1995

Jammed The Who's "My Generation" with Jools Holland for Roland Rivron's new Virgin FM radio show, per the HIS Newsletter No 6 (Apr 1995), which describes it as having happened "last week"

Video shoot for the "Everybody" single, directed by Jeff Firth; per the HIS Newsletter No 7 (Jun 1995). A HIS Newsflash (21 Jun 1995) corrects two errors in that Newsletter No 7 account: the director's name is "Jeff Firth," not "Geoff Firth," and — contrary to what was printed — he had never directed before and had not worked with Griff Rhys Jones or Mel Smith

Rock Summer 1995

Heineken Music Festival; per the HIS Newsletter No 7 (Jun 1995), Hugh was billed on stage after Squeeze and before Mike And The Mechanics. Corroborated by a HIS Newsflash (13 Jun 1995)

London nurses' benefit gig; venue not yet confirmed at the time of the HIS Newsletter No 7 (Jun 1995), one of three "secret gigs in the midnight hour"

One of three "secret gigs in the midnight hour" announced in the HIS Newsletter No 7 (Jun 1995)

Acoustic performance and interview for Sky News, 5.50-6.30pm, per a HIS Newsflash (4 Aug 1995)

Free "secret gig," first come first served; per a HIS Newsflash (4 Aug 1995), which also notes Janet Street Porter's new cable show "Very Hot" planned to interview Hugh live on air from the Flamingo and show a few minutes of the gig with audience members present. Originally announced for 3 Aug in the HIS Newsletter No 7 (Jun 1995) as one of three "secret gigs in the midnight hour" — this contemporaneous, closer-to-the-event Newsflash listing is treated as superseding that date

Free festival; per a Derby Evening Telegraph report (11 Aug 1995, "tonight") on the British Newspaper Archive: "Wollaton Park Free Festival Nottingham at around 7pm tonight. Also on the bill are ex-Stranglers man Hugh Cornwell and former Marillion singer Fish". Announced in advance as the "Nottingham Festival" in the HIS Newsletter No 7 (Jun 1995); a member's letter in the HIS Newsletter No 8 (Sep/Oct 1995) calls it "a perfect warm night in a lovely setting," praising the band's mix of new, old, and older favourites. A HIS Newsflash (4 Aug 1995) gives the on-stage time as 7.45pm

"Big Weekend" festival with Kirsty MacColl, per South Wales Echo listings (4 Jul and 11 Aug 1995) found on the British Newspaper Archive. Announced in advance as "Big Weekend, Cardiff" in the HIS Newsletter No 7 (Jun 1995) and corroborated by a HIS Newsflash (13 Jun 1995); a further HIS Newsflash (4 Aug 1995) gives the on-stage time as 7pm

Interview and play, 3pm, per a HIS Newsflash (4 Aug 1995)

Full single playback plus a short interview, 8.20am, per a HIS Newsflash (4 Aug 1995)

Store-opening in-store, acoustic (Hugh and Chris), 30 minutes; time to be confirmed, per a HIS Newsflash (4 Aug 1995)

Announced in the HIS Newsletter No 7 (Jun 1995) as "yet to be definitely confirmed but is almost 100% definite"; a HIS Newsflash (13 Jun 1995) similarly describes it as "fairly certain but to be confirmed" — still not independently corroborated as having actually taken place, so treated as unconfirmed

Milton Keynes Music Festival; per a Milton Keynes Citizen listing (24 Aug 1995, Thu) on the British Newspaper Archive: "Ex-Strangler Hugh Cornwell headlines Monday's Milton Keynes Music Festival at Willen Lake" — resolves the previously unresolved MK festival date. A detailed fan account in the HIS Newsletter No 8 (Sep/Oct 1995) describes a troubled night — organisational problems left all bands running ~90 minutes late, a can of beer thrown at Hugh and Chris Goulstone, and a shortened ~35-minute, ten-song set played at 11.30pm to a "freezing field" crowd at 1am — with the setlist: Grip; Hungry Enough; Five Miles High; Everybody; I Can't Handle It; Clubland; Golden Brown; Cold Turkey(?); Wasted Tears; Peaches (encore). A HIS Newsflash (4 Aug 1995) had billed this as "Milton Keynes Mini Bowl," on stage 10.15pm

In-store appearance. Hugh later recalled that Chris Goulstone injured his hand immediately before this run of record-shop shows, forcing Hugh to take over the guitar parts; the other musicians preferred the resulting sound, contributing to the subsequent line-up change

In-store appearance. Corroborated by a Derby Daily Telegraph piece (2 Sep 1995) on the British Newspaper Archive: "dropped into a city centre record shop to play some golden oldies"

