Random Hand formed in late 2002, and consists of Joe Tilston (Bass & Vocals), Robin Leitch (Vocals & Trombone), Mathew Crosher (Guitar & Vocals) and Joe Dimuantes (Percussion & Samples). The four members came from three other bands who played a part in the local Keighley scene in the years leading up to the formation of Random Hand. Typically associated with the punk scene due to their ethics and lyrical content, the band's main themes represented within the songs are usually of a social and/or political nature, which reflects the environment in which they were written. The band are renowned for their energetic live shows.
Random Hand played their first show on 31st December 2002 at a local house party. The first official gig was on Valentines Day 2003 at the Vic Hotel in Keighley. The gig was followed with other shows around the West Yorkshire, namely in Huddersfield, Leeds and Halifax.
The band recorded a demo in the summer of 2003, comprising four tracks with a hint of what was to develop into the band's trademark heavy punk/ska sound. The demo was given as a free release for download, while the band continued to gig and develop their sound.
In late 2004 the band spent time with producer TimG to record a better representation of what the band was now creating live. Named the 'On The March EP', it featured the tracks "Tear Down", "Mr.Bib Wakes Up", "The Story" and "Morally Blind". This first release also featured two live recordings. This period is often regarded as the start of the bands career.
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 co-incide with the release of their debut EP, 'On The March'.
Random Hand continued to play nation-wide, with appearances 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 "Save Us In This World" and "One World", which on special occasions have been played live.
The band began to be represented by Hidden Talent Booking in 2006. This saw Random Hand playing shows on Adequate Seven's final tour, Lightyear'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[2] with Peter Miles in Southampton. The record was released on Riot Music on May 7th 2007.
Following the release, the band toured with the likes of Voodoo Glow Skulls, Grown at Home, The JB Conspiracy, Left Alone and played larger shows at City Invasion, Rebellion and Leeds Festival[3].
Tracks from the album received regular play on the Mike Davies[4] Show and an airing on the Steve Lemacq Show[5], resulting in the band recording a session at the world famous Maide Vale Studios for the Radio One Punk Show at the end of 2007. Tracks also appeared on several cover CD's for Big Cheese Magazine.
2008 started with the bands first headline tour of the UK, with 20 dates across the UK.
Taking up an invitation from Voodoo Glow Skulls to play in the US, the band joined them on their 2008 west-coast 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 they played both Slam Dunk Fest and Strummercamp. The band also once again performed at Rebellion Festival, the world's biggest dedicated punk festival in Blackpool in mid August. 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 pop-punk band, Mike TV through October and November 2008.
In early September 2008 Random Hand sent this message from the band's myspace:
"We're very excited to announce the release of our second album "Inhale/Exhale" on Rebel Alliance Records, joining Sonic Boom Six and The Babylon Whackers. Yeah
2011 saw the release of the band's third LP "Seething Is Believing" and their 1000th show.
In 2015 the band did announced they were calling it a day after 13 years as a band, after embarking on an extensive farewell tour ending with a sold out show at the Camden Underworld the band released their forth and final album entitled Hit Reset.
In October 2017, after a two year break, Random Hand announced their return in 2018 with appearances at Mighty Sounds Festival in Prague and OutCider Festival and Manchester Punk Festival in the UK.
http://www.rebelalliancerecordings.com
Play Some Ska
Random Hand Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
The way that you want the music too go
No intention for anything more, Recycled sounds are what you came here for
Now i love the beat but i need to shout
And if you missed the point of the band
then plug in your brain and try and chill out
Now i spit a little bit about what i think is wrong
You see a band is alive and it grows and it flows
And it shows that the path of sound is long
Its a wide mind culture thing
When the band can bring every style and put it in
You reject it, theres the exit
Big fat noise but your point is wearing thin
You turn your head cause it doesnt go your way
Thats fair enough, But I grit my teeth when the close minds say
Why dont you play some ska?
You see deep undergound, explorers have found
Its not bad thing if you take to another sound
You can pick and mix with your music fix
Theres a lot of stuff around
You only like one kind of tune, Complain that theres no room
To play about, but you can mix things up without a doubt
You turn your head cause it doesnt go your way
Thats fair enough, But I grit my teeth when the close minds say
Why dont you play some ska?
The song "Play Some Ska" by Random Hand is a commentary on the closed-mindedness of certain music listeners who attend shows with preconceived notions of what they want to hear, rather than embracing the diversity and evolution of a band's sound. The lyrics express frustration with those who reject anything outside of their preferred genre or style, as if they are entitled to dictate the direction of the music. The repeated question "Why don't you play some ska?" becomes a symbol of this narrow-minded thinking, as the singer challenges the audience to expand their horizons and appreciate the range of musical influences that can make up a band's sound.
The first verse introduces the idea of a listener who is resistant to any deviation from their expectations, seeking out "recycled sounds" instead of welcoming the potential for growth and change. The singer acknowledges their love for the music but also their desire to "shout" and speak out against those who miss the point of the band's message. In the second verse, the singer gets more confrontational, calling out the "close-minded" listeners who reject anything outside of their favorite genre. They argue that music should be an open-minded and inclusive culture, where a band can incorporate multiple styles and sounds without fear of being rejected by a select few.
The chorus reinforces the idea that music should not be limited by preconceptions or narrow boundaries, encouraging listeners to embrace new sounds and mix things up. The repeated cry of "Why don't you play some ska?" becomes a rallying cry for the singer, a challenge to the listener to expand their horizons and embrace the diverse influences that make up a band's sound.
Line by Line Meaning
Straight in the door But already you know
You came into this venue knowing exactly what type of music you wanted to hear
The way that you want the music too go
You have a specific idea of how you want the music to sound
No intention for anything more, Recycled sounds are what you came here for
You're not interested in new or original sounds, you just want to hear the same recycled music
Now i love the beat but i need to shout
I enjoy the music, but I also have something to say and want to express myself through the music
And if you missed the point of the band then plug in your brain and try and chill out
If you're not understanding the purpose behind the band's music, you should try to clear your mind and be open to different interpretations
Now i spit a little bit about what i think is wrong
Now I'm going to talk about what I believe needs to change
Run along if you cannot hack the song
If you can't handle the message in the music, then you should leave
You see a band is alive and it grows and it flows
A band's music can change and evolve over time
And it shows that the path of sound is long
The possibilities for sound and music are endless
Its a wide mind culture thing
An open mind is crucial to truly appreciating all types of music
When the band can bring every style and put it in
A great band can blend together different genres and styles of music
You reject it, theres the exit
If you're not willing to accept and appreciate new sounds, you should leave
Big fat noise but your point is wearing thin
Your argument is getting weaker and less convincing
You turn your head cause it doesnt go your way
You're not enjoying the music because it's not what you expected or wanted to hear
Thats fair enough, But I grit my teeth when the close minds say
It's understandable to not enjoy certain types of music, but it's frustrating when people refuse to be open to trying new things
Why dont you play some ska?
You're requesting that the band play a specific genre of music
You see deep undergound, explorers have found
There are many lesser-known, underground genres of music worth exploring
Its not bad thing if you take to another sound
It's perfectly fine to enjoy different types of music
You can pick and mix with your music fix
You can mix and match different genres of music to find your perfect sound
Theres a lot of stuff around
There are countless different genres and styles of music to explore
You only like one kind of tune, Complain that theres no room
You only enjoy one specific genre of music, and feel like there's not enough of it being played
To play about, but you can mix things up without a doubt
You can experiment with different types of music without losing your love for your favorite genre
Contributed by Colton M. Suggest a correction in the comments below.