Another interviews in our series of bands who played at HRH Prog XV. Hats Off Gentlemen It’s Adequate join me to answer the questions nobody usually asks…
DB: Please introduce your band and band members (as performed at HRH PROG 15)
Mark- Hi there, we are Hats Off Gentlemen It’s Adequate, I’m Mark and play bass, bounce around a lot and occasionally sing backing vocals.
Malcolm – … and I’m Malcolm, I sing, and play guitar and/or keyboards.
DB: Did you enjoy the festival? Any highlights/ mishaps/ disasters?
Mark- I absolutely loved it..not just from a playing point of view, (the onstage sound is fantastic, as are all the crew), but the crowd response and getting to see all our friends’ bands. The line-up was really, really good this year. The main thing is that because most people stay on site it’s really sociable and to get to hang with lots of the “Prog Family”. The main highlight for me was debuting a brand new song that I had only heard Malcolm sing in the caravan for the first time ever before we went and performed it, (we’ve yet to record the vocal, but it will be on our next album). We got through it with no mishaps, so job done!
Malcolm – We’ve always had a great time at HRH Prog. It really is the community of progressive music supporters and performers coming together on-site that makes it so special.
A highlight for me is the late night ‘kick out the jams’ session that we host. A bunch of musicians from bands playing at the festival come together in various combinations that haven’t played together before. We then play unexpected covers, with no rehearsal. The session features prog musicians playing fun covers, rather than necessarily covers of prog rock songs. This year for example, we played some early Pink Floyd and Marillion, but we also included Lady Marmalade, songs by Elton John and The Beatles, and a mediaeval Christmas carol in Latin.
DB: If you had to change your band name what would it be?
Mark- I’m not sure what we would change it to, but you can bet it would be a lot shorter than it is at the moment!! (It couldn’t be much longer).
DB: What is your favourite item of clothing? (Doesn’t have to be a stage outfit)
Mark- I am partial to a floral or paisley shirt, thankfully, in the Prog scene there’s an abundance of colour and pattern, so I can feed my Vinted habit with the pretence of calling it ‘stage clothing’!
Malcolm – I’m afraid I don’t really notice my clothing much. I’m quite fond of the hideous orange T-shirt we designed to go with our ‘Copenhagen’ T-shirt though.
DB: What is your favourite trash TV programme? (Can be Netflix etc)
Mark- I don’t actually watch what you would call ‘trash’ TV as such, but like most of the country, (or at least people I know and speak to) I was/am utterly fixated by The Traitors. Both normal or celebrity versions, I’m not fussy.
DB: Books or computer games? And which ones?
Mark- Haven’t played computer games for years and years. I found in terms of being a time “black hole” it was either that or music and music was way more important. In terms of books, I’ve currently been getting back into collecting all 50 of the ‘Penguin Modern Classics’ series. All with light green covers, they originally sold for a quid or two and they’re still cheap to buy now online. Anyone from Steinbeck to Camus, Burroughs, Ginsberg, etc. They’re generally collections of short stories/essays. That and loads of rock autobiographies. (I’ve just re-read “The Dirt” by Motley Crue which is eye raising to say the least! )
Malcolm – I have a voracious appetite for audiobooks. I’m currently listening to an Iain M Banks audio book, then next in the queue is Alastair Reynolds’s new novel. Adrian Tchaikovsky is another of my favourite authors.
In terms of games, the Fallout and Hearts Of Iron series are my regular go to games. I was also impressed by the gorgeous landscapes in Red Dead Redemption 2.
DB: If you had to be an animal which one would you be and why?
Mark- A manatee, also known as a ”sea cow” which is like a huge seal with a big nose, but so calm and peaceful. They’re lovely things.
DB: Pick one superpower
Mark- Anything involving being able to fly to get over my fear of heights.
DB: Describe your music to an alien who has just landed on Earth
Mark- Jerry from Prog Magazine recently described us as “anarchic boffin Prog” which sort of gets close…we take from all sorts of genres including Electronic Music/Classical/Metal/Classic Prog/Ambient, etc, but hopefully after it’s gone into the blender it gets HOGIA-fied. Both Malcolm and I are into all sorts of music, so we don’t really se any barriers to including all our influences in our own.
DB: What is the most annoying thing in life?
Mark- Malcolm may or may not say the same thing, but for me it’s having to deal with random medical issues that occasionally rear their ugly head. (lots of people ask about “the bass glove” on stage..that’s one thing).
Malcolm – Yes, the physical constraints of variably functional bodies…
DB: What’s on the cards for the band over the next year?
Mark- We’re about to start tracking vocals and flute parts for our 9thstudio album, then after mixing and mastering we want to get it out in 2026.
Malcolm – And gigging. We love performing.
DB: Anything else you want to share or plug with the HRH readers
Mark- Just to say an enormous ‘thank you’ to anyone that’s taken the time to buy one of our albums, come to one of our gigs, write about us or play our music on a podcast or radio station. We really have had a fantastic 2025!
Malcolm – I can only echo what Mark said – thanks to everyone in whatever capacity who makes independent music possible, and thanks to all those who go out to support live music.
LINKS: https://hatsoffgentlemen.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/itsadequate
Bandcamp: https://hatsoffgentlemen.bandcamp.com/