Hollis Lomax

Hollis Lomax is a character from the John Williams’ novel, “Stoner”; though most members of the band haven’t read it and are keen to emphasise that the book is not about weed.

When they met at Oxford University they quickly bonded over a diet of underrated Beatles songs, John Richman and – naturally – Edward Elgar. It was a whole year however before they put two and two together and realised they had a four-piece band.

Since then they’ve played a handful of gigs across Oxford and London, sharing the bill with the likes of the up-and-coming Mandrake Handshake and Kid Jupiter. From The Cellar to The Islington, The Spice of Life to Ace and Eights they have set themselves apart with impromptu instrumental breakdowns, vocal scatting and minor nudity. Still, their colourful performance style has not put their peers or critics off, with their singles “Blind” and “Bannister” earning them the support of BBC Introducing.

Drawing from the mathsy guitar hooks of 00’s indie and the jazzy-psychedelia of little-known 90s bands such as Broadcast, their recently released double single, “Climb”, emanates a zesty, fresh sort of energy.

With their artistic airs, Hollis Lomax are a little hard to define. But what they are certainly and emphatically not, is just another one of those, “not just another indie band”, bands.