featured artist article
featured artist:Hoy-Hoy!Old rock and rollers they may be, but HOY-HOY! are not in twang heaven yet. The Texas blues styled 4 piece play a mix of original and good time music called New Blues. Songs about iconic venue, The Largs Pier hotel in its rock venue heyday, and other local icons are only a small part of the music. Two guitars, bass and drums and a good time feel add up to make the band SA's premier R&B act. |
 |
featured 6 april - 20 april 2010
Old rock and rollers they may be, but HOY-HOY! are not in twang heaven yet. The Texas blues styled 4 piece play a mix of original and good time music called New Blues. Songs about iconic venue, The Largs Pier hotel in its rock venue heyday, and other local icons are only a small part of the music. Two guitars, bass and drums and a good time feel add up to make the band SA's premier R&B act.
Frontman & bassist Frank Lang formed this outfit by gathering the best players he knew, and 23 years later a DVD of the music is on sale around the traps. Released in 2009, the DVD features guest appearances by such legends as: Don Morrison, Chris Finnen, and Michael Brown.
Relegated to mostly suburban venues and, they claim, "not quite as popular as they may have been", the band is still playing and enjoying every minute.
Mauri Berg, the 1st guitarist, hails from legendary groups like Mickey Finn and Headband, who were a pop sensation in the late '60s.
"He is a great rock and blues guitarist," says Frank, who was sound engineer for the Finns for a while, "I used to pump him up in the mix, more because I really got off on his playing, and not for any other reason."
Frank continues, "Dave Small is the other fine strat, stylist and swings like an old mans....................in a hurricane, if you get my drift, and as a bass player I find having Trapper Draper on the drums easy playing."
So with these guys from serious bands all playing with HOY-HOY! Frank admits, “on any one night I can rock, swing some blues, or even pay homage to the Bob Dylan classic ‘All along the Watchtower’, Hendrix version, and know that it isn’t an attempt to play a cover version but an all out, fine piece of Rock music."
Be sure to catch their live set soon at one of their upcoming shows in April.
