Interview with Hamilton Handshake

Happy Monday you handsome/beautiful swine! As promised, I'm going to post interviews with local bands and musicians. Some of them you may already know, but they're all worth knowing. Today you get to read the interview with the guys from Hamilton Handshake. These guys came through Obese Studios for their latest release and it was a smooth and hilarious few sessions.

Before we get into the juicy details of this interview, let's make sure we all know what a "hamilton handshake" actually is.....

Ubran dictionary definition: Hamilton Handshake

Breaking a bottle (usually in a bar fight) and stabbing somebody with the jagged ends.

Named after the crappy, industrial city in Ontario.

"I went to the bar for a beer but instead, I ended up getting a Hamilton Handshake.."

Click on the photo of these homeboys to listen to their single "Strut" 

 When did Hamilton Handshake first form? 

Kyle was being an old man and watering his recently planted grass. I stopped by because his old band had just ended. We drank beers, he cursed at the lawn and I asked him if he would be into playing with Phil and I. He said I don't hate the idea and in classic Kyle style that meant he dug it. I called Phil and the rest sorta wrote itself.

Were there any goals set as you guys were starting? 

Phil, Kyle, and myself had kinda been tired of the whole local band grind and we just wanted something that was fun and we could put our creative juices into and not hate being a part of at the end of the day.

Other than obviously having to be extremely handsome, what were you guys looking for as far as members for this?

 Phil and I started playing with anyone who could play bass and drums. We would play gigs in friend’s basement, practice with whoever and wherever we could muster that week. One time I tazed a dude at a shitty house show because he begged me to. Those are the caliber of gigs we were playing. Eventually, we saw played a gig with Kyle and his other band at the Five O'clock Lounge. We knew if we had the chance to all play together he'd be the guy to finish the band. When that band ended bam...Hamilton Handshake

Any plans to add any other musical elements to the live band?

 I've always really dug organ and keys on some of our things but I think its tough to find someone who fits in our band of misfits. So it would have to be something that kind just happened naturally. For now we're happy with how things are.

What's the most frustrating thing about being in a local band? 

Honestly, sometimes it’s a killer to get friends, coworkers and shit to come out because it's easy to think a local band will be rubbish to see. Thankfully once people come out they usually have fun and dig the fact that we're having fun too. People forget their favorite bands were once local bands bangin' out gigs around towns. All and all I really don't have complaints about being a local band in Cleveland.

What's with the medical torso you guys have in photos and on stage? 

 I teach at a school. We moved locations and the medical dude was poised to be thrown away. I ended up snagging it from the garbage and I just think it’s a cool thing to toss on stage. It stuck instantly. People were always asking about it and asking to see it. A guy after a gigged punched it and cracked the head and some of us almost got into a fight over disrespecting Dale.

You just released a single. How many of you guys are single? Asking for a friend.. 

 When Kyle isn’t losing a game of “Where’s my wedding ring” he’s married to the coolest chick a band mate could ask for and I'm sure she'd appreciate we get it out there that he's taken. Dave is dating a wonderful woman who supports him and the band, which is amazing. And Phil and I are the resident bachelors, songwriters, and loveable fools. Though I wrote most of this about someone who has influenced this band a lot. Women tend to play a big part in my life and therefore song writing.

What's the writing process like?

 Usually I just come with something on guitar and take it to Phil. He helps me “Phil” in the missing pieces. Then I’ll toss the idea to Kyle at rehearsal and if it's good it sticks. If its not he tells me flat out. Kyle and I love telling each other our ideas are rubbish.

Do you guys have any pre-show rituals?

 Mostly whiskey, cigarettes, and the usual taboos - really its just hanging out and kind of scoping out the night. Honestly, the preshow time kinda sucks sometimes, sitting at the venue for hours waiting to play, carrying heavy gear, and making sure our moms have tickets if we're being completely honest. It’s fun if the bands we're playing with are friends or when we play at Beachland and can go scoop records from Blue Arrow Records. I fucking love that place.

So what's next for you guys? 

Hopefully not fucking up all the fun we’re having by getting arrested, having a kid, or getting a real job. We're also gearing up to release our EP, which we recorded at Obese Studios with the sex machine himself, Matt Novak. We're really happy with that project. Having Matt record it, Chris Wild mix, master, and sit in on it. Having the homie Christian Roerig of The Skulx/The Nightbeast play some bass on our new single was really rad. We have some really cool things coming out along with the EP that Amber Patrick and Ryan Hobson of Forrest City Tattoos is helping us with...but that's all under wraps for now.


..Now check these guys out, buy me some tacos, and go poke an ugly person in the eye.



-Novak