Honeychurch was an American band from
Bucks County, Pennsylvania, United States. Music journals such as ''
The Big Takeover'' and ''
No Depression'' have described Honeychurch's music as a mix of
indie rock,
alternative country
Alternative country, or alternative country rock (sometimes alt-country, insurgent country, Americana, or y'allternative), is a loosely defined subgenre of country music and/or country rock that includes acts that differ significantly in style ...
, and
slowcore
Slowcore is a subgenre of alternative rock and indie rock. The music of slowcore artists is generally characterized by bleak lyrics, downbeat melodies, slower tempos and minimalist arrangements. Slowcore is often used interchangeably with the t ...
, with strong influences from 1960s and 1970s
psychedelic
Psychedelics are a subclass of hallucinogenic drugs whose primary effect is to trigger non-ordinary states of consciousness (known as psychedelic experiences or "trips").Pollan, Michael (2018). ''How to Change Your Mind: What the New Science of ...
and
folk rock
. Honeychurch released three studio albums: '' Calling Me Home'' (2001), ''Makes Me Feel Better'' (2004), and ''Will You Be There With Me (2012)''. There was also a single released called ''September Songs'' (2015) with tracks: "Side of a Mountain" & "Constellations". Source: Honeychurch.bandcamp.com
Background
The band was originally the solo project of
Virginia-born Shilough Hopwood (singer, multi-instrumentalist, and songwriter). Shilough is the son of
Teddy Speleos of the 1960's band
Holy Moses. (Source: Facebook)
Shilough wrote most of the tracks on the band's 2004 release, ''Makes Me Feel Better''.
Larissa Hopwood joined in 1999. She played bass and sang both lead and harmony vocals. Lead guitarist Tim Kratz joined Honeychurch in 2001, and with his presence, the live band took shape. Kratz's playing combined
slide guitar
Slide guitar is a technique for playing the guitar that is often used in blues music. It involves playing a guitar while holding a hard object (a slide) against the strings, creating the opportunity for glissando effects and deep vibratos tha ...
and
B-Bender techniques and is often mistaken for
pedal steel. Drummer Greg Millward joined Honeychurch in 2004, replacing Stefan Baker. A native of
Doncaster,
England, Millward started playing drums in the
brass bands which are traditional in
Northern England, and also played in Thumper and other groups in England before joining Honeychurch in 2004. Since 2008, Alex Yaker (frontman for the band Roomtone) played piano with Honeychurch both at live shows and in the studio, and Ivan Funk joined the band on pedal steel in 2012. Shilough passed away in September 2023.
Honeychurch's albums were released with the help of independent record store Siren Records in
Doylestown, Pennsylvania. The band was named one of ''
Philadelphia Weekly
''Philadelphia Weekly'' (''PW'') is a website based in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. It was founded as a newspaper in 1971 as ''The Welcomat'', a sister publication to the ''South Philadelphia Press''. In 1995, the paper became ''Philadelphia Weekl ...
s Top 5 of the Moment in March 2001 and they've continued to garner significant attention in the
Philadelphia area.
In 2012, ''
Big Takeover'' editor Jack Rabid named "Will You Be There With Me" the number 5 best record of the year.
Discography
Studio albums
*''Calling Me Home'' (2001)
*''Makes Me Feel Better'' (2004)
*''Will You Be There With Me'' (2012)
Compilation albums
* ''Early Times, 2001 - 2004'' (2008)
References
External links
*Honeychurch.bandcamp.com
*
*
{{Authority control
Rock music groups from Pennsylvania
Slowcore groups