Brighton trio Gaffa Tape Sandy have announced details of their new album ‘Hold My hand, God Damn It’ which is set for release on 31st May 2024 via Alcopop! Records, and have shared the album tracklist and artwork below.
The three piece are also pleased to announce an extensive run of September 2024 UK headline tour dates, with tickets on sale 10am Monday 19th February. There will also be a couple special album release shows, the first of which will take place at Resident in Brighton on Friday 31st May (Details HERE) and the second will be at Rough Trade East, London on 5th June 2024, with tickets on sale now.
To celebrate the glut of news, the band are sharing new single ‘Scrapbook’ set for release on 15th February 2024 via Alcopop! Records.
Featuring a rousing riff and gang vocal that pinwheel satisfyingly around a soaring chorus melody, ‘Scrapbook’ is the first song from the band primarily written by bassist Catherine Lindley-Neilson, who has been writing her own material since Gaffa Tape’s formation, but never had the confidence to share her output with the rest of the band.
Previously leaving the bulk of the songwriting down to guitarist Kim Jarvis, in keeping with their newly adapted method of songwriting, Catherine finally decided to bring ‘Scrapbook’ to the table, and the band are enormously proud of it. Not only musically, but in terms of what it represents for the songwriting trio.
Commenting on the track, Lindley-Neilson says: “Scrapbook is about lost time, and wondering what could’ve been with someone. Picturing what the scrapbook would’ve looked like if things had been different, and the mixed feelings you get when you see that person again.”
Gaffa Tape Sandy wrote forthcoming new record ‘Hold My Hand, God Damn It’ nervously together as the world slowly emerged from the first COVID-19 lockdown. The album writing process proved difficult, as a myriad of anxiety and personal relationship issues plagued the trio. The band was battling post-COVID mental health problems and employment issues, all while Catherine and Kim were trying to navigate recent breakups that coincided with their first UK headline tour in March 2020, just before the pandemic struck.
Thankfully, the band persisted, and adopted a more cooperative writing method that made the songwriting process for ‘Hold My Hand, God Damn It’ a revitalising experience, rather than a debilitating challenge. Rehearsals that started out as somewhat difficult became more like bonding sessions, and the friendships within the band started to flourish. The theme of the album quickly materialised.
Recorded and produced by George Perks (Wargasm, Enter Shikari, Skindred) at the legendary Vada Studios in the countryside surrounding Birmingham, the album was made by three friends with boundless love and affection towards one another, who pulled together and preserved their musical output and friendship, despite the odds. As such, ‘Hold My Hand, God Damn It’ is a frustrated-yet-compassionate, cathartic celebration of friendship and reconciliation in difficult times.
The trio released album track ‘Split’ late last year as a teaser of new material, picking up radio support from John Kennedy at Radio X, Total Rock, and more.
With their sights now firmly set on launching a full scale assault on 2024, Gaffa Tape Sandy will be pulling no punches as they reveal further new music and live dates over the coming months.
New album ‘Hold My Hand, God Damn It’ is released 31st May 2024 via Alcopop! Records. The tracklisting reads:
1. Body In The Water
2. Scrapbook
3. Dead To Me
4. Evil, Evil, Evil
5. Get Off
6. Split
7. Rosemary
8. Devour (Rosemary Pt. II)
9. Medicine
10. Energy
11. Holding Hands
12. Queasy
Gaffa Tape Sandy Live Dates:
Wed 05 Jun 2024 – London – Rough Trade
Fri 20 Sep 2024 – Newcastle – Zerox
Sat 21 Sep 2024 – Glasgow – Broadcast
Sun 22 Sep 2024 – Edinburgh – Sneaky Pete’s
Mon 23 Sep 2024 – Leeds – Hyde Park Book Club
Wed 25 Sep 2024 – Sheffield – Hallamshire Hotel
Thu 26 Sep 2024 – Liverpool – Kazimier Stockroom
Sat 28 Sep 2024 – Manchester – The Deaf Institute
Sun 29 Sep 2024 – Nottingham – The Bodega Social Club
Mon 30 Sep 2024 – Bristol – Exchange
Tue 01 Oct 2024 – Cardiff – Clwb Ifor Bach
Thu 03 Oct 2024 – London – Boston Music Room
Fri 04 Oct 2024 – Guildford – The Boileroom
Sat 05 Oct 2024 – Brighton – DUST
Sun 06 Oct 2024 – Tunbridge Wells – The Forum
Tickets on sale 10am, Monday 19th February 2024 – www.gaffatapesandy.com
