High Fidelity

:(This page refers to High Fidelity and the singer Sean Dickson, who performed High Fidelity songs for Peel's show sometimes under his own name.)
The High Fidelity were an indie experimental dance-pop band, formed in 1995 by Sean Dickson, formerly of The Soup Dragons. Dickson started the group when High Times magazine asked him to record a track for a cannabis-themed covers compilation album, Hempilation: Freedom Is NORML. Their debut album, Demonstration (2000), was recorded largely in Dickson's bedroom, with Adrian Barry (bass), Paul Dallaway (guitar) and Ross McFarlane (drums). The album was later augmented with a number of orchestral arrangements recorded in India. Their single "Luv Dup" reached #70 on the UK Singles Chart in July 1998. The group disbanded after 2001, when lead singer Sean Dickson decided to be a dance DJ under the name of HiFi Sean.
== Links To Peel ==
The band recorded a number of sessions for John Peel's BBC Radio 1 show, introducing the use of the omnichord, a vintage synthesiser, with which they performed a number of songs including a version of "Silent Night". Peel shared the band's enthusiasm for the instrument, and when they gave him one as a 60th birthday present it led to Peel co-writing and performing on one of the tracks on the band's second long-player, 2001's The Omnichord Album - 'Pig Might Fly,' about his wife (Sheila Ravenscroft, whose nickname was the Pig, because her snort when laughing resembled the noise of a pig). Dickson also performed High Fidelity songs under his own name, like in 1998 and 2001, for sessions on Peel's show.
In 1999, Peel visited Sean Dickson and met his father in Scotland during the filming of the TV documentary Sounds Of The Suburbs: Lanarkshire. The High Fidelity track "Lazy B" subsequently appeared on the "John Peel's Sounds Of The Suburbs" double CD compilation.
== Sessions ==
1. Recorded: 1998-03-17. Broadcast: 05 May 1998. Repeated: 15 October 1998
* My Frequency / Whitey / Lazy B / Pelvic Rock
2. Recorded: Unknown. Broadcast: 02 December 1998 (under the name of Sean Dickson)
* Cola Coca / Substitute / Commercial Suicide / Omnichord 4.AM
3. Recorded: 1999-12-08. Broadcast: 08 December 1999
* Silent Night
4. Recorded: 2001-07-05. Broadcast: 05 July 2001 (under the name of Sean Dickson)
* Scream If You Wanna Go Faster / Two Up Two Down / Electromale / Teenage Kicks / Omnichord 4.AM
== Live ==
Recorded in Glasgow Art School, in concert as part of Music Live: 1999-05-26. Broadcast: 26 May 1999
# 2 Up 1 Down
# The National Anthem
# I Thank U
# Devil Got A Shell Suit
# Luv Dup
# Oddysey Of A Psychonaut
Recorded in the Union Chapel, London: 2000-03-29. Broadcast: 29 March 2000
# Nyc
# Greeneye Monster
# The National Anthem
# Addicted To A TV
# Devil In A Shellsuit
# Unsorry
# I Thank U
# Luv Dup
# Oddysey Of A Psychonaut
== Other Shows Played ==
;1997
*02 December 1997: 'Addicted To A T.V. (7")' (Plastique)
*04 December 1997 (BFBS): 'Addicted To A T.V. (7")' (Plastique)
*11 December 1997 (BFBS): 'Addicted To A T.V. (7")' (Plastique)
thumb|330x330px
;1998
*January 1998 (FSK): Sick Of It All (v/a 2x7" EP - Dark Side Of The Raccoon) Fierce Panda NING 44
*15 January 1998: Sick Of It All (v/a 2x7" EP - Dark Side Of The Raccoon) Fierce Panda NING 44
*20 January 1998: Sick Of It All (v/a 2x7" EP - Dark Side Of The Raccoon) Fierce Panda NING 44
*29 January 1998 (BFBS): 'Sick Of It All (v/a 2x7" EP - Dark Side Of The Raccoon) Fierce Panda NING 44
*18 February 1998: Sick Of It All (v/a 2x7" EP - Dark Side Of The Raccoon) Fierce Panda NING 44
*19 February 1998: Come Again (Part 3) Abstract Observation (12" - Come Again (Part 4)) Plastique Recordings FAKE 02TX
*25 February 1998: Come Again (Part 3) Abstract Observation (12" - Come Again (Part 4)) Plastique Recordings FAKE 02TX
*02 March 1998 (BBC World Service): Sick Of It All (v/a 2x7" EP - Dark Side Of The Raccoon) Fierce Panda NING 44
*12 March 1998: Come Again [Part 1] (Promo CD single) Plastique Recordings
*09 June 1998: Luv Dup (CD single) Plastique
*12 November 1998: Unsorry (CDS) Plastique
*17 December 1998: Bollywood Bubblegum Experiment (7”) Plastique
*22 December 1998: 'Bollywood Bubblegum Experiment (CD-Demonstration)' (Plastique)
;1999
