After conquering the U.S. with the re-releases of their first three albums via Cleopatra Records, Zürich-based rockabilly phenoms The Hillbilly Moon Explosion are back with their exciting rendition of the Smiths’ iconic hit “How Soon Is Now?”. Available now at orcd.co/thehillbillymoonexplosion_howsoonisnow, the track is the band’s first release since their appearances on Dale Watson’s Jukebox Fury album (Cleopatra Records 2022) and, most recently, their tribute to The Cramps with their cover of “Primitive” (Cleopatra Records 2023).
Founded by multi-instrumentalist Oliver Baroni, along with enchanting chanteuse Emanuela Hutter in 1998, the band became the talk of Europe as they relentlessly toured through Germany, France, Spain, Italy, and the U.K. Their unique, danceable, energetic brand of rock n’ roll style, combined with their impeccable musical prowess, and impressive songwriting skills made them a tour deforce that LA-based record label Cleopatra Records could not deny. They quickly signed The Hillbilly Moon Explosion for the first-ever U.S.-based pressings of their albums on both CD and vinyl, including the incredible 2002 debut album, fittingly-entitled Introducing The Hillbilly Moon Explosion, followed by their sophomore effort, Bourgeois Baby, and, then, the superb third album All Grown Up.
“How Soon Is Now?” is one of English Rock Band The Smiths’ most venerable songs and was originally featured as a B-side of the 1984 single “William, It Was Really Nothing.” It ” was subsequently featured on the compilation album Hatful of Hollow and on U.S, Canadian, Australian, and Warner U.K. editions of Meat Is Murder. It was belatedly released as a single in the U.K. in 1985, when it reached #24 on the U.K. singles chart and was re-released in 1992 when it reached #16.
“How Soon Is Now?” is just the beginning of more music to come from this critically-acclaimed band.
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