IT didn't take long after the dissolution of Newcastle emo band Sleepeaser for frontman and chief songwriter, Jake Hewish, to get the itch to create music again.
Sleepeaser called it quits in June 2022 after four years, one EP and a string of singles, as Hewish's responsibilities as a new dad were demanding his time.
But within six months he and former Sleepeaser guitarist, Matt March, found themselves sharing song ideas.
"I found myself writing music in my spare time whenever I could, and it just so happened that Matt approached me, and I had all these songs and he had a lot of songs written himself," Hewish said.
"We collaborated on what we liked and what we wanted to sound like."
It led to them recruiting old high school mates from Wingham in Alex McWhirter and Damien Edwards to play bass and drums, and suddenly the band Headletter was formed.
Earlier this month Headletter's debut single Bad Idea was released and on Saturday the new four-piece make their live debut at the Hamilton Station Hotel.
While Sleepeaser channelled a 2010s emo-punk sound, Headletter's Bad Idea is rooted more in '90s DIY grunge.
"We're recording a lot of the stuff ourselves and trying to give it a lot of time so we have the ability to change things a lot easier than going into the studio," Hewish said.
Fatherhood has also changed his and March's perspective on creating music and it's become a rewarding creative outlet.
"Life's pretty good at the moment, so we're doing it for fun and enjoying it," he said.
"It still has that emo-rock tone coming through because we're both big fans of that music, but also we didn't want it to be exactly the same as what we've done before."
KINGSWOOD ADDED
YOU might have noticed that Melbourne rockers Kingswood have been quietly added to the Sunday line-up of the Cambridge Hotel's Farewell Festival.
The band were already in Newcastle on Saturday night for their second show at Mayfield's Stag and Hunter Hotel on their mammoth Hometowns tour, and they didn't want to miss out on being a part of history.
Kingswood's management reached out to the Cambridge asking could they perform on the music venue's final night and the attitude was the more the merrier.
TEENAGE DADS RACE ON TOUR
THE music indie band Teenage Dads produces might sound dreamy, but the Melbourne lads aren't afraid of hard work.
At the moment the band is in England on their European tour, and when they return home they'll embark on a 31-date tour, encompassing most of Australia.
The tour includes a Splendour In The Grass appearance next month and a Newcastle show on October 14 at the King Street Hotel's new band room.
In the meantime you can whet your appetite with Teenage Dads' latest single Speedracer.
It follows the release of the EP, Midnight Driving, in March.
FRANKIE GOES TO CESSNOCK
HUNTER Valley audiences will have the opportunity to judge if Frankie's Guys is worth the accolades when the show debuts at the Cessnock Performing Arts Centre on July 20.
Frankie's Guys is a previous winner of London's best tribute award on the West End and tells the story of Frankie Valli & The Four Seasons.
Expect to hear hits like Big Girls Don't Cry, Oh What A Night, Walk Like A Man and Grease.
