Bob Hay

Bob Hay (1950- ) is an American songwriter and the multi-instrumentalist and vocalist for Athens, Georgia projects the Squalls (band), Bob Hay & the Jolly Beggars, Noogeez, A.Che Why and Supercluster (band).

Robert Donald Hay, Jr was born in Grand Rapids, Michigan on January 28, 1950. He attended Aquinas College (Grand Rapids) and worked as a school teacher and as a statistician prior to moving to Kennebunkport, Maine

Ken Starratt convinced Bob to move to Athens, Georgia down from Maine after making a trip to Athens in the late 1970s and surveying the blossoming music scene. Bob met other local musicians while playing bridge with his roommate "Big" Al Walsh-also nicknamed "The Mayor" during late night party jams. He worked at the local vegetarian cafe the El Dorado where the B-52's (band) had also recently worked and practiced. Bob, Ken , Big Al, Mig Little and Diana Torell formed the band the Squalls (band). They were well known for switching instruments and singing duties during their shows. In 1986, they were featured in the movie . The Squalls underwent various lineup changes after Mig Little left the band. They were joined by Mark Cooper Smith, Juan Molina,Paul Hammond and others at various times during their career. The Squalls made a self released e.p. and single, as well as 2 albums for Dog Gone It Records-a label owned by Jefferson Holt In 1986, They appeared in the movie as themselves. The Squalls made several trips up and down the East coast of the U.S. and a trip through the mid-West before disbanding. They have been cited as an influence on later, more successful, bands in Athens such as Widespread Panic.

Bob never stopped jamming with his friends and briefly performed with a project called the Yams who learned covers of songs in hopes of playing bars and fraternity parties. This project never really jelled, but he and his friends have fond memories of performing together. This is where he began his association with multi-instrumentalist Bill David, a local musician with deep roots in the community.

Bob Hay & the Jolly Beggars began as a solo project. Bob became fascinated with the works of Robert Burns, the 18th century Scottish bard, after a random comment which was made during a jam session by another musician in Ken Starratt's kitchen. He found songs by Robert Burns at the UGA library and began to learn and arrange them. Other former members of the Squalls became interested and joined in the fun. They have released 2 CDs and perform sporadically in the Georgia area.

Noogeez was dreamed up by Ken Starratt as a way to use Bob's older Squalls material in a kid-friendly format. 2 videos have been made so far using this material and they continue to record at Ken's Starratt Studios in Watkinsville, Georgia. Members of this band include Jorma Starratt, Ken's son, on drums-who is also known as the drummer for Herb & Skills and Prozac (band). They record when Jorma is home from working in Los Angeles in the tv/movie industry as a stage hand. Their first video, "Kathy," won the audience choice award during the 2007 Athfest Sprockets competition.Vanessa Briscoe Hay , Bob's wife, recruited him to play acoustic guitar on her recording project Supercluster (band). They released an e.p. Special 5 in December 2007. Supercluster plan to record additional material in July, 2008 and release the whole as a full length work by the end of 2008.

A. Che Why is Bob's latest project. He records his ideas and songs using just a sequencer and a guitar. Sometimes he "records in the morning" and has his work on My Space "by the evening."

Bob married Vanessa Briscoe Hay, the lead singer for Pylon (band) in 1986 and they have two daughters.

Discography

Squalls (band),
* "Squalls" EP (Mbrella, 1984)
* "Crickets !!" single (Mbrella, 1985)
* "Athens, Georgia Inside/Out LP (compilation, 2 songs, IRS, 1986)
* "Rebel Shoes" LP (Dog Gone It 1987)
* "No Time" LP (Dog Gone It 1988)Bob Hay & the Jolly Beggars
* "Toils Obscure" CD (self-released 2004)
* "Tam Lin" CD (self-released 2006)
* "Athfest 2005" CD (compilation of various Athens,GA artists, Ghostmeat, 2005)Supercluster (band)
* "Special 5 e.p." CD (self-released 2007)

External links

* [http://www.allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll Squalls entry on AllMusic]
* [http://www.myspace.com/elephantradio Squalls on myspace]
* [http://jollybeggars.netnik.com/ Bob Hay & the Jolly Beggars website]
* [http://www.myspace.com/noogeez Noogeez on myspace]
* [http://www.myspace.com/achewhy A.Che Why on myspace]
* [http://www.myspace.com/supercluster1 Supercluster on myspace]
* [http://www.onlineathens.com/stories/040308/marquee_2008040300122.shtml Supercluster, The New Sound of Numbers and A.Che Why featured in the Athens Banner-Herald]

References

* cite news
title = Dark Meat Wins Big at Awards
work = Athens Banner-Herald
language = English
date = 22 June, 2007
url = http://onlineathens.com/stories/062207/living_20070622043.shtml
accessdate = 2008-08-17