RYAN HAMILTON & THE HARLEQUIN GHOSTS
Ryan Hamilton & the Harlequin Ghosts: potted history
Based near Fort Worth, Texas, singer/songwriter Ryan Hamilton released his first solo album, the critically acclaimed ‘Hell of a Day’, back in 2015. Prior to this, Ryan had experienced success across North America and Canada with former band Smile Smile.
February 2017 saw the first release under the banner ‘Ryan Hamilton and the Traitors’ – with the album ‘the Devil’s in the Detail’, produced by Dave Draper and hailing the introduction of the ‘Traitors’ – Mickey Richards on Drums and Rob Lane on bass. Single ‘Heavy Heart’ was playlisted by Kerrang! Radio, as later was the follow-up ‘Smarter’, also put into heavy rotation by XS Manchester.
These tracks, along with the charity single (for Samaritans) ‘F**k You Brain’, written & recorded with former touring buddy Ginger Wildheart, have in turn been voted Classic Rock Magazine’s ‘Track of the Week’. Little Steven/Stevie van Zandt has not only bestowed upon the band the honour of ‘coolest song in the world’ multiple times already, he also play-listed half the album on his Sirius XM show, Little Steven’s Underground Garage.
Album and live reviews were universally glowing, hotly followed by the live album ‘Capital Spirits’ and in 2018 the EP ‘Traitors Club – Year 1’.
Ryan hosts his own podcast through Milieu Media Group, ‘Ryan Hamilton’s Lost the Plotcast’ which has been a Top 10 iTunes success. Guests already having appeared include artists Amanda Palmer and Frank Turner.
Upon signing to Stevie Van Zandt’s ‘Wicked Cool’ label in June 2018 the band underwent a name change and are now recognised as Ryan Hamilton and the Harlequin Ghosts. New music is expected from the band on Wicked Cool in Spring 2019.
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BRAD DEAR