Irwin Sparkes and Alan Sharland are the dynamic duo that make up The Hoosiers. These UK Lads got their start in Indiana with their debut album The Trick To Life which became an instant success on the UK charts in 2007. This fall they are back with a new album Confidence which is set to release and begin its UK tour this September. The Hoosiers continue to spread positive messages through their music as well as their variety of charity work with organizations like Off The Fence, Salusbury World, and Sane. Keep reading to learn more about what inspires The Hoosiers, behind the scenes of tour life, and the extent of their charity work.

Where are you based?
We are in Brighton (Irwin) and Hertford (Alan).

You guys have a pretty wild story, can you tell us a bit about it and how you ended up where you are? After everything, what brought you to create a band?
We started as a school band playing covers. Irwin, along with a few of his church-mates, started a band called Myst and I joined as the Drummer way back in 1995. From there, myself and Irwin just agreed never to give up. And we iron-willed our way into a career in music. In the ten years between meeting and signing to Sony RCA we just did everything we could to write and perform, whilst convincing our parents that we weren’t wasting our lives. This included a scholarship to Indianapolis, Indiana (the Hoosier state) where we played and failed at being soccer jocks (“socks”).

Where does the name Hoosiers come from?
I always remember being told to read all the questions first, before jumping into answering, that way you don’t end up answering all the questions in the first answer. Ha. As per the first question… a Hoosier is someone from Indiana.

Your new song “Snowflake” is really fun. Can you tell us a bit about what inspired it?
Irwin: Thanks! The music came first. I’d been working on something for ages that wasn’t working. Frustrated with my inability at fixing it I took a shower and POW! Heard the whole thing in my head. Always feel you can’t take full credit for writing the good ones cos it’s like the Song Fairy softly sings them in your ear and you just repeat what you’ve heard. Conceptually I was wondering how a being of love: an immigrant, an alien, the Second Coming of Christ, etc, could expect to be treated if they turned up on our shores in 2023. The pejorative nomenclature of “Snowflake” seemed fitting, as that’s what they could expect to be greeted with.

It feels a little gauche but the projections our fractured society place on immigrants is fed by a rapacious media with an agenda and humanity is lost between the cracks. The line that sticks for me is the final:
“Welcome to the future
We were haunted by the poor
So we decided not to believe in ghosts anymore”

We try to contrast darker themes with lighter melodies. It’s a really playful melody, but the minor key belies the intent.

The video for your new single Snowflake is so unique. How did you guys come up with the positive video game concept?
Honestly… all the credit has to go to Will Hutchinson who is the genius behind this video and the Hello Sunshine vid. What a guy.

What is the message you hope people receive from listening to this song?
I’d like people to question if they’re on the side of this being or not.

We also really love your other new song “Idaho”. Can you tell us a bit about this song?
This is a Thelma and Louise-style love story about a pair of lovers who seek to lay low from the law and, as former mid-westerners, we could think of no better location to disappear than the wilds of Idaho. I had the “somewhere like Idaho” line for about nine years and finally was able to answer why someone might opine about starting over somewhere with as low a profile as Idaho. Like all good murder ballads, it starts with a body and a smoking gun.

What is the rest of your album going to sound like? What can we look forward to? Do you have a release date?
The new Album ‘drops’ on 15th September and it’s bloody excellent, can I say that without sounding arrogant? Well it is, and it’s a scientific fact, just ask a science person. It’s probably our most honest and colourful album and I think it’s our best writing since the first. Writing is something that improves with age and confidence, and we are as old and as confident as we have ever been. The songs feel brave, bold, vibrant, and alive. Oh, I look forward to hearing you hearing it.

Jejune loves how both of you guys work with several charities! Irwin, you work with a local homeless charity, Off The Fence, and a refugee humanitarian charity in London, Salusbury World. Can you tell us a bit about both of these organizations and why they are important to you?
In fairness, I was inspired seeing 12-year-old Scarlett Chapman doing so much with her music to raise awareness and funds for Off The Fence in Brighton that made me ask why I’m not doing something. I’ve only played one show so far for them so it’s early days, but I hope we get to do more together. I’m quite new to Brighton and OTF were notable for the work they do in the local community with homeless people. I used to live around the corner from Salusbury World in northwest London. They’re a passionate team who helps immigrant families settle into the community. I’d volunteered for the homework club and was amazed by the ability of the children to adapt to London and our education system, especially given what they’d endured to get here. The support I give is now remote.

What are your thoughts on the current refugee crisis?
An inhuman response from the government that defies logic, economics, and compassion. The framing is all off; viewed as a threat with no acceptance for our hand in directly or indirectly exacerbating the climate that led to their exodus in the first place.

Alan, you are an ambassador for the mental health charity Sane, can you tell us more about what they do, and why they are important to you?
Mental health is hugely important to all of us. It’s something that’s impacted my life since I was born. My mum’s mother suffered seriously in the darker years of the late 60s/70s to the point at which she was treated with electro-shock therapy. She later took her own life and the mental health shock waves resonated throughout my childhood and through my mum’s family. We see it (mental health issues) everywhere we go and are keen to make sure people keep talking about it. That there are charities such as Sane is crucial.

What's the best advice you’ve learned and would you give to someone struggling with mental health issues?
Talk. Just always talk to someone. I sometimes rant a little on stage about this — but the message is always reach out to others… if you’re worried about a friend or a colleague just talk to them, that’s the barrier we struggle to overcome so frequently and it would help so many.

As mental health, homelessness, and being a refugee, are very intertwined, have you two worked on anything addressing these issues together?
No. What a good point. You may well have triggered something here. I’ll chat with Irwin.

You have a new tour coming up! What are you most excited about it?
We play a lot of festivals and University shows that are not ‘our’ shows, but nothing beats playing in front of people who are there to see us; the fans. We’ve really honed in on the concept of making our shows a safe space for our fans.

How do you guys plan to keep your mental health stable while on tour?
We will keep busy and be surrounded by awesome humans so it’s actually fairly easy on tour. It’s the downtime that’s more tricky. But I try and exercise and not drink too much. But what we will do is chat loads. Mostly nonsense with a bit of real talk thrown in. I feel very lucky to be in a band with people I love dearly. I include you in that, Irwin.

It has been a crazy past few years. How have you been staying positive?
Ahhhh. I think it’s partly why we write the new album. The music industry and all its beautiful people has been given a particularly rough ride through Covid. Myself and Irwin both have young families to focus (steal!) our attention though, so that’s helped (sort of).

What is your motto in life?
“Be nice” or I also like “It’s water under a ducks bridge”

To stay connected with all the aforementioned charities follow the links below:
Brighton Homeless & Vulnerable Charity
Salusbury World
Sane

To purchase tickets and pre-order the new album follow the link below:
The Hoosiers

Instagram: thehoosiersuk

The Hoosiers Are Back With Confidence!