Hamfatter: Difference between revisions
No edit summary |
No edit summary |
||
| Line 16: | Line 16: | ||
| Past_members = |
| Past_members = |
||
}} |
}} |
||
'''Hamfatter''' are a [[pop rock]] band from [[Cambridge]], [[UK]], formed in 2002. The core of the band is a three-piece, comprising Eoin O'Mahony (vocals, piano, bass), James "Jimbo" Ingham (guitar, backing vocals) and Mark Ellis (drums). |
'''Hamfatter''' are a failed [[pop rock]] band from [[Cambridge]], [[UK]], formed in 2002 and notable only for their appearance on BBC2 programme Dragon's Den. The core of the band is a three-piece, comprising Eoin O'Mahony (vocals, piano, bass), James "Jimbo" Ingham (guitar, backing vocals) and Mark Ellis (drums). |
||
Eoin O'Mahony is the younger brother of the author [[Daniel O'Mahony]]. |
Eoin O'Mahony is the younger brother of the author [[Daniel O'Mahony]]. |
||
Revision as of 23:01, 14 August 2010
Hamfatter |
|---|
Hamfatter are a failed pop rock band from Cambridge, UK, formed in 2002 and notable only for their appearance on BBC2 programme Dragon's Den. The core of the band is a three-piece, comprising Eoin O'Mahony (vocals, piano, bass), James "Jimbo" Ingham (guitar, backing vocals) and Mark Ellis (drums).
Eoin O'Mahony is the younger brother of the author Daniel O'Mahony.
History
Following tours of local venues throughout the UK, and several line-up changes, Hamfatter signed to http://www.pinkhedgehog.com Records in 2003.[citation needed]
Hamfatter's first official album, Fireworks (April 2004), enjoyed moderate success[citation needed] - particularly in and around Cambridge, where the band had built up a following.[citation needed] The album exhibits several different styles.[citation needed]
Hamfatter's next release, Girls in Graz (May 2006), continued to raise the band's UK profile.[citation needed] The title track received radio-play and became a surprise hit in Austria,[citation needed] and two European tours followed. During this time Intim Productions of Vienna produced a DVD featuring live performances, interviews and a video for the song "Fireworks".
In June 2006 Hamfatter were booked to headline the main stage at Strawberry Fair, Cambridge's summer festival. For this performance in front of an audience of several thousand, the usual three-piece line-up was enhanced by a horn section and double bass. This larger line-up has featured at most of the band's subsequent performances.
Hamfatter recorded their third studio album, entitled What Part of Hamfatter Do You Not Understand?, in summer 2007. Its lead single, "Sziget (We Get Wrecked)", reached 13 in the UK indie charts, and 54 in the UK singles charts.
NME wrote a review in 2007 saying "Hamfatter carry an arsenal of power-pop nuggets including the amazing 'Sziget' which deserves to be a hit." [citation needed]
Dragons' Den
The band appeared on the UK edition of Dragons' Den on BBC2 on 21 July 2008, where they performed an extract from "Sziget (We Get Wrecked)" in an attempt to secure a £75,000 investment as an alternative to a standard record deal. After offers from four of the five potential investors, they agreed a deal with Peter Jones.[2]
The day after airing, Jones appeared on The Chris Moyles Show on BBC Radio 1 and Hamfatter's next single "The Girl I Love" was previewed. It was then announced that the song was available to download immediately, and would be available to buy physically in August. Within one hour of their appearance on Dragons' Den, the single had sold 500 copies via downloads, with a further 1,000 selling later that night.[3] On the UK Singles Chart published on 27 July 2008, the song entered at Number 71. Released on CD and vinyl a month later, the single entered the indie singles chart at Number 3.[citation needed]
Criticism
Hamfatter's unorthodox method of raising funding from outside the record label system led to some negative comments from New Musical Express and The Guardian. The NME subsequently published a negative review by Nick Haynes of the re-released album What Part of Hamfatter Do You Not Understand? without indicating that the album had previously received a favourable review from another NME journalist;[citation needed] the latter review did however, contain praise for "The Girl I Love", the only new track recorded after the band had secured financial backing from Peter Jones. Elsewhere, the Dragons' Den deal was greeted with interest and cautious praise from industry figures such as Dave Eringa.[4], Feargal Sharkey[5] and NME news editor Paul Stokes[6] Reports that Hamfatter were due to sign a record contract with Simon Cowell or Sony were dismissed by the band as journalistic invention.
Future plans
The new album is due for release in early 2010.
Solo work
The band has announced that Eoin O'Mahony will release a solo album in 2010.[citation needed]
Discography
Albums
- Fireworks (2004)
- Girls in Graz (2006)
- What Part of Hamfatter Do You Not Understand? (2007)
Singles
References
- ^ http://www.pinkhedgehog.com Records
- ^ Mzimba, Lizo (22 July 2008). "Unsigned band brave Dragons' Den". bbc.co.uk. Retrieved 23 July 2008.
- ^ ""Will Dragons' Den help Hamfatter get to number 1?". Myparkmag.co.uk. Retrieved 2009-10-15.
- ^ "Manics Producer: Dragons' Den Contract is Clever". Contactmusic.com. Retrieved 2009-10-15.
- ^ Dragons' Den: Exclusive Feargal Sharkey Interview[dead link]
- ^ Analysis: Ready for a New Wave?[dead link]