By Rosine Alleva, Journalist/Photographer- Rock At Night France Correspondent
VENUE: The Willerhof…somewhere in Alsace, Date: December 10, 2016.
Wanna go “back to the future”?!…. NEW KILLERS ON THE ROAD!!! To begin this new year 2017, let me present you THE HOOK!! Four young guys, full of talent, driving girls crazy for sure …back to the seventies!! For real!
These guys are absolutely amazing!!! If you like the “classic blues-rock” sound you need to definitely check this band out!
Joe (lead singer, harmonica, guitar) Hugo ( lead guitar), Dylan (Bass, backing vocals) and Rémy (drums)
Check out the interview below!
RAN: Hi guys! Since when did you form The Hook ?
DYLAN: 1993!! Laughs….
HUGO: No, Joe and I met first–and then we got rid of some musicians (laughs). Now Dylan and Rémy joined us. Joe and I come from the same village and we went to high school together. When we began to play music, we were doing covers from the Doors, Black Sabbath, Rolling Stones, New York Dolls… before beginning our own stuff.
RAN: There were changes in the line-up. You “ fired” a few musicians, what happened exactly?
HUGO: Well, let’s talk about “conventional terminations”. We were touring in the Alps, the line-up began with five musicians.
RAN: Ok, so 2 guitarists then?
HUGO: Yeah, two guitarists, bass player, drummer, singer. They didn’t like to ski or maybe didn’t like the Alps, or Joe and I?
JOE: Then they began to complain about our way to cohabit, that we didn’t wash the dishes, although we did! (Laughs). They had enough, and they left.
HUGO: I knew this “blade” bass player here, since a little while. I knew he liked the band.. He didn’t know anything about music until he met me, now he has a big music culture!! Laughs…We were together on the train when I received a phone call from the other bassist, saying he was quitting. I told Dylan “you’re in the band” and he said “OK”!
Then, a good friend and great drummer, from the band “IRON BASTARDS” from Strasbourg, joined us for a while until November.
JOE: We knew he wouldn’t stay with us and would return to his other project but we had a few concerts already planned, so…
HUGO: Yes, and we thank him really very much! He helped us so thanks to him we didn’t have to cancel a few dates. The IRON BASTARDS released an album, they began to have many concerts (we did too) so it wasn’t possible anymore. We had a last concert together in Strasbourg. Rémy, who we knew already, is our new drummer since beginning November.
RAN: Tell me about this tour in Ireland in October, how did this go? That’s where you did your last video “Fast Sleeping Night”, right? (See YouTube link at the end of the article)
DYLAN: There were lots of organization problems, but it was still cool to play in another country.
Although we had good fun, many dates have been cancelled at the last minute, so less concerts which the organizer was supposed to book….
RAN: But you probably had the chance to meet people, new contacts ?
DYLAN: Yeah, we met great people, helping us along the tour, we tried to get in touch with other venues to eventually replace the cancelled concerts…It didn’t work but we’re back with many contacts! We will organize this ourselves and prepare this much better next time!!
HUGO: I want to take the opportunity of this interview to tell the guy who organized this tour that he’s a “shithead”!!! No thanks at all!!
RAN: Tell me about your influences. Which bands from the 70’s would you have liked to meet and play with?
HUGO to DYLAN: You can’t answer, you only listen to stuff from the 80’s!! (laughs)
THE HOOK: Faces, Led Zeppelin, Black Sabbath, the Flamin’ Groovies, Dr.Feelgood, the Rolling Stones, New York Dolls, the Ramones, and many more….
RAN: Who writes the lyrics ?
HUGO: Most of the lyrics are written by Joe, some by myself and Dylan.
We will record some new stuff beginning January at Rémi’s (not the drummer) WHITE BAT RECORDERS studio …If Dylan and Rémy don’t leave (laughs), we will definitely release it!
RAN: A last word for FLORIDA …and thanks for your time!! I’m a fan!
THE HOOK: Joe singing “Hello, hello”, Dylan: “we’re freezing like hell here!!”. Yeah, would be great to come to Florida.
Just have a look at Joe, he’s ready, wearing his “Miami” shirt!!
RAN: Thanks a lot the Hook!! Thanks the “Ouf “(pronounce Oof, means “awesome” in French slang).
These guys are crazy on stage!! If you were, or not, born in the seventies, come and see “The Hook” and you’ll be right “Back to the Future”!!
I went to WHITE BAT RECORDERS studio to meet the band again, just before publishing this article ….so few more pics! Many thanks to Jan, Nico at the Willerhof, without forgetting Rémi at the studio for their warm welcome!
Photo Gallery
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From Belgian and Italian parents, I grew up with music, dance and big fun! I love singing since I'm a little girl, I still am, haha. When I was 14, I saw my first concert: T-Rex. Later it was FrankZappa, Miles Davis, Chick Corea, Fela, Canned Heat, Little Feat, Bonnie Raitt, Earth, Wind and Fire ....
I dreamed to have a chat with each of them 😀 Before interviewing bands, I used to sing (and still do) and met lots of great musicians. I had the chance to be the support band to Joe Cocker in 2007. I love to communicate and meet people (Italian blood).
Working for magazine, a few years ago, l met José Oliveira! We were working at the same festival in Colmar. 2 people from the South with the same passion just recognized each other...and we stayed in contact since then. Here I am! Enjoying concerts, covering interviews and articles with José for Rock at Night!!
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