From: Limerick
Active: January 1989 - Feb 2001
Style:
Lineup:
- Andy
- Niall
- Hoss Carnage - bass
- Eric Fitzgerald - guitar (1994-)
Bio:
The Hitchers formed in Limerick in 1989. In 1990 they won the Skool Band 90 competition and appeared on Jo-Maxi (RTE TV).
From 1992-94 they were a trio until guitarist Eric Fitzgerald joined.
Niall won the inaugural Hot Press Songwriter of the Year award in 1992 for the song 'Red Mohair Jumper'.
They played Cork Rocks in the summer 1993; supported A House on their Irish Tour in the summer of 1995;
and played the Freiburg Music Festival in 1995. In February 1996 they signed to the Murgatroid Independent
Record Company and spend first half of the year in Xeric Studios in Limerick, recording their debut LP.
Their support slot in Belfast’s Mandela Hall in June 1997 supporting The Divine Comedy was later broadcast
on the Steve Lamacq show on BBC radio. They also recorded a Peel session in 1997 and played the Phoenix
Festival.
In the spring of 1998 they began recording demos for their second LP for Murgatoid. It was recorded at
Xeric Studios in August - Xeric closed it's doors shortly afterwards. Murgatroid went bust shortly after releasing
the 2nd album in May of 1999. The band launched their own 4-3-3 label the following spring.
Founding member Hoss Carnage announced his retirement in April 2000 and Frank Ryan (lead singer and
guitarist with Limerick band Barberskum) became the Hitchers new bassist in September 2000.
The band split in February 2001, reforming briefly in December to promote a live CD.
Discography
• The Streaking Chicken From Mercury Who Exposed Himself to Everything EP
K7 - no label - July 1989
tracks:
Which Leg Of A Chicken Is More Tender?
The Streakers Of Newcastle
All This Everything
• various artists - The Reindeer Age
LP/K7 - Xeric Records - XER 02 - February 1990
See Compilations section for full track listing.
track: Alice Is Here
• Fruit EP
K7 - Xeric Records - Xer 06 - IRL - 30 June 1990
tracks:
There's A Bomb In That Basket Of Fruit
Alice Is Here
All This Everything
Which Leg of A Chicken Is More Tender?
• Blame It On His Hormones
K7 - Xeric Records - Xer07 - IRL - 17 October 1990
3 track cassingle
tracks:
Blame It On His Hormones
Dirty Diane The Deceased Citroen
The Inadequate Continuity Announcer
• Holy Spirit Level
K7 - no label - IRL - 2 March 1992
3 song cassingle
tracks:
Holy Spirit Level
Longines
Judith
• New Improved Spermgargle II
K7 - Reeek Records - ??? - Summer 1993
Described as a "9 track mini album" released on cassette
• She'll Be Sorry
CDS - Lodge Records - LDCDS 1005 - November 1994
tracks:
She'll Be Sorry
Big Mug
Red Mohair Jumper
Emily The Pig
• Killed It With My Bare Hands / Not An Option
7" - Murgatroid Independent Recording Company - Mur VINL 01 - IRL - 7 January 1997
7" - Murgatroid Independent Recording Company - Mur VINL 01 - UK - April 1997
• Killed It With My Bare Hands / Not An Option / Getting Rid Of The Hitchers
CDS - Murgatroid Independent Recording Company - Mur CD01 - IRL - 7 January 1997
CDS - Murgatroid Independent Recording Company - Mur CD01 - UK - April 1997
• It's All Fun & Games ‘Till Someone Loses An Eye
CD - Murgatroid Independent Recording Company - Mur CD02 - IRL - March 1997
CD - Murgatroid Independent Recording Company - Mur CD02 - UK - June 1997
13 track album
• You Can Only Love Someone... / Strachan
7" - Murgatroid Independent Recording Company - Mur VINL 03 - IRL/UK - June 1997
• You Can Only Love Someone... EP
CDS - Murgatroid Independent Recording Company - Mur CD03 - IRL/UK - June 1997
tracks:
You Can Only Love Someone So Much But You Can Hate Them All The Way To Hell
Strachan
Line Dance Finals Massacre
Liver
• Big Mug
CDS - Murgatroid Independent Recording Company - Mur CD04 - IRL/UK - October 1997
Taken from the It's All Fun & Games album
tracks:
Big Mug
About You
My Band
Cemetery
• I Can't Breathe in Outer Space / Popstars By Christmas
7" - Murgatroid Independent Recording Company - Mur VINL 09 - IRL/UK - Nov 1998
From the forthcoming second LP
• For the Want of Some Better TV
CD - Murgatroid Independent Recording Company - Mur CD10 - UK/IRL - May 1999
10 track album
• Liver EP
CD - 4-3-3 Records - 4-3-3CD01 - IRL - December 2001
tracks:
Liver
4.30 ...Two Down
I Can't Breath In Outer Space (original demo)
The Urge To Kill (live)
You Can Only Love Someone (live)
• A Well Earned Break For The Firing Squads - The Hitchers 1989-2001
CDR - 4-3-3 Records - 4-3-3CDNOREG - IRL - December 2003
22 track collection of odds & ends
• The English Stole Our Potatoes EP
CD - 4-3-3 Records - 4-3-3CD05 - IRL - December 2006
Collects seven 2nd LP outtakes
• Austin Cusack
CDS - 4-3-3 Records - ??? - IRL - December 2009
single
Help!
We need your help to correct and/or complete this entry. If you can provide more
information about this band, have scans, photos or any other memorabilia we can
use, or spare copies of any releases,
then please get in touch.
See Also:
