Rockabilly trio blends tunes with local punk acts
Provo-based rockabilly trio The Hurricane Kings doesn’t make it up to Ogden any more than twice a year, but each time is a treat for guitarist and singer Carl Harman. He said support from local rockabilly and pinup clothing shop Endless Indulgence seals the deal with swing dancers nearly every show.
For The Hurricane Kings’ next Ogden concert at the Lighthouse Lounge Saturday, the punks are coming out in full force to show musical support, with punk rockers Version Two and Hi Fi Murder kicking off the show.
“You guys have a really cool scene up there with the pinup scene and the rockabilly stuff, the greasers and the punk rockers are really cool too, they come out and get super into music and excited about it and we love playing with them,” Harman said. “It’s like everybody understands up there that we’re all in it together, nobody’s competing against each other, it’s all for fun and trying to get the scene hopping.”
The connection with Endless Indulgence was solidified last year when fashion designer and modern pinup icon Bernie Dexter and her husband, rockabilly legend Levi Dexter, came to the store and The Hurricane Kings were booked for the occasion.
Harman, a big fan of both Dexters, remembers the show like it was yesterday, and said one reason he likes coming up to Ogden to play is because “everyone is like family.”
“He’s been around for quite a while now and they asked if it would be cool if he got up and played some songs with us,” Harman said of Levi Dexter. “I was stoked because I’ve been into Levi Dexter for a long time, he’s been doing longer than The Stray Cats. So that was a super fun show, there was tons of people there.”
This time around with the punks, The Hurricane Kings plan to keep the setlist swinging, and will bring new songs that fit the band’s special neo-rockabilly model. Because the band makes the trek up north from Provo to Ogden only a few times a year, Harman said the crowd can expect never-before-heard music, and a fresh setlist.
“I’m always writing songs and we’re always working on new material and we definitely want to make sure that people don’t go, oh they’re just going to play the same set as last time,” he said. “You’ve got to keep things fresh and it makes it so the audience is more excited, but also makes us more excited because we’re not playing the same set, the same songs.”
Harman said everything the Hurricane Kings play has a swing to it, and people can’t help but tap their toes. He attributes this to the solid bass lines provided by upright bass player Al Stoddard, and backed up on drums by Chad Garrick.
Although Harman writes m
any of the songs for The Hurricane Kings, some of them are written on the bass for the bass. He said the gifted musicians in the band truly bring them to life.
“Most of the time I’ll come up with some guitar riffs and start playing them and decide if this going to be a song. If it keeps on coming back to me then I’ll sit down and write some lyrics to it,” Harman explained. “I’ll play it a few more times and decide if it’s something I want to bring to the band.”
Together the trio decides which tunes will make the cut and they’ll work out the drums together, and add flourishes with the bass and guitar. Harman said he wants to make sure Stoddard and Garrick’s creativity is visible in everything.
“I still like it when my bass player comes up with some other things to add to it to make it even cooler. Then it’s more his and the songs feels better, more relaxed or more organic, more real,” he said. “It doesn’t matter how good I am on guitar, if I don’t have a good rhythm section, nobody wants to dance and nobody starts tapping their feet. It doesn’t matter how good a guitar player is, if they don’t have a good rhythm section they’re just another guitar player playing lots of notes.”
Currently, The Hurric
ane Kings only have a few demos and live takes uploaded to YouTube and Soundcloud for listeners to enjoy. Harman said the band has started the recording process and so far so good. Stoddard’s job takes him all over the country, so the band has had to postpone the record. Regardless, Harman said to expect something released in the next six months.
The show must go on, even when Stoddard is gone. Harman said the band keeps its busy gigging schedule possible with the help of extra bass players who will fill in sometimes.
“The other two bass players that have jumped in are really good bass players too, so it’s really fun,” Harman said. “That’s how the Hurricane Kings are, it’s supposed to be that everybody is enjoying this, not ego driven. It’s supposed to be a band for the community.”
Contact reporter Raychel Johnson at 801-625-4279 or rajohnson@standard.net. Follow her on Twitter @raychelNEWS.
Rockabilly trio blends tunes with local punk acts
Provo-based rockabilly trio The Hurricane Kings doesn’t make it up to Ogden any more than twice a year, but each time is a treat for guitarist and singer Carl Harman. He said support from local rockabilly and pinup clothing shop Endless Indulgence seals the deal with swing dancers nearly every show.
For The Hurricane Kings’ next Ogden concert at the Lighthouse Lounge May 16, the punks are coming out in full force to show musical support, with punk rockers Version Two and Hi Fi Murder kicking off the show.
“You guys have a really cool scene up there with the pinup scene and the rockabilly stuff, the greasers and the punk rockers are really cool too, they come out and get super into music and excited about it and we love playing with them,” Harman said. “It’s like everybody understands up there that we’re all in it together, nobody’s competing against each other, it’s all for fun and trying to get the scene hopping.”
The connection with Endless Indulgence was solidified last year when fashion designer and modern pinup icon Bernie Dexter and her husband, rockabilly legend Levi Dexter, came to the store and The Hurricane Kings were booked for the occasion.
Harman, a big fan of both Dexters, remembers the show like it was yesterday, and said one reason he likes coming up to Ogden to play is because “everyone is like family.”
“He’s been around for quite a while now and they asked if it would be cool if he got up and played some songs with us,” Harman said of Levi Dexter. “I was stoked because I’ve been into Levi Dexter for a long time, he’s been doing longer than The Stray Cats. So that was a super fun show, there was tons of people there.”
This time around with the punks, The Hurricane Kings plan to keep the setlist swinging, and will bring new songs that fit the band’s special neo-rockabilly model. Because the band makes the trek up north from Provo to Ogden only a few times a year, Harman said the crowd can expect never-before-heard music, and a fresh setlist.
“I’m always writing songs and we’re always working on new material and we definitely want to make sure that people don’t go, oh they’re just going to play the same set as last time,” he said. “You’ve got to keep things fresh and it makes it so the audience is more excited, but also makes us more excited because we’re not playing the same set, the same songs.”
Harman said everything the Hurricane Kings play has a swing to it, and people can’t help but tap their toes. He attributes this to the solid bass lines provided by upright bass player Al Stoddard, and backed up on drums by Chad Garrick.
Although Harman writes many of the songs for The Hurricane Kings, some of them are written on the bass for the bass. He said the gifted musicians in the band truly bring them to life.
“Most of the time I’ll come up with some guitar riffs and start playing them and decide if this going to be a song. If it keeps on coming back to me then I’ll sit down and write some lyrics to it,” Harman explained. “I’ll play it a few more times and decide if it’s something I want to bring to the band.”
Together the trio decides which tunes will make the cut and they’ll work out the drums together, and add flourishes with the bass and guitar. Harman said he wants to make sure Stoddard and Garrick’s creativity is visible in everything.
“I still like it when my bass player comes up with some other things to add to it to make it even cooler. Then it’s more his and the songs feels better, more relaxed or more organic, more real,” he said. “It doesn’t matter how good I am on guitar, if I don’t have a good rhythm section, nobody wants to dance and nobody starts tapping their feet. It doesn’t matter how good a guitar player is, if they don’t have a good rhythm section they’re just another guitar player playing lots of notes.”
Currently, The Hurricane Kings only have a few demos and live takes uploaded to YouTube and Soundcloud for listeners to enjoy. Harman said the band has started the recording process and so far so good. Stoddard’s job takes him all over the country, so the band has had to postpone the record. Regardless, Harman said to expect something released in the next six months.
The show must go on, even when Stoddard is gone. Harman said the band keeps its busy gigging schedule possible with the help of extra bass players who will fill in sometimes.
“The other two bass players that have jumped in are really good bass players too, so it’s really fun,” Harman said. “That’s how the Hurricane Kings are, it’s supposed to be that everybody is enjoying this, not ego driven. It’s supposed to be a band for the community.”
Contact reporter Raychel Johnson at 801-625-4279 or rajohnson@standard.net. Follow her on Twitter @raychelNEWS.
PREVIEW
- WHO: The Hurricane Kings
- WHEN: 9:30 p.m. May 16
- WHERE: Lighthouse Lounge, 130 historic 25th St., Ogden
- ADMISSION: $5/cover; open to everyone 21 and older
