Random Hand Offer Lifejackets

by | Jun 2, 2023

Twenty years in, and top of their game, West Yorkshire, Keighley-bred ska punk icons Random Hand are coming in hot with their fifth album! Their bodies may be creaking with grey hairs beginning to show, but the vitality and relevance of their music isn’t changing one bit. Refined and confident, the band’s new self-title album, which drops on 29th September via Bomber Music, is set to redefine their place as one of the UK’s most significant and dependable punk bands.

Random Hand

20 years ago, as the seemingly unstoppable third wave of ska punk came crashing down on the world of popular music, only to leave a misunderstood scene in its wake, Random Hand worked tirelessly on keeping the spirit of the bands that inspired them alive and kicking. Tearing full throttle through the UK punk scene with their ferocious in your face ska-punk-metal mayhem, stops along the way in the USA, Canada, Russia and all over mainland Europe have displayed a band with a relentless touring schedule. The band have played countless festivals including Reading, Leeds, Slam Dunk, Rebellion, Guilfest, Glastonbury, Boomtown Fair, 2000 Trees, Mighty Sounds and toured alongside the likes of Less Than Jake, Reel Big Fish, Propagandhi, Big D & The Kids Table, Voodoo Glow Skulls etc. They played their 1000th show in July 2011 and were nominated for the AIM award for ‘Hardest Working Band’ (they came a close second to Frank Turner). They have recorded 3 sessions for BBC Radio 1.

Having taken a brief pause from touring to pursue solo projects after the release of 2015’s Hit Reset album, the band – Robin Leitch (Vocals & Trombone), Joe Tilston (Bass), Dan Walsh (Guitar) and Sean Howe (Drums) – are raring to return to the fray with gigs confirmed for September and October, and the highly anticipated release of their fifth album.

“We pushed ourselves to breaking, then further still,” explains bassist Joe Tilston. “We stopped to recover and then came back with a passion and energy we didn’t think possible. Random Hand have now played over 2000 shows and we are currently curating a series of our own HandFests across the UK this year, the first in Leeds in February sold out two days in less than 45 minutes.

Check out the Danny Hardaker-directed video for Lifejackets below:

“Once we started writing the new album, we hit a groove like in the years the band first started,” continues Tilston. “Things felt so natural and exciting again. Working with Andy Hawkins, who helped us craft Hit Reset was the obvious choice. We loved making that album, but recording an album you know you’re not going to tour is a very different experience. This was exciting, potential was oozing out of every session, that didn’t feel stunted or a waste. The choice to call it Random Hand felt like a bold statement for album five and two decades into a career. But we feel that good about it, it defines all we’ve done, and we believe it stands as tall as anything else we’ve ever created, if not taller. With all the other great things happening in ska punk in the international scene and in the UK, makes it feel like this album couldn’t be timed better.”

The first taste of these new recordings comes with Lifejackets, an infectiously joyous body shakin’ tune that, like much of Random Hand’s music, masks a serious and weighty message.

“It’s a song about the gap between us and those at the top,” states Tilston. “For the video we played out in a retro encounter with a tyrannical salesman, who ruins everyone’s day. We descended on one of the empty shops, that litter Keighley’s Highstreet. Closed like a time capsule from the 2008 financial crash, it served as the perfect location for our throwback adventure. It was colder in there than the nice sunny day outside, but we were all dressed like cretins so we stayed in and shivered. But we knew we were onto something special with the talented people we were working with, getting the best out of us.”

Upcoming UK Tour Dates

SEPTEMBER
28th – The Cold Store, Nottingham
29th – Arts Centre, Norwich
30th – The Dome, London (HANDFEST)

OCTOBER
5th – Rebellion, Manchester
6th – The Crescent, York
7th – Garage Attic, Glasgow
8th – Think Tank, Newcastle

The Hives Are Back On Stage Where They Belong – Live Review From The Fleece

Liang Lawrence (Ana Chen)

Liang Lawrence Unveils Reflective New Single ‘A Day Off In Margaritaville’ Ahead Of Autumn UK Tour

Rising alt-pop storyteller Liang Lawrence has shared her shimmering new single A Day Off In Margaritaville, a vibrant, emotionally layered track that marks the first offering from her upcoming EP It’s A Funny Thing, due later this year via The Other Songs.

