By Michael Swanger michael@dmcityview.com

Standing Hampton enjoying the best of both worlds

To quote Sammy Hagar, one of their heroes, Iowa’s Standing Hampton has the best of both worlds. Its members balance jobs and families with weekend gigs, and share an onstage chemistry that belies the geographical boundaries that separate its members when they’re not playing. But perhaps best of all, the rock band known for playing covers of songs from the ’70s, ’80s, and some from the ’90s, has found an outlet for its original material with the release of its independent debut album, “Brace Yourself.”

“It can be tough juggling everything,” said Jon Douglas Dixon, the group’s keyboard player. “That’s why the record took us two years. But now that it’s done we’re happy with it.”

Dixon attributes the band’s overall happiness and success in part to its collective experience. A group of seasoned performers with more than 80 years of performing music between them, he said a shared love of the same music coupled with realistic expectations about the music business keeps the group grounded and focused.

“Everybody knows their role, and we get along really well. There are no egos,” said Dixon, 50, who played for seven years during the ’80s with the national pop-rock band AirKraft that was signed to Curb Records. For the last 10 years, he has operated his own recording studio, Mind’s Ear Music, in his native Bloomfield where he records everything from Norwegian death metal to Civil War-era folk music.

Standing Hampton [named after British sexual slang] sprang into action six years ago when drummer-singer Tony Benson and his lead-singer wife, Nancy — both of whom got their start singing in rock bands in Southeastern Iowa — decided they wanted to play the songs of their youth. To help them do that, they recruited Dixon, guitarist Devon Miller and bassist Dave Cornelison, who played on the album but has since been replaced by Elwood Bland.

Popular music gets recycled every 20 years, so Dixon isn’t surprised when Standing Hampton plays a song from Aerosmith, Bon Jovi or Def Leppard that it appeals to young and older fans alike. He added that songs with “great melodies” are timeless.

“You can sing along to them and nod your head,” he said. “I listen to some of the metal today, and I don’t know if it’s something you’ll be able to listen to 20 years from now. A song has got to have a melody people can sing along to.”

Dixon and the members of Standing Hampton keep that in mind when they write and perform their own material. He said the band has been able to slip more original songs into its shows because they are written in the same style as the groups they cover, and they are strategically placed within their set list.

“We’re predominantly a cover band, but when we play our stuff I see people dancing and singing to it,” Dixon said. “It holds up with the other stuff. It’s a matter of good placement in the show, pairing it with something similar in tempo or tone. It’s the only way to get it out there because you can’t get radio airplay anymore.”

“Brace Yourself” features 10 tracks written by members of the band who are scattered across Iowa, including Ames, Bloomfield, Ankeny and Carlisle.

“I respect bands that do their own stuff, but they don’t make any money,” Dixon said. “We can play for four hours and do some original stuff along the way.

“When we did the CD, we wanted to do all original stuff because we are writers and we wanted to get our stuff out there. We talked about putting a few obscure covers on it, but I’m glad we didn’t.”

Dixon said the band is looking for new ways to distribute the CD, including partnering with non-music retail outlets and recruiting company sponsors. “It’s tough to get an independent product out there to be sold,” he said. “Most of the mom-and-pop record stores are gone and you’re not going to get it in Wal-Mart. We just want to get the music out there.”

Scene notes
A legendary rock band will dance the night away next year at Wells Fargo Arena. But you’ll have to read Cityview next week to get details about the concert and how to buy tickets. … Popular musicians Bonnie Raitt and Jackson Browne performed Tuesday evening at Roosevelt High School in support of former North Carolina Sen. John Edwards. The concert concluded a two-day stump through Iowa by Edwards, Raitt and Browne. Cityview readers might recall that Raitt graced this newspaper’s cover in October of 2004 in a story about the Vote For Change Tour that played Des Moines, Ames and Iowa City. Raitt and Browne are also co-founders of Musicians United For Safe Energy, whose 1979 “No-Nukes” concerts remain watershed models for grassroots activism. Currently, they’re supporting Nukefree.org, opposing federal bailout of the nuclear industry. By the way, they’re not the first big-name musician to play here in support of Edwards. Bluegrass legend Dr. Ralph Stanley performed at Edwards’ pre-Jefferson-Jackson Dinner rally two weeks ago. … Local hip-hop artist Horizon hosts the “Thanksgiving Jump Off!” on Friday at 10 p.m. at the Vaudeville Mews. Proceeds from the concert benefit the Bethel Mission in Des Moines. In addition to Horizon, a number of hip-hop artists will perform including Young Tripp, DMO & Davinci and N.O.M. Admission is $5 and two-to-three canned items. … One Nite Stand has found a new singer. West Des Moines native Hannah Bretz, a graduate of the Chicago School of Performing Arts, will take over vocal duties. … Speaking of former West Des Moines residents in Chicago, singer-songwriter Thomas Pace returns home to play The Warehouse (formerly Keysters) on Saturday with his band to promote his new folk-pop-lite CD, “American Way.” … The Iowa Arts Council awarded 16 Major Project Grants totaling $105,000 to artists and arts groups, far short of satisfying the $526,198 requested by 66 applicants ($10,000 is the maximum to be requested). It was the second round of Major Grants awarded in fiscal year 2008, for a grand total of $255,000. Nonetheless, Iowa continues to rank nearly last in the country for investing in the arts, coming in at 45th place. The IAC said it receives about $1.2 million in legislative appropriations each year for its programs, and another $550,000 from the National Endowment for the Arts. The state’s contribution translates to an investment in the arts of 41 cents per capita, the IAC said. The national average is $1.07. By the way, only four groups or individuals received Major Grants funding including Metro Arts Alliance ($8,500), Westminster Presbyterian Church’s “The War Requiem” ($8,500), music-film documenter Kent Newman ($8,500) and the Civic Center ($5,300). … “Honeydripper,” a new film by John Sayles set in the rural South during the ’50s that tells the story of a second chance for an aging bluesman, a kickoff to the young guitar turk’s career and the rise of rock ‘n’ roll, opens Dec. 28. It stars Danny Glover and Lisa Gay Hamilton, as well as blues musicians Keb’ Mo, Dr. Mable John, Jerry Portnoy and Eddie Shaw, who plays Blues on Grand Dec. 28. … It’s not official yet, but we hear Tom Jones will play Prairie Meadows Racetrack and Casino on March 12, and country singer Sammy Kershaw will play Terrible’s Lakeside Casino in Osceola on Feb. 9. CV

Standing Hampton plays after the Des Moines Buccaneers game on Nov. 30 at 95KGGO Arena in Urbandale at 9 p.m. The band also plays Dec. 1 at Stein’s in Newton.

Comment on this story | Return to top