New Blood: Big Hand

Despite losing one key member on the way to a gig recently (Phil, psychedelic trumpet man who caught the wrong train and ended up in Paris), The Big Hand are fully intending to make the trek from their present London residence to attack Edinburgh once again.

Of their time down south thus far, the originally Edinburgh based ska unit attribute; "Folk down here tend to start out a tad bemused, you can't beat a Scottish crowd for utter madness from the outset" says guitarist/vocalist Tim Lomas. Big Hand have not solely been clawing away at the cockney populace, however, but have kept themselves busy with sporadic gigs all the way up to Aberdeen. "When you're away from a place you miss it so much more and the hills of Scotland seem all the more beautiful compared to the smog of London. Also if we're asked to go somewhere to play we'll do it" Lomas adds "(see North Berwick scout hall escapade) and we keep getting asked to play places… Oh yeah and we really can't get enough of our van."

Drummer/vocalist Paul Skelding describes their music these days; "We really do have four front men, who are all multi-instrumentalists and have a lot of versatility. We have a lead trumpet player, two lead vocalists (one of which is the drummer) and close three part harmonies in most tracks." Having just finished their third EP, the boys are now commencing work on their first fully fledged album; "We've kind of broadened our influences, so now, its still ska, but more strange elements are finding their way in, from dub reggae and traditonal jazz, to punk and eastern folk music, so I think its evolving and becoming more interesting" explains Lomas.

When asked how their music differs from other ska today, Skelding pipes up; "Our influences are best described as all four of us going into a large FOPP and taking all the music from inside. Our stuff these days is best described as 'Zorbic' and we've recently been described as the antidote for the overweight generation. We're guaranteed to get you moving! That's how it's different."

So there you have it, as if you needed another excuse to take yourself down to a show, now you have a medical motivation. Big Hand will be in the capital to reverse damage done by fast food at their favouritist venue in the whole world this month. Get there or die trying. Fattie.