The Handcuffs embody the spirit of rock music's uninhibited, sexy and overbearing appeal. A perfect blend of style and energy. They do not sound like anyone else, but at the same time they seem very familiar. They are influenced by everything good that sells and anything good that doesn't. Rock music is loud (not just in volume, but in its nature), pompous and fun - and The Handcuffs embrace every reckless minute of it.
Chloe F. Orwell, the designated blonde of the duo, is the lead singer whose stage presence and vocal stylings ooze sex and scorch and rock and roll. She can slide from a corduroy growl to a shimmering silky sigh in a Detroit second.
Brad Elvis, the other half of The Handcuffs, is a black-haired, four-handed drummer whose manic-panic style paints a 747 jet rhythm to every Handcuffs tune. Brad is also the chief songwriter (although Chloe is known to have a song or two stashed in her boots) and one of the visionaries of the duo. Bam!
The Chicago-based pair originally teamed up several years ago when Brad recruited Chloe as lead vocalist and contributing songwriter for his band Big Hello, which released three critically acclaimed CDs, played hundreds of shows and received airplay on college and commercial radio all over the globe. Their potent creative chemistry earned the duo praise from fans and critics alike for their musicianship and showmanship plus accolades in the mainstream and alternative press throughout the world, including the Los Angeles Times, LA Weekly, Chicago Tribune, Chicago Sun-Times, Columbus Dispatch, Illinois Entertainer, The Herald-Review, The Big Takeover, Punk Planet, Amplifier, Sound Affects (Sweden), Jem (Japan), Mojo (U.K), Bucketfull of Brains (U.K.) and countless others.
The Handcuffs evolved from Brad and Chloe's desire to explore a broad sonic territory, while still believing in the power of a great radio hook. Their songs are fresh yet timeless; edgy yet accessible; skillfully crafted yet easily memorable. Their influences range from Sparks to Bowie, Eno to Beck, PJ Harvey to the Pixies, Franz Ferdinand to Zeppelin, White Album to the Yeah Yeah Yeahs with some Blur, Blondie and Bacharach tossed in for good measure. You could spend all day trying to name that tune, but by nighttime it would still be The Handcuffs.
The duo started out making boombox demos with Chloe on guitar or bass and Brad often singing the lead vocals and keeping time on a cardboard box or whatever was handy. Proper studio sessions, with the help of additional guest instrumentalists, followed and The Handcuffs recorded more than three albums worth of material. Then came song placement in television shows and films, followed by a self-produced music video (with more on the way), all of which seemed to help get the buzz in motion - not only in Chicago, but in other parts of the country, as well. With plans to release their debut CD, they finally decided to put a live band together.
To complete their line-up, Brad and Chloe have welcomed three powerhouse musicians to help them deliver the rock. Enter bassist Emily Togni, a Tennessee-by-way-of-Arkansas native, Chicagoan Ellis Clark on guitar and formerNew Jersey girl Alison Hinderliter on keyboards (who also plays with acclaimed Chicago band the Scotland Yard Gospel Choir).
Prolific writers and producers, The Handcuffs have officially released two albums, recorded with Mike Hagler (Wilco, the Pulsars, Neko Case, the Mekons) at Kingsize Sound in Chicago, with the third scheduled for releasein late summer 2011. Songs from the debut CD "Model for a Revolution" and their follow-up "Electroluv," (in addition to many unreleased tracks) have been placed in numerous feature films and television shows on the CW, MTV, VH1, A&E, E!, Showtime, PBS, FUSE, Fuel, ABC and NBC, including Gossip Girl, Roadtrip Nation, Jersey Shore, The Hills, The City, Laguna Beach, Margaret Cho's The Cho Show, Celebrity Rehab and many more. The Handcuffs are also featured on the soundtrack of the Sundance and SXSW award winning documentary The Education of Shelby Knox by New York production house and champions of free thinking Incite Pictures.
The Handcuffs have been receiving airplay on dozens of college, commercial, satellite and internet radio stations throughout the world, including KROQ (Los Angeles), InterFM 76.1 (Tokyo), WXPN (Philadelphia), M3 Radio (NewYork City), Onda Madrid (Spain), WKQX (Chicago), WLUW (Chicago), GOLDIE'S GARAGE (Sirius Satellite), KEUL (Girwood, AK), WECS (Willmantic, CT), KWAR (Waverly, IA), WLFR (Pomona, NJ), KCSU (Ft. Collins, CO), WCUR (West Chester, PA), WCBN (Anne Arbor, MI), WLOY (Baltimore, MD), KUNM (Albuquerque, Santa Fe) and many more (a more extensive list can be found under the "Archives" heading on the news page). The band also performed at CMJ in New York City this past year where they debuted songs from their most recent album.
The Handcuffs' goals for the future: keep writing, keep recording, keep evolving.
Praise for The Handcuffs:
Music Editors' Review at download.com:
"Chicago lounge perverts the Handcuffs bring a slinky sensibility to the musty garage genre. If Portishead were raised on a diet of Count Chocula and JG Ballard novels, they would probably sound like this. Conversely, if Blondie were weaned on Portishead, the results would be similar. Either way, the Handcuffs keep it smooth and deviant."
From Tim Cain, Entertainment Editor at the Herald & Review:
"The Handcuffs feature Brad Elvis, the coolest, showiest drummer you're ever going to see, and the gorgeous Chloe F. Orwell, whose voice will remind you of everyone while being unique to itself as well. There were a couple of times listening to the disc that I found myself laughing out loud with delight at what they were doing, and thinking, 'How is it possible that these guys can write SO MANY GOOD SONGS?' If I made my year-end list right now, this would be No. 3."
For more information, more sound clips, videos, photos and a whole bunch of crap, visit The Handcuffs on line at: www.thehandcuffs.com
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