Chumbawamba

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"Alice Nutter" redirects here. For , see .

Chumbawamba playing live at Luton Library, May 1985

Chumbawamba are an English anarchist band who play pop music influenced by folk, punk, dance, world and other styles of popular music.

Contents

Band history

Chumbawamaba vocalist Danbert Nobacon pictured playing live at Leeds University, 1986, supporting Conflict

Chumbawamba was formed in 1982 from two other bands based in Yorkshire, The Passion Killers and Chimp Eats Banana. Inspired musically by The Fall and the anarchist politics of Crass, Chumbawamba's activities in their early years were based around a communal house in Armley, Leeds. Stalwarts of the cassette culture scene, the band featured on many compilations. Chumbawamba were at the forefront of the 1980s anarcho-punk movement, frequently playing benefit gigs in squats and small halls for causes such as animal rights, the anti-war movement, and community groups.

Sky and Trees and Agit-Prop Records

By the mid-1980s Chumbawamba had begun to release their material using the vinyl format on their own Agit-Prop record label, which had evolved from an earlier project, Sky and Trees Records. Their first LP, Pictures Of Starving Children Sell Records (1986) was a scathing and articulate critique of the then current Live Aid concert organised by Bob Geldof, which they argued was primarily a cosmetic spectacle designed to draw attention away from the real political causes of world hunger.

One Little Indian Records

By the late 1980s and early 1990s, Chumbawamba had begun to absorb influences from techno music and dance culture. Moving away from their original anarcho-punk roots and evolving a pop sensibility, releases such as Slap (1990), the sample-heavy Shhh! (1992) (originally intended to be released as Jesus H Christ!, this album had to be withdrawn and re-recorded because of copyright problems) and, after signing to the independent One Little Indian record label, Anarchy! (1994) lyrically remained as politically uncompromising as ever, continuing to address issues such as homophobia (see song "Homophobia"[link], the music video of which features the Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence), the Criminal Justice Act and the rise of fascism in the UK following the election of a British National Party candidate in south-east London in 1993. They also addressed the poverty of pit villages in the 1990s by naming tracks after Fitzwilliam, West Yorkshire and Frickley, which they mistakenly took to be a South Yorkshire village when it was just a pit in South Elmsall, West Yorkshire.

EMI controversy

Chumbawamba drew criticism from their original following in 1997 when they signed to the major label EMI in Europe, particularly as much of their earlier output had explicitly attacked this corporation - they had even been involved with a compilation LP called Fuck EMI in 1989. However, the band argued that EMI had severed the controversial link with weapons manufacturer Thorn a few years previously, and that experience had taught them that, in a capitalist environment, almost every record company operates on capitalist principles - "Our previous record label One Little Indian didn't have the evil symbolic significance of EMI BUT they were completely motivated by profit." They added that this move brought with it the opportunity to make the band financially viable (all members were up until then working in other jobs to make a living) as well as to communicate their message to a far wider audience.

Their biggest chart hit, "Tubthumping", features what, without the context of the accompanying liner notes (removed from the US release of the Tubthumper album for copyright reasons) appear to be one of the most apolitical of any of their lyrics. It was also during this period that Chumbawamba gained some notoriety when male vocalist Danbert Nobacon poured a jug of water over the UK Deputy Prime Minister John Prescott at the 1998 Brit Awards.

Chumbawamba parted from EMI in 2001.

MUTT Records

In 2002, Chumbawamba formed their own record label, MUTT, for UK releases.

Under MUTT, Chumbawamba released their eleventh official album, Readymades, as well as Sic- Adventures In Anti-capitalism, a paperback book of political and musical writings by friends and acquaintances of the band.

General Motors paid Chumbawamba $100,000 to use their song "Pass it Along" for a Pontiac Vibe television advertisement in 2002. Chumbawamba gave the money to the anti-corporate activist groups Indymedia and CorpWatch.

In 2004 they released an album of 'world music' influenced songs entitled Un, which addressed such current concerns as the looting of the museums in Iraq (On eBay) and Buy Nothing Day.

In 2005 Chumbawamba opted to take a temporary hiatus from full-scale touring and recording projects, but a trimmed-down acoustic line-up of Boff Whalley, Lou Watts, Jude Abbot and Neil Ferguson continued to tour the UK and Europe throughout 2005 and 2006. It was this line-up that recorded the album A Singsong And A Scrap, released late in 2005.

