Our catch up with the Manchester trio at the Rotterdam festival last month.
Photo: Sam Lindley | Words: Elvis Thirlwell
Finally emerging with music in the summer after months of word-of-mouth buzz, Manchester trio Shaking Hand have wasted no time in delivering news of a self-titled full length debut. Set for release on 16th January via Melodic Records, the singles released thus far deliver a mixture of chugging Ulrika Spacek-like psychedelia, wandering midwest emo, and the pondering excursions of Yo La Tengo. The songs are 'long', but they're also the perfect length: toying with time, pushing and pulling with tension and release, sinking deep into the cortex of groove and steadily burrowing into your consciousness.
With new single 'In For A…Pound!' dropping this week, it felt like the right time to share our chat with the band, which took place as part of our series of Left Of The Dial Q & As. And there was far more chat on Simply Red than we anticipated…
How has your year been guys?
George:It's been a slow start and A fast end. Exciting stuff having music out the past couple of months. Things are finally getting underway.
Freddie: We've done some good gigs recently. A Manchester headline…
How was that show?
Ellis: It was pretty cool. We got some visuals done by a guy called Beck Cooley, who did the music video for [debut single] 'Over The Coals'. We did it at The King Arms, in Salford. A really cool space to do it in, and the visuals were amazing.
Your debut album is coming up in January. What can we expect?
Ellis: Charli XCX-style big pop hits.
George: Long songs. Loud louds, quiet quiets.
Freddie: two or three songs we haven't played much live.
Why not?
Freddie: One of them's really hard to play. Too difficult! For people who've seen us a lot, hopefully they'll be some surprises.
If you had to describe your music to your Grandma, what would you say?
Ellis: I just tell my Grandma everything we do is a bit like The Killers.
Freddie: I'd say listen to it a few times and you might get it? [laughs] I really don't know!
Who do you think you were in a past life?
Ellis: A peasant. Someone's got to be! I reckon a land-tiller.
Freddie: I reckon you [Ellis] would get the Black Death, you're always getting ill.
George: I'd be a royal. I'd be a Henry VIII kinda guy. Plenty of beheading.
If you could have any celebrity come to your show. Who would you choose?
Freddie: First thought was Cillian Murphy.
George: Gary Lineker came to mind.
Ellis: Roy Keane?
George: Anyone who presents a football show. Match of The Day or Sky Sports.
Freddie: David Tennant. Seems like a cool guy.
What would you do if all four showed up?
Ellis: I don't know if they'd get along.
Freddie: I think they would. I'd hi-five them all, buy them all a drink, and say "thanks guys, love your work.
What is your ride or die snack?
Ellis: White lion bar duo.
George: I quite like the Walkers max Paprika. Deep Ridge, deep flavour.
Freddie: I'm gonna be really boring and say, 'nice' biscuits. I discovered them really recently. It's such an old man thing.
Which fruit is most likely to get an ABSO?
George: Passion fruit I'd say, just for being overly enthusiastic.
Ellis: I don't know why, but Pineapple just came into my head. It looks aggressive on the outside, like a mace.
Freddie: I'd probably do raspberries. They go out of date after like two hours, so they'd get locked up for that.
What do you think a pineapple would get an ASBO for?
Ellis: Grievous bodily harm. It could cut someone?
Freddie: It would roll down the hill and hit a baby?
Last song you listened to?
Ellis: It was 'For Your Babies' by Simply Red. I was talking to someone yesterday about how it was a really good song, so I went back and listened to it last night [sings Simply Red]. Simply Red, they get a lot of hate, but The Greatest Hits are all bangers.
George: Probably something during Martial Arts' DJ set yesterday. New Order comes to mind.
Freddie: It's probably the same for me as well, because I was there. Charli XCX as well.
Ellis: I can't believe I was just bigging up Simply Red.
Freddie: I could do a covers band called Simply Fred.
Favourite artist when you were 10?
George: Probably Green Day. I might have been starting my Muse phase. Super Massive Black Hole.
Ellis: 10 was a bit early for me being into 'music' music….Oh!, it might have actually been…my dad bought me a Ramones CD after I'd watched School of Rock, so it's probably the Ramones. Either that or Robbie Williams.
Freddie: Probably like Coldplay, mate. Viva La Vida.
George: Coldplay, Muse and Green Day.
Freddie: Solid line up that. Left of The Dial 2026!
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