ANT

Antony Harding writes some of the most endearing songs I've ever heard. The simplicity and fagility of his music belies the emotions it evokes. What is it they say about the quiet ones? If you were to marry Cat Stephens with Stina Nordenstam and ask Barry White to play at the wedding, you would be closer to understanding the essence of Ant, but probably not.

Ant's day job as one third of Hefner, (the drumming third) is how I came to know him. It was only later that John secretly let me hear some of his four track recordings and I was in. At first I was apprehensive about recording him at Cushy, because those demos had such a strong flavour I really didn't see how we could improve them, except to maybe improve the sound quality a bit, but at what cost?

Still there was never really any choice, so we had a go at a few and they are some of my favourite recordings we've done here. From 'Cures For Broken Hearts' the first and still my favourite, a tonic, as effervescent a song about the vagaries of love as you'll ever hear, to the forthcoming single on Evil World Records, 'I Hope You'll Always Be There' and here is where Barry comes in to his own, it's funky, a little devil with an angels voice...

I believe you always know you're on to something special with an artist when they can hush a rowdy crowd as effortlessly as Ant. His isn't bombastic music you have to put up with, it's gentle, seductive and beguiling, drawing in even the noisiest of people at the 12 Bar, a tough task, just ask any one who's tried it....shhh

ANT has a web site up and running now so check it out at www.antpop.com

Suzanne Rhatigan