Andy Hardie and The Free Radicals
Few bands deserve your attention more than this. Andy Hardie is the strongest most original songwriter to emerge from the North-East of England in years. His voice combines both a rich baritone and perfectly cracked higher registers. The style of the music lies somewhere between Tom Waits, Frank Sinatra and The White Stripes and is a complete break from the mundane conformity of today's music industry. With echoes of big band swing, alt country, jazz, dub and funk the music incorporates the darkness of Nick Cave and the lightness of Bacharach. The Free Radicals are quite simply the finest young musicians in the North-East and consist of Paul Susans - double bass / electric bass / vocals, Ben Gilbert - piano / synth / vocals, Martin Douglas - drums / percussion / vocals, Brendan Murphy - percussion, Dave Wilde - baritone sax / tenor sax / flute, Paul Gowland - alto sax and Graham Hardy - trumpet.
Tell me about your history? How did you get where you are now?
The band recently released their debut LP entitled Easy Tiger. It contains 13 original compositions by Hardie and Co and is receiving much critical acclaim. The album was self financed and self produced in the bands own makeshift studio but the quality of both the recording and the performances is exemplary. The CD is available from most independent record shops in the North-East.
No adverts were posted, no posters were printed, no auditions were held. The band was formed in late 2003 by a group of friends who were all active gigging musicians and successful in their own right. Onstage they have a presence that cannot be ignored but they remain incredibly relaxed and rarely put a note out of place. They are determined to continue playing together and to perform and release their music to a wider and wider audience.
Have you performed live in front of an audience? Any special memories?
Check our web page for upcoming live performances.
Your musical influences
The band arose from a love of big band swing music and was developed as a little big band. Other influences have now come into play such as Heavy Dub, Space Rock, Pop and Funk. Influences are Tom Waits, Frank Sinatra, The Fun Loving Criminals and The White Stripes.
What equipment do you use?
Yamaha, Gretsch, Washburn, Korg, Roland.
Anything else?
They have many friends and only one enemy, they are immediate and accessible but deep and enduring. They have killer hooks, porn star good looks, style, content and charm. They are undiscovered, unsigned, unsurpassed and unavoidable. They are "Andy Hardie and The Free Radicals".
