The Hooper siblings have made a rather large departure from their days with Aussie teen angst band Killing Heidi. They have spent the past four years working on their folk/pop album titled Seasons under new name The Verses. The new moniker disappoints when put up against the rock rebellion of old but perhaps this was a necessary if not inevitable change.
“I definitely wanted a distinct sound change to Killing Heidi because honestly as much fun as I had performing that music and being in that band, it’s not the kind of music I’m into,” explains Ella who is still deciphering where her new music fits. “I would call it [The Verses music] pop too but not like Lady Gaga pop as in what The Beatles were and The Rolling Stones were in a way, a rock band but a pop band.”
Ella, now 27 is in a hotel room in Sydney after having a “catch up” with Kathy McCabe of Warner Music. The signing to Warner wasn’t by chance or dumb luck; The Verses took up a twenty-week residency every Tuesday night at Melbourne’s The Toff Hotel, using the gigs to invite record labels.
“It was a great way for us to invite media and family along to basically see what we were up to. We also used that to get a lot of record labels down to check out what we were up to and that helped us get the new deal with Warner which was fantastic,” says Jesse.
As smart as they have been about the new project, when the opportunity arose to support ‘80s rock legends Fleetwood Mac, Ella and Jesse “couldn’t quite believe it.” Lindsey Buckingham and Stevie Nicks made some time for them on the tour to offer advice.
“Lindsey was just really interested in the song writing and the guitar work,” recalls Jesse. “And Stevie, her advice was more so as performers and how they spent a lot of years supporting big artists in the ‘70s like Hendrix and Janis Joplin and now it was our turn supporting them and passing the torch so to speak.”
The support tour with Fleetwood Mac has only fuelled comparisons to the sound found on Seasons. The Verses are quite aware of it with Jesse even admitting the “Rumours Fleetwood Mac era” sneaking in on a few songs.
“I guess having just chilled with them before we made the album there was a lot of positive associations with Fleetwood Mac.”
Seasons change of sound could also be attributed to all the pop-rock and blues that was played during their childhood which has stuck with them over the years but lay dormant until now.
“I discover a lot of music but its often older and older and older and the more I dig the more old dead blues guys I find,” laughs Ella.
The next evolution of the family Hooper is also reflected in her appearance. She has ditched the dreads and pubescent disposition to take on a more mature role with The Verses. Seasons not only pays tribute to the musicians who coloured her childhood but it’s also her most honest record. “It’s definitely one of my most personal collections of songs ever.”
Helping Ella grow and pull back vocally was musician and producer Mitchell Froom (Crowded House, The Corrs, Elvis Costello). Froom enlisted Elvis Costello’s band mates Pete Thomas (drums) and Davey Farragher (bass) for the recording in Santa Monica. Although Thomas and Farragher won’t be touring with them, this doesn’t mean the original band mates will be rejoining them.
“I gave a copy to the old drummer and he really dug it but they’ve both moved on to other things and other stages in their lives,” clarifies Jesse.
In spite of the fact that they’re album isn’t out until August 13 and they haven’t officially started touring yet; Ella and Jesse have already been receiving positive feedback. “Everyone has been liking this one [The Verses] better, so far we haven’t had anyone who prefers the old stuff so it’s a great start,” says Jesse.
The Verses, far removed from the raw adolescent energy of Killing Heidi may come across as a major juxtaposition in comparison; this is precisely their intention.
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