Random Hand
Encyclopedia
Random Hand is a British
ska
band, formed in Keighley
in 2002
. Their sound fuses influences from many genres, including ska
, reggae
, punk rock
, metal
, hip hop
and dub
. The band is typically associated with the punk subculture
, due to its ethics and lyrical content. Their lyrical themes are mostly of a sociopolitical nature, however their second recent album 'Inhale/Exhale' features more personal lyrics and subject matter.
. The gig was followed with other shows around the West Yorkshire, namely in Huddersfield
, Leeds
and Halifax
.
In summer 2003, the band recorded a demo, which was given as a free release for download.
In late 2004, the band spent time with producer TimG to record the On The March EP.The band set off on their first tour in January 2004 with Catch-it Kebabs and Zen Baseball Bat. This tour was soon followed by a self-booked UK tour in March to coincide with the release of their debut EP, On The March. The band then performed at events like Morcambe's Wasted Festival and shows with The Planet Smashers
, Adequate Seven
, Sonic Boom Six
, Bad Manners
, The Beat
, Skindred
and Babar Luck
. The latter teamed up with the band in the studio to record two tracks.
's reunion tour and the Three Way Dance with Sonic Boom Six
, Failsafe
and Crazy Arm, before heading to the studio to record their debut album Change of Plan. The record was released on Riot Music on May 7, 2007.
Following the release, the band toured with Voodoo Glow Skulls
, Grown at Home
, The JB Conspiracy and Left Alone
, and played at the festivals City Invasion, Rebellion and Leeds Festival
. Songs from the album received regular play on the Mike Davies Show and were played on the Steve Lamacq
Show, and the band recorded a session at Maida Vale
Studios for the BBC Radio 1
Punk Show in late 2007. Their songs also appeared on several cover CDs for Big Cheese Magazine. In September 2007 Random Hand signed to independent music publisher Bomber Music
2008 started with the bands first headline tour of the UK, with 20 dates across the UK. The band then joined Voodoo Glow Skulls
on their 2008 west coast United States tour. 2008 also saw performances at several festivals in the UK, in April at City Invasion in Bolton and London, and at the end of May as part of their tour with Sonic Boom Six
and Big D and the Kids Table
, and at Dunk Fest, Strummercamp and in August at Rebellion. The band appeared at the 2008 Reading and Leeds Festival
on the Lock-Up stage. Random Hand also embarked on a 28 date tour with Mike TV through October and November 2008.
The band again worked with Change Of Plans producer Peter Miles. Random Hand recorded the album in November 2008 and it was released in February. Touring with ska punk
legends Reel Big Fish
followed a 21 date January headline tour in support of the new album. Separate tours with Canadian punks Propagandhi
and Manchester peers Sonic Boom Six
took place in April and May 2009.
Visibility and awareness of the second album in comparison to Change Of Plan increased with more investment from the band and new label. A video was released for debut single 'Anger Management', which was released on CD and download in September 2009. Prior to the release, the band embarked on a 14 date UK headline tour with UK reggae band The Skints
.
, Mouthwash
& Chris Murray, with all the bands having releases on Rebel Alliance Recordings
. Before the tour the band's van broke down which meant they could not play the first couple of dates for the tour. During this tour, drummer and founding member Joe Dimuantes decided to leave the band. Soon after Joe Dimuates announced he had joined The Human Project (formerly Nanas Revenge) on bass.
The band took a few months out to practice with new drummer Sean Howe (formerly of The Wayriders and Out From Animals) and finish writing their third album. In the meantime, singer/trombonist Robin Leitch and bassist Joe Tilston played solo shows whilst the band took a break from touring.
To make up for the shows missed due to van problems Random Hand played a clutch of "pay what you want" shows to repay fans for cancelled shows.
In June 2010 the band self re-released their first album, "Change of Plan" via Bomber Music with added tracks from the "On The March" EP as Another Change Of Plan and in July the band will tour to promote the release. The cover was designed by Simon Mitchell, who has provided the artwork for t-shirts, posters, album and ep covers for many underground bands such as MikeTV.
On December 12, 2010, The band played a triple headline show along with The Creepshow
and The Skints
. The Hydropaths and ACiD DROP also performed as part of the Slam Dunk punk/ska all dayer at The Cockpit (Leeds).
