Mick Head
Encyclopedia
Michael Head often called Mick Head, is an English
musician. He is most famous as the lead singer and songwriter for Shack
and The Strands
, both of which also feature his younger brother John
. Though the band never achieved mainstream success, they have a strong following and NME
have described him as "a lost genius and among the most gifted British songwriters of his generation".
Head first gained attention a member of cult indie-pop band The Pale Fountains
in the early 1980s with his best friend Chris "Biffa" McCaffrey. The band suffered from critical and commercial apathy, and the band split. Shortly afterwards, McCaffrey died of a brain tumour. In 1986, Head formed Shack with John on lead guitar, Peter Wilkinson
on bass and Mick Hurst on drums.
The group debuted in 1988 with Zilch, falling victim to the commercial indifference which earlier plagued The Pale Fountains
' career. The follow-up, Waterpistol
, was recorded in 1991 at London's Star Street Studio, but shortly after the finished disc was mixed the studio burned to the ground, and the completed master was lost. Producer Chris Allison
had the only surviving copy of the album, but unaware of a fire that demolished the studio, carelessly left his copy of the tape in a rental car while in the U.S.; upon returning to the UK and learning of the studio's fate he managed to contact the rental car company and rescue the DAT, but the record company had collapsed and there was no one to distribute it.
Waterpistol was not released until 1995, by which point Shack had split up. After touring for a while with childhood heroes Love
, Head went on to form the Strands, again with brother John on guitar. In 1997 they released the critically acclaimed album The Magical World of the Strands. The siblings reformed Shack soon after with bassist Ren Parry and drummer lain Templeton, returning in 1999 with HMS Fable
and Here's Tom With the Weather (2003). They signed to Noel Gallagher
's "Sour Mash" label and released ...The Corner Of Miles And Gil in 2006. A 'best of' album, "Time Machine" was released in 2007.
In 2008 Mick reformed The Pale Fountains to play a couple of gigs to celebrate 25 years since their inception. The year was a relatively quiet one for Mick, started with Shack being part of "Liverpool, The Musical", which was part of the European City of Culture celebrations and ended with another new venture, Micheal Head & The Red Elastic Band.
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
musician. He is most famous as the lead singer and songwriter for Shack
Shack (band)
Shack are an English band formed in Liverpool in 1987. Originally Shack consisted of Mick Head , his brother John Head , Justin Smith and Mick Hurst.-The Pale Fountains:...
and The Strands
The Strands
The Strands were an offshoot of the Liverpool based band Shack. The band consisted of Mick Head and John Head , Iain Templeton and Michelle Brown . They released one album, titled The Magical World of The Strands in 1997.-External links:* and from BBC Liverpool08...
, both of which also feature his younger brother John
John Head
John Head is an English musician from Kensington, Liverpool. He is the younger brother of Mick Head and has performed with in Shack and The Strands as lead guitarist. He has also performed with Love.-External links:* and from BBC Liverpool08...
. Though the band never achieved mainstream success, they have a strong following and NME
NME
The New Musical Express is a popular music publication in the United Kingdom, published weekly since March 1952. It started as a music newspaper, and gradually moved toward a magazine format during the 1980s, changing from newsprint in 1998. It was the first British paper to include a singles...
have described him as "a lost genius and among the most gifted British songwriters of his generation".
Head first gained attention a member of cult indie-pop band The Pale Fountains
The Pale Fountains
The Pale Fountains were an English rock band formed in Liverpool in 1980, and composed of Mick Head , Chris McCaffery , Thomas Whelan and former Dislocation Dance trumpeter Andy Diagram .-Career:...
in the early 1980s with his best friend Chris "Biffa" McCaffrey. The band suffered from critical and commercial apathy, and the band split. Shortly afterwards, McCaffrey died of a brain tumour. In 1986, Head formed Shack with John on lead guitar, Peter Wilkinson
Peter Wilkinson (musician)
Peter Wilkinson in an English musician.-Biography:He is best known as the bass player with Cast, whom he co-founded with frontman John Power in 1992 and was a member of until the band disbanded in 2002, and Shack...
on bass and Mick Hurst on drums.
The group debuted in 1988 with Zilch, falling victim to the commercial indifference which earlier plagued The Pale Fountains
The Pale Fountains
The Pale Fountains were an English rock band formed in Liverpool in 1980, and composed of Mick Head , Chris McCaffery , Thomas Whelan and former Dislocation Dance trumpeter Andy Diagram .-Career:...
' career. The follow-up, Waterpistol
Waterpistol (album)
Waterpistol is the second studio album by English alternative rock band Shack. The album was recorded in 1991, but its release was delayed due to a studio fire which destroyed the master tapes. During the period between the album's recording and release, the band broke up and frontman Mick Head...
, was recorded in 1991 at London's Star Street Studio, but shortly after the finished disc was mixed the studio burned to the ground, and the completed master was lost. Producer Chris Allison
Chris Allison
Chris Allison is a British record producer and founder/head of Sonic360 Records.He is primarily known for his work with The Wedding Present; however, he has also produced for Coldplay, The Beta Band and Plastilina Mosh....
had the only surviving copy of the album, but unaware of a fire that demolished the studio, carelessly left his copy of the tape in a rental car while in the U.S.; upon returning to the UK and learning of the studio's fate he managed to contact the rental car company and rescue the DAT, but the record company had collapsed and there was no one to distribute it.
Waterpistol was not released until 1995, by which point Shack had split up. After touring for a while with childhood heroes Love
Love (band)
Love was an American rock group of the late 1960s and early 1970s. They were led by singer/songwriter Arthur Lee and lead guitarist Johnny Echols...
, Head went on to form the Strands, again with brother John on guitar. In 1997 they released the critically acclaimed album The Magical World of the Strands. The siblings reformed Shack soon after with bassist Ren Parry and drummer lain Templeton, returning in 1999 with HMS Fable
HMS Fable
H.M.S. Fable is the third album by Liverpudlian band Shack, released in June 1999 via London Records. It was the band's first album following their reformation after the interest generated by their previous much-delayed album Waterpistol and the album by offshoot band The Strands. H.M.S...
and Here's Tom With the Weather (2003). They signed to Noel Gallagher
Noel Gallagher
Noel Thomas David Gallagher is an English musician and singer-songwriter, formerly the lead guitarist, backing vocalist and principal songwriter of the English rock band Oasis. He is currently fronting his solo project, Noel Gallagher's High Flying Birds.Raised in Burnage, Manchester with his...
's "Sour Mash" label and released ...The Corner Of Miles And Gil in 2006. A 'best of' album, "Time Machine" was released in 2007.
In 2008 Mick reformed The Pale Fountains to play a couple of gigs to celebrate 25 years since their inception. The year was a relatively quiet one for Mick, started with Shack being part of "Liverpool, The Musical", which was part of the European City of Culture celebrations and ended with another new venture, Micheal Head & The Red Elastic Band.