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Why the silent ‘h’?

The name hKippers is a nod to the spoof folk duo The Kipper Family—who themselves parody the traditional Copper Family. By adding an ‘h’, we hint at musical roots extending more toward Eastern Europe than Eastern England.
 

Origins

hKippers began in 1987 when Oscar-winning composer Stephen Warbeck (accordion, piano, vocals) tried to impress clarinetist Sarah Homer. She was late to their first rehearsal—so he cooked her kippers. They’ve been together ever since, with four children and a variety of ducks, geese, and livestock.

Stephen met actor/guitarist/sellotape enthusiast Paul Bradley (EastEnders, Holby City) at Manchester’s Contact Theatre. While Stephen composed scores for stage and screen—including Shakespeare in Love—Paul went on to not win an Oscar but did become a familiar face on British television.

The band draws from jazz ensembles and theatre pits, blending high musicianship with theatrical flair.
 

The Lineup

Core members include:

  • Stephen Warbeck – accordion, piano, vocals

  • Paul Bradley – guitar, vocals, sellotape

  • Sarah Homer – clarinet

  • Dai Pritchard – clarinet (The Dai Pritchard Brothers, Loose Tubes)

  • Dave Berry – bass (Pasadena Roof Orchestra)

  • Richard Henry, Chris Batchelor, John Eacott – trombone, trumpet, and more (Loose Tubes)

  • Andrew Ranken (The Pogues) and Mike Pickering (The Tiger Lillies) – percussion

Occasional hKippers: John Etheridge, John Parricelli, Finn Bradley, Johnny Miller, Roland & Dylan Bates, Errolyn Warren, Martin France, Richard Lee
 

Gigs & Highlights

  • Shared stages with The Pogues, John Otway, and Miss Norway

  • Backed a member of The Temptations (accidentally)

  • Headlined Marquee Club, Ronnie Scott’s (sold out, 2018), Queen Elizabeth Hall (with 1200 paper bags burst on cue)

  • Topped the bill over Hank Marvin and Nuno Bettencourt at Docklands Arena’s Mad About Music festival

  • Played to 17,000 merry drinkers at CAMRA’s Earl’s Court Beer Festival
    Headlined the UK's inaugural Rik Mayall Comedy Festival

  • Upcoming: Irish Cultural Centre, Hammersmith - 19th October 2025

    Festivals

  • Appearances include:

  • Cambridge Folk Festival

  • Sidmouth, Towersey, Trowbridge (where a fan removed Paul’s shirt)

  • Big Chill, Pontardawe, King’s Lynn, St Ives, Bradford, Margate, Darlington, Belfast, and more

  • Brass section once bought see-through togs in Walton-on-the-Naze

    Discography

  • An Earful of hKippers (1990 – all cassettes stolen from my car)

  • Gutted (1996 – Babel Label)

  • Filleted (1999)

  • 4 Miserable Songs (2005)

  • A Question of Balance (2001 – recorded in Montpellier, still unreleased)

  • HIDEAWAY Live (2025)

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