Strange Brew readers will be familiar with the tale of Hedgehoppers Anonymous and the twists and turns that led the “It’s Good News Week” hit makers to morph into Hedgehoppers. Dropping the “Anonymous” moniker, Hedgehoppers were a different proposition featuring an entirely different line-up who found fame away from British shores in the early Seventies. (See Nick Warburton’s full story here.)
The band proved to be extremely popular in South Africa where they had a number of hit singles and a successful LP. South African label Fresh have now remastered this material for release on a new CD “Hey!” The core of this release is the original “Hey!” album that features the extremely strong songwriting of Mick Matthews, the exquisite white soul voice of Alan Avon tied with a band at their peak.
“Hey!” a soulful ballad openers the album beautifully. It was a chart topper and gave Matthews a SARIE (a South African Grammy) for best single of the year. Their cover of “Rock and Roll Woman” does justice to Stephen Stills’ original retaining the harmonies but with a slightly heavier edge. “A Song for Pete” is another highlight – a song about songwriting with a passionate chorus. With the ballad “Caroline” we get a chance to hear Alan Avon’s plaintive vocals – one the most underrated singers of his generation. “She’s Been Hurt” is my favourite with its melancholic feel – the strings and lyrics beautifully painting a picture of love lost, disappointment and inner strength. Other gems include “You Bet I’ll Know Better” and “Summertime” that share a jazz rock tinge with the Zombies.
With the addition of singles pre and post “Hey!”, it’s an excellent bumper collection of British rock tracks that have rarely been heard, but certainly deserve to be:
