Hooper’s blog

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We make music. No genre in mind, we just write songs and let them come out naturally, without any discussion as to whether people will like it, or is it cool? Or, is that middle 8 too flowery? 

If someone really likes one of our songs then we are totally stoked to hear that.

We get lots of support from Trev at the Writers Cafe, and urge you to listen to some of our other musical friends: Tommy Marshalls Ambassadors, Paul Hanafin, Izzy Isgate.

 

Thanks for listening. 

Hello,

 

I hesitate to use the word quiet when describing the atmosphere at the Writers Cafe this month, the collected expectation filled the venue with a vibration of expectancy as solo first timer Steve Irwin wowed us with acoustic renditions of Mad World and No Woman No Cry.

 

 

 

Trev Teasdel (writers cafe guv'nor) dug a couple of his hits out of the bag to brush the cobwebs off in public for the first time in a couple of years intertwining his unique storytelling with acoustic guitar. His poetry style certainly leant itself to a musical backing; it would be good to see him perform more of his stuff with a guitar in the future.

LINK - Writers Cafe on Vox

 

Nigel (again for the first time in a couple of years) gave us three songs which illuminated social commentary from a decade or two ago. With hints of Vin Garbutt and Billy Bragg he finished with a fantastic hamonica/guitar finale and never hit a bum note; it was difficult to believe he wasn't well practised.

 

 

 

Then followed JB Butterfield, with a voice that sounds like a well travelled Robert Johnson that has been smoking 40 Marlboro a day, cut a vibe in the air like a rusty hacksaw through candyfloss. Awesome blues/country - A well polished performance.

LINK - JB Butterfileld on MySpace

 

 

 

 

 

Paul Hanafin turned up in the nick of time from his Darlington gig to knock the crowds socks off with a cutting edge acoustic sound. Take Maximo Park, ColdPlay, Kings of Leon, Hundred Reasons, Kasabian, the Editors and the Strokes; liquidise them in a blender and bake for 40 mins at gas mark 6. Take that and educate it for 3 years, give it an acoustic guitar and you get Paul Hanafin. Definately the next best thing in music, acoustic or otherwise.

 

LINK - Paul Hanafin on MySpace

 

 

 

 

Its difficult to review your own band but here goes: Hooper followed with their offtrack acoustics, like a meeting between Trent Reznor and Voice of the Seven Woods, the local Duo argued their way through a 30 min set without too many cock ups. They have a unique sound which varies from the melancholy to the uplifting and mystical to the real.

 

 

 

 

 

LINK - Hooper on MySpace

 

LINK - Hooper on Vox

 

 

Tommy Marshalls Ambassadors finished off with a solid 30 mins of harmonic duellism. The ying baritone power of Paul Rymer balanced by the yang soft airiness of James Hare reminded me of Simon and Garfunkel at times. Very very good songs with a human theme and extremely entertaining. One to watch.

LINK - TMA on MySpace

Trev then announced plans of a new venue for 2008, details under wraps for the moment but the Writers Cafe is set to evolve at the end of the year. Stay tuned for details.

Next month - Izzy Isgate - absolutely awesome, don't miss her!!

Thanks

James McCue

Next Hooper gig:

 

Wednesday 6th June

 

Writers Cafe, Georgian Theatre, Green Dragon Yard, Stockton-on-Tees, NE England.

 

Also appearing: Trev Teasdel / Tommy Marshalls Ambassadors / Paul Hanafin / JB Butterfield / open mic spots (come down and show us your thing).

Links to these artists:

Trev Teasdel

Tommy Marshalls Ambassadors

Paul Hanafin

Hooper - on MySpace (got a selection of cover songs up at the moment)

J.B. Butterfield

 

Hooper -

Acoustic music from Teesside, NE UK.

 

Bright and melodic, melancholy and uplifting...