The original group consisted of Stefan Cush (Vocals, Guitar), Paul Simmonds (Guitar, Bouzouki, Mandolin, Keyboards), Phil "Swill" Odgers (Vocals, Guitar, Tin Whistle, Melodica), Jon Odgers (Drums, Percussion) and Shanne Bradley (Bass, Flute).
Their first single, "The Green Fields of France", was released in 1984. Written by Eric Bogle (of 'The Band Played Waltzing Matilda' fame), the song's protagonist imagined having a conversation with one of the fallen soldiers of World War I whilst sitting by his graveside. The song received considerable airplay on the John Peel show on BBC Radio 1 and finished at No.3 in Peel's Festive 50 for that year.
The following year came TMTCH's debut album, 'The Night of a Thousand Candles' and its accompanying single "Ironmasters" - this time a self-penned number by main songwriter Simmonds, linking the Industrial Revolution to the present-day treatment of the working class. The original final line of the song - "and oh, that iron bastard, she still gets her way" (a reference to the then Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher) had to be removed for the single version to ensure radio airplay.
In 1985 the band signed for MCA records and released "How Green Is The Valley". The record included "Ghosts Of Cable Street" a political number concerning The Battle of Cable Street in 1936 and "Shirt Of Blue" which regarded the miners' strike of 1984-5 . At the end of promotion for the album Shanne Bradley was replaced on bass by Ricky McGuire (ex UK Subs ).
In 1987 the band switched to Magnet Records and the new record released was, what may fans consider their best "Waiting For Bonaparte". Once again the strongest songs were stories of historical origin. "The Colours" told of an English mutineer sailor during the Napoleonic War and "The Crest" a stretcher bearer during World War II. Sadly whilst "The Colours" was at no.61 in the British top 75 it was blacklisted by Radio 1 due to the line "You've Come Here To Watch Me Hang", which echoed the events happening in South African townships at the time.
In 1988 the band were on the move again and signed for new label Silvertone (who later put out The Stone Roses debut release). Highlights of "Silvertown" included "Rain, Steam and Speed", "A Place In The Sun" and "A Map Of Morocco". They followed this up in 1990 with "The Domino Club" , which had a more conventional rock sound dispensing with much of the folk element in their sound.
Surprisingly the band split in 1991 after releasing a live set "Alive, Alive-0". Paul Simmonds and "Swill" Odgers then formed Liberty Cage who released an album "Sleep Of The Just" in 1994 and an EP "I'll Keep It With Mine" in 1995.
To the delight of their fans the band reformed (minus drummer Jon Odgers who had become Therapy? drum technician). Their new cd was "Never Born To Follow", released on the Demon label in 1996. The following year the band released the mini-album "Six Pack". Two "Best Of" collections followed "Majestic Grill" and "The Mud, The Blood And The Beer" both 1998.
The band again withdrew into semi retirement during which Odgers and Simmonds again relased new material together, "Baby Fishlips" in 1999 and "Folk At The Fortress" in 2002.
The band released a brand new cd in 2003 "The Cherry Red Jukebox", which most fans agreed was a real return to form. In 2005 the band released a DVD to celebrate 21 years together "21 Years Of Love And Hate". This was later released as a live double CD "Smugglers and Bounty Hunters". The band continue to play occasional live concerts. Their next planned release is an acoustic folk orientated cd, including reworking of several popular old songs from their back catalogue.
During breaks from the band "Swill" Odgers has released two Cd's with his band "The Swaggerband" which includes Ricky McGuire and Jon Odgers plus lyrical contribution from Paul Simmonds. They are "The Day After" in 2004 and "Elvis Lives Here" on Irregular Records in 2006.
Official Website http://www.tmtch.net/
Grave-robbing In Gig Harbour
The Men They Couldn't Hang Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
T'was August fair in gold and green
Saw the tragic death of a beauty queen
Crashed into a bar in a drunken Chevrolet
She was extricatedfrom her tomb
By a broken man from Saskatoon
They'd sworn undying love
They'd be together some fine day
(Chorus)
Spirited away on a sultry morning
There's been Grave-robbing in Gig Harbour
Souls who rest in peace
Are ravaged without warning
There's been Grave-robbing in Gig Harbour
The witness sang before the court supreme
Of the the tainted ladies garbed in tangerine
Knowingly they loved the same dead man
Without disorder
He was a Mexicana wet-back by his birth
So they upheaved him from the bowels of the earth
To a shallow dusty grave South of the Border
South of the Border (down Mexico way!)
(Chorus)
The skies are gray, the open tombs are yawning
There's been Grave-robbing in Gig Harbour
This heat makes some folks lazy
Others mad-dog crazy
They'll go Grave-robbing in Gig Harbour
(Chorus)
The Men They Couldn't Hang's song "Grave-robbing In Gig Harbour" features an intro by Phoenix Crabbe followed by a story in which a tragedy takes place, leading to the grave-robbing of a beauty queen. The lyrics describe the events of that night, as the beauty queen was killed in a car crash and her body had to be extricated from her tomb. A broken man from Saskatoon, who had sworn to love her till the end, took her body away with him, and they were said to be together someday. But instead, the beauty queen's body was later dug up by two tainted ladies garbed in tangerine, who knowingly loved the same dead man. He was a Mexicana wet-back by birth, and they took him to a shallow dusty grave down South of the Border.
The chorus repeats the same phrase, "Spirited away on a sultry morning, there's been grave-robbing in Gig Harbour. Souls who rest in peace are ravaged without warning." The lyrics reflect the chaos and madness that can take over some people during intense heat and how it can drive them into desperate acts like grave-robbing.
Line by Line Meaning
T'was August fair in gold and green
The event took place in the month of August, with nature in full bloom
Saw the tragic death of a beauty queen
A female of high status met with a sudden and unfortunate demise
Crashed into a bar in a drunken Chevrolet
She collided with a bar while intoxicated and driving a Chevrolet
She was extricated from her tomb
She was rescued from the wreckage
By a broken man from Saskatoon
A man from Saskatoon, Canada who was emotionally damaged assisted in her rescue
They'd sworn undying love
They had made a promise to love each other forever
They'd be together some fine day
They planned to spend their future together
Spirited away on a sultry morning
Taken away secretly on a hot, humid morning
There's been Grave-robbing in Gig Harbour
The act of stealing from a grave took place in Gig Harbour
Souls who rest in peace
Deceased individuals who were at one with the world
Are ravaged without warning
Were plundered unannounced
The witness sang before the court supreme
An individual testified in front of the highest legal court
Of the the tainted ladies garbed in tangerine
Two deceitful women dressed in orange were exposed
Knowingly they loved the same dead man
They both had feelings for the same deceased man, despite being aware of the other's intentions
Without disorder
Despite this, there was no chaos or disturbance
He was a Mexicana wet-back by his birth
The man in question was of Mexican descent
So they upheaved him from the bowels of the earth
They uprooted him from his underground resting spot
To a shallow dusty grave South of the Border
They relocated him to a barren and poorly-covered grave south of the United States-Mexico Border
The skies are gray, the open tombs are yawning
The atmosphere is bleak, with the graves left open and gaping
This heat makes some folks lazy
The hot weather can cause some individuals to become lethargic
Others mad-dog crazy
While others can become unexplainably and dangerously insane
They'll go Grave-robbing in Gig Harbour
This kind of madness can drive them to commit the crime of grave-robbing
Contributed by Asher G. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Paul Smeenis
on Ironmasters
Dunno what track 6 is but it sure isn't Ironmasters