I, Ludicrous were formed by John Procter and Will Hung (David Rippingale) in Brixton, South London, England in 1986, and their music satirized insular British society while remaining provincial and in-jokey themselves. They can be seen as a cross between The Fall and Half Man Half Biscuit, with the witty and acerbic lyrics of Half Man Half Biscuit intoned over huge Fall-like riffs, and they readily admit their Fall influence, which is why they are still popular with fans of that band. In fact, The Fall leader Mark E. Smith booked them to support his band once he heard an early four-track cassette. Initially restricted to a bedroom studio set-up, Procter and Hung recorded their first single, 'Preposterous Tales', and released it as a free flexi-single in Blah Blah Blah magazine. It was a comical observation of a self-aggrandizing man regaling a pub with his exploits, backed by a drum machine and a distorted guitar, and as usual I first heard it on the John Peel show and fell in love with it, especially when it made that year's listener-voted Festive 50. In mid-1987 they were invited to record a Peel session, an event which saw them became a trio with the temporary recruitment of Mark Crossley on bass, and in September 1987 the group issued their debut album, 'It's Like Everything Else', on Kaleidoscope Sound Records. The debt to the Fall was more apparent, with Hung's limited vocals and delivery sounding like those of a London-born Mark E. Smith, while the music restricted itself to repetitive riffs.
A follow-up album was in the works in 1988 when Kaleidoscope Sound folded and took the master tapes with them. 'A Warning To The Curious' continued the mockery in 1989, taking aim at yuppies and television personalities, and it also marked the start of a short relationship with the Rodney Rodney! Records label. 'Light And Bitter' followed a year later, salvaging some of the songs from the lost 1988 album, and that same year saw a re-recording of 'Preposterous Tales' issued as a 10" single. Another label switch, this time to Old King Lud, occurred with 1992's 'Idiots Savants', a more accomplished set with better production and arrangements, and a lighter tone. Following this six year flurry of activity, the band wound down, occasionally supporting the Fall on tour in Britain, but not releasing any new material until the 'Approaching 40' EP in 2000, and 'The Museum Of Installation' album in 2003. The retrospective '20 Years In Show Business' was issued by Sanctuary in 2007, and in early 2008 the duo became a trio with the recruitment of former Voice Of The Beehive bassist Martin Brett, leading the band to go into the studio to record the 'Dirty Washing' EP, which came out later that year. Another seven years passed before 'Dull Is The New Interesting' surfaced in 2015, and then just two just two years later we were treated to 2017's 'Songs From The Sides Of Lorries', the final song of which was titled 'Obituary', so perhaps that's telling us something. I think that fans of both Half Man Half Biscuit and The Fall will get some pleasure from this collection of rare singles, EPs and b-sides, but if you are unsure then check out 'Preposterous Tales' and 'Three English Football Grounds' on Youtube, and when you've finishing chuckling to yourself then come back and download this album.
Track listing
01 Preposterous Tales (flexi-disc given away with Blah Blah Blah fanzine 1987)
02 Quite Extraordinary (Peel session version 1987)
03 Mistakes (b-side of 'Quite Extraordinary' 1988)
04 Kick Down The Stumps (b-side of 'Quite Extraordinary' 1988)
05 At The End Of The Day (b-side of 'Quite Extraordinary' 1988)
06 Spock's Brain (b-side of 'Preposterous Tales' 10" single 1990)
07 Hats Off To Eldorado (single 1993)
08 Hacky's Wine Bar (b-side of 'Hats Off To Eldorado')
09 Our Mates (b-side of 'Hats Off To Eldorado')
10 Man's Man (b-side of 'Hats Off To Eldorado')
11 Football, Beer And A Cigarette (b-side of 'Approaching 40' 2000)
12 Autobiography (b-side of 'Approaching 40' 2000)
13 Away From The Rabble (b-side of 'Approaching 40' 2000)
14 Argument In The Laundrette (from the 'Dirty Washing' EP 2008)
15 The Highland League (from the 'Dirty Washing' EP 2008)
16 The Ruby Wax Song (from the 'Dirty Washing' EP 2008)
17 Chav It Up With Jeremy Kyle (from the 'Dirty Washing' EP 2008)
18 Finding Things Out About John (from the 'Dirty Washing' EP 2008)
