Charles Exford writes: Here’s the list of “Curse of Half Man Half Biscuit” victims in order of how long they outlived being mentioned in the band’s songs. This list was compiled after many hours of work by Tony Blews on the HMHB Yahoo Group, with a little help from his friends on there, and we’ll try to keep it up here now.

Before suggesting anybody else, please do check when they died in relation to the earliest release of that particular song. It’s not much of a curse if they were already dead. And please don’t ask questions like “Is so-and-so dead?” in this thread. That would get very tedious too. Look them up yerself and make sure they are dead before suggesting. MAKE SURE THEY’RE DEAD. And don’t leave any evid… (sorry that bit was from another message I need to send).

Other rules: members of groups, teams or organisations mentioned do not count. Yes we know about 8 members of Buena Vista Social Club have died since that august company was mentioned, but it still doesn’t count ‘cos there have been dozens of them over the years. And that one out of Motley Crue died before they were mentioned anyway. Unfortunately.

Abandoned footy grounds, demolished gig venues, defunct companies or discontinued brands don’t count on this list either. Though do feel free to start your own list for those. Note that the list contains both a royal, a pontiff and a premier: a nice hat-trick. Lech Walesa will one day add a president to the illustrious pantheon.

Talking of hat-tricks, I note that the list also contains the only Wembley FA Cup final hat-trick scorer, the only man to score 2 European Cup final hat-tricks, a man highly skilled in rabbit-from-a-hat tricks and the man who decided Brazil could keep the World Cup after their hat-trick.

Davies, Dickie
first mentioned 8/9/1986 – died 19/2/2023
outliving the curse by 36 years and 164 days

Blair, Lionel
07/10/1985 – 4/11/2021
36 years and 28 days

Stubbs, Una
07/10/1985 – 12/08/2021
35 years and 309 days

Mikkola, Hannu
??/01/1986 – 26/02/2021
c.35 years and 41 days

Stiles, Nobby
03/03/1986* – 30/10/2020
34 years and 241 days

Large, Eddie
07/10/1985 – 2/4/2020
34 years and 186 days

Baynham, Grant
??/10/1990 – 29/07/2022
c.31 years and 347 days

Noakes, John
07/10/1985 – 28/05/2017
31 years and 233 days

Cant, Brian
10/11/1985 – 19/06/2017
31 years and 221 days

Harris, Keith
07/10/1985 – 28/04/2015
29 years and 203 days

Fosbury, Dick
25/10/1993 – 12/03/2023
29 years and 138 days

Royal, Bert (Herbert Faulkner)
25/10/1993 – 20/08/2022
28 years and 299 days

Lees, Ian “Sludge”
??/10/1990 – 31/07/2018
c.27 years and 349 days

Trautmann, Bert
??/01/1986 – 19/07/2013
c.27 years and 186 days

Barnes, Chester
25/10/1993 – 19/03/2021
27 years and 145 days

Quax, Dick
??/10/1991 – 28/05/2018
c.26 years and 225 days

Savile, Jimmy
07/10/1985 – 29/10/2011
26 years and 22 days

Ganley, Len
07/10/1985 – 28/08/2011
25 years and 325 days

Lane, Carla
??/10/1990 – 31/05/2016
25 years and 288 days

Rossi, Paolo
15/05/1995 – 10/12/2020
25 years and 209 days

Prowse, David
15/05/1995 – 29/11/2020
25 years and 198 days

Titmus, Fred
07/10/1985 – 23/03/2011
25 years and 167 days

Sarstedt, Peter
??/10/1991 – 08/01/2017
c.25 years and 85 days

Hodges, Chas
25/10/1993 – 22/9/2018
24 years and 332 days

Heyhoe Flint, Rachael
??/??/1992 – 18/01/2017
c.24 years and 200 days

Mauger, Ivan
25/10/1993 – 15/4/2018
24 years and 172 days

Lemon, Meadowlark
??/10/1991 – 27/12/2015
c.24 years and 73 days

Bream, Julian
02/02/1997 – died 14/8/2020
23 years and 194 days

Bongo, Ali
07/10/1985 – 08/03/2009
23 years and 152 days

Kitt, Eartha
07/10/1985 – 25/12/2008
23 years and 79 days

Fenton, Shane
(aka Stardust, Alvin)
??/10/1991 – 11/09/2014
c.23 years and 9 days