The third album "Seething Is Believing" was released on Bomber Music in March 2011.
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
ska
Ska
Ska |Jamaican]] ) is a music genre that originated in Jamaica in the late 1950s, and was the precursor to rocksteady and reggae. Ska combined elements of Caribbean mento and calypso with American jazz and rhythm and blues...
band, formed in Keighley
Keighley
Keighley is a town and civil parish within the metropolitan borough of the City of Bradford in West Yorkshire, England. It is situated northwest of Bradford and is at the confluence of the River Aire and the River Worth...
in 2002
2002 in music
This is a list of notable events in music that took place in the year 2002.-Events:*February 3 – U2 perform during the halftime show for Super Bowl XXXVI...
. Their sound fuses influences from many genres, including ska
Ska
Ska |Jamaican]] ) is a music genre that originated in Jamaica in the late 1950s, and was the precursor to rocksteady and reggae. Ska combined elements of Caribbean mento and calypso with American jazz and rhythm and blues...
, reggae
Reggae
Reggae is a music genre first developed in Jamaica in the late 1960s. While sometimes used in a broader sense to refer to most types of Jamaican music, the term reggae more properly denotes a particular music style that originated following on the development of ska and rocksteady.Reggae is based...
, punk rock
Punk rock
Punk rock is a rock music genre that developed between 1974 and 1976 in the United States, the United Kingdom, and Australia. Rooted in garage rock and other forms of what is now known as protopunk music, punk rock bands eschewed perceived excesses of mainstream 1970s rock...
, metal
Heavy metal music
Heavy metal is a genre of rock music that developed in the late 1960s and early 1970s, largely in the Midlands of the United Kingdom and the United States...
, hip hop
Hip hop music
Hip hop music, also called hip-hop, rap music or hip-hop music, is a musical genre consisting of a stylized rhythmic music that commonly accompanies rapping, a rhythmic and rhyming speech that is chanted...
and dub
Dub music
Dub is a genre of music which grew out of reggae music in the 1960s, and is commonly considered a subgenre, though it has developed to extend beyond the scope of reggae...
. The band is typically associated with the punk subculture
Punk subculture
The punk subculture includes a diverse array of ideologies, and forms of expression, including fashion, visual art, dance, literature, and film, which grew out of punk rock.-History:...
, due to its ethics and lyrical content. Their lyrical themes are mostly of a sociopolitical nature, however their second recent album 'Inhale/Exhale' features more personal lyrics and subject matter.
Early career
Random Hand formed in late 2002, and consist of Joe Tilston (bass and vocals), Robin Leitch (vocals and trombone), Matt Crosher (guitar and vocals) and Joe Dimuantes (percussion and samples). They played their first show on December 31, 2002 at a house party hosted by local socialite and philanthropist Graham Bacon. The first official gig was on Valentine's Day 2003 at the Vic Hotel in KeighleyKeighley
Keighley is a town and civil parish within the metropolitan borough of the City of Bradford in West Yorkshire, England. It is situated northwest of Bradford and is at the confluence of the River Aire and the River Worth...
. The gig was followed with other shows around the West Yorkshire, namely in Huddersfield
Huddersfield
Huddersfield is a large market town within the Metropolitan Borough of Kirklees, in West Yorkshire, England, situated halfway between Leeds and Manchester. It lies north of London, and south of Bradford, the nearest city....
, Leeds
Leeds
Leeds is a city and metropolitan borough in West Yorkshire, England. In 2001 Leeds' main urban subdivision had a population of 443,247, while the entire city has a population of 798,800 , making it the 30th-most populous city in the European Union.Leeds is the cultural, financial and commercial...
and Halifax
Halifax, West Yorkshire
Halifax is a minster town, within the Metropolitan Borough of Calderdale in West Yorkshire, England. It has an urban area population of 82,056 in the 2001 Census. It is well-known as a centre of England's woollen manufacture from the 15th century onward, originally dealing through the Halifax Piece...
.
In summer 2003, the band recorded a demo, which was given as a free release for download.
