Five Hungry Joes – A pictorial archive of the Trashcan Sinatras. Legendary Scottish Band

…are names that will be unfamiliar to most.

But if you were a fan of TV Series ‘Ripping Yarns’, then you may just recognise them. Ripping Yarns was a British television comedy series, written by two members of the Monty Python team, Michael Palin and Terry Jones. The series ran on the BBC from 1976 to 1979. Each episode had a completely different setting and completely different characters, each looking at a different aspect of British culture.

I know you’re probably wondering what this has to do with the Trashcan Sinatras, but stick with me.

One of the episodes from this series, ‘Golden Gordon’ featured a football team called Barnstoneworth United, of which McIntyre, Treadmore and Davitt were players.

Now, in 1991 a band with the wonderful name, Half Man Half Biscuit – from Birkenhead, a town within the Metropolitan Borough of Wirral in Merseyside, England – released their third album which was called, yes, you’ve guessed it – ‘McIntyre, Treadmore and Davitt’.

And here’s the connection; the majority of the album was recorded and mixed at Shabby Road Studios and was engineered by Larry Primrose and Frank Reader, although at the time Frank was using the surname Read.

Voilà! I thank you.

I first ‘discovered’ HMHB way back in 1987 when they played at Daddy Warbucks in Glasgow. A sweaty night with those in attendance going mental for songs with titles such as ‘The Trumpton Riots’, ‘All I Want For Christmas Is A Dukla Prague Away Kit’, ‘Sealclubbing’ and crowd sing-a-long favourite, ‘Fuckin’ Hell It’s Fred Titmus’ – I’ve been a fan ever since.

1991 Probe Plus Records PROBE30CD