Barney Jameson and The Hollow Men

High-wire vocals, explosive guitars, pounding drums, a sweet lullaby piano, a bass that wants to groove and melodies that surround you like a wreath of freshly blown smoke… None of this was meant to happen. A once quietly married man, Barney Jameson’s life fell apart in 2007, and he was left with an old guitar and a clutch of songs. He began to play solo, shouting to be heard above the clamour of more established artists. But then came Steve McCormack, Sam Nesbitt, Matt Wilson and David Robinson – the Hollow Men. Suddenly everything was louder. The songs soon followed – Black & White Films, Cling, Tooth & Claw, Smoking Kills – sometimes fierce, sometimes gentle, at once drenched in melancholy but gloriously full of hope. They have seen the band become a major name in the Kent music scene in less than a year, with a headline slot at the 2011 Local & Live festival and much more to come.