December Band of the Month: Hands Off Gretel
Hands Off Gretel are a 3 piece Alternative Rock/ New Wave Grunge band from South Yorkshire, UK. Launched February 2015 by Singer/Songwriter Lauren Tateand guitarist Seán Bon. Hands Off Gretel have since been described as "One of the most exciting new bands" in the 'Bands To Watch' feature in the US's Alternative Press Magazine. Back in September 2016 the band launched their first 13 track studio album 'Burn The Beauty Queen' after running a very successful crowdfunded backed entirely by their online fanbase.
"In an age of beige bands and nonchalant attitude to music, Hands Off Gretel come kicking and screaming like it's the early '90s and to be honest they are a breath of fresh air. " - Uber Rock
The band Hands Off Gretel developed late 2014 between Lauren & Sean, after Lauren's solo band 'The Lauren Tate band' came to an end in the summer of 2014. Tate had recently denied offers from US pop labels & X-Factor fast - tracks as she found her voice in punk rock, inspired massively by empowering front women like Courtney Love (Hole) & Brody Dalle (The Distillers), Tate took a daring new direction of songwriting. Hands Off Gretel launched Febuary 2015 and after several line up changes became a solid 3 piece between Lauren Tate, Seán Bon and Sam Hobbins.
"Despite her diminutive stature, Tate boasted a voice guttural and heavy hitting enough to match Brody Dalle or Courtney Love at their most vicious"- Blue Corner Stone Camden Rocks Festival Review @Camden Rocks Fest 2015.
The band recorded their first studio 13 track Album 'Burn The Beauty Queen' in a Countryside home in Wales. The album was funded entirely through a DIY crowdfunding campaign, hosted on the bands own website in June 2016, offering exclusive hand-made and hand signed items to fans who pre-ordered the album months before its release date. The campaign ran up until September 2016 with the band hitting their 100% mark weeks before the end date, ending the campaign on 135% of their original goal.
As of now Hands Off Gretel are a completely DIY unsigned band, with no label or official management and are supported by Lauren's Mum, Helen. All album artwork, posters, t-shirts, badges, zines, and everything visual is hand-drawn and designed by Lauren. All music videos are filmed by Helen Tate & edited by Lauren also, adding to the overall DIY punk ethos of the band people love them for. One integral part of Hands Off Gretel is the connection they have with fans through doing their own social media, everything is personalised which has attracted lots of attention from press.
'Not only do the band have a massive online following of 10,000+ fans, produce their own colourful DIY music videos and have been on stations such as Kerrang Radio; their debut album does not disappoint. However, the awesomeness of Hands Off Gretel stretches past their music. They make sure that every element of their band gives as much as it can possibly can to their fans and that’s commitment that you can’t fault.' - Louder Than War
Described by critics as a new wave of 90's nostalgia, influenced by late 80's/ early 90's Feminist 'Riot Grrrl' bands like 'Bikini Kill' and 'Hole', Hands Off Gretel have been inundated with album and live reviews, all of which have raved about this exciting young band. Hands Off Gretel, described as 'the best Alternative Rock band to come out of the UK in years' -Louder Than War. Between the band played Whitby Goth Festival, Camden Rocks Festival, The Isle Of Wight Festival, Rebellion Punk Festival, Download Festival & supported rising 'Ugly Pop' band Skating Polly from the USA on their first UK tour. Album Tracks featured on the iconic Rodney Beingenheimer's radio show 'Rodney On The Roq' in the USA, with radio play on Kerrang! hosted by Johnny Doom, Airplay in Japan on the InterFM897 radio, Team Rock Radio, BBC Introducing Radio, and many more radio shows across the world.
Discography:
Burn the beauty queen (2016)
Bedroom sessions (2016)
Social Media:
Where to Buy Music:
From Ronni a fan who put them up for Band of the Month:
They call themselves Hands Off Gretel, and they are a band from the UK whose music can be described as alternative rock, or new wave grunge. As a fan of '90s grunge as well as bands associated with riot grrrl, it was very easy for me to get into HOG and fall fast.
However, if the 'raspy vocals and dirty guitar' thing isn't your fav, I recommend giving them a try anyway. Their vocalist, Lauren Tate, has plenty of covers and other recordings posted on her YouTube channel that prove her excellence, even if you don't listen to the Nirvana/Hole/Bikini Kill bunch much, or at all.
I haven't been fortunate enough to catch a live show of theirs yet, as they haven't done any in the US thus far, but I have listened to their album, Burn the Beauty Queen, a handful of times all the way through, as well as Lauren's other recordings and the EP they released previously.
Some of my favorite songs include (but are not limited to): World Against She, Bad Egg, Be Mine, and Queen Universe.
Obviously, you're not in any way obligated to choose them, but I would love it if you did; heck I think they would love it, too. They're an awesome, talented band with a really cool online presence and an even cooler sound, in my opinion. They're currently growing in popularity, but I think they deserve all the recognition they can get for what they've done so far.
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