Hollie Cook – album out now on Mr Bongo
aaamusic | On 13, Jun 2011
HOLLIE COOK
‘HOLLIE COOK’
MR BONGO RECORDINGS
RELEASE DATE: 6TH JUNE 2011
The summer of 2011 welcomes the self titled debut album by Hollie Cook, released 6th June on Mr Bongo Recordings. Hollie’s self-coined ‘tropical pop’ sound stems from her passion for reggae singers Janet Kay and Phyllis Dillon combined with classic 60s girl groups. The album is produced by friend and collaborator Mike Pelanconi, better known as Prince Fatty.
Debut single ‘That Very Night’ is currently making waves across radio, with Steve Lamacq (BBC Radio 2/6 Music), Rob Da Bank (Radio 1), John Kennedy (XFM) and David Rodigan (Kiss) among her many supporters.
The album includes a cover of Shangri-Las’ ‘(Remember) Walkin’ In The Sand’. transformed from a dark emotive song to one filled with a flavour of hope. The talents of Omar, Dennis Bovell, George Decker of The Pioneers, Style Scott and Horseman also feature across the album.
Hollie Cook was born and bred in West London in a household dominated by music – with Sex Pistol Paul Cook as her dad, music was always around – and she gravitated to the sounds of Marc Bolan, David Bowie and The Cure.
Entering professional acting, singing and modelling at a young age, Hollie soon rejected her performance arts schooling for a musical path truer to her influences. Family friend and Slits singer Ari Uppersuaded Hollie to sing backing vocals for a new EP ‘Revenge of the Killer Slits’, which she followed by ditching school to join the band on a six week tour. Hollie was now an official Slit – Ari referred to Hollie as the ‘second singer’ – so when it came to record a new Slits album in LA, Hollie’s vocals, keyboards and even her song ‘Cry’ all featured.
More collaborations followed: a duet with Jamie T on his ‘Chaka Demus’ EP, with Ian Brown on ‘The World Is Yours’, and most significantly as featured vocalist on Prince Fatty’s underground reggae hit‘Milk and Honey’. The single received airplay across BBC Radio 1, 6 Music, XFM, Kiss and even ended up on Grey’s Anatomy.
Hollie is currently lending her skills to The Rotten Hill Gang, a fluid crew set up by Gary Stonadge from Big Audio Dynamite II, on tour with a reformed Big Audio Dynamite in April.
“An enticing mix of sun-kissed lovers rock and girl group sounds” Mojo
“Her debut album could be one of the year’s highlights” John Kennedy
“One of the most enjoyable reggae albums of 2011 so far” BBC Online
Rebel Playlist Winner BBC 6 Music
Some good video content featuring Hollie and Tessa from The Slits:
Introducing Hollie Cook (Part 1) :
Introducing Hollie Cook (Part 2) :
And also recent radio shows that Hollie’s been involved in – namely Nemone and David Rodigan:
Hollie Cook radio shows by Outpost Music PR
