Introduction

When I first discovered that my father in law, Dave, had played guitar in a 1970s band called Brooklyn, I had no idea what I was about to uncover.

Two studio albums, a handful of surviving recordings, and a sound that made me wonder why Brooklyn wasn’t already a name in everyone’s music library. I reached out to one of the original band members, who, miraculously, had digital copies of all the songs. Listening to them, I knew something had to be done, not for me, but to honour a small yet powerful piece of Birmingham’s musical history. That’s how The Brooklyn Project began, a collaborative effort to reimagine and re-record some of Brooklyn’s original songs, uniting old friends, family, and new musicians across generations.

— Leo James

An incredible twist of fate

What started as a simple tribute soon became something far more profound.

When I reached out to my friend Tom to see if he’d like to be involved, he immediately said yes — and then mentioned something that stopped me in my tracks. His dad, Jim, had also played with a band called Brooklyn in the 1970’s.

After a bit of back-and-forth, we realised it wasn’t just the same band name. It was the same band. Dave on lead guitar. Jim on bass.

Best friends at school, bandmates on stage, and now, reunited after more than forty years apart.

It feels as though this project was always meant to happen.
Now, all these years later, old friends and new, coming together to bring Brooklyn’s music back to life.

About Brooklyn

Formed in Birmingham, UK, in the mid-1970s, Brooklyn carved out a place on the city’s live circuit with their fiery performances and original songwriting. Their sound was a potent mix of classic rock, blues, and early punk energy — raw, melodic, and unapologetically loud.

Though their records never saw widespread release, their reputation for high-energy gigs and authentic musicianship left a lasting impression on those who saw them.

Founding members line-up

Stuart Harrod

Lead vocals

Dave Hextell

Guitar, backing vocals

James Lewis

Bass Guitar

David Tennent

Guitar, vocals, saxophone

Chris Smallman

Drums

The project today

The Brooklyn Project is a creative collaboration that bridges past and present. Together, we’re revisiting and reimagining a selection of Brooklyn’s original songs, a shared effort to honour where it all began and to celebrate the connections that made it possible.

This isn’t intended as a commercial release or a vanity project, it’s about reconnecting people, stories and music.

From listening sessions to rehearsals to studio time, this is all about making something genuine, heartfelt, and fun.

No deadlines. No pressure. Just music, people, and purpose.

Follow the journey

We’ll be using this website as a platform to share updates about the project.
This could include photos, new recordings and studio vlogs.We may even setup a mailing list.

Interested in finding out more or supporting the project?