Hands Off Gretel is a rock band, affiliated to the UK Punk scene, formed 2015 in Barnsley, South Yorkshire. The current line-up is Lauren Tate (guitar, vocals), Sean Bon (guitar) Sam Hobbins (drums) and Becky Baldwin (bass)[1] The band have achieved press coverage in the Basingstoke Gazette,[2] music magazine Vive Le Rock[3] and website Louder Than War.[4] Their music often explores the themes of loneliness, guilt, and girlhood.
Hands Off Gretel | |
---|---|
Origin | Barnsley, England |
Genres | Punk rock, grunge, alternative rock, post-grunge |
Years active | 2015–present |
Labels | Hands Off Gretel |
Members | Lauren Tate Becky Baldwin Sean Bon Sam Hobbins |
Past members | Danny Pollard Joe Scotcher Laura Moakes |
Website | www |
Tate has performed as a solo artist, both predating and since the band's formation and also performs RnB/Hip Hop under the alias Delilah Bon.[5]
History
editThe band was formed in 2015, Tate already having released an album as a solo artist. A preview for a Southampton concert in the Basingstoke Gazette reported "Hands Off Gretel's frontwoman Lauren Tate has made it her mission to ensure that strong young women have a voice in today's music industry."[2] Tate is also credited for the band's videos, album artwork, and designing of the band's merchandise.
In 2016, they released their debut album Burn The Beauty Queen, which received praise from Ged Babey in Louder Than War: "a massive achievement and over-ambitious album which marks the start of a career that could well see them becoming as big as Nirvana, Marilyn Manson or Miley Cyrus over time….. given the breaks, and skillful management."[4]
Their performance at The Great British Alternative Festival at Butlins in Skegness was reviewed by Vive Le Rock. Reviewer Paula Frost commented on how Tate "entered with yet another iconic look, this time dressed in gold with lines drawn across her face [...] She knows how to get the audience snapping away."[3]
A second album I Want The World was released on 29 March 2019. Vive Le Rock's Paula Frost awarded the album 8/10, commenting "It's not often you get a band who can emit intimidation and cuteness all at once."[6] Later that year, Tate released a new solo album, Songs for Sad Girls.[7]
Discography
editHands Off Gretel
editStudio albums
edit- Burn The Beauty Queen (Hands Off Gretel, 2016)[8]
- I Want The World (Puke Pop, 2019)
Demos Album
edit- "Bedroom Sessions'" (Hands Off Gretel, 2016)[8]
Singles/ EPs
edit- "Be Mine" (Hands Off Gretel, 2015)[8]
- "My Size" (Hands Off Gretel, 2016)[8]
- "The Angry EP" (Puke Pop, 2020)[8]
Compilations
edit- Devolution Issue 41 - Devolution magazine[8]
Lauren Tate solo career
editStudio albums
edit- The Bankrupt Sessions (Lauren Tate, 2013)[9]
- Love Songs (Lauren Tate, 2016)[9]
- Songs For Sad Girls (Trash Queen Records, 2019) [7]
Singles/EPs
editMP3 singles
edit- "You Know I'm No Good" (Lauren Tate, 2017)[9]
- "What's Up" (Lauren Tate, 2017)[9]
- "Dear Mr President" (Lauren Tate, 2017)[9]
- "Down In A Hole (Tribute To Layne Staley)" (Lauren Tate, 2017)[9]
Delilah Bon
editReferences
edit- ^ "Hands Off Gretel - About". Hands Off Gretel.
- ^ a b "Hands Off Gretel at The Talking Heads". Basingstoke Gazette. Archived from the original on 19 December 2018. Retrieved 19 December 2018.
- ^ a b Hands Off Gretel live review from The Great British Alternative Festival 2018 by Paula Frost accompanied by full page photograph of singer Lauren Tate by Gerry Underwood, Vive Le Rock, Issue 58 pp102-103
- ^ a b Babey, Ged (18 September 2016). "Hands Off Gretel: Burn the Beauty Queen - Album Review". Archived from the original on 27 March 2019. Retrieved 11 November 2019.
- ^ Lauren Tate on creating as Delilah Bon, taking a break from Hands Off Gretel, "Editor" retrieved October 13 2023
- ^ Hands Off Gretel I Want The World review by Paula Frost, Vive Le Rockissue 61, p87
- ^ a b "Lauren Tate's Track By Track Guide To Her New Album Songs For Sad Girls". Kerrang!. Archived from the original on 10 November 2019. Retrieved 10 November 2019.
- ^ a b c d e f "Hands Off Gretel discography". Discogs. Archived from the original on 19 December 2018. Retrieved 18 December 2018.
- ^ a b c d e f g h "Lauren Tate solo discography". Discogs.