In late 2004, the band spent time with producer TimG to record the On The March EP.The band set off on their first tour in January 2004 with Catch-it Kebabs and Zen Baseball Bat. This tour was soon followed by a self-booked UK tour in March to coincide with the release of their debut EP, On The March. The band then performed at events like Morcambe's Wasted Festival and shows with The Planet Smashers
The Planet Smashers
The Planet Smashers are a ska punk band from Montreal, Quebec, Canada. Since their formation in 1994, they have been a staple of the Montreal music scene. During the third wave of ska, they quickly rose to national, and eventual international fame, with tours in the United States, Europe, and Japan...
, Adequate Seven
Adequate Seven
Adequate Seven were a seven piece punk band from the UK who blended music styles such as hip hop, hardcore, punk, and funk who formed in 2000 and split in December 2006.-History:...
, Sonic Boom Six
Sonic Boom Six
Sonic Boom Six are a five-piece rock band from Manchester, United Kingdom. Their eclectic sound combines different elements of several genres and has been described by Kerrang! as "taking ska, pop, grime, dubstep, punk and metal apart, then rebuilding them as a hyperactive hybrid"...
, Bad Manners
Bad Manners
Bad Manners are an English 2 Tone ska band. They quickly became the novelty favourites of the UK pop scene through their bald outsized frontman's on-stage antics, earning early exposure through their Top of The Pops exploits and an appearance in the live film documentary, Dance Craze.They were at...
, The Beat
The Beat (band)
The Beat are a 2 Tone ska revival band founded in England in 1978. Their songs fuse ska, pop, soul, reggae and punk rock, and their lyrics deal with themes of love, unity and sociopolitical topics....
, Skindred
Skindred
Skindred is a Welsh rock band from Newport. The band was formed in 1998 following the disbandment of vocalist Benji Webbe's previous band, Dub War. Skindred's musical style mixes alternative rock, heavy metal, punk rock and reggae...
and Babar Luck
Babar Luck
Babar Luck is a songwriter and musician based in the UK. Born in Pakistan in 1970 & moving to London at the age of 8 years, Babar Luck found solace in the world & sounds of music....
. The latter teamed up with the band in the studio to record two tracks.
'Change Of Plan'
The band began to be represented by Hidden Talent Booking in 2006. This saw Random Hand playing shows on Adequate Seven's final tour, LightyearLightyear (band)
Lightyear were a UK 7-piece ska punk band. They formed in 1997 in Derby, England.They signed to Household Name Records in 2001, and the band released two full-length albums via the label...
's reunion tour and the Three Way Dance with Sonic Boom Six
Sonic Boom Six
Sonic Boom Six are a five-piece rock band from Manchester, United Kingdom. Their eclectic sound combines different elements of several genres and has been described by Kerrang! as "taking ska, pop, grime, dubstep, punk and metal apart, then rebuilding them as a hyperactive hybrid"...
, Failsafe
Failsafe (UK band)
Failsafe are a melodic rock band whose current line up has been together since 2005, although the foundations of the band were laid in 2000. They are based in and around Preston, UK...
and Crazy Arm, before heading to the studio to record their debut album Change of Plan. The record was released on Riot Music on May 7, 2007.
Following the release, the band toured with Voodoo Glow Skulls
Voodoo Glow Skulls
Voodoo Glow Skulls are an American ska punk band formed in 1988 in Riverside, California by brothers Frank, Eddie and Jorge Casillas and their longtime friend Jerry O'Neill...
, Grown at Home
Grown At Home
Advantage, a brass rock band featuring members of Grown at Home is a British ska punk band, that were tipped as "the new market leaders for their genre in this country, with a nationwide fanbase to back their unsurmountable popularity"...
, The JB Conspiracy and Left Alone
Left Alone
Left Alone is a punk rock band from Wilmington, California. They were formed in May 1996 by lead vocalist and guitarist Elvis Cortez. Cortez formed his own label, Smelvis Records, to release Left Alone's records, and has since expanded the label to include numerous other underground bands. Cortez...
, and played at the festivals City Invasion, Rebellion and Leeds Festival
Leeds Festival
Leeds Festival may refer to:*Reading and Leeds Festivals , a rock music festival in Leeds , West Yorkshire, England*Leeds Festival , European classical music festival in Leeds...
. Songs from the album received regular play on the Mike Davies Show and were played on the Steve Lamacq
Steve Lamacq
Steve Lamacq , sometimes known by his nicknames Lammo or "The Cat" is an English disc jockey, currently working with the BBC radio stations BBC 6 Music and BBC Radio 2.-Early career:He was born in Basingstoke, Hampshire...
