Hands Off Gretel, are playing #360RAW on July 13th at the Lending Room in Leeds, TotalNtertainment was able to grab them for an interview ahead of their gig. Tickets for this can be bought from Skiddle, See Tickets, and Crash Records.
1. Could you introduce your band to our readers? And where can people hear your music?
Hey readers! We are Hands Off Gretel an alt-rock 4 piece from South Yorkshire and you can find our music online via Spotify and YouTube. I do suggest coming to the gig, though, if you can make it, so we can wiggle in the flesh.
2. Can you describe how you sound in just one sentence?
Yeah sure: Hands Off Gretel is naughty like a little girl from a Rob Zombie movie or something with an axe in one hand and lollipop in the other; we mix the sweet melodies with the heavy screamy stuff; it’s the kind of music I feel that expresses the frustration of growing up in such a pressuring society when it comes to how young girls should look and act.
3. How did you get involved in the #360RAW night?
We have played at the 360 Club night before and jumped at the chance to be involved again when the promoter Richard asked us if we wanted to headline this show! It’s a great venue, great sound and Richard knows how to put a good line up together.
4. What do you know about the other bands playing #360RAW4?
They’re proper good and I’m really excited to play with them. We have played a few shows with our friends in Late Night Legacy and they’re so amazing live; Ryan is such a ball of energy it’s unreal. I’m really looking forward to meeting Purple Thread too; it’s always nice to play with other girls in bands. I’ve listened their stuff online and can’t wait to hear it live!
5. What can people expect from your set?
Haha … well, if all goes well people are gonna feel pumped and ready to take over the world; that’s all I aim for at my shows when I’m throwing myself around like an idiot I’m hoping that people go away feeling inspired. Whenever I’ve seen bands live when I was growing up, I’ve always left feeling I can do anything in the world so that’s what I always aim for. It really excites me when people are pumped by the show, that’s why I always go out and meet people after. I love it when people have a fun time.
6. What do you think of the Yorkshire music scene for bands, venues and fans?
The scene is great in Yorkshire. I mean, it’s big on cover bands and where I’m from in Barnsley if you’re an 80s rock cover band you’ll be selling out every show, but there’s so many individuals working so hard to create a buzz around the scene here especially in Sheffield and Leeds. The hometown gigs are a lot different to playing in London and there’s a different mentality here, like Barnsley Live Festival this year, we packed the place out and you can feel that sense of pride in the community like you are waving your hometown flag if you do well. It’s really sweet we have a load of wacky fans from Yorkshire.
7. Are there any new bands in Yorkshire that you think we should be checking out?
Oh, hell yeah, there’s loads. Some of my personal favourites have to be Brooders, Pretty Addicted, Faux Pas, Queasy and one of the best singers I’ve heard, Alisha Vickers. There is so much talent about now though; I found Faux Pas and Queasy recently just hanging out at Café Totem discovering new bands in Sheffield, they blew me away!
8. Do you have any good / bad / messy local gig stories to tell?
Yeah, one time we played in Sheffield and throughout the entire set a woman off her trolley on coke stood face to face with me while I was trying to sing shouting random stuff. That was a real messy one, she got on stage pulling out our guitar leads mid song and I was laughing like, “Oh my god someone help”. I really didn’t want to have to rugby tackle this woman off the www. She eventually got kicked out, though, after screaming for a whole 45 minutes while I was trying to sing, that was proper weird!
9. Curveball question – If you could play any character in a fairy tale who would it be and why?
Well I should say Gretel from Hansel and Gretel but, actually, I’m gonna say Cinderella. But I’d swap the Prince for the Fairy God Mother and have the mice chase me all day.
10. There are plenty of gigs going on this summer throughout Leeds and the north; why should someone come and see you at #360RAW4 on 13 July?
Because this one will be way better than the rest and I really believe in fate; do you believe in fate? If you are reading this now it’s just obviously meant to be.
