The Hooters - WikiHQ

The Hooters is an American rock band, which was founded in Philadelphia in 1980. They combine elements of rock, reggae, ska, and folk music.

The Hooters first gained major commercial success in the United States in the mid-1980s due to heavy radio airplay and MTV rotation of several songs, including "All You Zombies", "Day by Day", "And We Danced", and "Where Do the Children Go". In Europe, the Hooters had success with the singles "All You Zombies" and "Johnny B", and the band's breakthrough across Europe came with the single "Satellite". In 1990, the band played at The Wall Concert in Berlin.

The Hooters have staged successful tours in Europe. In 2007, the band released its first album of new material since 1993, Time Stand Still. The band's most recent album, Rocking & Swing, was released in 2023.

Career

Early years (1980–1984)

Rob Hyman and Eric Bazilian met in 1971 at the University of Pennsylvania. In the late 1970s, they played in a Philadelphia-based band called Baby Grand, which featured local singer David Kagan. Baby Grand released two albums on Arista Records.

In 1980, the Hooters were formed by Hyman and Bazilian. a type of keyboard harmonica.

In 1983, John Kuzma (guitar) and Bobby Woods (bass) left the band. They were replaced by John Lilley (guitar, backing vocals) and Rob Miller (bass, backing vocals), two former members of another popular local group, Robert Hazard and the Heroes.

Later in 1983, the Hooters began working on their first album. The result, Amore, was released on the independent label Antenna and sold over 100,000 copies.

Just before the band were about to experience mainstream success, bassist Rob Miller was seriously injured in an automobile accident and was replaced by Andy King.

Mainstream success (1985–1989)

The Hooters' debut album, Nervous Night, released in 1985 on Columbia Records, achieved 2× platinum status in the United States, selling in excess of two million copies and included Billboard Top 40 hits "Day by Day" (No. 18), "And We Danced" (No. 21) and "Where Do the Children Go" (No. 38), the latter which featured accompanying vocals from Patty Smyth and was inspired by a news report about a series of suicides in Pennsylvania. Rolling Stone named the Hooters "Best New Band of the Year". Geldof let his feelings be known during an interview for Rolling Stone saying: "Who the fuck are the Hooters?" The Hooters' performance at Live Aid, however, does not appear on the officially released DVD of the concert. On September 5, 1986, the Hooters appeared on the 1986 MTV Video Music Awards, where they were nominated in the category of Best New Artist for "And We Danced". They performed two songs on the show, "And We Danced" and "Nervous Night".

At Billboards 8th Annual Video Music Conference on November 22, 1986, the Hooters won two awards: Best Concert Performance for the "Where Do the Children Go" video and Best Longform Program for the full length Nervous Night home video. The accompanying video went even further, depicting a young girl and her parents, who resemble the couple from Grant Wood's American Gothic painting, attempting to watch The Three Stooges interspersed with the Hooters performing, but being constantly interrupted by transmissions from a Christian show. Although never officially confirmed, the video contained barely concealed parodies of famous Christian televangelists Tammy Faye Bakker, Jerry Falwell, and Oral Roberts. On the tour supporting One Way Home, Fran Smith Jr. (bass, backing vocals) was brought in to replace Andy King, who left the band to pursue other interests.

In November 2005, the Hooters appeared on VH1 Classic's concert series Decades Live Rock as guests of Cyndi Lauper, where they performed "And We Danced" and "All You Zombies".

In June 2006, the band played their first shows in the United States in over a decade, performing three shows, including a homecoming show at Electric Factory in Philadelphia on June 16, a show at the Borgata in Atlantic City, New Jersey, on June 17, and an outdoor show at Hubbard Park in Rob Hyman's hometown of Meriden, Connecticut, on June 18.

Following these three shows, the Hooters entered Hyman's Elmstreet Studios to record their first album of new material since 1993. In September 2007, Time Stand Still was released, preceded by a tour of Europe from June through August, with shows in Germany, Sweden, the Netherlands, and Switzerland.

In November 2007, the Hooters returned to Europe for a short tour of Switzerland and Germany, including a show filmed for television in Basel, Switzerland, as part the AVO Concerts Series. They played two shows at the Electric Factory in Philadelphia, during Thanksgiving week on Wednesday, November 21 and Friday, November 23, with the November 23 show broadcast by radio station WXPN in 85 markets.

On February 28 and March 1, 2008, the Hooters again entered Elmstreet Studios to begin work on a new album. Accompanied by Ann Marie Calhoun on violin, the band recorded acoustic rearrangements of 12 of their previously released songs, which resulted in a double-disc set, along with the band's concerts the previous year at the Electric Factory. The album, Both Sides Live, was released in November 2008.

In March 2008, the Hooters played two shows in support of Time Stand Still, which was released in the U.S. in February 2008. It included shows at B.B. King's Blues Club and Grill in New York City on March 6 and The Birchmere in Alexandria, Virginia, on March 29. In July 2008, the Hooters launched a European summer tour, playing shows in Norway, Sweden, Germany, and Switzerland. On October 23, 2009, in one of their last concerts at the Wachovia Spectrum in Philadelphia, the Hooters, Todd Rundgren, and Daryl Hall & John Oates headlined a concert called Last Call.

