h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

I have just had a wonderful evening out at Bradford's charming Love Apple club listening to an acoustic group who sang the most gorgeous five-part folk harmonies, and who performed songs dating back to the 17th and 18th century, along with a lot of fine and fiery numbers of their own. They were beautifully tuneful.

Their pretty songs railed furiously against war, poverty, privilege, Bush, Blair and many other depressing aspects of modern life. But that was hardly surprising: for this was Chumbawamba, in their acoustic-quintet incarnation. It is a great pity that so many people know them only as the group who sang that song about getting knocked down and getting up again and who poured water over the Deputy Prime Minister. That song 'Tubthumping' was never typical of what they do, and they've made a lot of stirring music since their global hit that hasn't had the attention it deserved.

There were a couple of memorable covers in the Chumbas' set: a luscious five-part a capella rendition of The Clash's 'Bankrobber', and a finale of The Beatles' 'Her Majesty', with some very funny additional, republican verses.

More power to Chumbawamba. Though as they're anarchists, they probably don't want it.

I liked the Tubthumping album and generally liked all of the songs on it. They do have excellent harmony, especially on 'The Goodship Lifestyle'.
I have heard very little about them since that album (wasn't it 1997 or 1998?). Shall I assume they are still recording? That'd be awesome!

They are very much still going. In fact they're one of those bands that you can never see deciding to call it a day and stop: they're in it for the message and not for the money.

As to styles, they're continually changing and experimenting with different ideas. Some are successful, occasionally it doesn't come off. But they are always worth checking out.

Are you getting up early or going to bed *very* late, Mr Desk?

Today, I am up early

I can certainly recomend 'Readymades' their last recording

It would be interesting to see Chumbawama acoustic especially if they're doing some stuff from English Rebel Songs.

I remember seeing Chumbawumba at a festival several years ago (well pre-Tubthumping) and thinking all their poppy stuff was a bit unexciting but when they did the acoustic harmonies of the old English rebel songs they really came alive. So I bought that album - bit short but excellent arrangements, sung from the heart. It's been reissued recently and I'd certainly recommend it. (Along with Readymades, their take on English folk songs, as Phil already suggested.)

They are certainly still recording - in fact, they mentioned during Sunday's show that a new album is currently being worked on right here in Bradford. 'Readymades' is actually an album of original material - and I should know, because I bought it from their stall the other night! It's pretty good stuff - worth the price of admission for one fantastic song caled 'Don't Try This At Home', though that's far from being the only good thing on the album. It isn't their most recent release, though - that was an album called 'Un', released last year, which I haven't managed to investigate yet. I can, however, thoroughly recommend the unjustly overlooked 'WYSIWYG', which came between 'Tubthumper' and 'Readymades' and contains some superb shiny-but-sour subversive pop.

All these records and much more can be ordered from the band's excellent website at http://www.chumba.com/ . (Just click on the terrorist to enter .) As you'll see, Madman, mail order to the States is readily available.

And they're on tour across the country Me and MC went to see them in Buxton on Monday night. Very good they were. We did of course pick up their latest album 'A Singsong and A Scrap' while we were there (as well as a copy of Un. Looking forward to seeing them again later on in the year

A fine band - I'm glad you enjoyed them. Alas, I can't make it to Hebden Bridge for their gig tonight, but as they sing: 'it all ends up as stuff that you can buy on eBay'. So I've just gone there to look for a copy of 'A Singsong And A Scrap'. There's one being auctioned which I hope I'll be able to afford.