Written By: Amanda Policastro
Hundred Handed is taking the music scene by storm. The trio have a passion for music and a wide range of musical influences. They toured Australia and now they are back in the US releasing a new song a month. Take a look at Hundred Handed.
Photo Credit: Taryn Anderson
upfrontNY: To start, you have toured nationwide, do you have a particular show or city that stands out in your mind?
Hundred Handed: Our release show at The Sayer’s Club in LA for our first single ‘Vibe’ is a pretty big standout. We had the place packed full of friends and fans who had braved standing in line in the rain just to have a good time with us. Being able to finally release some of the new music with that atmosphere to help ring in the occasion…how can you beat that?
upfrontNY: You’ve also performed overseas, what has the experience been like performing and spending time in Australia?
Hundred Handed: Australia is amazing. The people, the food, the cities themselves… Every part of that place is unique. Our first full band show was there in front of about 10,000 people. We were so curious as to how people there would accept a new band and could not have been more overwhelmingly surprised. Australians just LOVE music. They dance, they sing, they have fun… Everything we could want from a crowd. Definitely one of our favorite shows of all time.
upfrontNY: What’s the biggest lesson you’ve learned being in other bands that has helped Hundred Handed become more successful?
Hundred Handed: We started Hundred Handed with our individual experiences of being in other bands at the forefront of our minds. We promised each other that we’d take all the experience we gained from years on the road directly to the stage…to continue to push ourselves by learning from our own mistakes, and to work together to rekindle the excitement that came from being in our first bands. After every show we sit down and talk about what our best and worst moments of the night were and then use that as we go into the next show. We’re here to have fun and make other people have fun, too.
upfrontNY: Talk to us about your newest single “Celebrate”. Are you going to be releasing more music this year? Another single or a full EP?
Hundred Handed: ‘Celebrate’ is just about having a good night out! We were sitting around swapping stories about all the parties we threw or went to when we were in high school and our parents were out of town. And how the only thing that’s changed now is that we don’t have to ask anyone’s permission to do the things we shouldn’t. Well…that and e-vites. As far as more music? A song a month…all year!
upfrontNY: What do you feel are the best qualities each of you brings to the band?
Hundred Handed: We all live together and work out of a home studio, so the fact that we are so close and know each other so well really allows for an openly creative environment. If one of us has an idea at 3AM, we rally the troops and get to work!
upfrontNY: You have a wide range of musical influences, for each of you what artist has inspired your music the most?
Hundred Handed: Jordan has an unhealthy obsession with Daft Punk and a serious musical crush on Tina Turner. Matt Black will play The Bodyguard soundtrack louder than anyone you’ve ever met. Drew somehow finds a way to connect with SlipKnot and Mariah Carey in the same car ride. We feel our odd combination of musical influences inspires us further by creating an openness for whatever feels right. We aren’t trying to chase something we think we are supposed to like. We are just making music that makes us happy.
upfrontNY: If you could tour or create a song with any artist or band who would you chose?
Hundred Handed: Daft Punk. The way they manipulate sound and create a certain feeling from the first beat to the last is second to none. Plus we want to wear the helmets….just once.
upfrontNY: Do you have any pre-show rituals you do?
Hundred Handed: Shots and handshakes!
upfrontNY: What are your biggest aspirations for the band?
Hundred Handed: We just want people to have as much fun listening to our music as we do making it. We’ve been in too many bands that took themselves too seriously or lost sight of the original goal of the music. We want fun from now until we’re done!
upfrontNY: What are you favorite hobbies to do together when you aren’t performing or creating music?
Hundred Handed: We all just started playing tennis. To say that Drew and Jordan have a rivalry with everything they do would be the understatement of the century. So, of course, they’ve already started arguing about who’s better and have set a date to settle it once and for all. We’re going to set up a bar, have a DJ, and Matt Black is going to call the match. I’m sure you’ll see it on our Instagram soon.
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