“We’ve come off stage and been given Hozier CDs to sign and people are asking why we didn’t play any of our hits.”
- BY FRED SPANNER
Back in 2007, The Hoosiers crashed onto the scene like a sugar rush you didn’t know you needed. Their debut album, “The Trick To Life”, went straight to no.1. It wasn’t just packed with bangers, it felt like a greatest hits record from day one. “Worried About Ray”, “Goodbye Mr A”, “Cops and Robbers”, and “Worst Case Scenario” weren’t just tunes; they were earworms that burrowed deep. The band hit the ground sprinting, and we all scrambled to keep up.
Then came their second album, “The Illusion of Safety”, proving these lads weren’t just a one-album wonder. More bangers, more anthems, more impossible choices. Everyone had a different favourite track.
Their critically-acclaimed album Confidence was followed by Overconfidence last year which included a plethora of bonus tracks. It seems like the band is getting a second wind.
This year The Hoosiers are hitting the road to celebrate “15 years of The Illusion of Safety”. Fancy dress is on the menu, the party’s set to be wild, and if you’re not front row dressed as your favourite superhero, screaming your lungs out, what are you even doing? Get involved. It’s going to be chaos.
Loaded caught up with lead singer Irwin Sparkes to chat about the band, old and new.
The Hoosiers have always had a “feel-good” factor about their music. Did you set out with that intention?
“Not at all, but it’s almost inescapable. When we played “Goodbye Mr A” to our late, great producer Toby Smith from Jamiroquai many years ago, he told us it sounded like a funeral dirge. It was in a minor key and about 50 beats per minute slower. He brought that enthusiastic, urgent side out of us. Now I think it’s the natural way Al and I write.
“We might experiment with dark themes, but I think music gives you a great vehicle to explore life. But, our positivity is our way of dealing with life. Most of the chat between Al and I is about finding the positives in life. I think that’s something that comes out naturally in our music now.
“But in order to have an album that sounds balanced you need to mix it up a bit. I think that comes through in our first album with the likes of “Run Rabbit Run” which is about a toxic relationship that only those on the outside can see. Someone who thinks they’re in a fairytale, but in fact there’s something more sinister going on.
“When we made our latest album, “Confidence”, we realised that there’s a lot to celebrate in life as we’ve got older, and hopefully that reflects in the music. This is clearly evident when our fans come to see us. There’s a real community feel. Anyone can be who they want to be”
What do you think it was that grabbed our attention when you first hit the scene, amongst all the other music that was going on?
“That’s a really good question. I think it’s something to do with context. We were so fortunate that we ticked the “blokes with guitars” box for daytime radio at the time. It cut through for us, and a lot of the songs are keyboard-driven which helps us stand out. We threw everything at the production and it developed songs that resonated with people. People instantly identified that it was a Hoosiers song and that was great.
“Another way is to drop your name at the beginning of the song. It works for some. We tried it once. It didn’t work for us. (He laughs).
“It’s good to do something a bit different from what’s expected, but you also need a good team behind you to get you in front of the right people. I’d love to say it’s because I’m a genius, but that would be a lie.
“Nostalgia comes into it too. Mixing up a song with another of a similar sound can be a powerful tool. There was a Doves track that Toby was really keen on and he used it to give us a feel of what he wanted a particular track to sound like.”
Were you always a confident band?
“It depends on what day you asked us. At the point when “The Trick To Life” went to no.1 we felt good, but you never know how other people will hear the album as you always have your own personal relationship with a song. There was a point where we thought that the NME would completely get us as it was so unabashed, but then they named us “Worst Band of the Year”.
Totally unjustified.
“We like to think so (laughs). We didn’t fit in with their niche at the time, but I still think even if you’re getting up people's noses they can’t ignore you. You’ve got to grab their attention. I think one of the biggest crimes of being in a band is being ignorable.”
Do you mean like the keepie-uppies you did on TikTok?
“That was ages ago. It might even have originated on MySpace. I like to think we were the inspiration behind TikTok.”
I noticed a post you put up recently where both you and Al were in agreement as to which was the best song on “The Illusion Of Safety” album. The song you chose was “Devil’s In The Detail”. Why that one?
“Part of it might be because I had so precious little to do with it! I can hear that song almost as a fan I’m wailing away in the background, but even that doesn’t manage to ruin it. Al wrote the song and it’s got a great depth to it lyrically. I’ve said this to Al, he’s just not clever enough to write those lines and I think it’s a genuine example of the muse overtaking someone. There’s a beauty to it that’s beyond the sum of its parts. There’s a mood to it and the production elements just brought it all together nicely. It’s a breath of fresh air.”
What about “Who Said Anything (About Falling in Love)”? Lyrically and melodically that’s a cracker.