Show, and the band recorded a session at Maida Vale
Maida Vale
Maida Vale is a residential district in West London between St John's Wood and Kilburn. It is part of the City of Westminster. The area is mostly residential, and mainly affluent, consisting of many large late Victorian and Edwardian blocks of mansion flats...
Studios for the BBC Radio 1
BBC Radio 1
BBC Radio 1 is a British national radio station operated by the British Broadcasting Corporation which also broadcasts internationally, specialising in current popular music and chart hits throughout the day. Radio 1 provides alternative genres after 7:00pm including electronic dance, hip hop, rock...
Punk Show in late 2007. Their songs also appeared on several cover CDs for Big Cheese Magazine. In September 2007 Random Hand signed to independent music publisher Bomber Music
2008 started with the bands first headline tour of the UK, with 20 dates across the UK. The band then joined Voodoo Glow Skulls
Voodoo Glow Skulls
Voodoo Glow Skulls are an American ska punk band formed in 1988 in Riverside, California by brothers Frank, Eddie and Jorge Casillas and their longtime friend Jerry O'Neill...
on their 2008 west coast United States tour. 2008 also saw performances at several festivals in the UK, in April at City Invasion in Bolton and London, and at the end of May as part of their tour with Sonic Boom Six
Sonic Boom Six
Sonic Boom Six are a five-piece rock band from Manchester, United Kingdom. Their eclectic sound combines different elements of several genres and has been described by Kerrang! as "taking ska, pop, grime, dubstep, punk and metal apart, then rebuilding them as a hyperactive hybrid"...
and Big D and the Kids Table
Big D and the Kids Table
Big D and the Kids Table is a ska punk band formed in October 1995 in Allston, Massachusetts when its members converged in college. Their first release was on their own Fork In Hand Records label, but have since teamed with Springman Records and SideOneDummy...
, and at Dunk Fest, Strummercamp and in August at Rebellion. The band appeared at the 2008 Reading and Leeds Festival
Leeds Festival
Leeds Festival may refer to:*Reading and Leeds Festivals , a rock music festival in Leeds , West Yorkshire, England*Leeds Festival , European classical music festival in Leeds...
on the Lock-Up stage. Random Hand also embarked on a 28 date tour with Mike TV through October and November 2008.
'Inhale/Exhale'
In early September 2008, Random Hand announced the upcoming January 2009 release of their second album, Inhale/Exhale on Rebel Alliance Records.The band again worked with Change Of Plans producer Peter Miles. Random Hand recorded the album in November 2008 and it was released in February. Touring with ska punk
Ska punk
Ska punk is a fusion music genre that combines ska and punk rock. It achieved its highest level of commercial success in the United States in the late 1990s. Ska-core is a subgenre of ska punk, blending ska with hardcore punk.The characteristics of ska punk vary, due to the fusion of contrasting...
legends Reel Big Fish
Reel Big Fish
Reel Big Fish is an American ska punk band from Huntington Beach, California, best known for the 1997 hit "Sell Out". The band gained mainstream recognition in the mid-to-late 1990s, during the third wave of ska with the release of the gold certified album Turn the Radio Off. Soon after, the band...
followed a 21 date January headline tour in support of the new album. Separate tours with Canadian punks Propagandhi
Propagandhi
Propagandhi is a Canadian punk band formed in Portage la Prairie, Manitoba in 1986 by Chris Hannah and Jord Samolesky. The band is currently located in Winnipeg, Manitoba....
and Manchester peers Sonic Boom Six
Sonic Boom Six
Sonic Boom Six are a five-piece rock band from Manchester, United Kingdom. Their eclectic sound combines different elements of several genres and has been described by Kerrang! as "taking ska, pop, grime, dubstep, punk and metal apart, then rebuilding them as a hyperactive hybrid"...
took place in April and May 2009.
Visibility and awareness of the second album in comparison to Change Of Plan increased with more investment from the band and new label. A video was released for debut single 'Anger Management', which was released on CD and download in September 2009. Prior to the release, the band embarked on a 14 date UK headline tour with UK reggae band The Skints
The Skints
The Skints are a reggae/dub/ska/reggae rock band from London, United Kingdom. Since 2008 the band have toured extensively, playing hundreds of shows, supporting bands that include Gym Class Heroes, Sublime with Rome, Reel Big Fish, Less Than Jake, The Slackers, Gogol Bordello and Bedouin...
