In 2009, they toured Europe and the USA and spent a lot of time in the studio, with producer Gareth Jones. At Glastonbury they won "Emerging Talent Competition 2009" & now, hoping to prove the critics correct, with their début album, "WHB" (Apr 2010). A new album "Movements" (28 Apr 2014) is planned, produced by band member Thomas and co-produced and mixed by Tim Goldsworthy (DFA Records, LCD Soundsystem, Unkle, Mo'Wax).
Drawing from a well of influences that include ESG, Animal Collective and The Rapture, the band created their own sound - a 21st Century mixtape that defies categorisation or pigeonholing. With the prime focus on making people dance, they quickly took the big step of taking their music to the stage, despite having little to no previous experience between them. “We learnt quickly” says Dede, “I never thought I’d be in a band, I definitely didn’t ever see myself on a stage! But after the first few shows you get over the scary bit and the buzz just took over – there was no looking back.”
‘The snowball effect’ is a fitting description for the band’s first year; play a few shows in London, play a few more outside of London, start getting a lot more hits on MySpace, NME and Dazed & Confused get in touch about doing ‘ones to watch’ features, label’s start calling and before you know it they have their first release. Early singles like the vibrating punk funk monsters 'Oh!' (released on 50 Bones records) and ‘You Came Out’ (released on Kill Em All) as well as the fuzzy, descending disco of 'Hear It In The Cans' (available on the sixth Kitsuné Maison compilation) showed the trio's playful, disco side but those looking for 12 identical tracks on ‘WHB’ may be in for a surprise.
"The singles are poppy, danceable and catchy but there's another side to us," says Thomas. Indeed tracks like 'Buffet' and 'Piano' hint at a rougher, more complex element to the discoball dream. "We like a lot of dark music. Joy Division, early OMD, and Talking Heads are just some of the things that we listen to,” adds Darren. "The three of us have lots of different influences and they’ve all come out on ‘WHB’."
The DIY ethos of the band has meant that they've succeeded without being tied to a record label. "We didn't want to focus on getting a deal, we went out and did everything ourselves. We got on with existing as a band on our own terms," says Darren. This has meant the freedom to tour extensively around the world. "If we were signed to a label, the record company wouldn't have allowed us to tour as much as we have," says Thomas. "I was looking at my passport today and I thought that I needed to get a new one soon, it's nearly run out of pages!" Thanks to this, Dede says, the band have a large international fan-base. "When you go to France or Russia and fans who don't necessarily know English are singing your songs back to you word for word, that's an amazing feeling. You just think 'how do they know the songs?!'"
From the humble beginnings of 'WHB', the trio wrote the rest of the 11 sonically diverse songs that make up their brilliantly eclectic album in between touring, over the course of 2009. The final product is much bigger than their singles and beloved MySpace songs suggest. Beat heavy, yes, but also warm, organic and much more complex, melody driven and beautiful than you would expect.
So here you have it, ‘WHB’, the debut album from We Have Band that really is the full story of everything they’ve achieved as a band, from the very beginning up until now.
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Hear It In The Cans
We Have Band Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
With our own hands
To expand
To touch the sand
Let me hear it in the cans
Sitting down here with an empty box
(Answers for everyone)
Plug goes in the hole
Still don't know if it's going to work
Guess everyone's got a goal
(Been in these shoes? We made these shoes)
Swimming away with an idea
(What makes the ball roll?)
Pin it down
(We really really don't know)
Pin that tail on the donkey
(We were thrown together)
Pin him down to the ground
We made band
With our own hands
To expand
To touch the sand
Let me hear it in the cans
Stop and let's think for a moment
(Answers for everyone)
Where do we go from here?
(Derailed onto a final path)
All this consternation
Might just turn to fear
(Been in these shoes? We made these shoes)
Chipping away at the routine
(What makes the ball roll?)
Take it down
(We really really don't know)
Need to get some focus
Need to make some sound
(We were thrown together)
We made band
With our own hands
To expand
To touch the sand
Let me hear it in the cans
The song "Hear It In The Cans" by We Have Band talks about the experience of starting a band from scratch and trying to make it work. The lyrics describe the process of setting up equipment, trying to figure out how to make everything function, and the uncertainty that comes with trying something new. The line "We made band with our own hands" suggests that the band is self-made and independent, which is something to be proud of. The reference to "hearing it in the cans" is a reference to what a musician hears when they are recording - they are listening to the sound through headphones or monitors. So, asking to hear it in the cans means to hear what is being recorded.
The lyrics also touch on the struggle of finding direction and purpose while dealing with the pressures of creating something meaningful. The lines "All this consternation might just turn to fear" and "Need to get some focus, need to make some sound" indicate that there is hesitancy and doubt in the band's ability to succeed. However, despite the challenges faced, the band is determined to expand and touch the sand, suggesting that they have a desire to make an impact and create something extraordinary. Overall, "Hear It In The Cans" is an introspective and reflective song that explores the ups and downs of starting a band.
Line by Line Meaning
We made band
We formed a musical group
With our own hands
We created it ourselves, from scratch
To expand
We wanted to grow and develop as a band
To touch the sand
To reach our goals, to see the world and experience new things
Let me hear it in the cans
Let me listen to it through the headphones, to focus on the music
Sitting down here with an empty box
Starting from nothing, with no idea of what to create
(Answers for everyone)
We're trying to figure out the right path for our music, for ourselves and for our fans
Plug goes in the hole
Connecting to the equipment, making sure everything is working properly
(Derailed onto a final path)
We're taking a risk, not fully knowing if it will pay off or not
Still don't know if it's going to work
Uncertainty about the success of our efforts
Guess everyone's got a goal
Everyone is looking for their purpose and their way forward
(Been in these shoes? We made these shoes)
We've been in this position before, we're trying to create something unique and special
Swimming away with an idea
We're exploring different possibilities, even if we're not sure where they'll take us
(What makes the ball roll?)
What drives us forward and keeps us motivated?
Pin it down
Narrowing down our options, focusing on what's most important
Pin that tail on the donkey
Trying to find the right fit, the perfect music for us and our fans
Pin him down to the ground
Making a strong decision, committing to a particular song or sound
Stop and let's think for a moment
Taking a break, being mindful about our choices
Where do we go from here?
Uncertainty about the direction of our music
All this consternation
All the worry and confusion about the future
Might just turn to fear
The uncertainty may turn into something more negative or paralyzing
Chipping away at the routine
We're breaking out of our comfort zone, trying new things and being innovative
Take it down
Refining our music, making it better and more impactful
Need to get some focus
We need to pay closer attention to our music, prioritize it and take it seriously
Need to make some sound
We need to create and produce real, meaningful music
Contributed by Elizabeth N. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Arsen Skavin
In 2021 this is classic now
ToMansion Percussion
this sng make me feel good
thanks from France
Tom. Jesus saves.
we made band