Attention: Replacement DRUMMER wanted!
Harry Violet & the Sharks play dive-bar jive, freak rockabilly and 12 bar stompers. For over two years at University they played 50s rock & roll, rockabilly, 12-bar dance songs, with Saxophone, before moving and reforming in London (UK) at the start of 2014.
We have played Weddings, University Balls, Functions and outdoor festivals to over 1000 people. In London we have been gigging venues like Roadtrip, Old Street, The Underbelly, Hoxton, The Spice Of Life, Soho, Brew Dog, Shoreditch.
We are now writing originals in this style with an added surf rock influence and a little bit of proto-psychobilly/horror vibes (Screamin’ Jay Hawkins, Vince Taylor, Johnny Kidd & the Pirates, The Meteors).
We have 2 hours worth of covers from over the years. A typical half hour set of covers would be:
Lucille – Little Richard
I Just Wanna Make Love To You – Muddy Waters/Etta James (stompy rock blues style)
Rip It Up – Bill Haley/Little Richard
Hound Dog – Elvis
Great Balls of Fire – Jerry Lee Lewis
LANA – Roy Orbison/The Velvets
Under the Moon of Love – Curtis Lee
I Feel Good (I Got You) – James Brown (played rock and roll style)
Slipin’ and Slidin – Little Richard
Rock Around The Clock – Bill Haley
We intend to learn some new covers to bulk out longer sets to compliment our original material (I think it has more of a Vince Taylor feel).
We are recruiting a PERMANENT DRUMMER as our previous drummer doesn’t have the time in his schedule alongside drama school. We are between the ages of 21 and 26. We have the means to produce music to a fairly high level ourselves (listen to our first recordings here: http://harryvioletandthesharks.bandcamp.com/releases ) as well as producing video (see live ‘Rip It Up’ video session attached below – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z_EkRQBirWw). This puts us in a self-sufficient position for both recording and video and we intend to record our debut EP/album and video for it to seriously push ourselves on the London scene.
Our goals for the coming months/year with the band:
Put together originals as a key component of set. I have been writing and have demoed 6 original ideas, with 2 or 3 more with music finished.
To record our tracks ourselves to a high quality and send them over to record labels and contacts in this style with a view to putting something out with a label on vinyl (7” or full length) and potentially going into a recording studio.
Release videos, promote and gig regularly in London. To build a following and put ourselves in front of people who are well connected in this scene, with a view for applying for slots at events like Notting Hill Carnival, Bestival, Glastonbury Shangri-La.
To promote ourselves by applying for occasional gigs further afield, Brighton, Norwich etc.
To save up money from gigging, as 20% of each paid gig goes into a band kitty, to fund band ventures.
We are looking for a drummer who:
Is of a fairly competent technically ability (we are not looking for beginners) who play a 50s rock and roll, rockabilly, surf and shuffled style of drums. We want that rim-of-the-snare rockabilly shuffle sound.
Has their own transport and gear, and preferably someone who has their own practice space for drumming (even if just a small room or garage where they can play drums undisturbed) so we have a space where we can set up a drum kit and record drums – this is important because we intend to record a lot.
Smart dresser, for our stage show we dress up in blazers, shirts, ties in an old school fifties style
Can practice once a week (we practice at Barbican in Guildhall facilities once a week, as Sax player is student there)
Is very keen to gig regularly in London and to occasionally travel to gigs around the country.
Is interested in playing originals with a band. I have demo’d a bunch of the musical ideas for originals which I will send over to you to demonstrate the style. We want a drummer who most importantly is interested in being a part of these songs.
If you have got this far and are interested then please get in touch at harry.rylott@gmail.com – I will ask for a few details about yourself and the points mentioned above in what we are looking for, and send over the demos of our original ideas for you to listen to.
We can arrange an informal audition where you can come and play a couple of covers from our set and our first original song (which we want to record first as a promo) ‘Dance At The Korova’. We plan to audition drummers and see who is the best fit with the band.
If you have any questions please feel free to get in touch with. I’m very ambitious and enthusiastic about this band and have a lot of ideas but I have tried to keep this advert brief, so you may have questions, which I’d love to answer.
Harry
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