.png)
Brett Howell (AKA Brett The Hat) is a London-based performer, vocalist and musician originally from Cape Town, South Africa.
His music fuses elements of classic rock, electro-rock and synth-pop. Key influences include David Bowie, Martin L. Gore (Depeche Mode) and Peter Gabriel. His alter egos include Mercury, Francis Fahrenheit, Mr Redhatt and Last Boy Electric.
Album cover by Rosso Emerald Crimson.
While Singer/Songwriter Brett Howell’s performing persona is primarily acoustic; the recording studio - under his alter ego of Francis Fahrenheit - allows him to explore the limitless twists and turns of his sonic imagination beyond his appeared comfort zone.
Using the novella ‘Metamorphosis’ by Franz Kafka as a key inspiration, Brett certainly displays his diverse range of songwriting with his offering, ‘The Metamorphosis Of Francis Fahrenheit’ which is all about the reflective journey of the eponymous hero. Box-ticking influences: Kraftwerk, Can, latter-day Floyd and Nine Inch Nails. Non-musical influences also include author Rudyard Kipling, and films '1984' and the Academy Award Film 'Mephisto'.
Photograph by B. Sweet.
Brett's third album embodies a darker, more electronic sound in comparison to his debut album 'Mercury'. Asked to explain this transition, Brett says: “I was hanging out in London nightclubs, like Egg and Slimelight, and listening to a lot more electronic and industrial music. NIN, Depeche Mode, Martin L. Gore’s solo work, Gary Numan and even Marilyn Manson became influences during this period.” The album's keynote tracks include 'Building Up Your Wall', 'Pretender To The Throne' and the industrial 'Glass Spiders'.
ROCK 'N' ROLL CLOWN
BY BRETT HOWELL
'Rock ’n’ Roll Clown' was recorded by Brett in 2006 in North London. A music video for the sleek single was filmed and directed by Natasha Barber at The Bull & Gate pub in Kentish Town. The video depicts a performer's off-stage-to-on-stage transformation and pays homage to several key influences. The stage persona and guitar work clearly evoke glam rock greats, while the song itself recalls Martin L. Gore's interpretation of the David Essex classic 'Stardust.'
MERCURY BY BRETT HOWELL
His debut album titled 'Mercury' pays homage to the iconic glam rock stars who influence Brett to this day. “David Bowie's creation of Ziggy Stardust inspired me to experiment with an alter ego of my own,” says Brett. The resultant creation was Mercury, an iconic glam rock star who served two artistic purposes. “On the one hand, Mercury represented my sub-conscious,” he says. “On the other hand, he paid tribute to my 70s influences. David Bowie and Marc Bolan have been major influences on me, and the character of Mercury became a time traveller through whom I could visit the era of glam rock and interact with those influences. I chose the name Mercury for its otherworldliness.” This aesthetic was equally evident in the album's iconic artwork. “Thinking back, it was really a multimedia project. I evoked the era of glam rock in a holistic way through artwork, outfits, stagecraft and music." The album was recorded in Camden Town and features Alex Meehan on drums.
MUSIC VIDEOS
.png)
.png)