Harry Styles - 'Sledgehammer'

[Kebabkid]

I'm not sure if people have seen this before but I revisited this from 5 years ago and HS and his fabulous band put in a great performance and do the song justice.

 

Along with Pino on 'Tear your playhouse down', this is my favourite bassline and I do like an octaver.

 

The bassist gets a great bass octave sound and I believe he's Adam Prendergast -

EDIT: From what I've found on this bassist, his board has a Micro POG on it and I wonder if that's what's in use - I've been chasing the right Octave pedal for ages and have a separate thread on that but the EHX was never on my list...mmmm

 

Edited Wednesday at 12:32 by Kebabkid
update wording

[DTB]

Excellent live performance. 

[Marvin]

It's a great live performance 

[Beedster]

Lovely performance and especially lovely basswork 👍

[ezbass]

The drummer is so on it too.

[StingRayBoy42]

Crikey Moses, that is Fantastic!

The Drumming! 👌

[Kebabkid]

Sarah Jones is quite something on drums, but it's a great band!

 

Edited Wednesday at 10:53 by Kebabkid

[AndyTravis]

I sold the bass player a Danelectro.

 

He was/is a bloody lovely fella. And it seems a flubbin great player.

[BassApprentice]

Quite refreshing to see such a positive response to a video of a former member of One Direction.

Really cool performance too!

[AndyTravis]

Just now, BassApprentice said:

Quite refreshing to see such a positive response to a video of a former member of One Direction.

Really cool performance too!

His album around this time was on rotation with oldest daughter, not that she’d admit it to her mates…

 

It was passable, decent music.

 

Better than 99.9% of pop at the time

[la bam]

I've met Adam when selling a cab, really down to earth, nice bloke. Loves talking bass. Never once mentioned how good or who he plays with, really down to earth. 

[BassAgent]

The only thing I don't really dig is the awful horns midi sound. Other than that: I am a huge Harry Styles fan. His last album was on heavy rotation when it came out. Can't wait for the new one.

[snorkie635]

Liked that!

[Count Bassy]

It's a good rendition of Sledge Hammer, vocals like PG's, good players. But: to my mind doesn't add anything to the original.  If it was a pub covers band it would be awesome, but for someone famous I would have expected them to make it a bit more their own. 

[joeystrange]

I remember seeing then when it first appeared and showing it to a few people telling them hue good it was. I’ll go back and watch it every so often to remind myself.

[BassTool]

Really like that, great playing and vocal too, bass is great, drums too.

I'd always assumed Harry Styles was some teenybop popstar that had limited appeal to an old git like me, I'm well impressed with that 👍🏼 

 

Doubt I'd copy his dress sense tho... 🙄

[acidbass]

Vocals are very flat but the band are cooking!

[BigRedX]

On 18/02/2026 at 17:13, Count Bassy said:

It's a good rendition of Sledge Hammer, vocals like PG's, good players. But: to my mind doesn't add anything to the original.  If it was a pub covers band it would be awesome, but for someone famous I would have expected them to make it a bit more their own. 

 

This.

 

The Peter Gabriel version was so original and different for the time, that if you're not a pub covers band you really need to do something to make it your own otherwise what is the point?

 

Fine if you want to have a bit of fun in the rehearsal room but if this is all that's going to be done with the song please keep it there.

[Jean-Luc Pickguard]

I enjoyed the performance. I am wondering why he is dressed like an old lady though.

[Linus27]

Well that was a bit good, superb musicianship, loved the drummer, backing vocals were fantastic and I thought Harry's vocals were top notch.

[BassTool]

35 minutes ago, acidbass said:

Vocals are very flat but the band are cooking!

But he's singing live 😉