Blues Harmonica Lessons with Snooks La Vie: Amber "masters" the harmonica in the Adelaide City region of South Australia
Fans of Adelaide's live music scene will be familiar with the Hiptones. They have been around for about seven years - playing to full houses at pubs like the Wheatsheaf in Thebarton. Their first album, "Right Now" was a hit and they are still packing them in at clubs and cabarets… not to mention national TV appearances…
Like all great bands, The Hiptones is an organic creation of styles. Individually, these guys have been living and breathing roots music all their lives and they've developed a sound that blends blues, funk and soul all with a pop overtone. Snooks La Vie is the Hiptones' frontman - his big glasses and oversize beret are well-known trademarks of the bloke that still goes under his schoolboy nickname.
He's now giving harmonica lessons in his studio in Thebarton. For snooks, the harmonica is a natural extension of his vocal work.
Snooks: "The harmonica is a wind instrument, it's close to the body and I like to sing so it just went hand in hand for me. It just goes together so well and after I dabbled playing different instruments I just thought hey this one really fits me and I feel comfortable playing it."
Snooks makes it all sound and look so simple and he reckons beginners should be able to play a song after just a couple of lessons. Born and bred in downtown Croydon, Snooks has come a long way since playing football for Woodville South Under 10s.
Snooks: "As a child I used to sing along to records around the house. At the age of 10 or 11 I was on holiday at Robe with my family and snuck away from the caravan park and was caught busking to about 200 odd people on a park bench doing Elvis songs so that was the start of my career."
The usual school-boy garage punk bands followed - then things got serious with Snooks' first real band - the 'Delivery Men.' Over the years, the Deliverymen has evolved into the highly successful Hiptones. Besides teaching vocals and harmonica, Snooks is working on a new Hiptones album and a solo album…
Snooks: "I get a lot of melodies in my head. I can't really write lyrics just for the sake of writing lyrics, I wake up one day and I have a melody and then I'll workshop some lyrics around that melody which is a good thing because I think melodies sell songs."
The Hiptones second album and Snooks' solo album will be out later in the year. In the meantime, Snooks' singing and harmonica lessons can be arranged at a time to suit you. Call Snooks on 0439 847 228.
The Hiptones next big gig is at the Bosco Theatre on March the 21st - as part of the Fringe. Keep an eye on the local gig guide for other performances and look for their album "Right Now" is all good music stores. If you have any further questions please email - info at postcards-sa.com.au (to help with spam issues we have the word "at" instead of @. Please change if you are mailing)
Blues Harmonica Lessons
Snooks La Vie
Ph 0439 847 228The Hiptones
Bosco Theatre
21 March 2009Published 8th March 2009
