The Blind Hearts
The Blind Hearts move Manchester to the Mississippi.
A hillbilly rabble of 5 scruffy young guitar pickin, harmony-hollerin, bourbon-swiggin folk-blues-country yokels from Manchester, Mansfield, London and Japan – it sounds like it’d never work but these boys sing like angels who’ve been kicked flying out of the rickety saloon doors of a particularly grubby celestial bar by a tattooed ex-marine called Randy.
UK national radio has already picked up on first single (Oh Lord & I) Keep On Losing, which was made pick of the week on Absolute Radio’s Sunday Night Music Club show.
The band have spent 2 summers playing rapturously received sets at festivals up and down the UK, and supporting the likes of The Charlatans and Alabama3 to name but 2.
Festivals Played: London City Showcase Festival, London Marylebone Summer Festival, London LockStock Festival, Cambs Fordham Festival, N Yorks Limetree Festival, Oxon Chalgrove Festival, Cornwall Surf Relief Festival, Derbyshire Off The Tracks Festival, London Oxjam Festival.
VenuesPlayed:LondonBarfly,Borderline,93FeetEast,GlobeTheatre@TheBedford,RegalRoom,DirtySouth, Camden Enterprise, University Roehampton.
First release Standing In The Shackles, available on iTunes as a 9 track album or physically as a limited edition 2 EP set, is on their own imprint Railroad Records.
Songs available to stream for free on Spotify and on www.myspace.com/theblindhearts.
Their distinctive yet accessible sound is a rich gumbo of American country, blues, soul and folk elements with the spicy energy of contemporary British guitar bands – as you’d expect from a group of lads who count JJ Cale, Little Feat, Muddy Waters, BB King, Kasabian, Stevie Wonder, Nirvana, Led Zeppelin and The Charlatans amongst their eclectic list of influences.
Singer Andy Gyves’ instantly recognisable voice has drawn comparisons with artists as diverse as Richard Ashcroft, PJHarvey, Bob Dylan, Stevie Nicks, Patti Smith, Ian Brown and Jim Morrison. His songwriting partnership with Dan Clark, whose stylish guitar picking and harmony vocals intrinsically shape the band’s unique sound, is at the heart of the ‘Hearts. On the left wing, completing the onstage frontline of a potent 3 striker attack, is Jon Hall, contributing a whirlwind of acoustic strumming and more fine harmony vocals.
The boys in the engine room keep it tight at the back – Simon Julian’s nimble, Motown influenced bass grooves and J Hirano’s muscular yet infectiously danceable drumming ensuring TBH move the feet as well as the hearts of their rapidly growing fanbase.
“My pick…blends folk, country and blues to produce a well aged bourbon!”
Vicki Blight, Absolute Radio
“A real gem…a crowd favourite at any live gig across the country”
TheLondonMusicBlog.co.uk “
A breath of fresh air”
MusicVita.com
“Standing In The Shackles – great, great song!”
Tim Burgess, The Charlatans
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