In-store appearance. A HIS Newsflash (4 Aug 1995) gives the time as 5.30pm

In-store appearance; time to be confirmed, per a HIS Newsflash (4 Aug 1995)

A fan account in the HIS Newsletter No 9 (Jan 1996) describes Hugh taking the stage at 10.30pm and opening with "Grip" for a roughly one-hour set, closing with "Jesus Will Weep"; highlights included "Everybody," "Five Miles High," "I Can't Handle It," and "Clubland". A HIS Newsflash (4 Aug 1995) had billed this as an on-stage time of 10.30pm, matching the fan account

In-store appearance; same date as Crown & Cushion, Bolton — possibly a daytime in-store followed by an evening club show. Corroborated by a fan account in the HIS Newsletter No 9 (Jan 1996): a good selection of new songs plus "a great version of 'Grip'" over a 40-minute set, at 12.15pm. A HIS Newsflash (4 Aug 1995) describes the HMV in-stores generally as a "full electric band 40 min set"

On stage 10.15pm, per a HIS Newsflash (4 Aug 1995)

Per Pateley Bridge & Nidderdale Herald and Ripon Gazette listings (both 8 Sep 1995, "tonight") on the British Newspaper Archive. Given the following night's well-corroborated St Helens show (below), these are likely consecutive tour dates rather than a conflict. A HIS Newsflash (4 Aug 1995) gives the on-stage time as 10pm

Waterloo Street. Per Wigan Observer and District Advertiser (15 Aug 1995) and Runcorn Weekly News (7 Sep 1995) listings on the British Newspaper Archive, promoting his "debut single and new solo album". A HIS Newsflash (4 Aug 1995) gives the on-stage time as 10pm

Per the "Forthcoming Diary Notes" tour itinerary in the HIS Newsletter No 8 (Sep/Oct 1995). A HIS Newsflash (4 Aug 1995) gives the on-stage time as 11pm; further corroborated by a HIS Newsflash (18 Oct 1995) tour listing

Per a Sunday World (Dublin) listing (22 Oct 1995) on the British Newspaper Archive: "Hugh Cornwell (The Stranglers) in The Roxy (Waterford) on Tuesday, Galway (The Roisin Dubh) on Wednesday, Dublin (Whelan's) on Thursday". Independently corroborated by the "Forthcoming Diary Notes" tour itinerary in the HIS Newsletter No 8 (Sep/Oct 1995)

See note on the 24 Oct Waterford entry. Independently corroborated by the HIS Newsletter No 8 itinerary, which renders the venue name "The Toisin Dubh" — evidently an OCR/font misread of the same venue in its decorative typeface

See note on the 24 Oct Waterford entry. Independently corroborated by the "Forthcoming Diary Notes" tour itinerary in the HIS Newsletter No 8 (Sep/Oct 1995)

Continuation of the Irish leg after Waterford/Galway/Dublin, per the "Forthcoming Diary Notes" tour itinerary in the HIS Newsletter No 8 (Sep/Oct 1995). Per Hugh's own account in a HIS Newsflash (12 Oct 1995), these four Irish dates were rehearsal/prep shows for the UK tour, played shortly after Chris Goulstone's departure from the band left Hugh playing guitar throughout

A HIS Newsflash (18 Oct 1995) flags this only as "POSSIBLY live TV - keep your eyes on the Press!" — no venue, programme, or confirmation given

Corroborated by the "Forthcoming Diary Notes" tour itinerary in the HIS Newsletter No 8 (Sep/Oct 1995). A fan review in the HIS Newsletter No 9 (Jan 1996, by Brian McGill) has Hugh on stage at 11pm as a "trim four piece" (minus Chris Goulstone), with the set: Hungry Enough; Five Miles High; Strange Little Girl; Can't Handle It; Story Of He And She; Touch Touch; Endless Day, Endless Night; Venus In Furs; Golden Brown; Cold Turkey; Train — encoring with Spanish Castle Magic and closing with Peaches; "Grip" was notably not played. A HIS Newsflash (18 Oct 1995) tour listing renders this date "13th October," out of sequence with the surrounding October/November dates — evidently a typo for 13 Nov, given the strength of the other corroboration

A Halifax Evening Courier piece (13 Nov 1995) instead previews a Leeds Irish Centre show for "tomorrow" (14 Nov), following up on an August mini-tour — a possible venue conflict, not resolved; Aberdeen has the stronger multi-source support, and is corroborated by the "Forthcoming Diary Notes" tour itinerary in the HIS Newsletter No 8 (Sep/Oct 1995). Further corroborated by a first-hand fan review in the HIS Newsletter No 9 (Jan 1996, by Stephen Reid), who attended in person and describes a 250+ turnout for "the only Scottish performance of 'Wasted Tears'"

Corroborated by the "Forthcoming Diary Notes" tour itinerary in the HIS Newsletter No 8 (Sep/Oct 1995)

Soundboard recording; Setlist: Grip; Clubland; Not Hungry Enough; Five Miles High; Strange Little Girl; Venus In Furs; I Can't Handle It; Story Of He And She; Golden Brown; Cold Turkey; Touch Touch; Endless Day; Long Dead Train; Jesus Will Weep; Everybody; Spanish Castle Magic; Peaches. Recording notes: mixing-desk recording; first 1½ tracks are low in the mix; described as a great gig. Corroborated by the "Forthcoming Diary Notes" tour itinerary in the HIS Newsletter No 8 (Sep/Oct 1995) and by a detailed first-hand fan review in the HIS Newsletter No 9 (Jan 1996, by Martin MacDonald), who confirms the same core set (opening with a low-key "Grip", "Strange Little Girl", "Golden Brown", "Peaches", Venus In Furs/Spanish Castle Magic/Cold Turkey covers) and adds that Hugh also gave a live radio interview on local station Q96 at 7.15pm that day, previewing "Touch Touch"

Per the "Forthcoming Diary Notes" tour itinerary in the HIS Newsletter No 8 (Sep/Oct 1995). A fan review in the HIS Newsletter No 9 (Jan 1996, by Graeme Baker) confirms the show, noting excellent musicianship but a thin, subdued audience

Per the "Forthcoming Diary Notes" tour itinerary in the HIS Newsletter No 8 (Sep/Oct 1995) — a separate Leeds date from the 19 Nov Preston show below

Billed as "a new venue on the live music scene," per a Lancashire Evening Post listing (17 Nov 1995) on the British Newspaper Archive. Independently corroborated by the "Forthcoming Diary Notes" tour itinerary in the HIS Newsletter No 8 (Sep/Oct 1995)

Per the "Forthcoming Diary Notes" tour itinerary in the HIS Newsletter No 8 (Sep/Oct 1995)

Per the "Forthcoming Diary Notes" tour itinerary in the HIS Newsletter No 8 (Sep/Oct 1995)

The "Forthcoming Diary Notes" tour itinerary in the HIS Newsletter No 8 (Sep/Oct 1995) instead names the venue "Fleece & Firkin" for the same date — a genuine venue-name conflict, not resolved. A second, independent HIS Newsflash (18 Oct 1995) tour listing also gives "Fleece & Firkin," strengthening that side of the conflict

Lady's Lane. Per Market Harborough Advertiser and Midland Mail (23 Nov, "Tuesday" listing) and Leicester Daily Mercury (24 Nov, "Tuesday" listing), both on the British Newspaper Archive — both 21 and 28 Nov 1995 were Tuesdays, leaving the exact date ambiguous from those alone. Resolved to 28 Nov: both the "Forthcoming Diary Notes" tour itinerary in the HIS Newsletter No 8 (Sep/Oct 1995) and a separate Northampton Herald & Post piece (an ex-Stranglers frontman solo gig "on November 28," in a different battle-of-the-bands series) independently point to the 28th, further corroborated by a HIS Newsflash (18 Oct 1995) tour listing

Per the "Forthcoming Diary Notes" tour itinerary in the HIS Newsletter No 8 (Sep/Oct 1995)

Corroborated by the "Forthcoming Diary Notes" tour itinerary in the HIS Newsletter No 8 (Sep/Oct 1995)

A British Newspaper Archive gig-guide entry (Daily Mirror, 30 Nov 1995) instead names the venue as "Turner Sims Concert Hall, Southampton University" for the same date — a genuine venue-name conflict, not resolved. The "Forthcoming Diary Notes" tour itinerary in the HIS Newsletter No 8 (Sep/Oct 1995) names it simply "Joiners," favouring the Joiners Arms reading; a second, independent HIS Newsflash (18 Oct 1995) tour listing also gives "Joiners"

Per the "Forthcoming Diary Notes" tour itinerary in the HIS Newsletter No 8 (Sep/Oct 1995) — the same venue as Hugh's 21 Oct 1994 Birmingham show

Per a Lichfield Post listing (7 Dec 1995, same-day) on the British Newspaper Archive: "THE WHEATSHEAF STOKE: Thursday December 7: Hugh Cornwell"

Billed as "Ex-Stranglers Frontman is Back! HUGH CORNWELL BAND," with support from Russian For Money and The Laurens; widely advertised across multiple Lancashire/Yorkshire papers on the British Newspaper Archive as his "first solo nationwide tour". Corroborated by the "Forthcoming Diary Notes" tour itinerary in the HIS Newsletter No 8 (Sep/Oct 1995)

Radio session; part of a collection dated 1995–1997