22.11.11 California Diner - 'The Handcuffs Interview!'

This week’s show is a real treat for me, and hopefully for you too. I get to interview Chloe F. Orwell and Brad Elvis, one of my favorite rock and roll couples! They lead the Chicago-based band The Handcuffs. The Handcuffs recently released their third album, Waiting For The Robot. It’s a fiery, sassy affair, with a lot of personality. And it’s really good. Brad’s got an illustrious history. He’s a drummer who’s also a prolific songwriter. One of his early bands, The Elvis Brothers, was a mainstay on the Midwest pop circuit. (And don’t question his lineage: his “brothers” were Rob and Graham Elvis. That’s all you need to know.) Lots of fun. A stint in power pop band Big Hello led to a partnership with Chloe, who’s not only got great chops as a powerful vocalist, but she’s a multi-instrumentalist and songwriter as well. In the mid-2000’s, it was time for Chloe and Brad to start up a new band from scratch, and thus was born The Handcuffs. It’s one of the greatest band names ever, and don’t worry, I’ll ask them about that on the show. Rounding out the lineup with bassist Emily Togni, guitarist Ellis Clark, and newest Handcuff, full-time keyboardist Alison Hinderliter, they’ve got a tough but fun, big sound. So what do they sound like? A little power pop, a little New Wave. Some crunchy rock, and some glam. Songs like Dirty Glitter, Miss You On Tuesday, and Kiss This Goodbye are the grittiest examples of the classic Handcuffs sound--all attitude, all the time. Chloe lets you know she’s in charge, a la Debbie Harry at her finest. Brisk drums make you snap to attention, and a plethora of sounds and textures--guitars, horns, synths, pianos--serve notice that you have entered Handcuffs turf. But as edgy as all this sounds, they really are a blast and a good time to listen to. And at the same time, there’s a couple of acoustic, sensitive moments that lend some extra depth to this record. Eight Down features a sympathetic portrait of somebody who got burned, but is getting a second chance. I love the contrast between the near-acoustic verses and the bombastic choruses. It absolutely works--it gets reflective between battles, much like the advice given in the song. And Baby I Love You is the real surprise in this collection. It’s the first time I’ve heard Brad sing in The Handcuffs--he duets with Chloe in a straight-up love song. They extol each other’s virtues, but no, it’s not sappy. It’s fiery, yet acoustic. I’m still not sure how they manage to pull that off, but suffice it to say, it rocks. If you check out their liner notes, or go to their website (www.thehandcuffs.com)--you’ll see that they look as dynamic as they sound, dressing in sharp, bold clothes--reminiscent of the pop-art 1960’s look. These guys have an image! Other fun facts about The Handcuffs: Brad’s other job is drummer for the great 1980’s New Wave band, The Romantics. He travels all over the country with those guys, and believe it or not, he’s been with the band longer than the original drummer! And Chloe is a premier voiceover artist--us radio folks would kill to have her kind of poise. But more than all that, the folks in The Handcuffs are just plain good people. They were right there when several of us radio folks banded together to do a radiothon to help the victim’s of Japan’s tsunami earlier in the year. And they’re putting forth their efforts to aid another special cause. Tails of Joy is a wonderful animal rescue charity, started by American comedian Elayne Boosler. Their goal is simple: to make the world better for animals and their people. They help the smallest and neediest animal rescue organizations around the United States--the ones that really need the most help. And since it’s staffed by volunteers, 100% of any donations go to help the animals. The Handcuffs have partnered with Tails of Joy to do something special for the animals who could really use our help. If you buy any Handcuffs CD at CdBaby between now and December 26th, $1.00 of each sale will go directly to Tails of Joy. This works for me on so many levels. You’re supporting great indie musicians. You’re helping to give needy animals a better life. And you’re feeding your ears and brains with some of the best indie music out there. It’s the holidays, so your gift buying problems have just been solved. You’re welcome. www.cdbaby.com/Artist/TheHandcuffs www.thehandcuffs.com www.tailsofjoy.net If you'd like to make a request, just drop me a line at mike(at)rechargedradio.com. If you'd like to become an honorary California citizen, drop me a line at the same address. And if you'd like to hear all this great music—simply tune in to the California Diner, Tuesday night, 8:00-10:00 p.m. (GMT), 12:00-2:00 p.m. Pacific, only at Recharged Radio—www.rechargedradio.com. This note also appears in the News section on the home page of RechargedRadio.com. See you then! Chef Mike mike(at)rechargedradio.com MN2BDNC Mark Bacino - Queens English Green Beetles - The Basement Tina Lie - Twilight Hour Bud Rogers - Slave To Passion Model Society - Tomorrow She Loves Me Debora Iyall - Stay Strong Anton Barbeau - Losing You Makes Crucifixion Easy Laurie Biagini - My Little SUV The Handcuffs Interview The Handcuffs – Baby I Love You The Handcuffs – Eight Down The Handcuffs – Kiss This Goodbye The Handcuffs – Dirty Glitter Duncan Faure - In The Right Place Baby Scream - Cold Weather Reggae Maxi Dunn - Messed Up Peter Daltrey and Damien Youth - Phantom Wheels Lindy LaFontaine (with Kyro) - Haunted Jay Fraser - Devil's Play Onward Chariots - War Hero Emily Zuzik Band - Motels Heiskell - The Death of Knoxville Cool Popdudes - Desperation Time Natasha Davies - Giggle Dead Heart Bloom - Sentimental Cures