Hawks (band)

Hawks
Hawks 1981 - from left to right: Larry Adams, Kirk Kaufman, Dave Steen, Dave Hearn and Frank Weiwel
Background information
Origin	Fort Dodge & Otho IA, USA
Genres	Power pop, rock
Years active	1979–present
Labels	Columbia Records Not Lame Recordings

Hawks was a power pop group based in the Fort Dodge, Iowa, area from 1979 to 1982. The band consisted of Dave Hearn (keyboards, vocals), Larry Adams (drums), Frank Wiewel (bass, lead vocals), Kirk Kaufman (guitar, vocals) and Dave Steen (guitar, vocals). They released two albums on Columbia Records - Hawks (rel. 3/81, NJC 36922) and 30 Seconds Over Otho (rel. 7/82, ARC 38058) − while they were together. A third album, Perfect World Radio (Not Lame Recordings), was released posthumously and was made up of tracks the group had been working on after the second album's release. A cassette-only release entitled "Hawks III (JR-2)" was also made available on the Junior’s Motel imprint. Hawks was, at the time of their signing with Columbia, the first group to be signed on the strength of an unsolicited demo. The group disbanded after being dropped from Columbia; each going their separate ways. In 2007, Hawks was inducted into the Iowa Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.

Frank Wiewel and Kirk Kaufman met in junior high school in Fort Dodge, Iowa, during the 1960s. This eventually led to the formation of the group West Minist’r, a popular group during the late 1960s to early 1970s. West Minist’r consisted of Wiewel (bass/vocals), Kaufman (guitar/vocals), Rusty Bell (guitar/vocals), Terry Dillion (keyboards/vocals 1968−69), Chuck Henderson (keyboards/bass 1969−72) and Dean Davis (drums 1968-71). Rick Schaeffer, Arnie Bode and Keith Brown replaced the members who left the group, remaining with the band until its demise in 1974. The group released three singles during their time together: "Bright Lights, Windy City" b/w "Carnival" - Razzberry Records SR 2957, "My Life" b/w "Mr. Fingers" - Magic Records KX 7432 and "Sister Jane" b/w "I Want You" (info unavailable). Kaufman, Wiewel, Keith Brown and Arnie Bode opened West Minist’r Sound in 1972. Housed in a brick chicken coop that the band had used for practice, this Tom Hidley-designed space was located on Kaufman’s parent’s farm outside of Otho, Iowa. The studio gained some notoriety with the visit of Brian Wilson and Spring, a group in which Wilson’s wife, Marilyn, was a member.Phil Spector and Todd Rundgren had also expressed interest in the studio.

Both Wiewel and Kaufman continued writing and recording during the 1970s. By 1979 Wiewel had recorded several tracks that his wife encouraged him to send out to various record labels. The songs he sent out were a mixture of originals and some covers. One of the covers, “Tell Her No”/The Zombies, caught the attention of Paul Atkinson, guitarist for the Zombies who currently worked in Columbia Record's A&R department. He forwarded the cover to the A&R head, Gregg Geller. Close to the same time, former drummer for Blood Sweat & Tears) Bobby Colomby, who was working at Capitol Records, expressed an interest in the material Weiwel had sent. With both companies expressing interest, a showcase was the next step. The only problem was there was no band to play for either label. All five of the yet-to-be band members had played on the demos that Wiewel had sent out, and were regrouped so the showcase could be played. The showcase took place at West Minist’r Sound. After several more demos, they sealed the deal with Columbia. The only immediate stipulation made by Columbia was that the group’s name be changed. Wiewel had sent the demos out using the name Nighthawks. Using the first letters of their last names, it was decided to just shorten the name to Hawks. According to Geller, to his knowledge Hawks is the first band to be signed by Columbia Records on the basis of an unsolicited demo.