“A lot of credit goes to Eg White from Brother Beyond who co-wrote it with us. If you live long enough, you’ll meet someone like the person portrayed in the song.”
Are you enjoying yourselves more now you’re older?
“Yes, I think part of it is the gratitude part of it. Especially when you’ve experienced all the highs and lows. You appreciate that this isn’t a given. It’s not your right. There was a period of playing to larger audiences and being with Sony and one where the crowds dropped in numbers and you noticed people who weren’t there. You pass through that phase and it can be unhealthy. Therapy helped a lot with that.
“We appreciate now that we still have people to play to. People who know the words to our songs. The songs mean something to them and they take on a life of their own/ It’s helpful to have that ego getting kicked in now and again cos you need to know it’s not all about you. It’s essential if you want to be an effective human being to know that you’re not always going to get everything your own way. It’s important to remember that the world doesn’t bend and bow to your every wish.
“This is especially true when it comes to pop music. When the songs are out there, they’re not yours anymore. They belong to the fans. It’s an incredible feeling to know that people have a relationship with songs that you write in your bedroom. I love that.”
Do you feel a lot of the mystery has been taken away from musical artists with the rise of social media? The days of the Ziggy Stardust-type characters are gone. Before, you could hide yourself away a bit, but now fans seem to crave a more personal touch.
“I remember growing up in the period when there was all the fan hysteria over bands. You couldn’t hope to get close to your idols. You couldn’t communicate with them and let them know your opinion about their music. It’s so different now. Personally, I don’t love it. I don’t feel the need to tell Bjork what I think of her music. Like, telling her she lost me in the middle-eight section of her last song. Hey, just keep it to yourself.
“Then again, it’s a double-edged sword. We still need to find a way to get our voice across, whether it’s through TikTok or any other medium. But, I do miss the days when you could just let the music do the talking. You have to have a strong platform to let your music shine through otherwise you’re just lost in a sea of voices. You have to keep something back for yourself though for your own sanity.”
“Everyone can release music these days. Not everyone should, of course.”
Ok, so let’s address the elephant in the room. You guys don’t look any older than you did twenty years ago. What’s the trick to life?
“Myself and Al decided we were never going to lose ourselves in the chaos of touring. We do hit the gym, but we balance that out with a drinking session or two. We do as much gym as we can handle. Many years ago we both went over to America to do a football scholarship and that instilled in us the need for regular exercise. We’re in it for the long haul, so we do look after ourselves. We do a bit of yoga from time to time.
“Touring can keep you physically fit. It takes a toll on you and it’s a bit of a workout. I went running once and fell over a speed bump. An elderly lady came over to help me up. It was very humbling.”
Let’s talk about The Hoosiers' live experience. Is fancy dress compulsory these days?
“It’s not compulsory, but it’s a feel-good, inclusive, come-as-you-are feeling. I guess it started when the head of the label came to see us rehearse “Goodbye Mr A”. We’d been in the studio for four months and we were going stir-crazy so we just decided to have a fancy dress day. It happened to be when he turned up, and it was a complete mess.
“I think Al was dressed as the ultimate warrior hero and I was Spiderman. We just carried on as normal as if it hadn’t happened. But then we thought we should let our audience into that as well. One of my favourites was someone turning up to our gig dressed as a whoopee cushion. It’s great though. It helps people lose a few more inhibitions.
“We have people in their 60s right down to kids who weren’t even born when the first album came out. But they have this familiarity with their parents playing out music. They have a huge family connection.
“We’re fortunate that we were one of the last bands who sold physical records and CDs. People would buy it, take it home, and play it to death. That’s what you did. You spent a tenner on this product and you wanted to get the most out of it.”
You’re shortly embarking on a tour to celebrate 15 years of “The Illusion Of Safety”. Any surprises in store for us?
“Sometimes we never know what’s going to happen. We have a couple of guests in store, a few covers that we’re doing…and some new songs from our forthcoming sixth album that no one knows about yet. Apart from your readers right now. We also have the wonderful Ruby Duff opening for us.”
There’s been a running joke with you guys that folk get you confused with the singer Hozier. Any chance he’s going to join you on stage for a rendition of “Take Me To Church?”
“For a while, we used to walk on stage to that song as a joke. I think about 11 people appreciated it and the rest were confused. We have come off stage and been given Hozier CDs to sign and people are asking why we didn’t play any of our hits. We still signed them as we didn’t have the heart to tell them. Al has been confused for Hozier on numerous occasions. Our lawyer got in touch when Hozier burst onto the scene and asked if we wanted to sue him. We thought, not really. It goes against our spirit and it’s his name after all.
Any exclusives for Loaded magazine?
“We’re working on a new album. You heard it here first.”
This is going to be one hell of a year for live music and The Hoosiers should be top of your must-see list. The party is just getting started. Grab your costume and I’ll see you down the front.
