Buy Simon's Back Catalogue in MP3 form
THE SIMON HOPPER BAND
A Land for the Many & The Less Blessed
WELL?
What's a Boy to Do?
SIMON HOPPER
Another Clue & Daffodils
The Simon Hopper Band in the Media
'His songs are topical, wordy and intelligent.'
British folk/roots artists rarely get the air-play they deserve and Simon Hopper is no exception. His songs are topical, wordy and intelligent. They do not pull any political punches and they try their damnedest to seek a deeper context or reference point in a quest for understanding. They fearlessly draw upon instruments and rhythms from outside the accepted canon.
The title track, for example, is a traditional picker's ballad about immigration. The media's knee-jerk responses to Eastern European migration are countered by a timely reminder that Britain has always been a cultural melting pot: be it an influx of West Indians in the 1950s; the Nineteenth Century Irish navvies who constructed much of our Victorian infrastructure, or as far back as the Celts and Anglo Saxons who've all contributed to and are part of a nation that loves to wrap itself in the cross of St George. Yet all at one time or another were regarded as foreigners.
Elsewhere, in Bodies in the Way he urges us to physically oppose oppression. Pertinent references to Kristelnacht, bloody dictatorship, sadism and religious zealots distance this music from the usual folk offerings. The protest songs are punctuated by more typical tales of love and loss, often with a stinging twist to the tale.
'hi-fi+ Magazine'
Live interview on BBC Radio
Download and listen to the band's interview and live set on BBC radio with Mark Seaman on their website. Full versions of the comments above can also be found here.
The Ballad of the Suffolk Five 1 :
Read Simon's interview at BBC Radio Suffolk
Simon visited Stephen Foster at BBC Radio Suffolk for an interview and unplugged session - of particular local interest was the song about the five young women murdered in and around the town in December 2006. You can read the page devoted to this on BBC Suffolk's website by clicking on the link below.
BBC Radio Suffolk
The Ballad of the Suffolk Five 2 :
See Simon sing in the BBC Radio Suffolk studio
This is the live version of the song recorded for the Ipswich Evening Star Newspaper website.
Ipswich Evening Star
The Ballad of the Suffolk Five 3 :
Here is Mary Ann Kennedy's introduction to the song when she played it on her BBC Radio 3 World on 3
'A song that that follows in the tradition of the rawest edges of folk song and ballad but (which) belongs entirely and uncomfortably in the present day and very recent events. Some folk will find this song difficult listening beyond its seemingly benign delivery but I think it’s meant to be that way; it’s meant to challenge; but above all, I think, it’s meant with respect to its subjects.'
Live at the Southwell Folk Festival on YouTube
See the band play Jeffrey and Robert and I at the Southwell Folk Festival 2008
http://youtube.com/watch?v=wAFLfQkXLWM&feature=related
Telling new stories through new songs...
...with a craftsman's eye and a poet's fist. Old England is new England, and it hurts. The songs are influenced by British Folk, Joni Mitchell, Loudon Wainwright, Ron Sexsmith & Dylan. Simon has shared the stage with Bert Jansch, John Renbourn, Clive Gregson & Iain Matthews, among others. Clive and Iain have gone on record in praising his craft. File, if you must, under jazz-influenced, acoustic, soul-based folk rock... or better still, just listen.
(For other songs, see
their website.)
Buy The Less Blessed
The Simon Hopper Band's new cd (The Less Blessed) is distributed by Proper Music Distribution and can be ordered from any high-street record store - or online from Amazon.
(It is also available by mail order directly - see
their website.)
Are You A House Concert Host?
From summer '08, TSHB will be performing a new kind of concert - in fans' private homes. If you would like to host a concert, please contact us and let us know - the email address is available at http://simonhopper.co.uk/contact.html.
First, though, you should read the points below - you need to know what you would be letting yourself in for!
Accommodation
You should be able to fit around 30 people in your space – more if possible. It doesn't have to be a concert seating arrangement - a combination of sofas, armchairs, dining chairs, cushions-on-the-floor and standing would be fine.
Charges
We would not charge an entry fee – but we would make a collection to cover costs. (We wouldn't expect a further contribution from those who purchased cds!)
Food and Drink
We wouldn’t expect hosts to provide refreshments – but would suggest a BYO approach on the part of attendees.
