Most people support having fun, but there are few bands who’s musical essence can be distilled down to the word ‘fun.’ Hundred Handed aren’t trying to convey a deep message or change the world, but they are doing their best to inspire people to let loose a bit. If you can make a catchy dance anthem, chances are you’re making someone somewhere happy, after all. Their songs have both the impetuous fun and brazen candidness of a Lonely Island parody, but instead of parodies, the band’s energy is channeled into tales about fun times.
Favorites: “Miss California,” “Doctor,” “She Was The One”
Similar to: High Tyde, Orange Pedro, Chase Caffey
Interview:
What inspired you to start making music?
JM: Music was always a big part of my life growing up but the only thing anyone in the family could play was the radio. I tried piano when I was little but my teacher was a partially deaf, off duty clown (not kidding). I hate clowns and didn’t like being shouted at so it didn’t take. When my family moved to LA from Dallas, I didn’t have any friends yet so I used the money I had saved to buy the Tom Delonge Strat and learned a bunch of songs. By the time school started I was dying to start a band.
Which artists have had the biggest influence on you?
JM: Everyone from Tina Turner to Daft Punk… David Foster to Blink-182. I love studying what about people’s song writing and performance makes them stand out. Also, if you can dance to it… I’m in. If you and your drunk friends can all sing along to it at 4AM… even better!
You have released a few songs already this year, is this leading up to a bigger album?
JM: Absolutely! We made the decision to let people hear us grown and kind of release things as they happened since this a new band for us. Now, we’ve dialed our sound in and learned more about what this band is supposed to be in our minds… We have a nice batch of songs just waiting to go!
Your mission statement is basically ‘have fun.’ Do you think having fun is the purpose of music?
JM: I think as a writer and performer, music is supposed to be a reflection of yourself and where you are in your life… or where you want to be. Listeners tend to mirror that. For us it’s fun! We’ve been in too many bands that lost sight of the excitement and privilege that comes with doing what we do. Hundred Handed is our answer to that.
What’s your favorite tour story?
JM: We toured with a band that just refused to stop taking themselves seriously and have some fun. They kept complaining that we had confetti and big balloons out in the crowd during our show and did everything they could to stop us from doing it… including canceling the last show and then rescheduling it last minute after we had already started to head home. So for that last show we made sure the venue stocked their dressing room with 5,000 balloons and 10 pounds of confetti.
What would your dream collab be?
JM: Either Daft Punk or Stromae. The way they put sounds together is so unique to each of them. I’d have to stop myself from just taking notes the whole time… and drooling over their gear.
Where did the band name Hundred Handed come from?
JM: One of the only classes I actually showed up for in college was Greek and Roman mythology. The Hundred Handed are some pretty amazing creatures that helped overthrow the Titans… I don’t want to sell the story short so I recommend looking it up!
What are your plans for the near future?
JM: Make music, tour, repeat!!! Find us on social media, hit us up, have some fun with us! Thanks for chatting!
The Offbeat 