Mae Stephens (Hannah Burton)

Mae Stephens Returns With Infectious New Single ‘Tiny Voice’

Breakout pop star Mae Stephens is back with a bang as she drops her irresistibly offbeat new single, Tiny Voice — a track as addictive as it is relatable. Following the runaway global success of her hit If We Ever Broke Up, which racked up over 500 million streams, landed her a Top 15 UK single, and earned Gold certifications in both the UK and US, Stephens continues to show why she’s one of the most exciting new voices in pop.

Maya Lane (Press)

Maya Lane Announces New Single ‘I Don’t Know You Yet’ And Debut London Headline Show Ahead Of New EP

Rising UK pop-country star Maya Lane continues her impressive 2025 trajectory with the release of a stunning new single, I Don’t Know You Yet, out now. The introspective, stripped-back track offers a poignant taste of her forthcoming EP, The Hurt And The Healing, due out on 4th September, and precedes her debut headline show at London’s The Grace on 3rd September.

Perera Elsewhere (Hugo Holger Schneider x Gene Glover)

Perera Elsewhere Returns With Electrifying Double Single Ft. Andy S & Announces New Album

Berlin-based, UK-raised experimental artist Perera Elsewhere (aka Sasha Perera) is back with a high-voltage double single, F*ck Le System / Time Will Tell, out now on Friends Of Friends – both featuring viral Ivorian rapper Andy S. The release serves as a bold statement on feminine strength, social rebellion, and sonic experimentation.

Don McLean @ The Long Road Festival (Press)

The Long Road Festival 2025 Assembles Its Biggest Line-Up Yet For August Bank Holiday Weekend

Now entering its sixth and most ambitious year to date, The Long Road Festival 2025 is set to deliver its boldest celebration of country, Americana, and roots music yet, taking over the scenic Stanford Hall in Leicestershire from 22nd–24th August. With more than 80 artists across six stages, the weekend promises an immersive blend of genre-spanning music, authentic Americana culture, and inclusive community spirit — and has already become the festival’s fastest-selling edition to date.

Stevie Wonder @ BST Hyde Park 2025 (Bethan Miller-Carey)

A Night In Wonderland: Stevie Wonder And Guests Delight At BST Hyde Park 2025

“Awwwwight!” drawls Stevie Wonder, arms flung wide, grinning like a teenager trying on cockney charm for the first...
Neil Young @ BST Hyde Park (Trudi Knight)

Dance, Shadow And Harvest Under The Full Moon: Van Morrison, Yusuf Islam And Neil Young And The Chrome Hearts At BST Hyde Park 2025

Gone are the sparkled cowgirls and pop princesses of previous BST gigs. It’s the turn of the Baby Boomer generation to make up the core crowd of Hyde Park – a sea of grey hair, straw hats, and sensible shoes. They reapply sun cream religiously, have brought picnic blankets, and can be forgiven for taking their time getting up and down from the ground between acts. This is the generation that invented outdoor rock and folk festivals – and they’re here to show the rest of us how it’s done.

Poptones (Rune Gro-Nielsen)

Poptones Play Their Wild Card With New Single ‘Say Something Now’ Ahead of Forthcoming Album ‘Pure’

Danish experimental rock trio Poptones have unveiled their new single Say Something Now, offering a taste of the unpredictability and emotional depth that defines their upcoming sophomore album Pure, out 26th September via Happy Metal Records. Where lead single Skin Of Sea teased a shift toward expansive and instinctive composition, Say Something Now dives headlong into that experimental impulse—guided, intriguingly, by the rules of UNO. Yes, the beloved card game.

Pin It on Pinterest

Share This

Share Thing