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Here at Hustler we support the local scene, music or otherwise.
The core of Hustler was formed at the end of February 2006, Hank had just that week departed Monolith to explore musical ideas of his own and create music on his own terms rather than someone elses. Hank had met for a few drinks with Dave in the local chav emporium known as wetherspoons, after a few wray and nephews based cocktails the talking began and it was discovered that the pair had a lot in common. Both had similar attitudes towards the music they wanted to create and a lot of similar influences.
They decided to get together and jam one evening with a friend of theirs joining to play rhythm guitar, the jamming continued over the next month or so and songs began to form albeit with little structure to them. Everyone knew that the next step to take was to track down a drummer. Despite advertising everywhere from Myspace to Dudley College it was to be another meeting in the pub that would yield the most positive results....
Hank had gone up to The Olde Queens Head in Halesowen to meet with friends for a few drinks and some live music, Later that evening he was talking about how he was trying to put a band together but was missing a drummer. It was at that point someone informed Hank that the man he'd been sat opposite most of the night was infact a drummer and had been in several bands in the past. Hank gave Sheldon his number and told him to get in touch when he was free for a jam session. Eventually a session was organised for Sheldon to come down and audition/jam at The Den Studios in Dudley, even this wasnt without its comedy, as Sheldon would eventually show up 40 minutes late....Devonians and Travel West Midlands apparently dont mix.
Cut now in a Hollywood style to a few weeks later, all was going fairly well with Dave, Nick, Hank and Sheldon jamming every couple of weeks, the observant among you however and those with enough time on they're hands to actually read this will have noticed the distinct lack of a vocalist so far in this elaborate tale of pubs, rehearsal rooms and bus stops. The rest of the band had also noticed this, lets be honest theres only so many times you can jam sweet child of mine instrumentally before you start to realise that somethings not quite right....
Here comes the surprise twist to the story....are you ready.....It was on yet another trip to a local licensed public house where Hank would meet Sophie, well actually in all fairness that had happened a month or so previously when she had given Hanks ability to talk random hilarious shit a serious test. But yeah anyway where was I....oh yeah....thats right.....
We had two bags of grass, seventy-five pellets of mescaline, five sheets of high-powered blotter acid, a saltshaker half-full of cocaine, and a whole multi colored collection of uppers, downers, laughers, screamers... Also, a quart of tequila, a quart of rum, a case of beer, a pint of raw ether, and two dozen amyls. Not that we needed all that for the trip, but once you get into a serious drug collection, the tendency is to push it as far as you can. The only thing that really worried me was the ether. There is nothing in the world more helpless and irresponsible and depraved than a man in the depths of an ether binge, and I knew we'd get into that rotten stuff pretty soon.
Hang on, shit thats not right, I'm pretty sure that has nothing to do with what I'm trying to do here.
Anyway, yeah it was a few weeks after meeting Soph that Hank while talking to a mutual friend on her birthday infact in....you guessed it.....the pub discovered that she could sing. Seeing as the only other applicants had either been 30 something blues singers or lived a ridiculous distance away Hank made an executive decision and asked if she wanted to come down for an audition some time.
A jam was quickly organised, but even that was not to go without the odd hiccup, first it was discovered that the only time Hank, Dave, Soph and Sheldon were free to hit a rehearsal room Nick was at work. We decided to jam as a four piece for the sake of an audition, the drama was not end there however when upon phoning Sheldon from outside the rehearsal room it was discovered he had decided to do drummers around the world proud and rather than get off the bus at the train station in Cradely Heath he'd gotten off in the middle of lye.
Situation quickly rectified by a mildly agitated mother in a Land Rover Discovery and the jam went on as planned. After a cracking two hour jam and a Pop Idol style judgement the decision was unanimous and Soph was offered a place in the band.
Hang on you...I can see you there....sitting back in your chair getting ready to point your web browser in the direction of something entirely more filthy than this. The drama doesnt end here, because you see when Hustler jammed as a four piece they came to realise that the sound they produced wasnt lacking any attitude or power despite the fact that Nick wasnt present on rhythm guitar. And while Nick was a good musician it appeared that he was surplus to requirements in the band....
It was'nt an easy decision to make, Dave and Hank sat and discussed it over many cans of John Smiths (courtesy of Hanks dad) one evening and it took until sunrise the next day to hammer out what had to be done. The next Saturday evening Dave and Hank got together with Nick and broke the news, well I say broke the news....Due to Hanks unemployment and subsequent boredom earlier that afternoon he'd updated the bands myspace page, the only problem being hed removed Nicks profile from the page. As a result Nick knew what was coming and he rather enjoyed watching Dave and Hank squirm trying to find the best way to let him know what was going on. It all worked out well though and there were no hard feelings between them.
Hustler have now begun writing and practising more regularly now and have just recently played they're first gig at The Mitre in Stourbridge. They'll be gigging regularly around the Stourbridge area soon so keep an ear to the ground and your mouth to a pint glass!
