News: Random Hand hiatus and final shows

Sad news today as UK ska-punk legends Random Hand have announced they will be going on hiatus. You can read the full statement and view their final tour dates below.

Hello peoples, Tilston here.

With a heavy heart I have to tell you we’re going on Hiatus after the next album and gigs booked. Just thought I’d get straight to the point, saving you the time of reading a long post, not knowing what laid at the end.

So here is why…

Three years ago, after weighing up the fact we couldn’t support a future for four people doing what we were doing, we went part time. We didn’t really make a song and dance about it. We still managed to do nearly 100 gigs in the first part time year, so I don’t really think anyone noticed. However, it became clear as other things got into our lives, it wasn’t going to remain that way. As priorities shifted, the band started to suffer and unnecessary strain started to weigh on friendships.

Questions start to be raised as these things develop. ‘Is it going to get better or worse?’ being the important one. The answer we all came to, was worse, if we continued going forward the same way. If the last few years teach us anything, for Random Hand to work, we all need to put it first. As that stopped happening at different times for different members, the cracks began to show. Those cracks stop Random Hand from being the best we can be. If we start accepting that and letting that be the case, we start to undo all the hard work we’ve done over the last decade. Going the way we were going it was looking like we may have to cancel another summer of festivals or find stand in member and the new album would slip again and again.

None of us wanted that.

So after discussion on all the options, we’ve decided we’re going to go out in style. Kick the summer in the nuts and play all our favourite places and make an awesome album and leave it with you to keep you warm, while we all go play happy families and try make a living.

We plan to launch a pledge campaign to fund the new album… we hope you will help us.