DSOTW debut: The Mill Arts Centre, Banbury (July 2022)

Biography

My name is Hayley and I have been singing since I could speak (possibly before!) I had my
first experience on stage at a holiday camp as an 8 year old winning a competition singing
The Bangles’ Eternal Flame and from that day I was hooked. Throughout school I took any
opportunity to sing, anything musical I was there! Choirs, orchestra, folk band, rock band,
soul band, Karaoke competitions. I didn’t need to be a “lead” singer, I loved singing backing
vocals and harmonies just as much. I can remember watching live aid as a kid and being
mesmerised by Bowie’s backing vocalists in their floaty blue blouses dancing away. When
I was about 14/15 I formed a covers band with a group of school friends, bit like in “Summer
of 69’ but it was 1996 we never got far but the buzz was still awesome! After leaving school
and college I went to Uni and studied Creative Arts (Art, Music and Drama) and I joined an
established party/covers band called “The B Sharps” we played regularly around pubs and
social clubs in the Midlands and always went down a storm. Then life happened, I fell in love,
got married had my beautiful daughter and other than singing lullabies and hitting a karaoke
now and then music was very much on the back burner.

It was only when I suffered a major tragedy in 2017 and my husband passed away very
suddenly that I rekindled my love of singing. Music has been my therapy and got me through
the darkest time of my life. I discovered a singing app called Smule and started to sing on
there and got great feedback from people, I started to get that buzz again and felt the need
to start performing live. I started singing around vintage fairs and doing music therapy slots
in care homes but then the pandemic hit and all that had to stop.

Fast forward a couple of years, I met a new partner and through our mutual love of Floyd we
planned on going to see a tribute band. I knew that I would love to perform with the band if
I went to see them so I sent a very cheeky message asking that if I went along would I be
able to sing with the band?? Steve very diplomatically said well it’s not really their practice
to pull up randoms out of the audience BUT… they were in the market for another female
vocalist and would I like to audition? I couldn’t believe my luck! It was literally a dream come
true. I was introduced to Floyd at a very young age, my parents were major “Floydies”. One
of my earliest memories is mom dressing me as a gnome, sitting on a toadstool made from
an upside down mixing bowl dancing to The Gnome, good ol’ Syd! But my absolute fave as
a child was the “Triangle and Rainbow” album as I called it. From the first time I heard Claire
Torry’s tones screaming out of the speakers as a little girl I had wanted to perform ‘Great
Gig in the Sky’ and now I was being given the chance. I went to see the DSOTW show in
Tamworth and auditioned the following Monday, I was over the dark side of the moon when
the band asked me to join. I already knew the majority of the set inside out. I was never a
massive fan of later (post Waters) Floyd stuff but I have to admit that the tracks that DSOTW
do have grown on me and ‘Keep Talking’ and ‘Wearing the Inside Out’ are now some of my
favourite tracks. I completed my debut at The Mill in Banbury and it was literally the best
feeling ever to be back on stage performing to a live audience, I can’t wait for the next gig.
Shine on.