Biography
Early years and Spongefinger (1994-1999)
Jack Hayter first made a mark in the UK with the Alt.Country group Spongefinger who released two well received albums on Volcano Records/Cargo Distribution. The group were referred to as "Dennis Hopper's House Band" by Organ and NME press.[3] They also served as the backing band on the "Immortal Rich" album by TV Smith (of The Adverts) in 1996.[4] During this time he also contributed to the "Big Stick" EP from Rhatigan.[5]
Hefner (1998-2002)
Despite modest success with Spongefinger, Hayter came into prominence when he joined Hefner full-time in 1999 as a multi-instrumentalist (though he had been playing live with them in 1998),[6] alongside Darren Hayman, Antony Harding and John Morrison. In Hefner, Hayter recorded and released numerous albums, singles and EPs for the Too Pure label. They had several top 75 singles and recorded a number of sessions for John Peel and Steve Lamacq.[7]
Hefner would play all over the world, including sets at festivals like Festival Internacional de Benicàssim, Big Chill Festival, V Festival and headline slots at Festivals like Reading & Leeds.[8] They would also play bills with artists like Sebadoh, Elliott Smith, Flaming Lips, Billy Bragg and Life Without Buildings.[8][9]
Hefner would quietly dissolve in 2002 after the "Dead Media" album on which Jack Hayter gave his first lead vocal performance. Jack would later compile the posthumous live album "Kick, Snare, Hats, Ride"[10] and provide liner notes for "The Best of Hefner".[11]
Solo (2001-present)
Since Hefner went quiet in 2001, Hayter debuted as a solo artist with the solo album "Practical Wireless" on Absolutely Kosher Records.[12] Pitchfork complimented Jack's voice, calling it "one of the weariest, most world-beaten voices around" and remarked that "Hefner's just holding you back, Jack.".[13] The album was remembered nearly a decade later when featured by Faded Glamour in a 'Buried Treasure' article.[14]
Save for a number of remixes and compilation appearances, Jack's output was sparse following the release of the album, though he would play pedal steel and other instruments on a large number of records from musicians as diverse as Tram, Mark Mulcahy and The Wildhearts. He would also be seen opening for artists like KT Tunstall, Martin Grech, Darren Hayman & The Secondary Modern, Wreckless Eric, Amy Rigby and fellow Absolutely Kosher alumni The Mountain Goats.[15]
Jack made his solo return at the start of 2011. Through the encouragement of Benjamin Shaw, Hayter signed with UK independent record label Audio Antihero (best known at the time for Nosferatu D2) and released a new EP called "Sucky Tart". The EP was well received by press with isthismusic? giving it 5/5,[16] The Organ naming it their 'thing of the day' and calling it "his finest moments yet"[3] and The Line Of Best Fit praised him for having "the imagination to break from the usually tough (and boring/overdone/tiresome) grasps of folk".[17]
Tom Robinson also played opening track "I Stole The Cutty Sark" prior to release on his BBC 6 Music show[18] and "A Doll's House" was subsequently played by Tom Ravenscroft[19][20] (whose father John Peel had been a notable supporter of Hefner). Hayter promoted the release with sessions for regional stations like Resonance FM, X-Stream East and Dandelion Radio.[21][22]
In April 2012, Jack unveiled his next project, "The Sisters of St. Anthony" - a 12 part singles series, to last a full year.[23] The series was launched with a show opening for The Wave Pictures and live sessions for the likes of This Is Fake DIY, Phoenix FM and Triple R FM.[24] The series has featured musical contributions from Hefner alumni Darren Hayman and Antony Harding [25][26] and guest artwork from Benjamin Shaw and Sexton Ming.[27][28] The series enjoyed praise and acclaim from press and radio, including Tom Robinson's Fresh On The Net,[29] 4FM,[30] GoldFlakePaint,[31] 7BitArcade,[32] The Music Fix,[33][34][35] This Is Fake DIY, The 405 [23] and others.[25][36][37][38][39][40][41][42][43][44][45]
In November 2012, Jack contributed a re-working of his "The West Beach" single for the Audio Antihero produced "Hüsker Doo-wop” Charity EP to raise money to repair damages to independent music organisations in New York following Hurricane Sandy.[46][47][48][49]
On 17 December, Jack Hayter gave his final live session of 2012 for "The Wrong Rock Show" on the legendary Bush Radio, featuring the rarely performed "So Farewell Then Peter Murphy" and a cover of "Save Me" by Melanie Safka, recent single "Glass Bells Chime" was aired to close the show. The show was co-hosted by Audio Antihero and included a session from label-mate and Fighting Kites guitarist Broken Shoulder, it was promoted and featured by Rolling Stone.[50] Jack Hayter kicked off 2013 with a session for The Joyzine Radio Show on Croydon Radio[51] and a new single, "Charlotte Badger" which found airplay on FM4.[30] Follow up single "Sisters of St. Anthony" featured guest vocals from Suzanne Rhatigan of Rhatigan.[52] The series ended with the 12th and final single "Quotes".
Other Post Hefner works
Though Hefner have not fully reformed, Hayter and Darren Hayman toured in 2008 playing Hefner songs[53] and Hayter has contributed to various post-Hefner recordings/projects from both ANT and Darren Hayman and both of them appear on his "Sisters of St. Anthony Series" [26][54][55][56][57]
Outside of his Hefner and solo work, Jack is probably best known for his work as a studio and live mainstay of acclaimed progressive folktronica act Dollboy.[58]
He also contributed the music to the short film by the director John Hardwick titled To Have And To Hold, which starred Susanne Lothar[59][60] and had two poems published in the second Tall Lighthouse poetry review "Automatic Lighthouse" (ISBN 1 904551 24 6).[61] Since 2008, he has also worked extensively with the British Film Institute on various educational film projects made with children in North Kent.[62]
Jack has recently been working with the Gare Du Nord label (co-run by Ian Button), contributing to recordings and live performances by Raleigh Long and Papernut Cambridge. Jack also played Pedal Steel on Mark Fry's return album "South Wind, Clear Sky" in 2014.
