Everyone Loves A Good Mix Tape: The Hatty Fatners

by Helen Henry on February 3, 2011

“The times you lived through, the people you shared those times with — nothing brings it all to life like an old mix tape. It does a better job of storing up memories than actual brain tissue can do. Every mix tape tells a story.”
— Rob Sheffield (Love Is a Mix Tape)

Ok, so we might have moved away from cassette tapes and on to shuffled playlists but there’s still nothing sweeter than a great compilation, a great musical story. The Mix Tape asks a local band for a mixed bag of 5 tracks, including one from another local act. This week we’re delving into what tunes tickle the fancy of jackfoot band The Hatty Fatners.

N.b. If you’re not sure what a jackfoot band is, that’s cool -  it seems to be music (kinda sorta jazzy, blues & gypsy influences) that spills into comedy and a vaudeville/sideshow feel. Basically, it’s loud and colourful and bright and amusing and worth checking out if you haven’t before.

(You can click the tapes!)

The Hatty Fatners have been gigging around town for a good year and a half now and have excited the local scene with their quirky style and funny stage presence (and have to be one of the busiest bands around).

You’ll often find them on the stage at the Wickham Park Hotel, Lass O Gowrie, Hamilton Station Hotel and Great Northern Hotel.

They released an album into the universe in 2010, which was met with much praise, and they think that their second should prove to be just as enticing (if not shocking) to all interested in the Hatty way. The album, Baby Machines, will be released on 14 May in conjunction with a huge show called Distraction Factory in the auditorium at Hamilton RSL. Six hours of madness will be filled with bands including Tortoise Head Platoon, Chrome Bison, King Hutter vs Kyborg, Beatrice Rose, Bones Jones & The Skeletones and many more.

In the meantime, they’re running away with the circus as a result of their recent partnership with Circus Avalon.

With no plans to slow down, the band wants to release a 3rd album in August 2011, an album of their Circus Avalon tunes, a concept album, a tribute to 80s pop (the first of a series of genre-styled tributes) and an album called Chrome Bison (based on a bet made between the two bands).

If you haven’t been along to a Hatty Fatners gig, do yourself a favour - they’re something different and a great musical & songwriting talent. You can see where they’re playing by befriending them.