In December 2025, the Hooters released "45 Alive", a concert album recorded at the Keswick Theater.

Awards and nominations

{| class="wikitable sortable plainrowheaders"

! scope="col" | Award

! scope="col" | Year

! scope="col" | Nominee(s)

! scope="col" | Category

! scope="col" | Result

! scope="col" class="unsortable"|

! scope="row"|MTV Video Music Awards

| 1986

| "And We Danced"

| Best New Artist in a Video

| Next Major Arena Headliner

Band members

File:2022 Lieder am See - The Hooters - Eric Bazilian - by 2eight - 9SC5305.jpg|Bazilian

File:2022 Lieder am See - The Hooters - Rob Hyman - by 2eight - 9SC5302.jpg|Hyman

File:2022 Lieder am See - The Hooters - David Uosikkinen - by 2eight - 9SC5280.jpg|Uosikkinen

File:2022 Lieder am See - The Hooters - John Lilley - by 2eight - 9SC5660.jpg|Lilley

File:2022 Lieder am See - The Hooters - Fran Smith Jr - by 2eight - 9SC5649.jpg|Smith

File:2022 Lieder am See - The Hooters - Tommy Williams - by 2eight - 9SC5573.jpg|Williams

</gallery>

Present

Eric Bazilian – Founder - lead vocals, rhythm and lead guitar, mandolin, harmonica, saxophone, recorder, melodica
Rob Hyman – Founder - lead vocals, keyboards, accordion, melodica
David Uosikkinen – drums, percussion (1980–present)
John Lilley – rhythm and lead guitar, mandolin, dobro, melodica, keyboards, backing vocals (1983–present)
Fran Smith Jr. – bass guitar, melodica, backing vocals (1987–present)
Tommy Williams – rhythm and lead guitar, mandolin, mandola, melodica, backing and occasional lead vocals (2010–present)

Past

Bobby Woods – bass guitar (1980–1982; died 2010)
John Kuzma – rhythm guitar, backing and occasional lead vocals (1980–1982; died 2011)
Rob Miller – bass guitar, backing vocals (1983–1984)
Andy King – bass guitar, backing and occasional lead vocals (1984–1987)
Mindy Jostyn – violin, harmonica, rhythm guitar, backing vocals (1992–1993; died 2005)

Discography

Studio albums

{| class="wikitable"

!rowspan="2"|Year

! style="width:210px;" rowspan="2"| Album details

!colspan="8"|Peak chart positions

!rowspan="2"|Certifications (sales thresholds)

!style="width:3em;font-size:80%"|US

!style="width:3em;font-size:80%"|AUS

!style="width:3em;font-size:80%"|GER

!style="width:3em;font-size:80%"|SWE

!style="width:3em;font-size:80%"|NOR

!style="width:3em;font-size:80%"|SWI

|1983

|align="left"|Amore

Released: December 1983
Label: Antenna (independent)

| style="text-align:center;"| —

|align="left"|

|1985

|align="left"|Nervous Night

Released: April 26, 1985
Label: Columbia

| style="text-align:center;"| 12

| style="text-align:center;"| 39

| style="text-align:center;"| 12

| style="text-align:center;"| 41

| style="text-align:center;"| 46

| style="text-align:center;"| —

|align="left"|

ARIA: Gold
CAN: Gold
US: 2× Platinum

|1987

|align="left"|One Way Home

Released: July 1987
Label: Columbia

| style="text-align:center;"| 27

| style="text-align:center;"| 59

| style="text-align:center;"| 81

| style="text-align:center;"| 17

| style="text-align:center;"| 12

| style="text-align:center;"| 15

| style="text-align:center;"| —

| style="text-align:center;"| 14

|align="left"|

US: Gold

|1989

|align="left"|Zig Zag

Released: October 26, 1989
Label: Columbia

| style="text-align:center;"| 115

| style="text-align:center;"| 59

| style="text-align:center;"| —

| style="text-align:center;"| 13

| style="text-align:center;"| 12

| style="text-align:center;"| 73

| style="text-align:center;"| —

|align="left"|

SWE: Gold

|1993

|align="left"|Out of Body

Released: May 11, 1993
Label: MCA

| style="text-align:center;"| —

| style="text-align:center;"| 59

| style="text-align:center;"| 13

| style="text-align:center;"| 12

| style="text-align:center;"| 67

| style="text-align:center;"| 33

|align="left"|

SWE: Gold

!style="width:3em;font-size:80%"|SWI

SWE: Gold
B^ In Norway, this compilation was issued under the alternative title The Best of the Hooters.

