimed to have split.
*Jan 2003: 'A Well Earned Break For The Firing Squads -The Hitchers 1989-2001' is released.

Discography

Albums:

"EPs:"

The Streaking Chicken From Mercury Who Exposed Himself To Everything - Released: July 1989 Formats/Reg: Cassette

Fruit - Released: by Xeric Records June 30th 1990 Ireland Formats/Reg: Cassette (Xer 06)

She'll Be Sorry - Released: by Lodge Records Nov 1994 Ireland Formats/Reg: CD (LDCDS 1005)

Liver - Released: by 4-3-3 December 2001, Ireland Format: CD (4-3-3CD01)

"Singles:"

Blame It On His Hormones - Released: by Xeric Records October 17th 1990 Ireland Formats/Reg: Cassette (Xer07)

Holy Spirit Level - Released: March 2nd 1992 Ireland Formats/Reg: Cassette

Killed It With My Bare Hands - Released: by Murgatroid Independent Recording Company Jan 1997 Ireland, April 1997 UK Formats: CD (Mur CD01) / 7" Vinyl (Mur VINL 01)

You Can Only Love Someone... / Strachan - Released: by Murgatroid Independent Recording Company June 1997 UK & Ireland Formats: CD (Mur CD03) / 7" Vinyl (Mur VINL03)

Big Mug - Released: by Murgatroid Independent Recording Company October 1997 Ireland & UK Formats: CD (Mur CD04)

I Can't Breath In Outer Space - Released: by Murgatroid Independent Recording Company November 1998 Ireland & UK Formats: 7" Vinyl (Mur VINL09)

Name Confusion

On 24 November 2003, a band also going by the name "The Hitchers" [http://www.thehitchers.co.uk/ "The Hitchers" from Teeside, England] from Teesside, England released an album called "Unspoken Truths". This has allegedly led to at least one music fan purchasing the album in error [ [http://www.thehitchers.gencodesigns.com/2005-news.htm The Hitchers News Archive 2005] ] . This band released another album on 9 January 2007 ("Tees Valley Deadbeats") [ [http://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B000K2V6MO Amazon.co.uk: Tees Valley Deadbeats: Hitchers: Music ] ] , which is likely to lead to more confusion for fans of the Irish band, particularly as internet searches now appear to produce many results that refer to the Teesside band [ [http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&q=%22The+Hitchers%22 "The Hitchers" - Google Search] ] , and searches on Amazon.co.uk produce results for both bands without obvious differentiation [ [http://amazon.co.uk/s/url=search-alias%3Dpopular&field-keywords=%22The+Hitchers%22 "The Hitchers" at Amazon.co.uk] ] .

References

Press

* [http://www.thehitchers.gencodesigns.com/clippings2.htm Various press clippings.]

External links

* [http://www.thehitchers.gencodesigns.com/ Official Site]
* [http://artists.cpu.ie/bands/203/ Listen to The Hitchers at CPU.ie]
* [http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio1/johnpeel/artists/h/hitchers/ The Hitchers and John Peel]
* [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k__IgXLmjIs "Killed it with my bare hands" video on YouTube.]