.
2010 and third album, Line up Changes and restarts
In late 2009 the band started writing material for a third album. During January and February 2010 the band took part in the Rebel Alliance Tour with The SkintsThe Skints
The Skints are a reggae/dub/ska/reggae rock band from London, United Kingdom. Since 2008 the band have toured extensively, playing hundreds of shows, supporting bands that include Gym Class Heroes, Sublime with Rome, Reel Big Fish, Less Than Jake, The Slackers, Gogol Bordello and Bedouin...
, Mouthwash
Mouthwash (band)
Mouthwash were a ska-punk band, originally formed in West Norwood, London, England, in 1995.-History:Mouthwash were an indie/ska/electro/punk band from South London, UK. They originally formed as a three-piece band consisting of Ben McCarthy , Rob Tortelli and Chris Hugall...
& Chris Murray, with all the bands having releases on Rebel Alliance Recordings
Rebel Alliance Recordings
Rebel Alliance Recordings is a Manchester, UK-based record label set up in 2007 by the members of ska-punk band Sonic Boom Six.-Origins:After leaving Deck Cheese the members of Sonic Boom Six set up Rebel Alliance originally as an outlet for their forthcoming album Arcade Perfect, which was...
. Before the tour the band's van broke down which meant they could not play the first couple of dates for the tour. During this tour, drummer and founding member Joe Dimuantes decided to leave the band. Soon after Joe Dimuates announced he had joined The Human Project (formerly Nanas Revenge) on bass.
The band took a few months out to practice with new drummer Sean Howe (formerly of The Wayriders and Out From Animals) and finish writing their third album. In the meantime, singer/trombonist Robin Leitch and bassist Joe Tilston played solo shows whilst the band took a break from touring.
To make up for the shows missed due to van problems Random Hand played a clutch of "pay what you want" shows to repay fans for cancelled shows.
In June 2010 the band self re-released their first album, "Change of Plan" via Bomber Music with added tracks from the "On The March" EP as Another Change Of Plan and in July the band will tour to promote the release. The cover was designed by Simon Mitchell, who has provided the artwork for t-shirts, posters, album and ep covers for many underground bands such as MikeTV.
On December 12, 2010, The band played a triple headline show along with The Creepshow
The Creepshow
The Creepshow is a band from Burlington, Ontario, Canada. The band formed in 2005 when the four original members got together with the purpose of starting a psychobilly band. The Creepshow writes the majority of their songs about horror films....
and The Skints
The Skints
The Skints are a reggae/dub/ska/reggae rock band from London, United Kingdom. Since 2008 the band have toured extensively, playing hundreds of shows, supporting bands that include Gym Class Heroes, Sublime with Rome, Reel Big Fish, Less Than Jake, The Slackers, Gogol Bordello and Bedouin...
. The Hydropaths and ACiD DROP also performed as part of the Slam Dunk punk/ska all dayer at The Cockpit (Leeds).
The third album "Seething Is Believing" was released on Bomber Music in March 2011.
EPs
| Year | Album | Label |
|---|---|---|
| 2003 | Buy This, Copy it and Give it To Your Friends (Demo #1) | self-released |
| 2005 | On The March | self-released |
Albums
| Year | Album | Label |
|---|---|---|
| 2007 |
Change of Plan | Riot Music |
| 2009 | Inhale/Exhale Inhale/Exhale (Random Hand Album) Inhale/Exhale is the second full-length release by UK-based band, Random Hand.-Track listing:#I, Human#The Right Reasons#British#Anger Management#Roots in the Crowd#Devils Little Guinea Pigs#"In"#Mass Producing Monsters#For Roni... |
Rebel Alliance |
| 2010 |
Another Change Of Plan | Bomber Music Our Records |
| 2010 |
Inhale/Exhale | Bomber Music Our Records |
| 2011 |
Seething Is Believing | Bomber Music Our Records |
Singles
| Year | Album | Label |
|---|---|---|
| 2009 | Anger Management | Rebel Alliance |
| 2011 | Find What's Out There | Bomber Music |
| 2011 | Bones | Bomber Music |