Hamfatter

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Hamfatter is a quirky pop/rock band from Cambridge (UK), formed in 2002. The core of the band is a three-piece, comprising Eoin O'Mahony (vocals, piano, bass), James "Jimbo" Ingham (guitar, backing vocals) and Mark Ellis (drums).

Following tours of local venues throughout the UK, and several line-up changes, Hamfatter signed to Pink Hedgehog Records in 2003.

Hamfatter's first official album, "Fireworks" (April 2004), enjoyed moderate success - particularly in and around Cambridge, where the band had built up a committed following. The album is characterised by catchy melodies, clever lyrics and inflections of many different musical genres. Each track on the album is stylistically very different from the next, leading reviewers to speculate on influences as diverse as Frank Zappa, the Clash, David Bowie and the Divine Comedy.

Hamfatter's next release, "Girls in Graz" (May 2006), continued to raise the band's UK profile. Although dark in places, the album has a stronger pop sensibility than "Fireworks", whilst displaying the ingenuity, unpredictability and sense of fun which characterised the band's debut album.

The title track ("Girls in Graz") received radio-play and became a surprise hit in Austria, and two European tours followed. During this time Intim Productions (Vienna) produced a DVD featuring live performances, interviews and a video for the song "Fireworks".

In June 2006 Hamfatter were booked to headline the main stage at "Strawberry Fair", Cambridge's Summer Festival. For this performance in front of an audience of several thousand, the usual three-piece line-up was enhanced by a horn section and double bass. This larger line-up has featured at most of the band's subsequent performances.

After the success of their Strawberry Fair headlining performance, Hamfatter recorded their third and most ambitious studio album to date, entitled "What part of Hamfatter Do You Not Understand?". The album was released in Summer 2007 and it's lead single "Sziget (We Get Wrecked)" reached 13 in the UK indie charts (54 in the UK singles charts).

NME wrote a review in 2007 saying "Hamfatter carry an arsenal of power-pop nuggets including the amazing 'Sziget' which deserves to be a hit." Other national publications such as Metro, The Sun and Hi-Fi News also sung the band's praises.

The next single "Do Something Stupid Tonight" is scheduled for release in Spring 2008.