Some sad news today, I found out that Dickie Hammond had passed away a few days ago. Hammond was the guitarist in the classic line-up of the best British band of the 90’s, Leatherface. Quite simply these sheet-metal punks from Sunderland made one of my favourite ever LPs, Mush. It’s already an album I find almost too emotionally intense to listen to, Christ knows what it’ll do to me when I spin it tonight.
Leatherface, for the uninitiated, sounded a lot like Motörhead and Hüsker Dü playing off simultaneously in a battle of the bands, but with better songs than either of them. They remind me of a time and a place and my mates. I saw their last ever gig at Leeds, Duchess of York on 14 December 1993 with Guns n’ Wankers supporting them – hey, they reformed a couple of years later, but that’s not the point, it was emotional. After Leatherface Dickie Hammond played with Doctor Bison and North East punk stalwarts like the Angelic Upstarts.
It was poignant to read that Dickie Hammond, a man whose music gave a lot of us, a lot of pleasure never made much from his playing and he certainly had troubles in his later life, there is a crowd-sourcing website here to help pay for his funeral.
RIP.
I’ve never heard of Leatherface. When I read this I thought it was going to be a tribute to Gunnar Hansen, the man who played Leatherface in the original Texas Chainsaw Massacre. He passed away just a couple of days ago.
Now off to listen to some Leatherface.
I think he passed about a day later – I’m trying to find the time/nerve to watch the original film again.
Leatherface were brilliant though, Mush is a truly great LP. Honest.
I’m vicariously happy for Dickie in that, even though he is now gone, his legacy brings real joy and will continue to do so indefinitely as long as you keep enjoying his fruits, he lives on. Nice post.
Thank you, you’re quite right and it is very sad.
Another tragic loss for music. R.I.P. Dickie
Ah damn!
Not heard them before, but enjoyed the clip you embedded – great energy and that vocalist sure sounds like Lemmy! It makes you think when your musical heroes fall by the wayside, fragility of life and all that.
Thanks, they were brilliant. Great punk act, but with some really emotionally strong lyrics in there too.
Good call. I’ll stick some money on for his funeral. Burial by crowd funding – must be the new pauper’s burial?
Yeah I did too and I think you’re right. I was so sad when I found out about it all.
You ever see ’em?
Regrettably, no. My sort of noise. I’ve got n even sadder story to tell, bout someone you’ll be a fan of, but can’t speak of it online. Although it may have a happier ending.
I’m with Zack, it sucks having to Like a RIP post. But I’m sure the intention is understood.
I never got to Leatherface, but you had me at “Leatherface, for the uninitiated, sounded a lot like Motörhead and Hüsker Dü playing off simultaneously in a battle of the bands, but with better songs than either of them.”
Dutifully adds to list.
Mush really is an incredible LP.
Duly noted!
I always feel bad ‘liking’ posts like this. I don’t like that he died, but it’s a nice post you put up in honor of him.
Thanks Zack