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Peter Hooton

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Peter Hooton
Peter Hooton performing live at Let's Rock Liverpool, 31 July 2021. Photograph by Andrew D. Hurley
Peter Hooton performing live at Let's Rock Liverpool, 31 July 2021. Photograph by Andrew D. Hurley
Background information
Birth namePeter Joseph Hooton[1]
Born28 September 1962 (1962-09-28) (age 62)
Everton, Liverpool, England
OriginLiverpool, England
OccupationSinger
InstrumentVocals
Years active1981–present

Peter Joseph Hooton (born 28 September 1962 ) is the vocalist of Liverpool-based group the Farm.[2] He was also its sole founder member in 1983, overseeing its rise to prominence with two top 10 singles in 1990, its breakup in 1996 and reformation in 2004.

Biography

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Hooton was born in Everton In about 1980, he landed a job as a youth worker in Cantril Farm, on the estate, it's a untrue myth that this inspired the name of his band "The Farm". The name actually comes from a farm that they used to rehearse in in Melling. [3]

In 1981, Hooton was the founding editor of The End, a music and football fanzine aimed at young, working-class readers and initially inspired by an anarchist zine attacking that year's royal wedding. It marked the start of a long career writing about football, music, and working class culture in Liverpool.[4][5] He is a supporter of local club Liverpool F.C.[6]

Hooton is a committee member of Spirit of Shankly,[7] a Liverpool Football Club supporters union, which was created in 2008 with the aims of ousting the club's controversial owners Tom Hicks and George N. Gillett, Jr. and protecting the rights of Liverpool supporters. Hooton appeared on a BBC Radio 5 Live discussion about the future of football in Liverpool in April 2010.[8] He has also been a vocal supporter and sometime spokesman for campaigns in Liverpool to boycott the Sun newspaper over its coverage of the Hillsborough Disaster.[9]

In 2015, Hooton, who has a degree in economics and public policy and a Post-Graduate Certificate in Education, was awarded an honorary degree by Edge Hill University.[10]

Hooton has been a spokesperson for boycotts of The Sun following its coverage of the Hillsborough disaster.[11] In November 2019, along with 34 other musicians, Hooton signed a letter endorsing the Labour Party leader Jeremy Corbyn in the 2019 UK general election with a call to end austerity.[12][13]

References

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  1. ^ "DISTANT VOICES". ASCAP. American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers. Retrieved 9 November 2023.
  2. ^ Barrett, Tony (7 May 2004). "Farm song to be FA Euro anthem". Liverpool Echo. Retrieved 30 July 2010.
  3. ^ Jones, Catherine (10 December 2007). "Stars line up for number one". Liverpool Echo. Retrieved 30 July 2010.
  4. ^ Davis, Laura (14 March 2014). "The End fanzine features in Tate Liverpool exhibition - Peter Hooton interview and video". liverpoolecho. Retrieved 4 January 2020.
  5. ^ Connor, Matthias (19 January 2012). "Football, Music and Beer: The Story of The End". Vice. Retrieved 4 January 2020.
  6. ^ "Premier League predictions: Lawro v Peter Hooton, The Farm singer & Liverpool fan". BBC Sport. 2 January 2021. Retrieved 30 January 2021.
  7. ^ "Management Committee - Spirit Of Shankly - Liverpool Supporters' Union".
  8. ^ "BBC Radio 5 Live in Liverpool 8-10 April 2010". bbc.co.uk. 1 April 2010. Retrieved 20 March 2011.
  9. ^ "Liverpool's 23-year Sun boycott". 24 February 2012. Retrieved 4 January 2020.
  10. ^ "Summer graduations 2015: day five". News. Retrieved 4 January 2020.
  11. ^ "Liverpool's 23-year boycott of The Sun newspaper". BBC. 24 February 2012. Retrieved 20 August 2021.
  12. ^ "Musicians backing Jeremy Corbyn's Labour". The Guardian. 25 November 2019. Retrieved 1 December 2019.
  13. ^ Gayle, Damien (25 November 2019). "Stormzy backs Labour in election with call to end austerity". The Guardian. Retrieved 1 December 2019.