Shirehorses
| Company type | Music group |
|---|---|
| Industry | Music, comedy |
| Founded | 1997 |
| Defunct | 2001 |
| Headquarters | Manchester , United Kingdom |
| Products | Comedy music albums, live performances |
The Shirehorses were a comedic music group created by Manchester-based BBC Radio presenters Mark Radcliffe and Marc Riley, collectively known as Mark and Lard.
During their broadcasts on BBC Radio 1, they produced humorous renditions of popular songs such as "You're Gormless" (a take on Babybird's "You're Gorgeous"), "Lardy Boy" (inspired by Placebo's "Nancy Boy"), and "Why Is It Always Dairylea" (a spoof of Travis' "Why Does It Always Rain on Me?"). They adopted playful pseudonyms including 'Baby Bloke', 'Gazebo', and 'Dave Lee Travisty'. Their name, Shirehorses, originated from their parody of The Seahorses' track "Love Is the Law," which they reimagined as "(Now) I Know (Where I'm Going) Our Kid." Additional well-known parodies by the group include "I Want a Roll with It" (Oasis), "Feel Like Shite" (Supergrass), and "Country Spouse" (Blur).
The Shirehorses embarked on numerous tours, primarily targeting university audiences to capitalize on student enthusiasm. They also served as the supporting act for Blur during a 1997 UK stadium tour and appeared at the Glastonbury Festival in the same year.
Marc Riley, who previously performed with Manchester bands the Fall and the Creepers, shifted into radio alongside Radcliffe. After their collaboration on BBC Radio 1 concluded in March 2004, Radcliffe transitioned to BBC Radio 2, while Riley took up a position at BBC Radio 6 Music. The duo later reunited for the Radcliffe and Maconie afternoon program.
Discography
The Shirehorses released two albums:
- The Worst...Album in the World...Ever...EVER!, which parodies the UK compilation series The Best...Album in the World...Ever!.
- Our Kid Eh, a clever twist on Radiohead's album Kid A.