The Hillbilly Moon Explosion

The Hillbilly Moon Explosion is a rock and roll group from Zurich, Switzerland, active since 1998. The line-up includes Oliver Baroni, Emanuela Hutter, Duncan James, Luke Weyermann and Aad Hollander Trio from Hell. Their sound draws on blues, country, rockabilly, roots rock, surf rock and swing, and they emerge from the rockabilly scene in Zurich.

Line-up and style

The group is fronted by the Italian-Swiss singer Emanuela Hutter and the English bassist and vocalist Oliver Baroni, with English guitarist Duncan James and Swiss drummer Luke ‘The Puke’ Weyermann. Their recordings and performances combine slap bass, guitar-driven rock and roll, female vocals and a vintage-influenced approach to roots music.

Career

Early releases include Introducing The Hillbilly Moon Explosion and Bourgeois Baby, followed by By Popular Demand: The Basement Tapes (1999-2005). The group tours widely across Europe and appears on television, and one retrospective release leads to further live activity. They also turn down an invitation to represent Switzerland in Eurovision.

Their mini-hit “Johnny Are You Gay?” becomes one of the tracks they are known for. The album All Grown Up is recorded in San Diego with producer-engineer Mark Neill, who also plays guitar on the sessions. The album features a mainly mono mix and short rock and roll tracks, with contributions from Eddie Angel, Archie Thompson and Craig ‘Flash’ Packham. Dave Simons of Rolling Stone describes the group’s sound as vintage rock and roll made contemporary.

Collaborations and notable recordings

The single “My Love For Evermore” features guest vocalist Sparky Phillips of Demented Are Go, with Geraint Watkins on organ, and is backed by a cover of “Enola Gay”. The group also records “French Kiss avec Arielle Dombasle” and later releases The Sparky Sessions feat. Mark “Sparky” Phillips. Other albums include Raw Deal, Buy, Beg or Steal, Damn Right Honey! and With Monsters and Gods.

Discography

Introducing The Hillbilly Moon Explosion (2002), Bourgeois Baby (2004), By Popular Demand: The Basement Tapes (1999-2005) (2005), All Grown Up (2006), Raw Deal (2010), Buy, Beg or Steal (2011), Damn Right Honey! (2013), French Kiss avec Arielle Dombasle (2015), With Monsters and Gods (2016) and The Sparky Sessions feat. Mark “Sparky” Phillips (2019).