Meat Loaf
25/04/2000 – 20/01/2022
21 years and 270 days

Bastable, Tony
07/10/1985 – 25/05/2007
21 years and 230 days

Puskas, Ferenc
??/01/1986 – 17/11/2006
c.20 years and 300 days

Houston, Whitney
??/10/1991 – 11/02/2012
c.20 years and 120 days

Farm, George
??/01/1986 – 18/07/2004
c.19 years and 180 days

Manson, Charles
29/06/1998 – 19/11/2017
19 years and 143 days

Quinn, Harry
??/10/1991 – 1/10/2009
c.18 years

Eco, Umberto
29/06/1998 – 19/02/2016
17 years and 235 days

Hird, Thora
07/10/1985 – 15/03/2003
17 years and 159 days

Hassell, Sven
15/05/1995 – 21/09/2012
17 years and 129 days

Sinden, Donald
29/06/1998 – 11/09/2014
16 years and 74 days

Mount, Peggy
07/10/1985 – 13/11/2001
16 years and 37 days

Wolstenholme, Kenneth
03/03/1986* – 25/03/2002
16 years and 22 days

Thatcher, Margaret
29/06/1998 – 08/04/2013
14 years and 283 days

Moore, Brian
08/09/1986* – 01/09/2001
14 years and 358 days

Shankar, Ravi
29/06/1998 – 11/12/2012
14 years and 165 days

Michael, George
23/09/2002 – 25/12/2016
14 years and 93 days

Roddick, Anita
25/10/1993 – 10/09/2007
13 years and 320 days

Vandross, Luther
??/10/1991 – 01/07/2005
c.13 years and 260 days

Marks, Howard
23/09/2002 – 10/04/2016
13 years and 199 days

Gubba, Tony
25/04/2000 – 11/03/2013
12 years and 320 days

Hull, Rod
08/09/1986* – 17/03/1999
12 years and 190 days

Vine, David
02/02/1997 – 11/01/2009
11 years and 344 days

Spencer, Di
??/01/1986 – 31/08/1997
c.11 years and 230 days

Mugabe, Robert
28/04/2008 – 06/09/2019
11 years and 131 days

Cohen, Leonard
12/09/2005 – 10/11/2016
11 years and 59 days

Beefheart, Captain
25/04/2000 – 17/12/2010
10 years and 236 days

Most, Mickey
25/10/1993 – 30/05/2003
9 years and 217 days

Ball, Ernie
15/05/1995 – 09/09/2004
9 years and 117 days

Hall, Eric
25/09/2011 – 16/11/2017
9 years and 52 days

“Harry The Dog”
25/10/1993 – 09/08/2002
8 years and 290 days

Rayner, Claire
04/08/2003 – 11/10/2010
7 years and 68 days

Todd, Bob
07/10/1985 – 21/10/1992
7 years and 14 days

Vengloš, Dr. Jozef
20/10/2014 – 26/01/2021
6 years and 98 days

Haley, Alex
03/03/1986* – 10/02/1992
5 years and 344 days

Rimell, Mercy
25/09/2011 – 06/07/2017
5 years and 254 days

Mortensen, Stanley
??/01/1986 – 22/05/1991
c.5 years and 130 days

Grosvenor, Gerald, 6th Duke of Westminster
25/09/2011 – 09/08/2016
4 years and 319 days

Jackson, Gordon
07/10/1985 – 15/01/1990
4 years and 100 days

Yashin, Lev
??/01/1986 – 20/03/1990
c.4 years and 60 days

Pope JP2
25/06/2001 – 02/04/2005
3 years and 281 days

Queen Mother, The
29/06/1998 – 30/03/2002
3 years and 274 days

Gilzean, Alan
20/10/2014 – 8/7/2018
3 years and 261 days

Monopoly, Tony
??/10/1991 – 21/03/1995
c.3 years and 160 days

Greenhowe, Jean
18/05/2018 – 28/06/2021
3 years and 41 days

Gerulaitis, Vitas
??/10/1991 – 17/09/1994
c.2 years and 340 days

Dali, Salvador
08/09/1986* – 23/01/1989
2 years and 138 days

Savalas, Telly
??/10/1991 – 22/01/1994
c.2 years and 100 days

Kwango, Johnny
??/10/1991 – 19/01/1994
c.2 years and 97 days

Gow, Gerry
20/10/2014 – 10/10/2016
1 year and 355 days

Lee, Arthur
26/09/2004 – 03/08/2006
1 year and 311 days

Warhol, Andy
07/10/1985 – 22/02/1987
1 year and 138 days

Rushton, Willie
05/08/1995* – 18/08/1996
1 year and 13 days

Pele
25/02/2022 – 29/12/2022
307 days

Moult, Ted
20/11/1985* – 03/09/1986
287 days

Rous, Stanley
??/01/1986 – 18/07/1986
c.180 days

De Paul, Lynsey**
20/10/2014 – 01/10/2014
minus 19 days

* Note: Peel session dates have been given, if these preceded the particular track going on sale.
** Lynsey De Paul is the first and only person to hand back her ticket between the recording of the song and its release. Maybe she’d heard an advance copy of the album.