Hip Singles go north

Press, 6 August 1981, Page 14

Hip Singles go north

By

DAVID SWIFT

Hip Singles will soon spend five months in the North Island, and Dick Driver, the band's vocalist, is frantically studying complete Beatles chords so he can master the guitar. “I'm getting interested in writing now, too," he said: Hip Singles have returned to Christchurch after seven apparently successful weeks in the southern half of the South Island. But there is no time for a rest. The band are playing at the Hillsborough Tavern for the next three weeks, then it is off to the North Island: '; ; A “Band-Aid” spot on 3ZM

seems likely, which will mean some studio time, from i which a demo tape could result. But the biggest step for the band, which is only three months old, is the big North Island : tour. Dick might just make it home, for Christmas dinner. ; : ' “I think .we’ll spend five or six weeks out of the'four, months in Auckland,” he said. He has played. the northern circuit before, so he has a good idea of which

towns to avoid, and which to revisit.

“A lot of bands going to the North Island don’t realise that they will have to . play three dr four times in one place to make any impression. Northern bands coming down here have got it made, but it’s a fight the other way.”

But Hip Singles will give it a try. Dick said that slowly a direction, and . better material,. was emerging.

Guitarist Stuart Ellison added that the band was' probably working better now than it had done since its inception.

“We would like to tour in ’Bl and record in '82,” he said.

Although the band has drawn impressive crowds, it has not made vast . profits because, . like any other operation, the overheads are high.

Also, Dick. Driver .has affirmed that, contrary to speculation, he will not be joining Blam Blam Blam.

“I had a firm offer, but I turned it down,” he said.