Over the month of September, Be On
The Scene hosted an Online Music Competition, where dozens of hopefuls connected
with music lovers, with the ultimate aim of obtaining votes.
We were delighted to see old faces and
hear new sounds. One particular singer’s voice stood out from the rest,
sweeping up votes to become BOTS’s newest Music Contest winner. Hokyoung
Kim aka Hockers, has a voice that delicately balances between ‘modulated’ and
‘silvery’, with a powerful sound which instantly makes people stop in their
tracks to listen attentively.
Hockers went on to headline our 10th
Event Anniversary, held at Madame JoJo’s in Soho, where again, he owned
the stage.
It was surprising to have Hockers
participate in the Music Contest as Be On The Scene was first introduced to him
via our weekly Open Mic Night in Soho, London. Suffice it to say, we instantly loved him! Week
after week, he returned and wowed us. Not just us, but also the countless
patrons who stopped mid-conversation to see where this beautiful sound was
coming from. I was truly delighted at the chance to interview him, to
find out a bit more about the man we call Hockers, and to learn why everyone
should have a copy of his forthcoming Album.
Interview
BOTS: First off, well done on winning
the contest! How did you feel about it?
Hockers:
Thank you! Well, in the first stage of the Music Contest, I didn’t think I was
going to be able to put absolutely everything in to it, as I haven’t been in
England for very long and don’t know that many people. I thought that I wouldn’t
see that much of a result, compared to other acts that have had the benefit of
growing up here and growing their fan base. However, my brother in law, who
lives in Bristol, saw my status on Facebook, mentioning that I was in this
music contest and he got really into it. He spread the word everywhere. I
got through to the second stage and this is when I thought, ‘I can’t let him
down after all the effort he put in for me, so now I am going to push’. Every
day I posted messages, updating them on the process and the surprise came when
I started getting a positive response from the votes. I honestly didn’t think I
was going to win the last round, as the votes were so tight, but, alas, here I
am.
BOTS: So where does the name Hockers
come from?
Hockers: I
wish I could say it was exotic and meaningful, but the truth is my brother and
father-in-law have a thick Bristol accent and they have the resonating ‘r’
sound. They couldn’t pronounce my name correctly and, at some point, they
decided to call me Hockers. Since then, it has just stuck. This isn’t a problem
for me as I like the name and I didn’t want to become a musician whose name you
can’t pronounce.
BOTS: Would you be able to tell us your
history with music? Where and when did you start out?
Hockers: I grew
up in South Korea and I was in a rock band with my group of friends during
secondary school and it started off by us just going to guitar lessons. When I
was sixteen, our school held a festival and we decided to start up a band! We
were teenagers and we wanted to be something special. After the festival, we
enjoyed ourselves so much that we decided to continue it. At that stage it was
more about hanging out with each other than this search for ‘rock star’ fame.
After ten years, we realized that we all like different types of music and that
it was worth exploring it. So we stopped the band and went on being a soloist.
When I was in the band, however, I was heavily influenced by modern rock. I
moved to Bristol with my wife for music and, after spending two years there,
she suggested that we move to London, again for my music. Here we are. At first
it was so hard as I knew nobody and, after a year, it got easier. I met Be On
The Scene friends and I’ve been gigging a lot. I feel like I am growing and
‘upgrading’.
BOTS: So who are your biggest influences
then?
Hockers: This
is going to sound strange, as my biggest influences sound nothing like my
music, but Aerosmith and Queen inspire me; I practice their songs all the time
and, since I’ve been in England, everyone around me has influenced and shaped
my music in some-way. Each day, I’m growing because of the great musicians I
have met.
BOTS: One of the perks of winning the
BOTS Music Contest was that you got to spend a day in the recording studio with
the legendary Stuart Epps, who, as you know, worked with artists such as Led
Zeppelin, Elton John, Kiki Dee, and Oasis. I am dying to find out how that
went?
Hockers: The
experience is unforgettable. Stuart and I are still working on a single album,
so one song in particular. I’m hoping that it will be finished end of November.
We are working on ‘The Optimist’. We got together in the recording studio to
lay out the track. I learnt and I am still learning so much from him,
especially with the arrangement of a song. I never realized how important this
was, but Stuart showed me small things that had a huge impact on how the song
sounded and felt. I really loved it; It was like everything was new again.
Because of that experience, I am utilizing the things I learnt from him and
applying it to other songs. I can already hear the difference.
BOTS: Tell me about your current EP
recording.
Hockers: I’ve
just finished my fourth song for my EP, “The Optimist”. I am really excited
about this one as I have put so much work into it and I started learning about
sound engineering and recording, so I hope this EP will be the best one yet.
BOTS: With this being said, what do you
want to be doing in five years’ time?
Hockers: I
don’t want to be too cocky, but what I am hoping for, or at least what I wish
for, is to be part of the bill for Glastonbury Festival. If I had only one wish
in terms of music, it will be to signed with a label that could support me. It
doesn’t need to be a big company. I still want to challenge myself. I want to
be signed and I want to be able to adapt myself and make a good songs for
everyone to listen to.
Hockers didn’t disappoint in his
personality and it was just as wonderful as his music. He is humble,
interesting and an all-round great guy. All of us at Be On The Scene are
looking forward to our front row tickets at Glastonbury festival in the near
future and hearing more from the forthcoming album.
romy@beonthescene.com
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