Bio

Writer. Musician. Performer. Director. Podcaster.

 

For a full list of James’ music, plays and podcasts go HERE

 

James’ latest solo album is called Crying is the Worst Medicine. Buy it HERE

 

“Great humour in the songs. Love it” - Grubby, 3AW

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Crying is the Worst Medicine sees Hazelden add full drums, electric bass, swirling keyboards and crunchy electric guitar to his trademark whimsical melancholy and often surreal lyrics. He has jettisoned the acoustic folk and alt-country of his previous releases, and these new upbeat songs have dense, tight arrangements, often incorporating a soundscape quality into the mix, with programmed drums and old Casiotones lurking deep within the tunes. This is pop/rock tinged with a cinematic ambience.

 

Here are some nice quotes about James’ music:

 

“James Hazelden can swing from hilarity to heartbreak, often in the one song – no easy feat. His debut solo album – the wonderfully named The Man Who Broke His Own Heart– had me thinking of classic Australian folk pop, such as Rob Clarkson. And that’s a beautiful thing.” - Jeff Jenkins (Inpress, RRR)

 

“**** – entertaining, hilarious, and charismatic … the lyrics were absurd, accompanied by frantic guitar strumming, and an incongruously harmonious voice… jagged charm” – Three Weeks (UK)

 

“James Hazelden makes music for both the head and the heart… maybe even the wiener…” - Kevin Smith – writer, director, podcaster (US)

 

“The Bob Dylan of comedy music… antipodean magic… genius” – The List (UK)

 

“If you’ve ever wondered how a giant squid would pursue a relationship with a girl in the landlocked Czech Republic, James Hazelden might be on your wavelength. Self-deprecating and thoroughly surreal, he writes offbeat comic tunes broken up with ironic commentary and occasional flashes of satisfyingly sick humour. This straightforward approach suits Hazelden’s laid-back style, meshing well with his simple acoustic strumming… he comes across as a warm and entertaining jester.” - Three Weeks (Edinburgh) 

 

“Hazelden has admirably gone his own way once again, melding sharp, irreverent lyrics to catchy pop melodies and a good dose of pathos. Enjoy him before he gets a girlfriend and blows the whole deal.” - Bob Franklin (writer, actor, comedian)

 

Fabulous Long Player… Just arrived yesterday and it’s been on the turntable since. At last the 21st Century does something right: James Hazelden” Tim Quinn Mighty Quinn Management (UK)

 

“CD arrived. Joe and I played it in the van on the way to Reading. During the 3rd song a bird flew into us and died. He flung himself on the windscreen. It was a very surreal moment. Now I can’t play the CD without thinking of that dead bird. Avian suicide aside it’s a lovely CD.” Nicko, Nicko and Joe’s Bad Film Club (UK)

 

 

Here are some nice quotes about James’ plays:

 

“This show will leave you cringing with spooky delight as mysterious revisitations of three intertwining tales combine to create this intriguing theatre production titled 12A… This is a black comedy with witty and well-crafted language that seamlessly connects the series of mysteries into a twist of dangerous encounters separated only by time and year… Pinteresque characters… Impressive cutting-edge material worthy of a good night out at the theatre! Check it out or die!” -  Flora Georgiou, Stage Whispers

 

“[12A] Hazelden presents three tales that take the audience to some dark and twisted places, and what could be more entertaining than that?”Myron My, My Melbourne Arts

 

“Mystery Radio Theatre was one of the stand – out acts from the Melbourne International Comedy Festival. Reimagining this old – time throwback for the twenty – first century… sharp direction by Hazelden” – Nick Pilgrim, Theatre People

 

“Like a novel constructed from short stories, Dead Technology Memoirs is a modular play of self-contained but interlocking two-handers… Rather wonderfully, writer James Hazelden has unfolded the original story in new dimensions, hinting at greater mysteries.”The Australian

 

“Delicious black humour and witty dialogue… Dead Technology Memoirs is a fun and intelligent work, engaging in the way only live theatre can be.”Alice Walker SYN FM

 

“James Hazelden’s terrific Diabolical raised the bar for the blacker-than-black comedy of the night – it provided two great showcases for the excellent actors and was one of the most self-contained pieces of writing of the evening.” – Robert Chuter, ArtsHub