Hipsway
| Company type | Band |
|---|---|
| Industry | Music |
| Founded | 1984 in Glasgow, Scotland |
| Founder | Johnny McElhone, Grahame Skinner, Pim Jones, Harry Travers |
| Defunct | 1989 (initially) |
| Fate | Disbanded in 1989; reformed in 2016 |
| Headquarters | Glasgow , Scotland |
Area served | United Kingdom, United States |
| Products | Music albums and singles |
| Website | www |
Hipsway is a pop and new wave group originating from Scotland.
History and overview
Established in Glasgow in 1984, the band was formed by former Altered Images guitarist Johnny McElhone, who took on bass duties. The lineup also included vocalist Grahame Skinner, guitarist Pim Jones, and drummer Harry Travers. Prior to Hipsway, Skinner and Travers were members of the band Kites. Their music was characterized by Skinner's resonant vocal style combined with Jones' distinctive rhythmic guitar work. After signing with Mercury Records, they launched their debut album in 1985, which saw moderate placement on the UK Albums Chart. The track "The Honeythief" climbed to number 17 on the UK Singles Chart and entered the top 20 of the U.S. Billboard Hot 100. Additionally, "Tinder" gained exposure as part of a McEwan's Lager advertising campaign.
Although initially successful, the band faced difficulties sustaining their early achievements. McElhone departed to create Texas, and before their sophomore album Scratch the Surface (1989), Travers was succeeded by Stephen Ferrera. This follow-up album did not meet commercial or critical expectations, resulting in the group's dissolution shortly thereafter.
Following the split, Skinner and Jones formed Witness, which released House Called Love through A&M Records. Skinner subsequently joined Cowboy Mouth alongside former members of fellow Glasgow band Love and Money. Meanwhile, Jones collaborated with Ange Dolittle to form Big Yoga Muffin, issuing Wherever You Go, There You Are in 2000 under The Echo Label.
In 2011, Skinner assembled a new band named Skinner featuring Douglas MacIntyre (associated with Love & Money, Cowboy Mouth, Sugartown), Gordon Wilson (Love & Money, Cowboy Mouth), and Andy Alston (Del Amitri).
Hipsway reunited in November 2016 to perform concerts celebrating the 30th anniversary deluxe reissue of their first album. The favorable audience response prompted further live appearances through 2017 and 2018, including sold-out shows at Glasgow's Kelvingrove Bandstand and the Barrowland Ballroom.
Their first studio release in nearly three decades, Smoke & Dreams, was unveiled in late 2018.
Since reforming, touring and recording lineups have featured musicians such as Jim McDermott (drums), Gary Houston (bass), Stevie Christie (keyboards), Andy May (keyboards), Andy Gillespie (keyboards), David Robertson (percussion), and vocalist Louise Murphy.
Albums
| Title | Album details | Peak chart positions | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| UK | GER | NZ | US | ||
| Hipsway |
|
42 | 62 | 45 | 55 |
| Scratch the Surface |
|
— | — | — | — |
| Smoke & Dreams |
|
— | — | — | — |
| "—" indicates releases that did not chart or were unavailable in that region. | |||||
Singles
| Track | Release Year | Highest Chart Rankings | Associated Album | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| UK | Australia | Canada | Ireland | New Zealand | United States | US Dance Charts | |||
| "The Broken Years" | 1985 | 72 | — | — | — | — | — | — | Hipsway |
| "Ask the Lord" | 72 | — | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| "The Honeythief" | 1986 | 17 | 91 | 49 | 20 | 26 | 19 | 9 | |
| "Ask the Lord" (revised version) | 50 | — | — | — | — | — | 44 | ||
| "Long White Car" | 55 | — | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| "Your Love" | 1989 | 66 | 103 | — | — | — | — | — | Scratch the Surface |