Guests
While we would expect hosts to invite friends and relatives if they wished, we would also invite people from our email list and publicise the concerts locally. Attendees would have to email us for a downloadable ticket in order to attend – and numbers would be limited.
Concert Atmosphere
We would have to insist that the evening was clearly identified as a dedicated TSHB concert – and not a private party with incidental music. If that took place afterwards, that would be great – especially if we could attend! The main purpose of the evening, however, must be clear to attendees.
We hope that there can be a win-win situation. We get to play in a friendly environment to a friendly audience and extend our audience reach. The host gets to have some real music played by real musicians in their own home. We trust it would be a great experience all round.
TSHB. 06.08
Upcoming Dates '09
please note that any performances booked well in advance
are subject to confirmation closer to the date...
..Jan..
SATURDAY 10th - M27 MEGABOP - 7.30 p.m.
Floor Spot
Venue T.B.C. - See website
http://homepage.ntlworld.com/trevor.gilson/megabops/
MONDAY 26th - CROYDON FOLK CLUB
PLEASE NOTE - CANCELLED
http://www.croydonfolksongclub.org.uk/
..Feb..
WEDNESDAY 18th - BELFAST NASHVILLE SONGWRITERS FESTIVAL - 9.40
Madisons Hotel, 59-63 Botanic Avenue, Belfast, BT7 1JL
Solo
http://www.belfastnashville.com/
..Mar..
SATURDAY 7th - THE SECOND ANNUAL SIMON HOPPER BAND FANS' GIG - 8.00
Trio with support (t.b.c.)
Lawn Close, off Garden Road, Bromley, Kent. BR1 3NA - Tel: 020 8464 9106
Entrance free - a collection will be taken - For directions see website...
http://www.spltsrc.co.uk/
SUNDAY 8th - HORSHAM FOLK CLUB - 8.00 p.m.
Main Guest [Shared] (Duo)
http://www.horshamfolkclub.co.uk/
..Apr..
SATURDAY 18th - LEWES SATURDAY FOLK CLUB - 8.00 p.m.
Please note; this is a second change of venue
The Crown Inn, 191, High Street, Lewes BN7 2NA
www.crowninn-lewes.co.uk/
Main Guest (Duo)
http://www.lewesarmsfolkclub.org/
MONDAY 20th - OLD HOUSE ACOUSTIC CLUB - 8.00 p.m. (TBC)
Main Guest / Duo (Poss Trio)
Old House Acoustic Music Club, The Pilot, Upper Stone Street Maidstone, Kent ME15 6EU
01622 672277
..May..
FRIDAY 8th - FOLK ON THE PIER - 2.00 p.m.
Cromer Folk Festival
Main Stage (Trio)
http://www.deckchairproductions.co.uk/pier/index.html
FRIDAY 8th - FOLK ON THE PIER - 5.30 p.m.
Cromer Folk Festival
Hotel De Paris (Duo)
http://www.deckchairproductions.co.uk/pier/index.html
..Jul..
FRIDAY 10th - CAMBRIDGE FOLK CLUB - 8.00 p.m. (TBC)
Main Guest / Duo (Poss Trio)
http://www.cambridgefolkclub.org/
THURSDAY 16th - ORPINGTON FOLK CLUB - 8.15 p.m.
Main Guest / Duo (Poss Trio)
http://www.orpingtonfolkclub.fsnet.co.uk/
..Sep..
SATURDAY 26th - PANCREATIC CANCER FUNDRAISER - 7.30 p.m.
One of Many Acts / Duo (Poss Trio)
Tyler Hill Memorial Hall, Summer Lane, Tyler Hill
Canterbury, Kent, CT2 9NJ
Further info info@simonhopper.co.uk
..Oct..
FRIDAY 23rd - FO'C'SLE FOLK CLUB - 8.00 p.m. (TBC)
108 Portswood Rd, Portswood, Southampton SO17 2FW
Main Guest / Duo
http://www.focsle.org.uk/
Back Catalogue Available Online
Simon's entire back catalogue will soon be available for download via iTunes and the other sites before the end of March '09. Keep your eyes open for email list messages.
Simon's solo cds, Daffdodils and Another Clue will be there along with the pre-TSHB cd recorded with Leigh under the name Well? entitled What's a Boy to Do? Of course, A Land for the Many and The Less Blessed recorded with The Simon Hopper Band will be there, too. .
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