The Hoochers: Funkin' A.

The Hoochers play Summertime Blues VI at the Waterloo Hotel on Saturday.

Hailing from the idyllic north coast of New South Wales, the Hoochers strive to combine the passionate intensity of blues with a kaleidoscopic variety of other musical influences, predominantly funk, and with the vibrant energy of theatrical performance. The result is a pleasure for all the senses loaded with colour, funkin’ grooves and a beat that won’t quit that has you heading for the dance floor.

The Hoochers came into existence in 1993 and since then have been through a myriad of line-up changes. The songwriting core of front gal Jodie Hoocher and Matt Elliott (guitar) has remained, now to be joined by Tony Baron (bass) and Nicedin (drums). At times the line-up has expanded up to eight with the addition of a horn section and fiddle player.

Jodie explains the particular appeal of the Hoochers’ style: “It’s unique. It doesn’t fit into one category. We’d like to fit into blues but of course it’s an alternative style of blues. We tend to funk it up a bit and energize it. It’s very energetic.”

Matt interjects: “We call it funkified blues.”

Though a large proportion of a Hoochers’ set is original, they still like to do some covers. Far from just regurgitating them though, the Hoochers make them their very own.

Jodie elaborates: “We tend to turn them inside out, twist them, adapt them, basically give our own interpretation.”

Far from relying on a standard formula, the Hoochers are keen to see their sound develop.

“At the moment, we’re both (Jodie and Matt) pretty influenced by a lot of funky jazz stuff. We’ve both been writing to some Jamiroquoi, Parliament, things like a couple of the bands we saw at the Blues Festival like Karl Denson. Our tastes are varied and change a lot.”

“Matt and I feel like we’re really evolving with songwriting and things like that. I play a lot more now. I guess the music’s evolving too because Matt plays lots of instruments and we both like each other’s style. We’re not doing a lot of our old songs. I guess we’re so confident now with over 10 years of playing, every single one of us, the music evolves every single time we play. Everything’s got its structure but we tend to feed off each other and improvise quite a lot, depending on the crowd and depending on our own mood.”

Matt concurs: “We’re in constant evolution. Everyone goes through stagnant periods. We’ve gone through one of those periods. We’re in the phase of working on some kind of evolution. I like that word.”

With two albums behind them—Funkadelic Fever in ’97 and Absofunkinbluesly in ‘99—the Hoochers are looking to head back to the studio.

Jodie explains: “I’ve got a stack of songs that the band’s just started playing again and of course, with anyone, it’s just the time and the finances that are very influential in doing your recording. We’re certainly looking at doing another one soon. It’s been a couple of years since our second recording.”

“We were pretty happy with both recordings. They’re both very different. One’s pretty raw and only ever came out on cassette. The other came out with absolutely beautiful artwork and to me, rushed vocals. I guess when it comes to evolving with recordings, we’re certainly learning as we go. One of the factors with the next recording, I’d certainly like to do a lot more of the preparations before we go into the studio and I’d like a lot more time for vocals. Because vocals are always the last thing put down, I’ve decided it’s not going to happen the way it has done in the past.”

“I’ve got songs coming out of my fingertips and lungs and everything right now. Matt’s always coming up with really great rhythms and melodies and stuff on the guitar and various other instruments. We’ve got quite a list already I think.”

As with the previous albums (with the exception of one cover), the new album will feature all originals.

Matt explains the songwriting process: “Jodie has big splurts. I don’t write songs so much as put little tunes together for the band and myself when lyrics start to pop up. I don’t really search for lyrics. Jodie has big splurges.”

Jodie continues: “We’re a good songwriting team. I’m a bit of an emotional, expressive person and I think that’s the way a lot of songwriters work. I will have a phase where in one month I’ll write six songs and use all of them and then I may not write for another three months. I’m evolving in that I’m playing more so I’m also writing arrangements now and getting Matt to change them. Often I’d write a song and have it in my head and have a feeling for it, and I’d go to Matt and say, ‘I want it to go like this.’ I’d sing the tune and he’d say, ‘what about this?’ It’s quite incredible how it works.”

As good as their recordings are, the Hoochers maintain that they really excel in live performance.

Matt assures us that they feature “energetic vocals, a very dynamic vocal performance, backed by solid funky grooves and you can’t help tapping your foot. It picks your feet up automatically and makes you move. That’s what they can expect.”