The Hoosiers

Formed in 2003 around Irwin Sparkes and Alan Sharland, The Hoosiers is an English project whose name comes from a stay in Indianapolis, Indiana, where its founders developed their first songs before returning to London. Originally conceived as a trio with bassist Martin Skarendahl, The Hoosiers made their mark in the mid‑2000s on the British pop‑rock scene with a nervous, melodic and often offbeat songwriting style, at the intersection of indie pop, piano rock and pop with very direct choruses. Their debut album, The Trick to Life, was released in 2007, followed by The Illusion of Safety in 2010, reissued in 2011 as Bumpy Ride. After the end of their time with RCA and Sony, The Hoosiers continued more independently with The News from Nowhere in 2014 and The Secret Service in 2015. Since Martin Skarendahl’s departure, The Hoosiers has mainly operated as a duo led by Sparkes and Sharland, while continuing to tour UK venues. Their discography was expanded with Confidence in 2023, in a more synth‑driven pop‑rock continuity but faithful to The Hoosiers’ melodic identity.