Smalltown Music is the home of
Fred Hopwood and Dave Blant, two
multi-instrumentalists who have been active on the
music scene all over Europe , throughout the last
twenty five years.
In the Eighties they were
part of Midland’s pop band Lip Service, ceilidh band
Oakapple, and as the rhythm section with Britain’s
foremost Cajun band R.Cajun where they quickly
established themselves as The Zydeco Brothers, playing
Concerts, Festivals and parties all over Europe, and
releasing no less than seven albums. In the nineties
they supported acts such as Debbie Harry,
Van Morrison, Lonnie Donegan,
Canned Heat and Jools
Holland, and appeared on both National
Radio and TV as well as performing for Sky TV,
Gillette, Granada TV, East Midlands Airport and Sir
Paul McCartney ( with whom they have
recorded ).
In 1993 they formed “The
Zydeco Hot Rods” with Dave switching to
Accordion and Keyboards. As “The Vice-Bishops of
Uttoxeter” they released their first CD Album in 1995.
“Dances & Dirges” a collection of traditional and
original folk-rock instrumentals.
They
have also appeared with Indie-rock band “Yeah Jazz” at
gigs & festivals and recorded two C.Ds , “Short
Stories” and “Songs from Biscuit Town” which both
featured the song-writing of Kevin Hand.
Since then they have formed “The
Vice-Bishops’ Blues Band" and “The
Vice-Bishops’ Ceili Band”, as well as doing
various session work with a variety of artists,
including Paul McCartney.
Multi-instrumentalists the
Vice-Bishops Fred and Dave are also available for
acoustic folk and blues concerts together with
guitarist/songwriter Pete Oakley and fiddle player
John Squire as Pete
Oakley and Friends