The name

Over the years, the band has been asked many times what "Chumbawamba" really means. While there are many speculations, the band generally answers that it's a gibberish word, meaning nothing. According to Chumbawamba's official FAQ :

Chumbawamba doesn't mean anything. At the time we formed (early 80's) there was a rush of bands with obvious names. It was the time of ‘peace punk' and you couldn't get across a youth club dance floor without bumping into a Disorder, a Subhumans, a Decadent Youth or an Anthrax t-shirt. We liked the sound of Chumbawamba because it wasn't nailing ourselves down. Thatcher On Acid were a good band but it's lucky for them that Thatcher stayed in power for 11 years. If her influence had only lasted 18 months Thatcher On Acid's sell by date would have come and gone a lot sooner. We wanted a name which wouldn't date [link].

Other explanations which have been given include the following:

On an episode of BBC2's pop music quiz Never Mind the Buzzcocks there was a question about where Chumbawamba get their name. The correct answer (according to Mark Lamarr) was they got it from what a monkey wrote on a type writer when an experiment took place involving monkeys and type writers (as in the infinite monkey theorem, so presumably it was to see if they will re-create the complete works of Shakespeare).

In an interview on a German website[link] with Alice and Boff, the members claimed that the "Chumbawamba" was the mascot of a football team, Walford Town, which they found in the "Rothman's Yearbook", a collection of old facts and figures about British football. Boff said "...And we just thought it was funny, so we used the name". Walford town is the name of the local football team featured in a late 80s Eastenders storyline featuring shortlived teen-idol Sean Maguire.

In Boff's autobiography he claims that the name was derived from the chanting of African street musicians which he and Danbert heard while busking in Paris. However in a footnote he goes on to state that this is in fact a lie, as is every other explanation that the band have given over the years.

Lineup

Jude Abbott, Neil Ferguson and Boff Whalley of Chumbawamba in 2005

The band membership has varied over the years. The longtime members are:

Alice Nutter - vocals and percussion
Lou Watts - vocals and keyboard
Danbert Nobacon - vocals and keyboard
Boff Whalley - vocals and guitar
Harry Hamer - drums
Dunst Bruce - vocals
Mave Dillon (left 1995)
Neil Ferguson - bass
Jude Abbot (1996-) - vocals and trumpet

Revolution, the first single released on Agit-Prop Records

Partial discography

(Original releases dates and labels given. Some material has been re-issued on other labels in the US.)

Cover of History Luddite, an early live Chumbawamba release by Homebrew Tapes

Cardboard Box, 1980 (Cassette only release by proto-Chumbawamba group Chimp Eats Banana)
"Three Years Later" - track on Bullshit Detector Volume 2 compilation LP, Crass Records, 1982 (Nb, Chumbawamba guitarist Boff Whaley (Boffo) also has a solo track, "Garageland" on this LP)
"I'm Thick" - track on "Back on the Streets" compilation EP Secret, 1982 (Chumbawamba recording as 'Skin Disease', a mock skinhead/Oi! band)
Be Happy Despite It All, Sky and Trees, 1983 (Cassette only release, joint with The Passion Killers, featuring hand coloured cover)
Raising Heck with Chumbawamba, Peaceville Records, 1983 (Cassette only release, live material plus songs by Simon Lanzon)
It Could Be So Much More, Acid Rain Products, 1984 (Cassette only release, joint with Flux Of Pink Indians, recorded live at the Conway Hall, London)
Let Us Show Them Our Hearts, Sky and Trees, 1984 (Cassette only release, joint with The Passion Killers)
Another Year of the Same Old Shit, Sky and Trees, 1984 (Cassette only release)
History Luddite, Homebrew Tapes, 1984 (Cassette only release, live at Luton Library, May 1985)
"Common Ground", Sky and Trees, 1984 (A benefit 'cassette single' for striking miners)
To Thine Own Self Be True, Sky and Trees, 1984 (Cassette only release)
The Unfairy Tale/The War Inside Our Heads, Sky and Trees, 1984 (Cassette only release, Danbert Nobacon solo material, much was re-recorded for release on vinyl the following year)
The Unfairy Tale, Sky and Trees, 1985 (Danbert Nobacon solo release)
"Revolution", single, Agit Prop, 1985

