Charlotte Hatherley

Charlotte Franklin Hatherley (born 20 June 1979) is an English guitarist and singer-songwriter. She initially came to prominence as guitarist and backing vocalist for alternative rock band Ash. Since leaving Ash in 2006, she has pursued a solo career and also acted as a touring instrumentalist for Client, KT Tunstall, Bat for Lashes and Birdy. Hatherley is now performing solo under the moniker of Sylver Tongue and as a recording and touring member of NZCA Lines.

Ash (1997–2006)

Born in London, Hatherley was brought up in West London and attended Chiswick Community School. Her music career began at the age of sixteen, when she played in obscure British punk band Nightnurse. Around this time, Ash were looking for a fourth member, a guitarist, to add to their live sound. Ash frontman Tim Wheeler was present at a Nightnurse gig and thought Hatherley fitted the bill. Hatherley's Ash debut was at Belfast's Limelight on 10 August 1997, and the following week the new lineup played the 1997 V Festival in front of 50,000 people. Her recording debut with the band happened later that year on the single "A Life Less Ordinary" and then on the album Nu-Clear Sounds in 1998.

Hatherley was credited with writing for a handful of Ash's songs, the most notable being "Grey Will Fade", on the B-side of the single "There's a Star". The song was a cult favourite among fans, and eventually became the title track of Hatherley's debut solo album.

It was during the period of recording the album Meltdown with Ash that Hatherley began to record her own album Grey Will Fade simultaneously, fully encouraged by the rest of the band. From the album she released the singles "Bastardo", "Kim Wilde" and "Summer", which all, as well as the album itself, received high praise from critics.

Solo (2006–2011)

Hatherley, supporting Blondie in 2007; Thetford Forest, UK

On 20 January 2006 it was announced that Hatherley would be leaving Ash in an amicable breakup. This decision was initially thought to be based on Hatherley's intention to pursue a solo career further, although it later emerged she was asked to leave by the remaining three members.

Hatherley's second album, The Deep Blue was released on 5 March 2007. It was preceded by two singles; "Behave", in December, and "I Want You To Know", in February, along with an accompanying UK and Ireland tour. Two more singles were released to promote the album, "Siberia" and "Again". In 2007, Hatherley also opened for Blondie on their UK tour and played guitar for Bryan Ferry. In November 2007 she joined Client to fill the vacant role of bassist on their European tour.

In October 2008, Cinnabar City was announced as the title of Hatherley's third solo album, although this was later changed to New Worlds. The track Full Circle debuted on BBC 6 Music's: The Nemone Show on 23 December. The album was released on 16 October 2009. Simultaneously, Hatherley announced on her official website that she would be joining Bat for Lashes as a live member of the band throughout 2009.

Daily Music Guide critic Jamie Smith described the second single from New Worlds, "Alexander", as "a rather super single that deserves to win her many more new fans". and the same writer described the album, for The Music Magazine, as "a record that has a very definite sheen of quality all over it. Gone all the rough edges of her debut Grey Will Fade, and the sound is a huge leap forward from the lo-fi and somewhat dreary and unformed follow-up The Deep Blue. New Worlds is the album of a woman sure of herself and ready to move forward in her career".

In 2010 Hatherley joined KT Tunstall's band, playing lead guitar and replacing Sam Lewis. The 2010/11 tour, coinciding with the release of Tunstall's Tiger Suit album, began 19 October in Cambridge, England. The Times review of the 20 October concert at the Shepherds Bush Empire, London, noted "Hatherley played with a decisive touch and was a powerful stage presence, her bright copper hair and glacial poise providing an engaging foil to Tunstall’s more natural look and breezy, upbeat stage persona".

In an interview with the Galway Advertiser, on 13 January 2011, Tunstall said that Hatherley had helped her "to find the voice that she had always been searching for. Charlotte has just blown us all away. She’s an exceptionally talented musician and very visceral. It’s just pure emotion when she plays. It was interesting seeing her take on the role because it’d been a while since she’d had a full on lead guitar gig. This is probably the most heavy-riffed stuff I’ve ever written. I had all these tribal backing vocal bits planned and suddenly I discovered Charlotte could do them all. Our voices are spookily similar and it’s nice for me to have another girl in the band. Neither of us are super girly girl and we’re both really into our music".

Sylver Tongue (2012–present)

In February 2012, Hatherley began performing under the name of Sylver Tongue with a song entitled Hook You Up made available for free download. This was followed by the four-track Something Big EP, released on CD, digital and vinyl in November 2012, featuring the tracks "Something Big", "Hook You Up", "Creatures" and "Faraway Sun". Sylver Tongue, as a four-piece line-up, supported Bat for Lashes on their October/November 2012 UK tour.

Hatherley's mother, Patricia Franklin, is an actress who appeared in several Carry On films of the 1960s and 1970s. She is thanked in the credits for both Shaun of the Dead, and Hot Fuzz. She is also credited on the UK DVD of Shaun of the Dead for taking photographs of the crew. Her father, Frank Hatherley, is an Australian playwright and critic. She has also appeared in a 2014 short film titled The Last Man, written and directed by Gavin Rothery.

Albums

Singles