*03 January 1999 (BFBS): 'Bollywood Bubblegum Experiment (7")' (Plastique Recordings)
*10 June 1999 (Radio Eins): Bollywood Bubblegum Experiment
*01 July 1999: 2 Up / 2 Down (7") Plastique Recordings
*13 July 1999: '2 Up / 2 Down (7")' (Plastique)
*22 July 1999 (Radio Eins): 2 Up 2 Down (7") Plastique
*19 September 1999 (BFBS): 'Teenage Kicks (Compilation CD-John Peel's 60th Birthday Album)' (not on label)
*21 September 1999: Teenage Kicks (CD - John Peel’s Birthday CD) white label
*21 September 1999: 2 Up/2 Down (7" single) Plastique
*26 September 1999 (BFBS): '2 Up/2 Down (7")' (Plastique Recordings
*02 December 1999: 'Unsorry (version 2) (CDS)' (Plastique Recordings)
*09 December 1999: 'Unsorry (CDS)' (Plastique Recordings)
*21 December 1999: 'Unsorry (CDS)' (Plastique Recordings)
*27 December 1999 (BFBS): 'Unsorry (7")' (mail order or download only)
;2000
*05 January 2000: 'I Thank U (12 inch)' (Plastique)
*20 January 2000 (Radio Eins): I Thank U (12 inch)' (Plastique)
*27 January 2000: 'I Thank U (Jengaheads Remix) (promo 12")' (Plastique Recordings)
*27 January 2000 (Radio Eins): I Thank U (12 inch)' (Plastique)
*February 2000 (FSK): Odyssey Of A Psychonaut (CD - Demonstration) Plastique
*01 February 2000: 'I Thank U (CDS)' (Plastique Recordings)
*07 February 2000 (BFBS): 'ITHANKU (CDS)' (Plastique Recordings)
*09 February 2000: ITHANKU (Jengaheads Remix) (CDS) Plastique
*10 February 2000 (Radio Eins): 'I Thank U (CDS)' (Plastique Recordings)
*26 February 2000 (BFBS): 'Lazy.B (CD-Demonstration)' (Plastique Recordings)
*02 March 2000 (Radio Eins): Odyssey Of A Psychonaut
*March 2000 (FSK): Lazy.B (CD - Demonstration) Plastique
*16 March 2000: Cola Coca (LP – Demonstration) Plastique Recordings
*16 March 2000 (Radio Eins): Lazy B (LP – Demonstration) Plastique Recordings
*30 March 2000 (Radio Eins): Bollywood Bubblegum Experiment (CD – Demonstration) Plastique
*04 April 2000: Luv Dup (LP - Demonstration) Plastique
*05 April 2000: Odyssey Of A Psychonaut (LP - Demonstration) Plastique
*06 April 2000: 'Unsorry (LP-Demonstration)' (Plastique Recordings)
*09 April 2000 (BFBS): 'Luv Dup (CD-Demonstration)' (Plastique Recordings)
*02 May 2000: 'Unsorry (CDS)' (Plastique Recordings)
*18 May 2000: Unsorry (album - Demonstration) Plastique
*14 November 2000: A Change Is Gonna Come? (promo) Plastique
*14 December 2000: A Change Is Gonna Come? (CD - Demonstration) Plastique Recordings
thumb|330x330px
;2001
*10 January 2001: Scream If You Want To Go Faster (CD single: Scream If You Want To Go Faster) Plastique
*10 January 2001: Pig Might Fly (under the name of Sean Dickson)
*25 January 2001 (Radio Eins): Pig Might Fly (album - The Omnichord Album) Plastique
*28 January 2001 (BBC World Service): Pig Might Fly (album - The Omnichord Album) Plastique
*January 2001 (FSK): Pig Might Fly (CD - The Omnichord Album) Plastique
*06 February 2001: Scream If You Want To Go Faster
*01 March 2001: 'Scream If You Want To Go Faster (CD single)' (Plastique)
*01 March 2001 (Radio Eins): 'Scream If You Want To Go Faster (CD single)' (Plastique)
*13 March 2001: Electromale (album - The Omnichord Album) Plastique
*20 March 2001: Scream If You Want To Go Faster (CD Single) Plastique
*22 March 2001: 'Pig Might Fly (CD-The Omnichord Album)' (Plastique)
*22 March 2001 (Radio Eins): Electromale (album - The Omnichord Album) Plastique
*03 April 2001: Omnichord 4.AM (album - The Omnichord Album) Plastique
*05 April 2001: Pig Might Fly (CD - The Omnichord Album) Plastique
*08 April 2001 (BBC World Service): Scream If You Want To Go Faster (album - The Omnichord Album) Plastique
*19 April 2001: 'Electromale (LP-The Omnichord Album)' (Plastique)
*04 July 2001: Pig Might Fly (CD - The Omnichord Album) Plastique
2002
*25 April 2002 (Radio Eins): Unsorry (album - Demonstration)
;2004
*23 December 2004 (Rob Da Bank): Teenage Kicks (CD - John Peel’s Birthday CD) white label
== See Also ==
*Sounds Of The Suburbs: Lazy B
*John Peel's 60th Birthday Album: Teenage Kicks
*January 2000 (Peel's Record Box)
*March 2000 (Peel's Record Box)
*May 2000 (Peel's Record Box)
*March 2001 (Peel's Record Box)
*April 2001 (Peel's Record Box)
*Gigography 1999 
== External Links ==
*Wikipedia
*Discogs
*YouTube
Category:Artists