Hairbaby
Biography Hairbaby
Hairbaby
was born during the first lockdown in 2021. Otto-Jan Ham saw the weekly rehearsals with the band he played guitar in get canceled and decided it was time to start his own group - one where he could write all the songs himself. No more of that democratic nonsense! He had already had a name in mind for a while: Hairbaby (after a song by Scissor Sisters, unsurprisingly one of his favorite bands).
With 'Yours and Yours Alone', Hairbaby is now gearing up for its debut album. Unlike the 'Let’s See Where What If Gets Us' EP (2022), which was mostly recorded at home, Otto-Jan Ham wanted to fully utilize his excellent band this time around. They’re not only great musicians but also witty, sociable, and all-around good people. And where do you find that rare combination these days? Certainly not in Oasis - don’t let anyone tell you otherwise.
Together with producer Bert Vliegen (Whispering Sons, Teen Creeps, Sophia), the band recorded a bunch of songs in early 2024, with ten ultimately making it onto 'Yours and Yours Alone'. Ten is the perfect number. The best albums just happen to have ten tracks: 'Heroes' by Bowie, 'The Blue Album' by Weezer, 'Aladdin Sane' by Bowie… uh… 'Lodger' by Bowie. Now that we think about it, mostly albums by David Bowie. 'Scary Monsters' by Bowie, too. Anyway, 'Yours and Yours Alone' is a joyfully melancholic record. A true labor of love. An ode to the music of Brian Wilson, Belle and Sebastian, The Kinks, and probably Bowie as well.
It’s an album for and about imperfect people like you and me. A record filled with heart and soul, where every band member - both core and guest - gets a moment in the spotlight. Hairbaby is Otto-Jan Ham, but also and especially Matthieu Vanherpe (backing vocals, keys, hammered dulcimer), Wim Berchmans (bass), Matthias Bastiaens (guitar), Thomas Deckx (drums, percussion), and Lara Chedraoui (Lara). Kirsten Lemaire can be heard on 'Waiting For The Day' and 'Summer Sun'. Brass duties are handled by Marc De Maesseneer and Yves Fernandez.
