By TANIA PHILLIPS
THEY were one of the big bands of the ’70s and early ’80s – a band that was hard to categorise and even harder to forget – they are Hot Chocolate and they are coming our way.
Tickets have gone on sale for their 27 October concert at Twin Towns and they are raring to go according to original member, bass player, vocalist and one of the band’s songwriters Patrick Olive.
Patrick, a football and rugby fan is looking forward to coming to Australia – not that he is any stranger to the country or indeed to the Tweed Coast.
“We came and played in Australia seven years ago but we only got to Melbourne and Sydney,” he said from his UK home during our recent chat.
“But I have friends in Pottsville and I’ve been there – it is such a fantastic spot and so relaxed. You can just go there and not have to be incognito. I’m looking forward to coming back – it is god’s country.”
Formed in Brixton, London, in 1968 Hot Chocolate started a chart-topping run with their first record “Love Is Life” which started a career which brought them a total of over 30 hits. They are the only group in the UK to have a hit for 15 consecutive years.
Those hits included such classics as You Sexy Thing, It Started With A Kiss, Heaven In The Backseat of My Cadillac and So You Win Again.
The music has taken the band around the world – South America has been the one region they haven’t been yet, which for a band that has members from the Carribean has surprised Patrick.
“I’d love to go down to South America,” he laughed adding that it would be great to add some salsa rhythms to the already rich and diverse Hot Chocolate sound.
Actually it’s this diversity, reflected in the band’s members themselves who are from England, Jamaica and Trinadad, that Patrick believes has led to the band’s amazing popularity and longevity.
“We’ve got English rock ’n’ roll, reggae, calypso,” he said, adding that there is a touch of country and pop to their sound.
This incarnation includes founding members Patrick, Harvey Hinsley (lead guitarist involved in song writing and record producing) and drummer Tony Connor. Then there is Kennie Simon, the lead singer and newest member replacing Errol Brown; keyboard player Andy Smith, who has been with the band for 15 years and Steve Ansell aka “The Beast” – a multi-instrumentalist who includes keyboards and guitar.
Who: Hot Chocolate.
Where: Twin Towns Services Club, Tweed Heads.
When: Sunday 27 October.
Interested? Tickets not on sale bookings: 1800 014 014.
