Artist description Categorising the style is quite difficult - the music is based around songwriting, with melody and harmony playing an extremely important part in the band's sound. The tunes are headbangingly catchy, driven by lilting guitar and keyboard licks...

Music Style ‘Melodic and cerebral’, ‘Delightful, dreamy pop’... The band will only ever pursue songs they feel will remain in their listeners' heads.

Musical Influences Beach Boy harmonies, with Doorsy keyboard licks. Van Morrison, Crowded House, REM, The Charaltans

Similar Artists Teenage Fan Club, Counting Crows, Crowded House

Artist History The Bee Hatchers, as they are today, were formed in November 97. In Summer 98 they supported the Lightning Seeds and Rialto. They were chosen by the N.M.E. to support Mansun at Leicester DeMontford University, in October 98. They have received air-play on 97.5 Trent FM, Fly FM and URN. Their song ‘Melanie’s OK’ entered the URN FM top 20 in October. They have played live sessions on Fly FM and URN FM, and BBC Radio Nottingham. The Bee Hatchers won the Carling-sponsored Midlands Battle of the Bands in December 1998, the finals being held in Nottingham The gig was well attended (approx 400) with vociferous support for all bands. The competition started in August, with 48 bands selected from hundreds of demos. All finalists had won their heats and semi-finals to compete for studio time and a cash prize. The Bee Hatchers used their winnings to re-record and release a single, which arrived in Virgin at the beginning of June. For further information contact: Robin Das on 07931 323620/ michael.markwell@lineone.net or Marcie Shaoul on 0802 767040

Group Members The band were originally formed in 1995 by Northern Irish singer Mike Markwell and Anglian guitarist Nick Jew when they struck up a friendship over a mutual love of Counting Crows. A few months later, the Charlatans and the Velvet Underground were thrown into the mix by Gray Howitt (drums) and Rob Das (keyboards). Playing around Nottingham for the next couple of years in a semi-professional capacity, the four of them gradually honed their songwriting skills to a mixture of fine art and mass appeal. Enter Jon Gilbert (bass), Christmas ‘97, to lend the harmonic influence of the Beach Boys, rounding the sound off into an original, new blend. And the Bee Hatchers as they are today were born...

Instruments 4 vocals, 2 guitars, keyboards, bass and drums of various different shapes and sizes..!

Albums Not yet...

Press Reviews "What this band have in their favour is a very capable singer, in the form of Michael Markwell, who should certainly get them the attention of a few A&R ears" MAKING MUSIC "Superb" MALT CROSS MAGAZINE "Mainstream potential without the Pop factor combines with emotional poetry and understanding" PULSE "Fantastic...encouragingly different. These could be oh so big... The Bee Hatchers will go far" CITY LIGHTS "As incredible as the parting of the Red Sea!" PULSE "Twenty bands in one and yet the total is greater than the sum of the parts: the elusive ‘X’ factor that separates the good from the great" CITY LIGHTS "The Bee Hatchers write songs you can remember, tunes you can hum and unashamedly lay on the harmonies nice and thick, time after time" IMPACT "Like musical gold dust" IMPACT "Destined to go far" DERBY EVENING TELEGRAPH For an online review, check out: http://www.borroworrob.com (under Music Mag section of live reviews!)

Additional Info 1st CD single has been released in Britain, but we're still unsigned, broke musicians. Now, at last, we've moved down to London, ready to hit the scene for all we're worth. Check us out at the Purple Turtle in Camden on Sunday 17th October at 2.15 p.m. w

Location County Down, Northern Ireland - United Kingdom

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