Band name: The Hats

Members:
Stef Hall, aged 32, from Atherton, on vocals, keyboards and guitar; Jason Brew, aged 45, from Leigh, on bass and vocals; Jan Beaumont, aged 56 (going on 26), from Leigh, on vocals and percussion and John Gilman, aged 47, from Leigh, on drums.

When and where did you form?
The Hats formed in May 2014, though each member has been musically active for much longer. Stef and Jan used to perform at Leigh Folk Club in the 1990s when it was led by John's late uncle, Malcolm Disley, a close family friend. In 2013 John persuaded Stef and Jan to start playing at a jam night in Leigh run by well known Leigh band, Dr Roxx. Jason travelled the globe on cruise ships performing as the duo Strange Brew with his brother Pete, and was a regular at the same jam night. Their first musical encounter together was a booze fuelled rendition of The Pogues’ Fairytale of New York. The rest, as they say, is history!

What is your sound and who are your influences?
The Hats are a versatile fusion of different sounds and influences and specify themselves as genreless! Each member comes from a different musical background. Stef is influenced by electronic ‘80s music acts the Pet Shop Boys and Heaven 17, and artists like Stevie Nicks and Suzanne Vega. She pens the band's own material but when gigging they mostly perform covers from across the decades. Jan learned guitar in her 20s, inspired by Neil Young, but has turned her hand to vocals and percussion. She counts Annie Lennox and Fleetwood Mac among her influences. Jason cites bands that move him emotionally, such as Pink Floyd, as a major influence, while John prefers sounds from the Blue Oyster Cult, The Pixies, and The Smiths.

What is the biggest gig you have played to date?
The Hats' biggest gig this year was playing to 700 or more people at charity music festival Glastonburrows in Leyland, Lancashire, in July.
Jason, who has previously played to thousands of cruise ship guests, jokes: "I'm optimistic of much greater." John is a former member of Mancunian band Smalltown who opened the Ireby Festival in 2010 on the same bill as Kate Rusby and Luka Bloom.

If you are not already, is it your ambition to become professional?
We would be delighted to continue performing local gigs and aim to record an album of our own material, which we have started work on. We sometimes perform our own tracks, The Longest Night and Latte, in our setlists.

Where do you see yourself in 10 years?
While Jason and John insist they neither want, nor expect fame, Stef and Jan dream of representing the UK at Eurovision!
Jason quips: "If I'm still here in 10 years I'll be happy — I don't like to think that far ahead!"

Is there anything unusual or interesting about the band?
John is related to Leigh superstar Georgie Fame!
Jan and Stef are mother and daughter. They are (reportedly) distant descendants of the Hewlett family of Hewlett-Packard fame — although they never got a free laptop out of it. Unusually the band's ages span three decades, giving them a refreshing diversity and broader appeal.
It goes without saying they all wear a growing variety of interesting hats!

Upcoming gigs?
January 25 at The Musketeer, Leigh
January 31 at The Rams Head, Lowton
The Last Orders, Atherton, tbc
Various private functions
Follow us on Facebook — facebook.com/thehats2 or on Twitter, @trilbytalk