Ahead of a UK tour in promotion of their new album, Erazer caught up with The Hoosiers’ Andy Sharland to speak about the joys of the touring lifestyle, being an independent band, and the rapidly approaching 20th anniversary of their classic record The Trick to Life.
“I think it’s probably our best album,” Andy said about Compassion, which will be out on Friday, May 15. “It’s hot on the heels of Confidence, which was a return to the upbeat pop songs. We had a period of reflection where we thought, ‘What is The Hoosiers about?’”
The band will embark on an in-store tour of record shops across the UK, but with festivals planned for the summer and a full band tour in October, The Hoosiers are almost always on the road.
“To be cynical, that’s where all the money is. 90% of our money is [from live shows] now,” Andy said. Although concerts are necessary for income, the band loves performing to their fans, whether it’s as a full group or a stripped-down duo.
“I don’t think you can beat a full live band. I love playing the drums and making as much noise as I can. You get to play the record as it’s meant to be. When you’ve got people there specifically for you, and they know everything you play, I don’t think there’s a better feeling. I don’t think I’ve ever turned down a gig. I just love it so much.”
Andy said that although The Hoosiers have been around for almost two decades, he has noticed younger faces in the crowds.
“We seem to be keeping a fresh influx of young fans. It’s really inspiring to us. 20 years is a long time, and we’ve got people in the audience who were four when they first heard our music.”
Compassion will be The Hoosiers’ fifth album since they released the classics Goodbye Mr A and Worried About Ray in 2007, and Andy said even the songwriting process has changed over time.
“On this album, it’s been much more collaborative. Irwin [Sparkes, band member] will send me a backing track or ideas, and I’ll sing something over the top of it and send it back. It’s a different, more collaborative version of us, which is probably because we’re a bit more mature and laid back about it all.”
With Top 40 songs and performances at most major festivals already on their CV, what’s next for The Hoosiers, though?
“I think we just want to build on what we’ve got,” Alan said. “We really enjoy that we can write, record and produce an album. To do this for a living for a long time is still the number one goal. That and an Ivor Novello Award!”
“In this day and age, I think compassion is the one thing the world needs more than ever.”
Compassion by The Hoosiers will be released on Friday, May 15, and tickets are on sale now for both headline and in-store shows.
