Formed in Greenock, Scotland, in 1985, The Hardy Boys toured extensively between 1985 and 1990, releasing one classic 12” single for Shrewsbury label Stella Five before splitting up. In the intervening years, interest in the band continued to grow ,with copies of the 12” single changing hands on Ebay regularly for £300 +. Demos and other songs began appearing across the internet and were eagerly swapped on indie sites across the world. Word began to spread that The Hardy Boys were one of the great ‘lost bands’ of the C86 era and that the quality of their songs dwarfed many of their better-known contemporaries, their yearning lyricism and soaring melodies bringing to mind a Glaswegian Smiths.
A key influence on Scottish bands such as Wake The President and Camera Obscura, The Hardy Boys were based around the songwriting skills of Johnny White and David McArthur. The Hardy Boys Play Songs From The Lenin And McCarthy Songbook is 14 songs of mature literate pop awaiting discovery by a new generation of underground fans and contains all four songs from the Wonderful Lie 12 “ single as well as the five songs from its follow up Let The World Smother You. Johnny, David and Paul both wrote and played on Mouse Eat Mouse’s critically-acclaimed debut album Mair Licht (Hackpen Records). The reformed The Hardy Boys, were joined by indie pop songstress Kat King, in April 2010 and will tour the UK in September.
A new EP from The Hardy Boys, ‘You’re Just What I Need’, ’The Trains Ran On Time’ and ‘Dear Seamus Heaney’ has been released by Bubblegum Records to coincide with the September tour. This is the first new material from the band since 1990.
The Hardy Boys: Johnny White, Paul McArthur, Derek Mullen, David McArthur and Kat King.
For more information, promo requests, or to set up an interview with the band, please contact: Neville Street – nev@stellasix.com
You can listen to The Hardy Boys now @ http://www.myspace.com/thehardyboysmusic
As good, if not better than Aztec Camera or Blue Aeroplanes, or whoever all the young turks seem to be name-checking in interviews these days. Baby Honey
Let the World Smother You is among my favourite songs ever. Cloudberry Records
I can wholeheartedly recommend this if you love quality pop music. Three of the four tracks from their very rare 12" are present including the splendid Wonderful Lie which will be featuring at my forthcoming wedding. What higher recommendation could anyone want? Turntable Revolution
Under the Piccadilly Clock ep
is OUT NOW!
The uk tour begins on the 2nd September. Dates below.
UK TOUR DATES - September 2010
Thursday 2nd – Cafe Continental, Gourock
Friday 3rd – Pivo Pivo, Glasgow
Thursday 9th – The Duke of York, Wellington, Telford
Friday 10th – The Buffalo Bar, London
Saturday 11th – Man on the Moon (Sleeping Today Presents club), Cambridge
Sunday 12th - The Anchor, Shrewsbury
“Under the Piccadilly Clock EP” has been my dear companion the last days, – I’ve had it with me in my mp3 player everywhere I’ve been, on constant repeat. 3 lovely indiepop songs that have brightened my days.
The EP starts with a classic upbeat indiepop song, “You’re just what I need right now”,with good lyrics and a great melody. It continues with my favourite, “Trains ran on time”, a really beautiful song which starts slow with the lovely vocals from Kat King, builds up from verse to verse, and ends as a gorgeous duet between King and the original Hardy Boys vocalist Johnny White. If I had a hat, I would have taken it off in respect for this wonderful performance!
The EP ends with the acoustic “Dear Seamus Heaney”, – a perfect ending on an almost perfect EP. Please don’t let it be 20 years until next release from The Hardy Boys… Eardrums Music