Hooligan’s Rule are Lucy and Tony Simister. We play and sing an eclectic mix of traditional Celtic music, French traditional folk and home spun songs and tunes on the guitar, fiddle, mandolin and Bodhran. There are some photos and video of us via the menu links above, or you can click here for photos and here for video .
There is a downloadable EPK available in English here. (If you want the French version please go to EPK version française in the menu and download it from that page – or click here.)
We have played gigs at campsites and bars, many music festivals in the UK and in France (Burnham on Sea, Brighton, Ilfracombe, Hebden Bridge, Pleugriffet, Carnac and others), sessions, folk clubs, street music and parties in England and France (where we now live).
We’ve played in rock bands, folk groups and Ceilidh bands – and a few bands besides! But now we have branched out on our own to bring you the songs and music we love. And it’s party time when we play! We just love getting the audience involved.
Influences
The music we like is the kind that stirs the blood – whether it be joyous dance music or haunting ballads there is something for all tastes in our repertoire.
Tony grew up in a highly musical family – his parents, brother, sister, sons, nieces and nephews, uncles, aunts and cousins either played an instrument (piano, guitar, clarinet, fiddle,mandolin, bass guitar) or sang and he listened widely to blues greats – Blind Blake, Sonny Terry and Brownie McGee, B.B. King, as well as the Beatles, the Rolling Stones, Bob Dylan and Leonard Cohen – and many other folk, jazz, pop and rock bands in the 60s/70s/80s. Not to mention classical music (particularly on guitar), flamenco and fado from Spain and Portugal. Indeed one of his cousins (Bob Simister) became friends with the legendary Johnny Hallyday and went on to be a well known musician in France in his group The Citizen’s Band. (Google them!)
Each influenced his guitar playing and song writing – sometimes uplifting and sometimes mood pieces crossing many styles – and his music is always highly original. At heart he is a great guitarist, but later he absorbed the fiddle and mandolin playing of the Irish and Scottish greats – his heroes in this genre are Kevin Burke and Andy Irvine.
Lucy’s inimitable Bodhran style started with the Ceilidh dance rhythms when she joined Tony playing at barn dances and at pop/rock gigs when she adapted the instrument to more contemporary styles of music. She has joined Tony in rock and pop bands and Ceilidh folk ensembles.
As a consequence our arrangements are unique – whatever we play we bring our distinctive “Hooligan’s Rule” sound to it – great musicianship and great fun.
Links
Here are some direct links to YouTube and SoundCloud.
YouTube:
Toss the feathers and Gravel Walks
These are two traditional Irish reels on fiddle and Bodhran.
Bank of Ireland
A slower reel…
Sí Bheag Sí Mhôr – by Turlough O’Carolan (Irish traditional)
SoundCloud
There are several tracks on SoundCloud – some traditional English, Irish, Scottish and French folk music, some written by Tony Simister – here are links to a few:
Can’t Go Back – by Tony Simister. A sad but empathic expression of friendship and support.
La Jument de Michao Breton traditional (Vannetaise). This song is well known in Brittany, It originates from the great town of Vannes, and is sung at social gatherings. The rhythm is that of the an dro – a popular dance form.
Gaia – by Tony Simister.
Ostensibly this is a ‘relationship breakdown’ song. Well, in a way it is – but it is about the way we treat our planet and corporate hypocrisy. The song is a fusion of styles, especially the lead break at the end, which touches on my love of Spanish guitar.
Home boys home – English/Irish traditional
Hooligan's Rule 