The Hives – Hate To Say I Told You So

14th May 2023 · 2000, 2000s, Music

It seems like only the other day that The Hives burst into our consciousness with their matching black-and-white outfits and their revved-up 1960s garage rock. In fact it was 23 years ago, at the start of the century.

Nor had I realised that the Swedish band had already been together for a decade when they were brought to our attention by Alan McGee, who spotted a video on German TV and signed them to his new label Poptones.

So I also never knew ’til now that their 2001 breakthrough album Your New Favourite Band was actually a compilation of two earlier albums (and an EP).

Anyway, this was the single that brought them to everyone’s attention, featuring their signature sound – somewhere between The Stooges and Dr Feelgood – with hyperactive lead singer Howlin’ Pelle and his brother Niklas (alias ‘Randy Fitzsimmons’) on guitar.