Heavy Jones

In the five years since Heavy Jones shifted from Christchurch, New Zealand to the ‘big smoke’ of Auckland NZ, their live audiences and profile have grown tremendously. The group comprises Kelly Horgan (vocals/guitar), Ben Eldridge (guitar/keys), Myles Allpress (drums/vocals), and Rob Collins (bass).Their debut album Nobody Town, released in April 2005 on Flaming Pearl Records and distributed through Global Routes Music, met with critical success as positive reviews appeared in newspapers and magazines the length and breadth of the country. A song-crafted release laden with vocal harmonies and shimmering guitars, reviewers were quick to identify the theme of the album as one of displacement – the story of a band finding its feet in a new city.Support slots with local heavyweights at the time Goodshirt and Opshop in Auckland and Wellington proved that the Jones’s could rock and roll with the best of them and deliver a ‘shot in the arm’ style of set whenever the occasion called for it. Television appearances on the NZ edition of Top of the Pops and the Good Morning show cemented the ‘Jones’s’ as ones to watch. Through two national tours in April and August 2005, Heavy Jones took their music to a curious nation.The band decamped once again to their beloved Lab studios in March of this year, feeling invigorated and inspired with their fresh line-up (Rob Collins bringing some much-needed fuzz to the bottom end) and the then newly installed vintage Neve console, they speedily lay down the bulk of 12 new songs using the studio’s 16 track tape machine. The new material representing a departure from the acoustic sound of the first record with a few songs being born from jam’s in the practice room – something that the band had never done before.Live shows have been the focus for the group in recent times, and 2007 has seen them maintaining a strong focus on the Auckland live scene. Just recently, they returned from an appearance on the CHART stage at the second ‘Southern Amp’ festival in Christchurch and the whole band has also been moonlighting as a backing group for Edward Castelow’s (Degrees K, The Ruby Suns) Dictaphone Blues project - recently playing a few dates as support on Liam Finn’s church tour.In Januaray of 2008, the group unanimously decided to call it a day. The core members, having been together for eight years now, along with relative new-comer Rob Collins, all decide that it is better to end the group on good personal terms and have now shifted their individual focuses towards other projects. There may or may not be a release of the 90% finished second album as well as a farewell show of sorts. Keep an eye on this page for updates and a big, sincere "Thanks!" to everyone who has supported the group over the past eight years. Cheers!For all booking related enquiries please contact - Ben Eldridge on: 0210713102 or e-mail: [email protected]