Hedgehoppers Anonymous

Hedgehoppers Anonymous
OriginPeterborough, England
GenresBeat music, pop
Years active1963–1966
LabelsDecca
Past membersMick Tinsley
John Stewart
Alan Laud
Ray Honeybull
Leslie Dash[1]

Hedgehoppers Anonymous were a 1960s beat group from the United Kingdom. They formed in November 1963 as The Trendsetters, and became The Hedgehoppers the following year.[2] Jonathan King took over their record production in 1965, and added Anonymous to their name.[2] Their most successful single was "It's Good News Week".[3]

Singles

The major success of Hedgehoppers Anonymous was the King-produced and -written "It's Good News Week", issued on Decca in 1965.[2] It reached No. 5 on the UK Singles Chart, and No. 48 on Billboard's Hot 100.[4][5] This song has been used as the theme music for Good News Week, a satirical news-based comedy quiz show on Australian television which ran from 1996 to 2000 and was revived in 2008.[2]

The group released four other tracks but did not achieve significant success. "Don't Push Me" only managed to reach the Bubbling Under Hot 100 chart in the US.[6] while "Daytime" only appeared on Record Mirror's "Breakers List" (chart listing songs outside the Top 50). Without further success, the band soon broke up,[2] and the lack of significant chart activity other than "It's Good News Week" leaves them labelled as one-hit wonders.

Band members

Band members were Royal Air Force personnel. (Hedgehoppers was RAF slang for low flying aircraft).[2]

Singles

Year Single Chart Positions Label
UK
[7] 		AU
[8] 		US
[5]
1965 "It's Good News Week" 5 8 48 Decca F 12241
"Don't Push Me" — 28 123[a] Decca F 12298
1966 "Baby (You're My Everything)" — — — Decca F 12400
"Daytime" 58[b] — — Decca F 12479
"Stop Press" — — — Decca F 12530
  1. ^ Billboard Bubbling Under Hot 100 chart[9]
  2. ^ Chart position from Record Mirror "Breakers List" (15 June 66)

See also

References

  1. ^ Colin Larkin, ed. (1997). The Virgin Encyclopedia of Sixties Music (First ed.). Virgin Books. p. 230. ISBN 0-7535-0149-X.
  2. ^ a b c d e f "Biography by Steven McDonald". AllMusic. Retrieved 20 March 2009.
  3. ^ Dean, Maury (2003). Rock N Roll Gold Rush. Algora Publishing. p. 177. ISBN 9780875862071.
  4. ^ Roberts, David (2006). British Hit Singles & Albums (19th ed.). London: Guinness World Records Limited. p. 249. ISBN 1-904994-10-5.
  5. ^ a b "Billboard Hot 100". Billboard. 29 January 1966. pp. 20, 44, 48.
  6. ^ "Bubbling Under the Hot 100". Billboard. 26 March 1966. p. 20.
  7. ^ "Hedgehoppers Anonymous". The Official Charts Company.
  8. ^ "AMR Top Singles of 1965". Top 100 Singles.
  9. ^ "Bubbling Under the Hot 100". Billboard. 26 March 1966. p. 20.