About the Blue Hearts The Blue Hearts founder members, Bob Powell and Mark Horse started in 1988 playing a diverse collection of covers including material by Muddy Waters and Dwight Yoakam. They quickly expanded the line up to include Fiddle, Double Bass, Drums and Pedal Steel and concentrated on developing the Blue Hearts as an indie/roots concept with their own original songs. 'The Doors' 'Tom Waits' and 'Nick Lowe' are included in the band's influences as well as local songsmith 'Nick Cave'. This has defined sound for the band so that no matter what the song is, it will always sound like the Blue Hearts. Today the band has moved on. The Blue Hearts are back with their 4th album "Jukebox Of Maladies", a new stronger sound & a new line-up.
The band's debut album 'Lullaby for the Lost' received great reviews in the mainstream press and it generated extensive airplay on local and national radio both in the UK and Europe. The band were invited to BBC events that promoted the new idie sound. Since then the Blue Hearts music has been played throughout the world, from Australia to the USA and Europe.
Typical quotes are: Great Pop Hooks - a debut that will make you want to see them play live: Mojo A great British sound, laid back and musically excellent: Dave Allen (BBC Radio 2)
The Blue Hearts new line up is
Bob Powell - Vocals & lyrics
Mark Horse - Lead Guitar
Mike Fitzsimons - Guitar/backing vocals
Sue Bradley - Violin/vocals
Torquil MacLeod - Bass/backing vocals
Will Moore - Drums
The band are based in Brighton, East Sussex, England.
We also have a couple of dep drummers who have kindly signed up to cover in case of unavailability of Will, who plays with other bands as well as The Blue Hearts.
They are Marianne Hillier-Brook and Jamie Freeman
Band Discography: 1993 Single Delirious 3 tracks 1995 Album Lullaby For The Lost 14 tracks 1995 Single Hearts About To Break 3 tracks 1997 Single A Thousand Stars 3 tracks 2001 Album No More Long Goodbyes 12 tracks 2003 Single Everyone Wants To Dance With My Girl 3 mixes 2005 Album Dark Side Of Town 10 tracks 2010 Album Jukebox Of Maladies.
They are all available direct from Big Cactus Records, CDBaby.com and as download from all good quality sites such as iTunes
The primary songwriters are Mark Horse (guitar) and Bob Powell (Lyrics) Blue Hearts.
Background bits Mike played bass with The Piranhas Brighton's most notorious pop band. Top ten Hits with Tom Hark and Zambezi. Sue played fiddle with Pookiesnackenburger, the band that spawned 'Stomp' the highly successful world-wide percussion show with dustbins and brooms. The band's first album 'Lullaby for the Lost' featured Kirsty MacColl on backing vocals. The band have played several dates opening for Jools Holland. Mark played with Bone Orchard, a punk goth band, they made one album with revolution records. Mike played with The Papers, a white reggae band, No.1 indie chart hit with 'How Many More' featuring Ronnie Regan (The US President) on guest announcements. This band also worked with Gus Dugeon, Elton John's producer. Bob was the lead singer with URU, a Brighton rock band.
A point of view The Blue Hearts are recognised as important influential leaders of the new music scene in Brighton UK. Having created a new sound that is an uncompromising challenge to complacency, fired by provocative lyrics, built around mesmeric stories and tales. Other artists have taken this direction and created their own distinct but respectful sound. Brighton’s new vibrant live music scene is built around the pioneer work started by bands such as the Blue Hearts.
A Blue Hearts gig is not to be missed. Let your soul enjoy the whiskey and your heart the stories. Spend a little time with the Blue Hearts. It will never leave you untouched. We'll be glad to see you. Love to you all sisters, mothers, brothers, fathers, and friends and bring on that peace stuff...quickly .