Thomas William Hingley (born 9 July 1965) is an English singer, songwriter and guitarist, best known as the frontman of Inspiral Carpets.Strong, Martin C. (2003) The Great Indie Discography, Canongate, , p. 803
Early life Hingley was born in Abingdon, Berkshire (now Oxfordshire) and grew up in nearby Frilford. He is the seventh child of the Russian scholar Ronald Hingley, translator of Chekhov for Oxford University Press. He attended Larkmead School before moving to Manchester in 1984 to study English at Manchester Polytechnic.Frame, Pete (1999) Pete Frame's Rockin' Around Britain: Rock'n'roll Landmarks of the UK and Ireland, Omnibus Press; , p. 127
Career Hingley formed a band called Too Much Texas, and got a job collecting glasses at The Haçienda nightclub in Manchester. He joined Inspiral Carpets as lead vocalist in 1989.Harrison, Flicky (2009) "Tom Hingley at The Vic, Victoria Road, Old Town, Swindon on 30 April", Thisiswiltshire.co.uk, 20 April 2009; retrieved 1 November 2010 Inspiral Carpets broke up in 1995 and Hingley started a career as a solo artist, releasing Keep Britain Untidy (2000) and Soulfire (2002), on his label Newmemorabilia Records. Inspiral Carpets later reformed in 2003 to promote their Greatest Hits and tour the UK.
Hingley finally parted company with Inspiral Carpets in February 2011, the band returned to performing and writing with their original pre-1989 singer Stephen Holt who remains their frontman to date. Hingley's memoir Carpet Burns, My life with Inspiral Carpets charts his time with the band from 1989 to 2011.
In 2001, Hingley formed the band The Lovers with Steve and Paul Hanley (both former members of The Fall), Jason Brown, and Kelly Wood. The Lovers' first album, Abba Are The Enemy, was released in 2004. In 2002–03, he joined a reformed Inspiral Carpets for two UK tours and again in 2006/2007.
His second album with the Lovers, Highlights, was released in March 2008. In August 2009 Hingley played the Rebellion Punk Festival in Blackpool. In 2009, Hingley released a new solo acoustic record on Newmemorabilia Records called Thames Valley Delta Blues, a kind of follow up to the earlier, much-acclaimed Keep Britain Untidy.
Discography Solo albums Keep Britain Untidy (2000) Soulfire (2001) Thames Valley Delta Blues (2009) Sand (2013) Paper (2013) Hymns for the hungry (2020) the grand mal (2024)
EP'S Happiness EP (2002)
With Mackay Hingley Decades (2023)
With Tom Hingley Band No Peace for the Good Looking (2014) I love my job (2018)
With Tom Hingley and The Lovers Work, Rest & Play (EP) (1997) "Yeah" (single) (2003) Abba Are The Enemy (album) (2004) Highlights (album) 2008
With Inspiral Carpets Studio albums Life (1990) The Beast Inside (1991) Revenge of the Goldfish (1992) Devil Hopping (1994)
Compilation albums The Singles (1995) Radio 1 Sessions (1996) Greatest Hits (2003) Cool As (2003) Keep the Circle (2007)
VHS/DVD 21.07.90 Live at Manchester G-Mex VHS (1990) The Singles VHS (1995) Live at Brixton Academy DVD (2004)
EPs The Peel Sessions (1989) Cool As Fuck (1990) Island Head (1990) The Peel Sessions 1990 (1992)
Singles Release dateTitleUK Single ChartAlbum 1989, May "Joe" – – 1989, August "Find Out Why" 90 – 1989, November "Move" 49 Life 1990, March "This Is How It Feels" 14 Life 1990, June "Commercial Reign" (U.S. release) – Life 1990, June "She Comes in the Fall" 27 Life 1991, March "Caravan" 30 The Beast Inside 1991, June "Please Be Cruel" 50 The Beast Inside 1992, February "Dragging Me Down" 12 Revenge of the Goldfish 1992, May "Two Worlds Collide" 32 Revenge of the Goldfish 1992, September "Generations" 28 Revenge of the Goldfish 1992, November "Bitches Brew" 36 Revenge of the Goldfish 1993, May "How It Should Be" 49 – 1994, January "Saturn 5" 20 Devil Hopping 1994, February "I Want You" 18 Devil Hopping 1994, April "Uniform" 51 Devil Hopping 1995, September "Joe" 37 The Singles 2003, July "Come Back Tomorrow" 43 Cool As
With Too Much Texas Fixed Link (Flexi disk) (1986) Hurry on Down (1988) on Ugly Man Juvenilia (2006)
Collaborations Oliver Klein featuring Tom Hingley: Shakedown/Shakedub (EP) (2002)
References
External links Official site