Leeds band follow in footsteps of their music heroes - all the way to Abbey Road

Groove pop band Heir - whose reputation and fanbase is growing across the UK - have just released their eagerly-awaited new single Fear of Falling.

The slice of throwback pop was not only recorded at London’s legendary Abbey Road Studios but was produced by the great Ken Scott who has famously worked with such icons as The Beatles, David Bowie, Pink Floyd and Elton John.

The magical experience at Abbey Road was new territory for the Leeds-based five piece whose previous singles were all recorded in the far more humble surroundings of their home studio.

Heir frontman, Tom Hammond, said: “It’s just mad to think our new single was recorded at Abbey Road and produced by Ken Scott who is just a legend.

“It’s certainly a long way from recording at home with up-turned mattresses for vocal booths and keeping your fingers crossed that delivery drivers or door-to-door salesmen do not disturb you!

“For any musician, to walk into this hallowed studio, the place where so many famous artists have recorded – where The Beatles created Sgt Pepper – is a moment you don’t really even dare dream about because it feels so intangible. We struggle to say that we were allowed in there without smirking – it’s crazy really!”

Fear of Falling is the lead single from the band’s new two-song release Heir at Abbey Road which also includes the heartfelt track Victoria Falls.

The amazing opportunity to record at Abbey Road came about when multi-Grammy Award nominee Ken was on the lookout for a band to work with as part of his role as visiting professor at Leeds Beckett University.

After being sent a list of Leeds-based bands he chose Heir, five friends - Tom Hammond (vocals/guitar), Sam Perry (keys), Harry Vernon (bass), Samuel Newham (drums) and

Ste Fisher (guitar) – who first met at the city’s College of Music and now have a burgeoning reputation.

“We worked with Ken for a few days in Leeds and got on very well,” added Tom. “He then kindly asked us to join him for a project at Abbey Road. We, of course, said yes instantly and we recorded there in Studio 3 for two days.

“It was an experience that’s difficult to relay in a way that does it justice. Each of the boys have strong emotional connections to records that were made there and to be trusted by the man who brought them to life to do the same with our songs is something we will be forever grateful for.

“We’ve never been in a proper studio before and then here we are at the studios where some of the most famous and ground-breaking music was created.

“We learned so much from working with Ken. He gave us the confidence to just go for it and I think that comes across in the songs we recorded.”

Ken, who worked on no fewer than eight albums with The Beatles at Abbey Road as well as Bowie’s iconic The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders from Mars, said: “I have to feel that thing a fan would feel for the bands that I work with. For me that’s Heir at the moment.”

Heir had been due to follow their EP release with sold out live dates in London, Manchester and Newcastle before the Covid-19 pandemic struck.

The band, who have opened for the likes of Honne, Olly Murs and Lawson as well as playing Leeds and Reading Festivals, have had previous releases featured on BBC 6 Music and are a name on the tip of the tongue of the team at BBC Introducing. They are currently working on new material which they will be releasing very soon.

Heir at Abbey Road is available to download and stream via all major music platforms now.

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