"We Are The World", single, Agit Prop, 1986 (Joint release with US band A State of Mind)
Pictures of Starving Children Sell Records, Agit Prop, 1986
Know Your Enemy, Doomsday Tapes, 1986 (Cassette only release, live material recorded at the Bull and Gate, London)
"Destroy Fascism!", Loony Tunes, 1986 (Collaboration with Dutch band The Ex under the name 'Antidote')
Never Mind the Ballots, Agit Prop, 1987
"Let It Be" single, no label stated apart from Anti-copyright, 1987, (Released under the name 'Scab Aid' following the Zeebrugge Ferry Disaster)
"Smash Clause 28!Fight the Alton Bill!", single, Agit Prop, 1988
English Rebel Songs, Agit Prop, 1988; re-recorded 1998
Sportchestra: 101 Songs About Sport, Agit Prop (Chumbawamba collaborations with various other musicians recording under the name 'Sportchestra')
Slap!, Agit Prop, 1990
"Whoopee, We're All Gonna Die", EP, Rugger Bugger records, 1991 (3 members of Chumbawamba recording under the name 'Passion Killers')
Jesus H Christ (unreleased due to legal issues (see above). Bootleg copies are in circulation however)
"I Never Gave Up", Agit Prop, 1990

Shhh, Agit Prop, 1992
"Behave", single, Agit Prop, 1992
First Two, re-releases of Pictures of Starving Children Sell Records and Never Mind the Ballots, Agit Prop, 1990
"Enough is Enough", single, One Little Indian, 1993, featured MC Fusion
"Timebomb", single, One Little Indian, 1993
Live In Armley, independently produced live album, 1993
Anarchy, One Little Indian, 1994
"Homophobia", single, One Little Indian, 1994
Showbusiness, One Little Indian, 1995 (A live album)
Swingin' with Raymond, One Little Indian, 1995

Portraits of Anarchists (Book and CD collaboration with photographer Casey Orr), AK Press/One Little Indian 1996
Tubthumper, EMI, 1997, US #3, 3x Platinum
"Tubthumping", single, EMI, 1997, US #6, US Modern Rock #1
"Amnesia", single, EMI, 1998
"Top Of The World (Ole, Ole, Ole)", single, EMI, 1998
The ABCs of Anarchism, Seeland Records, 1999 (Collaboration with Negativland)
WYSIWYG, Universal, 2000

Cover of Chumbawamba's 2004 full-length release, Un; MUTT records, 2004

Readymades, MUTT, 2002
, Geykido Comet Records, 2002
"Jacob's Ladder (Not In My Name)", Limited Edition anti-war single, MUTT, 2003
Shhhlap!, double CD of Shhh and Slap!, MUTT, 2003
Revengers Tragedy, MUTT, 2003
"Home With Me", single, MUTT, 2003
"Salt Fare North Sea", single, MUTT, 2003
English Rebel Songs 1381-1984, MUTT, 2003
Un, MUTT, 2004
"On eBay", single, MUTT, 2004
A Singsong and a Scrap, No Masters, 2005
"Fade Away", single, MUTT 2005

Television Appearances

Tubthumping was performed on the Late Show with David Letterman (CBS Network, USA)

During the performance the band segued from the usual musical arrangement into a special chorus of "Free Mumia Abu-Jamal" (a prisoner in Pennsylvania, USA, often called a political prisoner). With the instruments subdued (perhaps they stopped altogether?), all band members repeated this chorus several times, further emphasizing the political message of their chant. The producers asked the band to perform the song again, sans the chant, but they refused. A few days later, the segment aired on CBS, unedited.

Chumbawamba songs in film

Cover of Tubthumper album.

A partial list of films featuring songs by the band.

Home Alone 3 (1997) - "Tubthumping"
Dirty Work (1997) - "Tubthumping", "Amnesia"
Senseless (1997) - "Tubthumping"
In God's Hands (1997) - "Tubthumping"
Air Bud 2 (1998) - "Tubthumping"
Varsity Blues (1998) - "Tubthumping"
The James Gang (1998) - "Outsider"
Soft Fruit (1998) - "Tubthumping"
Mystery, Alaska (1999) - "Amnesia"
Stigmata (1999) - "Mary Mary (Stigmatic Mix)"
Joe Somebody (2001) - "Tubthumping"
Revengers Tragedy (2002) - "Revengers Tragedy: Soundtrack"

Chumbawamba songs in multimedia

A partial list of multimedia contents featuring songs by the band.

(EA Sports, 1997)- "Tubthumping"
Taiko Drum Master (Konami, 2004)- "Tubthumping"

External links

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Chumbawamba