70 years of influences have created the Human Rhythms Not Algorithms sound. There’s more than a nod to the classic blues, rock, reggae and soul of the 60’s, 70’s & 80’s that laid the foundation for so much of the music we love today.
Jo from Ramrock Records is way better than me with the promo, so off you go Jo, tell us all about the latest artist to the label and brand new song on the Human Rhythms Not Algorithms playlist.
“Ramrock Red Records are delighted to present Joe Probert’s forthcoming release, ‘Hold Up’, the follow up to his highly acclaimed 2023 ‘The Nose’ EP which was raved about by Deb Grant on BBC Radio 6. Mixed by Taran Stores-Martino and mastered by Darren Morris at North Street West, ‘Hold Up’ was penned as a long-distance love song by multi-talented singer, songwriter, composer, Joe Probert.
This low slung, funk tinged sonnet has circled the globe from its inception to completion – Joe wrote these love beats in a Long Ashton garden during a period of separation. He recorded the basics in his shed in Bristol and finished it off in his studio in New Zealand.
All the emotions of love and longing have been distilled into one, beautifully evocative and compact track bursting with Mr P’s wistful vocals riding over his exemplary musical prowess – Joe plays every instrument! A perfect accompaniment to long, summer evenings catching the last rays of sunshine.
Joe Probert has been making musical shockwaves since starting out as a drummer in a soul band aged just 13. Already steeped in the raw and infectious emotion of Stevie Wonder and Otis Redding’s releases, Joe was further exposed, during his formative teen years, to the alternative blues and slack rock of The Black Keys and Mac DeMarco as well as the gospel psych-funk of Matt Corby. One of Joe’s previous singles, ‘I couldn’t want you more’ gained BBC Radio 1 play and led to a sell out headline show and support slots for the likes of Willie J Healey, Curtis Harding and Sam Fender. This heady mixture of old and new provides the aural backdrop for Joe’s sound as the artist he is now.”
The Hoof caught up with Joe for a chat..
“So, let’s start at the beginning – when did you first discover your love for music? And what was the moment that made you realize you wanted to pursue it as a career?”
“I started playing drums when I was 10 years old. I joined a soul band at school playing covers of things like master blaster, chameleon and fell in love with the funk. I don’t really see it as a career but part of who I am.”
“Can you share with us the inspiration behind ‘Hold Up’ and how you developed the song”
“Hold up came from a period of separation, an old out of tune piano I had in my shed and words that were stuck in my head whilst gardening. The song was built around those two parts and came together quite quickly. The way Taran Stormes-Martino mixed and arranged the vocals really made the song what it is. And also very grateful to Ramrock records for putting this one out alongside “The Nose” EP that they put out last year.
I’m also pretty excited to share the music video above, I made it out of videos and pictures over the past few years. It actually makes me feel slightly emotional watching it back and hope that others enjoy it the way I do.”
“Every musician has that one classic track that they hold dear to their heart. Can you tell us about yours? What about it inspires you or keeps you coming back?”
“It’s hard to pick a song on its own but I always find myself watching the same two live videos on the YouTube. ‘Stevie Wonder and Tom Jones’ in 1969. And also from 1969 – ‘Sly and the Family Stone’ live studio set in Los Angeles.”
“We’re always on the hunt for new music here. Is there an up-and-coming artist or band that you’ve recently discovered and think deserves more attention?”
“Ed Sheeran is pretty great think more people need to listen to him … JKS! I have been enjoying ‘Getdown Services’ quite a lot recently. And always looking forward to hearing new ‘Luna Lake’ music.”
“Looking ahead to the rest of the year, what are your plans? Any exciting releases or shows that you can tease for us?”
“If I told you I’d have to kiss you !”
“Playlists have become such an important part of music discovery in recent years. What do you think the future holds for this format? Are there any playlists out there that you personally listen to?”
“I make monthly playlists, it’s cool to go back and listen to them after a while and be transported back in time to the moment I first heard a song or reconnected with an old song I had forgotten. And sometimes be like “ what the hell was I thinking”. A bit like fantasy football I guess.
I’ve made a couple of mixes for Soho radio which have been great fun to do and I would say much more enjoyable than just ya standard playlist. You can find these on my YouTube channel. I have some unreleased songs hidden in there too !”
“What’s the best way for fans to support you right now? If they only had a few minutes, what could they do to help spread the word about your music?”
“Share it with a friend or on social media I guess. I always listen to things recommended by friends and think it’s the most effective way of sharing music.
Check out my YouTube, comment and share. I make all the artwork and videos myself and it’s nice to know that people are out there.”
“When did you write your first lyrics/music and how different is it from the lyrics/music you are writing today? How did your style develop or evolve?”
“When I was around 14/15, it was pretty embarrassing but I’ll probably be saying the same thing in 10 years time about Hold Up.”
“Is collaboration a part of your whole creative process or do you write songs individually first and then collaborate on refining the song?”
“I usually write the song and mess around with it in logic using different instrumentations until something sticks. If I’m happy with a track then it’s done if not I’ll send over to my good friend Taran Stormes-Martino who fiddles around with the mix. It’s great fun !”
“Random question time – What is your favorite music-related book?”
“I recently read the Sly Stone memoir which was cool but ‘How Music Works‘ by David Byrne was pretty fascinating.”
Follow: Joe Probert (IG)
More Human Rhythms Not Algorithms music
Try the Retro version with music from the 60’s – 2010’s
