Bloggerhythms

Way back in the early 80s - before they had a recording contract and were the toast of the Philadelphia club scene - The Hooters sometimes played entire shows accompanied by a horn section that supplemented their unique ska, reggae, and pop-rock musical stew. The band still tours, and they also released a new album in 2023 that gives fans an opportunity to remember why Philadelphia was so devoted to them all those years ago. Rocking & Swing is an excellent and fun set of tunes that proves the group haven't abandoned their pop sensibilities at all, but after several decades of forcing their Jamaican influences to operate almost totally from the sidelines it brings the Rob Hyman and Eric Bazilian led outfit back home to their roots. They even brought the horn section with them. Rocking & Swing  includes two original, ska-fueled instrumentals: "Guava Jive" and "Pete Rose" (I have no idea why the ballplayer's name is bei...

I can't tell you how many times I saw The Hooters live in the 80s. At the time it felt like they were going to be the biggest local act from Philadelphia to ever hit the big time even though I knew Hall & Oates, Todd Rundgren, Bobby Rydell and much of the Gamble and Huff roster - among others - had already acquired substantial national reputations for their efforts. The quintet, led by Rob Hyman and Eric Bazilian, combined power pop, ska, and reggae into something unique, and the home town crowd couldn't get enough of them. It's sad that their day in the sun didn't last more than a couple of years despite winning a coveted opening slot at the Philadelphia portion of LiveAid. (Below, you can see their entire twelve minute performance that opens the famous benefit concert with the song we're saluting today.) "And We Danced" is the first single from The Hooters second LP and the first one from Nervous Night , their major label debut on Columbia Records. I...

Before The Hooters signed with a major label in the mid-80s, before they opened the Philadelphia portion of Live Aid, and eventually became bigger stars in Europe than here at home, they were undoubtedly the most popular and best unsigned band performing in and around The City of Brotherly Love. Having seen the quintet several times before they ever released an album I can assure you that they were definitely at their peak as a live act during those early years. They embraced their love of ska and reggae and mixed them with a heavy dose of power pop. The second time I saw The Hooters they employed a horn section for their show at a now defunct Philadelphia venue, The Ripley Music Hall, in November 1982. The brass added a dimension to their sound that I never heard from them again. It was a long time ago but I remember it as a really great evening of music. During these pre-stardom years The Hooters issued two independent 45 RPM singles. The first one was "Fightin' On T...

I've been a fan of The Hooters for a long time, back before anyone outside of Philadelphia knew who they were, back when their songs more often than not possessed a ska or reggae influence. Those songs, and constant gigging all over the metropolitan area, cemented their reputation as a great live band. A few staples of their early 1980's stage show, most notably "All You Zombies" ended up on their major label debut, Nervous Night in 1985. However, with it's release they lost most of the reggae influences in their music as they became a slick 80s middle of the road hit maker. Even so, the boys from The City Of Brotherly Love still offered a more distinctive sound than most 80s bands. They didn't live or die with the synthesizer and, in addition to the traditional lineup of rock instruments, they also employed accordion, concertina, mandolin, and the instrument from which the band took their name, the melodica, also known by its nickname, the hooter. It is larg...