The Gig Cartel - Artist profiles: The Hoax

The album was funded by pledges from fans to the tune of $20,000, and recorded in Southern California. The resulting album entitled Big City Blues scored the band a #1 hit on the British Blues charts upon its release in August 2013.

The Hoax found fame in the mid to late 90’s when the young blues band were signed by legendary producer Mike Vernon (Fleetwood Mac, John Mayall and The Blues Breakers ft Eric Clapton) to Atlantic/Warner Records. Their debut album “Sound Like This”, which Vernon produced, was hailed as an instant classic, and the band won the coveted “Best British Blues Band” and “Best British Blues Album” awards.

In 1999, after 2000 gigs and 3 albums, the band decided to call it quits, leaving a gaping hole in the UK blues scene. The various members of the band went on to achieve much success with individual projects. Including brothers Robin and Jesse Davey signing to Interscope in the USA, and recording with the likes of Mick Jagger, Ringo Starr, Katy Perry, Joss Stone and Dave Stewart of The Eurythmics. Singer Hugh Coltman signed as a solo artist to Universal France, releasing two critically acclaimed albums. And Jon Amor built up a solid fan base in the UK and Europe with his solo records and as leader of the Jon Amor Blues Group.

In 2010 the band reunited to play a string of sold out shows across Europe. It wasn’t until 2013 that bands individual commitments allowed time for them to contemplate recording a new album together. In April the band set up a page on fan funding site, sponsume.com, and within a week they had reached their goal. 

The resulting album is the bands finest yet. Adding maturity to their songwriting, yet retaining the fire and zest that made the bands early work so vital. Big City Blues is set to be another British Blues classic, cementing the bands reputation as the most influential and important British Blues band of the last 20 years.