The Hooters will perform as part of Rick Springfield’s “I Want My 80s Tour” at the Hard
Rock Saturday, Aug. 12. Photo by Heiko Roith
Tune In, Turn On
By Doug Deutsch
Forty-some years ago (to be exact, in 1980), a cool new group burst onto the pop music scene in Philadelphia and then nationally, known as The Hooters. At that time, I was writing for a weekly entertainment newspaper here at the Jersey Shore called The Whoot! The similarities in the names were not lost on me (in fact, they made me like them even more).
The band had catchy and memorable songs such as “All You Zombies,” “And We Danced,” “One of Us,” “Day By Day,” “Where Do The Children Go,” and more. Their debut album “Amore” was released in 1983, followed by their major-label debut on Columbia Records, “Nervous Night,” in 1985. This album achieved gold and platinum status in the US, Australia, and Canada.
The band, which opened the historic Live Aid Concert at JFK Stadium and was named “Best New Band of the Year” in 1985, took its name from an instrument called the hooter, or melodica.
“The music. It’s our connection to our audience. Pure and simple,” said drummer David Uosikkinen when asked in a recent interview what he attributes the band’s longtime success to.
The Hooters were about to embark on their first tour since the 1990s (performing as part of Rick Springfield’s “I Want My 80s Tour” at the Hard Rock Hotel & Casino in Atlantic City, along with Tommy Tutone and Paul Young, on Saturday, Aug. 12).
The current Hooters lineup includes co-leaders and songwriters Rob Hyman (vocals, keyboards, melodica, accordion) and Eric Bazilian (vocals, guitars, mandolin, mandola, harmonica, saxophone), original drummer Uosikkinen, John Lilley (guitars, mandolin), Fran Smith, Jr. (bass, vocals), and Tommy Williams (guitars, mandolin, vocals).
Regarding some of the iconic songs the band has written, such as “Time After Time” and “One Of Us,” we asked Uosikkinen how the band managed to get these songs noticed (and eventually re-recorded into big hits) by Cyndi Lauper and Joan Osborne, respectively?
“Rob (Hyman) and Eric (Bazilian) are brilliant songwriters,” replied Uosikkinen. “The one common denominator with both of those songs was Rick Chertoff’s connection to Cyndi Lauper and Joan Osborne. Rick was an old friend of Rob and Eric’s from the University of Pennsylvania. He later became the A&R guy for Columbia Records, and that’s how he brought them all together.”
In May of 2023, the Hooters released “Rocking And Swing” on their own label, recorded at the Keswick Theatre in suburban Philadelphia the previous November. The album marks a return to the group’s much-loved hybrid sound of ska, reggae, and rock.
“We’ve been talking about this kind of project for years. But it just sort of happened last winter, organically and quickly – always a good sign,” explained co-founder and keyboardist Hyman. “After we had played some new material with the horns at the Keswick Theatre last fall, it was finally the right time and place for us to revisit the feel of those pivotal gigs and vintage sounds.”
In addition to the release of “Rocking And Swing,” the Hooters also recently re-released their popular 1981 debut single, “Fightin’ On the Same Side.”
When asked what the Atlantic City audience can look forward to hearing on the upcoming Saturday, Uosikkinen, who has a popular podcast named “In the Pocket,” said, “Where I pay homage to the great music of Philadelphia by re-recording some of the great music that came out of the city when I was growing up.” He replied, “They’ll hear their favorite Hooters songs and perhaps a couple of surprises.
“We are thrilled to be touring the USA for the first time in three decades. We’re really looking forward to seeing our fans and friends across the country.”
For more information: www.hootersmusic.com; www.hardrockhotelatlanticcity.com; www.songsinthepocket.org.
News ‘N’ Notes: Longtime rockers Goo Goo Dolls will play at the Borgata Casino’s Music Box this Friday, Aug. 11. O.A.R. opens… Local R&B diva, the classy Angela Burton, will perform a free show at Rhythm & Spirits on Tennessee Avenue this Friday, Aug. 11, from 8 to 10 p.m…. Winslow, an Eagles tribute band, will perform at the Log Cabin in Margate this Saturday, Aug. 12. This is one of the cabin’s rare events that is open to the public. For more info, visit www.margatelogcabin.com… Wednesday, Aug. 16, will be a very special day in Atlantic City. Besides the immensely popular Atlantic City Airshow, one of the top female vocalists in the world of the Blues/R&B, Shemekia Copeland, will perform at Mardi Gras AC Concerts at Kennedy Plaza on the Boardwalk at 7 p.m. (free to the public – can’t beat that!). Copeland is also a DJ on Sirius XM’s BB Kings Bluesville station… And if rock is more your thing, on the same day as the Airshow, you might consider heading over to Tennessee Avenue Beer Hall that night to catch a free show by one of this column’s favorites, the Billy Walton Band, from 6 to 9 p.m. See you next week.
Doug is the owner/operator of Doug Deutsch Publicity Services, which has been servicing nationally touring acts and managing record release campaigns for clients since 1995. Doug also has experience writing for the one-time shore-based weekly publication, Whoot! He was also a team member with Chip Braymes Advertising. Doug loves bicycling and aspires to bring the Blues to Atlantic City. He can be reached at ShoreLocalDoug@gmail.com and www.facebook.com/dougdeutschpublicity.
