Album Notes

Hula Monsters -- Bio

What can you say about a band that combines the best of blues, swing and roots rock with a Hawaiian Hula show? This seemingly bizarre combination of styles appears to be quite natural when it comes together in the form of the Hula Monsters.

Fronted by steel guitarist and vocalist Hank Mann, this band is doing what no other band is doing -- or could attempt to do. The combination of hot steel guitar and powerful lead vocals is rare enough, but Hank Mann is one of a kind. With a strong background as a lead singer/frontman, his whiskey-soaked blues voice is about as pro as you're gonna find.

He's also one helluva steel guitar player. Preferring to stand instead of sit, he plays a 14-string solid koa non-pedal Hawaiian steel guitar which is mounted on a stand in front of him when it is not hanging around his neck.

Forget everything you think you know about steel guitar because Hank re-writes the book. This is not your standard thank-you-ma'am country steel, this is in-your-face steel guitar for the nineties. Somewhere between Don Ho and Stevie Ray Vaughan, Hank serves up a cookin' sound that is tight and energetic.

Teamed with famed producer/guitarist Jon Bare (Killer Whales) this band is enjoying quite a bit of success with their new release on Mega Truth Records, "Party Platter." From the snappy country rock beat of "She Don't Mind" to the laid-back swingin' groove of "The Hula Monsters," this band delivers a wide spectrum of styles and somehow blends them all together seamlessly.

Backed by the solid rhythm section of Chet McCracken (Doobie Brothers) on drums and first call session great George Hawkins on bass, this is a band that truly shines on stage. Their stage presence and happy 'aloha' attitude are disarming -- which is rare in today's age of arrogant grunge posturing.

These Monsters have nothing to prove and nothing to hide as they let fly some killer riffs all while yucking it up on stage. How can you not like a band that doesn't take themselves too seriously, yet has the chops to flatten most up-and-coming bands you see on Letterman and Leno?

In addition to his duties as guitarist with the band, Jon Bare also writes for Recording magazine, a national publication catering to the home recordist. His recent articles on recording and mixing have included examples from his experiences with the Hula Monsters, helping to get the word out nationally. He has also written a combination CD and book entitled "Recording The Electric Guitar."

When not playing with the Hula Monsters, Hank Mann manufactures custom Hawaiian steel guitars from 2-inch slabs of Hawaiian koa wood. Known for its beauty and fine tone, there is no other wood in the world like it for making Hawaiian steel guitars. And the kind of steel that Hank plays on stage cannot be found in any guitar store in America. Which is part of the charm of this band -- handmade instruments played by master craftsmen in a way that is all their own.

This would be enough to make for a good show but if you add in the authentic moves and wild costuming of their coconut-clad hula dancers you get something that approaches burlesque but is still down-to-earth enough to appeal to the masses. The Hula Monsters are a favorite at festival events precisely because they are a band for all ages, young and old alike. And how many bands could you take your parents to see?

The Hula Monsters are definitely on the move with many upcoming events, featured radio spots and a new video. This band is gaining a strong following and building a solid reputation in L.A. -- which has got to be the toughest town in the world to be noticed in. So wake up, world, and watch out for the Hula Monsters.

www.jonbare.net