Turn It Down: The HIPSHAKES! New Single, New LP & a Call from NME?

The Hipshakes are: Andrew, Bruce & Daniel

By: Rich Tupica
Sept. 11th, 2006
richtupica@hotmail.com

Slovenly Records recently put out The Hipshakes first and only 7" single to date. However, their catalogue will be growing very soon. The loud and snotty punk-rock band from England is making it's way to the United States on September 28th, to play the always anticipated GonerFest in Memphis, Tennessee.
So, if you like their "Ok, Alright" single, hold tight, a new vinyl single, EP, a song on a 26-track English-band compilation, and finally their debut LP (Slovenly) are all on the way very soon ... and possibly a call from NME?
I figured I'd better contact Daniel Hipshake to answer some questions before I have to go through their public relations guy to get to him!

So, Daniel,how old are you guys and where do you all live?
"Right now, were all 20 years-old. We live in a small town called Bakewell in the summertime and then we live in the city of Sheffield when we're at our University the rest of the time, in historic England"

For all the young hipsters over here in the United States who haven't heard the best new punk band yet, describe your sound...
"Fast, loud rock-n-roll is pretty accurate I think. We try and write songs with catchy bits."

How and where did you guys meet up and start banging on your instruments?
"We went to a pre-school playgroup together at the age of three. Bruce and Andrew were a gang and Bruce once bit my friend. We were not, at this time, on speaking terms. We went to the same schools after this and Bruce started playing drums at about 13 or 14 years old, I think? Me and Andrew bought instruments when we were 16 and the band started."

You guys name the Oblivians as an influence, must be pretty rad to be working with Eric Oblivian over at Goner Records on your new single, huh? Can you tell me a bit about the 7" and how it all came together?
"Yeah its great! The Oblivians are one of our favourite bands and have been for ages, it's going to be nice, yet weird meeting some of them at Gonerfest. When I was 16 or so I emailed Jack Oblivian for the lyrics to 'Strong Come On' so we could accurately cover it! As far as how the single came about I realized we had two songs with Oblivians titles and posted them to Eric, and asked if he fancied doing a 'Not Oblivians' EP. He surprisingly said yes, the songs bear no resemblance to their namesakes."

When will Static Recordings: "Killed by England" compilation be available? Is this your first compilation that you have been featured on?
"I have no idea, we played at the Static Party the month before the supposed launch night and haven't heard anything since. There's some good stuff on it, Real Losers, Black Time, Dirty Ho, we only snuck onto it at the last minute.
Yeah it's the first compilation we are on, we have been on cd-r that came free with a cool fanzine in Sheffield, made by the Sheffield Phonographic Corporation label, home of the now defunct Motherfuckers, where we featured alongside Arctic Monkeys and the Long Blondes. Surprisingly we are not yet the biggest band in the U.K."

You guys are going to be playing at Goner Fest 3, 2006... Long way to fly for one show! Is it because America appreciates the Hipshakes more than the U.K.?
"Yeah! Partly because people in America have said nice things about our record, but mainly because a member of one of our favourite bands asked us to go and play alongside several other excellent bands. It would be tempting to go to Gonerfest even if we weren't playing!
Next year we'll probably play more shows and go on a proper tour."

A Fistful of Records is putting out a Hipshakes E.P., are these new songs or some old dusty tracks?
"They are old now, from the same sessions as the Slovenly 45 and the Goner 45."

When will the world see an LP? Have you guys started any recordings for a full length?
"We recorded an album with Shaun of the Real Losers recently. Slovenly are putting it out. It sounds different to the older stuff, very loud. Maybe it will be out really soon, maybe by Gonerfest? I don't know for sure."

Can you describe the garage and punk rock scene over in your part of the U.K.? In a lot of places over here there's a lot of cool clothes and shaggy haircuts. Oh, and we got them girls who like to dress up like they're mod 1960's chicks or some shit.
"In the U.K. the NME has just pissed it's pants because some people who are about our age have formed a band, moved to London, stolen an old bands name and ripped off their extensive 60's and 70's garage and punk record collections and from what I've heard from other people, not very well. Oh, yeah, style magazines love all of them because they all have different wild hairstyles and dress in a gothic manner. This has been heralded as a revival of the garage revival of a few years ago. We are waiting by our phones for that inevitable NME call."

What about the punk bands over there, anything you're digging?
"There are quite a few bands playing tame garage or punk without conviction or any energy, others do it pretty well. Some of the best bands are no more- Real Losers, Motherfuckers. Look out for new bands from these people soon! They were about the only good garage or punk bands in the North. In London there is Black Time and some others.
There is hardly a scene here, now there may just be enough promoters scattered around to warrant some good U.S. bands to not just play London and see more of England!"