Richard Hawley (born Richard Willis Hawley, 17 January 1967, Sheffield, England) is a 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 Longpigs in the 1990s. He later played with Pulp, led by his friend Jarvis Cocker.
Session work
Praise from R.E.M.'s Mike Mills led to him being approached to support the group on several concert dates in 2005.
After contributing to Nancy Sinatra's 2004 release, Hawley supported her on a European tour in 2005.
Hawley has also worked with artists including Hank Marvin, A Girl Called Eddy, and Jarvis Cocker (and his Relaxed Muscle project). He played the guitar solo on All Saints cover of "Under the Bridge", and co-wrote Robbie Williams' "Clean" from his debut album Life Thru A Lens.
In 1991 Hawley auditioned to be a guitarist in Morrissey's live band, but was rejected after he started singing "One Night" by Elvis Presley during his audition.[1]
Hawley is listed as 'Special Guest Star', contributing writing, guitar and vocals to "The Fix" on Elbow's album The Seldom Seen Kid released in March 2008. He also performed the track live with Elbow during their performance at Glastonbury Festival 2008 and also on The Culture Show in June 2008, as well as at Elbow's homecoming gigs in Manchester in 2008 and Blackpool's Empress Ballroom on 7 March 2009. Hawley reprised his collaboration with Elbow on January 17, 2009 at Abbey Road studios for BBC Radio 2, for a special recording of Elbow's Mercury award winning album The Seldom Seen Kid with the BBC Concert Orchestra and Radio 3 'Choir of the Year' Chantage. Hawley again featured on the track "The Fix." The recording was released as a CD and DVD in March 2009.
Hawley made an appearance in the 2007 film, "Flick"[2]
"Baby, You're My Light" was included on the CD soundtrack for the 2008 film, Nick and Norah's Infinite Playlist. [3]
Hawley occasionally gigs with The Feral Cats, a side project that enables him to explore his interest in rockabilly music.
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 (a former classmate from Hucklow Middle School) urged Hawley to head into the recording 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.
Limited edition bottle of Henderson's Relish to promote
Lady's Bridge
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. 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 EMI. Legal wrangling delayed Coles Corner, Hawley's fourth release, until September 2005. Again Hawley mined the theme of his beloved home city, this time referencing the location where courting lovers meet. Coles Corner eventually gained a nomination for the 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[4] - Lady's Bridge is in the centre of Sheffield) was released in the UK on 20 August 2007. 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's 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 Coles Corner.
Hawley provided vocals for "Bad Woman", a B-side to Arctic Monkeys' single, "Teddy Picker" released on 3 December 2007.
On the 14 January 2008, Hawley was nominated for his first solo Brit Award for Best British Male.
Hawley was a headline act at the 2008 Festival Internationale Benicassim ("FIB") in Spain. The crowd chanted his name repeatedly in between songs. Hawley claimed that it was the best festival audience he had ever played to.
Hawley has recently produced, with Colin Elliott, and contributed two songs to the album of songs by Sheffield based songwriters for Tony Christie, Made in Sheffield.
Truelove's Gutter, the next Richard Hawley album, is to be released on Mute records on 21st September.
Personal life
Fiercely proud of his working class upbringing, he lives in Sheffield, with his wife and children and is an avid Sheffield Wednesday supporter.
Discography
Albums
[5]
Singles
[5]
- as a member of Treebound Story
- "Swimming in the Heart of Jane" (1989) (Native Records 12NTV 40)
- "Take" (1989) (Native Records 12NTV 43)
- from Richard Hawley
- from Late Night Final
- "Baby, You're My Light" (2002) (UK #81)
- from Lowedges
- "Run for Me" (2003) (UK #186)
- from Coles Corner
- "The Ocean" (2005) (UK #102)
- "Coles Corner" (2005) (UK #146)
- "Just Like the Rain" (2006) (UK #94)
- "Born Under a Bad Sign" (2006) (UK #81)
- "Coles Corner" (re-issue) (2006) (UK #136)
- "Hotel Room" (2006) (UK #64)
- from Lady's Bridge
- "Tonight the Streets Are Ours" (2007) (UK #40)
- "Serious" (2007) (UK #83)
- "Valentine" (2008) (UK #134)
- "Lady's Bridge EP" (2008)
References
External links