Singles

{| class="wikitable"

!rowspan="2"|Year

!rowspan="2"|Single

!colspan="10"|Peak chart positions

!rowspan="2"|Album

|- style="font-size:smaller;"

! style="width:45px;"|US

! style="width:45px;"|AUS

| style="text-align:left;" rowspan="1"|1981

|align="left"|"Fightin' on the Same Side"

| style="text-align:center;"|—

| style="text-align:left;" rowspan="1"|Single only

| style="text-align:left;" rowspan="1"|1982

|align="left"|"All You Zombies"

| style="text-align:center;"|—

| style="text-align:left;" rowspan="1"|Single only

| style="text-align:left;" rowspan="1"|1984

|align="left"|"Hanging on a Heartbeat"

| style="text-align:center;"|—

| style="text-align:left;" rowspan="1"|Amore

| style="text-align:left;" rowspan="2"|1985

|align="left"|"All You Zombies"

| style="text-align:center;"|58

| style="text-align:center;"|—

| style="text-align:center;"|8

| style="text-align:center;"|16

| style="text-align:center;"|—

| style="text-align:center;"|17

| style="text-align:center;"|—

| style="text-align:left;" rowspan="4"|Nervous Night

|align="left"|"And We Danced"

| style="text-align:center;"|21

| style="text-align:center;"|51

| style="text-align:center;"|6

| style="text-align:center;"|9

| style="text-align:center;"|—

| style="text-align:center;"|72

| style="text-align:center;"|—

| style="text-align:left;" rowspan="2"|1986

|align="left"|"Day by Day"

| style="text-align:center;"|18

| style="text-align:center;"|66

| style="text-align:center;"|55

| style="text-align:center;"|—

|align="left"|"Where Do the Children Go"

| style="text-align:center;"|38

| style="text-align:center;"|98

| style="text-align:center;"|—

| style="text-align:center;"|20

| style="text-align:center;"|—

| style="text-align:left;" rowspan="2"|1987

|align="left"|"Johnny B"

| style="text-align:center;"|61

| style="text-align:center;"|—

| style="text-align:center;"|74

| style="text-align:center;"|—

| style="text-align:center;"|7

| style="text-align:center;"|—

| style="text-align:left;" rowspan="4"|One Way Home

|align="left"|"Satellite"

| style="text-align:center;"|61

| style="text-align:center;"|—

| style="text-align:center;"|20

| style="text-align:center;"|35

| style="text-align:center;"|34

| style="text-align:center;"|—

| style="text-align:center;"|17

| style="text-align:center;"|22

| style="text-align:left;" rowspan="2"|1988

|align="left"|"Karla with a K"

| style="text-align:center;"|—

| style="text-align:center;"|81

|align="left"|"Engine 999"

| style="text-align:center;"|—

|align="left"|1989

|align="left"|"500 Miles"

| style="text-align:center;"|97

| style="text-align:center;"|60

| style="text-align:center;"|—

| style="text-align:center;"|12

| style="text-align:center;"|—

| style="text-align:left;" rowspan="5"|Zig Zag

| style="text-align:left;" rowspan="5"|1990

|align="left"|"Brother, Don't You Walk Away"

| style="text-align:center;"|—

|align="left"|"Heaven Laughs"

| style="text-align:center;"|—

|align="left"|"Don't Knock It 'Til You Try It"

| style="text-align:center;"|—

|align="left"|"Give the Music Back"

| style="text-align:center;"|—

|align="left"|"Silent Night" (split single with Shawn Colvin)

| style="text-align:center;"|—

| style="text-align:left;" rowspan="1"|Acoustic Christmas (by various artists)

| style="text-align:left;" rowspan="2"|1993

|align="left"|"Twenty Five Hours a Day"

| style="text-align:center;"|—

| style="text-align:center;"|28

| style="text-align:center;"|—

| style="text-align:center;"|74

| style="text-align:center;"|—

| style="text-align:left;" rowspan="3"|Out of Body

|align="left"|"Boys Will Be Boys"

| style="text-align:center;"|—

| style="text-align:center;"|53

| style="text-align:center;"|20

| style="text-align:center;"|—

| style="text-align:left;" rowspan="1"|1994

|align="left"|"Private Emotion"

| style="text-align:center;"|—

| style="text-align:left;" rowspan="1"|1995

|align="left"|"Satellite '95"

| style="text-align:center;"|—

| style="text-align:left;" rowspan="1"|Single only

| style="text-align:left;" rowspan="1"|2008

|align="left"|"Time Stand Still"

| style="text-align:center;"|—

| style="text-align:left;" rowspan="1"|Time Stand Still

| style="text-align:left;" rowspan="1"|2010

|align="left"|Five by Five EP

| style="text-align:center;"|—

| style="text-align:left;" rowspan="1"|

| colspan="15" style="text-align:center; font-size:8pt;"| "—" denotes releases that did not chart.

Video releases

{| class="wikitable sortable"

! Title !! Year !! Type of video

| Nervous Night || 1985 || Film

| The Ultimate Clip Collection || 2003 || DVD compilation

| All You Zombies || 1985 || Music video

| And We Danced || 1985 || Music video

| Day by Day || 1986 || Music video

|Why Won't You Call Me Back

|2023

|Music video

References

External links

Eric Bazilian official website
John Lilley official website
Fran Smith Jr. official website