Sweaty Palms

📷Aiden O’ Mara 

Sweaty Palms are an enthralling, bold and angst driven four-piece from Glasgow, glimmering with euphoric opaque couché colour. The band are a group designed to help people with cult obsessions. The key to their success will be their honesty, and cajoling of their listeners to possess purpose outside the prominent realms we are spoon fed.

 

‘The iron heel is descending and soon the corporate oligarchy will own everything from your browsing history to your fallopian tubes’

 

A political band at the core and in their very nature without appearing scripted or manufactured, or even reeking of Sixities nostalgia.

 

They are the ‘heroic’, ‘ugly’ and ‘gutter’ of a disenfranchised society and hell bent on awakening us all whilst recovering the ‘alternative beauty’ of Scotland ‘we’ fans around the globe have been missing, since the distasteful and derivative ‘The View’ and, ‘Biffy Clyro’ first spawned their songs, upon the musical landscapes!

 

 

‘It depends what kind of band you’re in. We’re in it for the love of making music.’

 

The songs are anthems for their generation’s anxious, compassionate and disillusioned, regardless of age, race and gender. It is an altogether, alternative reaction to the lost ‘smart phone’, and ‘instant media’ generation that is failing to define them, or us.

 

‘The apparent increase in mental health issues is probably partly due to people being more willing to talk about it, but there is still a long way to go in dealing with it. ‘

 

 

‘The skinny’ exemplifies the autonomy and manufactured seizure of society by the authorities, big business and celebrity; we are policed by robotic politicians and artists molded by ‘fame’ feeding us artistic drivel. ‘Captain of the rugby team’ laments the lad culture still lingering in society. These songs are war cries, yet through virtue of creativity, such negative energy becomes positivity and voice.

 

‘The Empire is still in full swing. Queen Lizzie has her bony old fingers in more pies than she can count.’

 

 

 

Although, I disagree with the band, as a fan of the union between England and Scotland independent; what gain is there at this stage? I mean even David Bowie was a fan of the union. Yet, I truly admire how the band are very much in control over their own destiny, brave political revelry, as well as, how they deal with the tremendously negative aspects of society in a manner full of positivity and humour.

📷 Elina Lin

 

 

It has been one of my most cathartic interview to date and I am very much proud to share our conversation. I hope that readers can not only relate but also push forward the messages embedded in the interview, via the words, songs and actions of the Sweaty Palms.

 

 

• Could you explain what exactly inspired the band to form and create?

–We met at a support meeting for ex-cult members and decided that with all the experience we had we could probably have a go at starting our own.

 

• What inspired the band name, ‘Sweaty palms’?

 

We were originally called The Sweats – we had a bit of fun switching names every now and eventually Sweaty Palms seemed to stick. It was originally a song title for one of my first attempts at writing a ‘song’, I can’t remember how it goes..

 

• There are too many serious and conservative bands around. How do you you feel about bands today? Which current bands do you dig though?

 

To name a few: LICE, Peeping Drexels, Kaspar Hauser, Kübler Ross, Exploded View, WomenSaid, And Yet It Moves, Starlight Magic Hour, Slags, Droem, Yowl, Breakfast Muff, Laura St Jude, DUDS, HOUSEWIVES, Yossarians, Goat Girl.

 

• What else is your music inspired by other than ‘drug fuelled anxiety?’

 

We feel this particular quote has been a little over emphasised. Our ‘drug fuelled anxiety’ is usually met through general angst and insecurities. The world is in strange shape. There’s lots to shout about. We’re inspired by connection and paradoxically perhaps – escapism. We seek to escape our personal prisons in music while connecting with others through it.

 

• Is Trump really the biggest ‘threat’ to the world?

 

-Trump is cartoon villain who might manage to rock the boat a bit but probably won’t tip it over. It looks as though his election has given the west a fright and caused people to swing back towards the left slightly (see Jeremy Corbyn, Emmanuel Macron). With any luck this trend will continue but failing that we are always ready to look out our balaclavas and pitchforks.

 

• Describe your band in colour?

 

-Pantone 448 C

 

• If the internet enables you to express your prejudices freely, why is it hard for some privileged, white kids to have a band called, ