Biography
The Wildhearts are an English rock band formed in 1989 in Newcastle upon Tyne. Their music blends hard rock and melodic pop influences, with elements drawn from a range of artists including the Beatles and 1980s-era Metallica. The band has achieved multiple top 20 singles and two top 10 albums in the United Kingdom. Throughout their career, they have experienced challenges with record companies and internal lineup changes. Ginger, the band's founder, singer, and guitarist, has been the sole constant member. The band has undergone periods of hiatus and reformation, performing anniversary tours and releasing new material periodically, most recently with the album "Satanic Rites of the Wildhearts" in March 2025.
The Wildhearts were initially formed after Ginger was dismissed from the Quireboys. Early lineups included singers Snake and Dunken F. Mullett, and eventually stabilized with Ginger on guitar and vocals, CJ (Christopher Jagdhar) on guitar and vocals, Danny McCormack on bass and vocals, and Dogs D'Amour drummer Bam. The lineup released the EPs "Mondo Akimbo a-Go-Go" and "Don't Be Happy...Just Worry" in 1992, after which Bam was replaced by Stidi (Andrew Stidolph). Their demos were released as "Earth vs the Wildhearts" and included singles "Greetings From Shitsville" and "TV Tan." Stidi was later replaced by Ritch Battersby, and the single "Caffeine Bomb" reached the UK charts in 1994.
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Plans for a double album were vetoed by East West Records, and some recordings were later released in the fan club mini-album "Fishing for Luckies," which included "Geordie In Wonderland." The band's second studio album, "P.H.U.Q.," was released in 1995 and reached number 6 on the UK Albums Chart. Several temporary members, including Mark Keds and Jef Streatfield, joined during this period. Additional material was later released as "Fishing for More Luckies" and the rarities compilation "Landmines and Pantomimes." In 1997, the band signed to Mushroom Records and recorded "Endless, Nameless" before disbanding temporarily.
The band has often released singles in multiple formats and compiled B-sides in collections such as "Coupled With." In 2001, the Earth vs the Wildhearts lineup reunited for a tour, although Danny McCormack’s struggles with addiction affected performances. The mini-album "Riff After Riff After Motherfucking Riff" was released in Japan, and the single "Vanilla Radio" reached the UK top 30. The full-length album "The Wildhearts Must Be Destroyed" followed in 2003, with a US release of "Riff After Riff" in 2004. The band briefly disbanded in 2005 before performing a one-off show at Scarborough Castle and later reuniting with new bassist Scott Sorry.
In 2007, the band recorded the self-titled album "The Wildhearts," preceded by the single "The Sweetest Song." Subsequent singles included "The New Flesh" and "Destroy All Monsters." They released the covers album "Stop Us If You've Heard This One Before, Vol 1." in 2008 and the three-CD compilation "The Works." The album "¡Chutzpah!" was released in 2009, followed by the mini-album "¡Chutzpah! Jnr." The band received the Spirit of Independence award at the 2009 Kerrang! Awards and performed at the first UK Sonisphere Festival.
Ginger participated in other projects during the 2010s, including performing with Michael Monroe and solo tours, leading to a period of hiatus for the Wildhearts. The band reunited for occasional anniversary shows, including tours celebrating the 20th anniversary of "Earth vs the Wildhearts" and "P.H.U.Q.," with live recordings released as "Rock City vs the Wildhearts." New albums during this period included "Renaissance Men" in 2019 and "21st Century Love Songs" in 2021. Another hiatus was announced in March 2022 following lineup changes.
In May 2023, Danny McCormack published his autobiography "I Danny McCormack, Once a Wildheart, Always a Wildheart." In 2024, Ginger announced a new lineup featuring Jon Poole, Ben Marsden, and Pontus Snibb, which toured internationally. The album "Satanic Rites of the Wildhearts" was released on 7 March 2025, followed by a short UK tour.
Studio albums
Earth vs the Wildhearts (1993)
P.H.U.Q. (1995)
Fishing for Luckies (1996)
Endless, Nameless (1997)
The Wildhearts Must Be Destroyed (2003)
The Wildhearts (2007)
Stop Us If You've Heard This One Before, Vol 1. (2008)
¡Chutzpah! (2009)
Renaissance Men (2019)
21st Century Love Songs (2021)
Satanic Rites of the Wildhearts (2025)
Biography text from Last.fm, available under CC BY-SA.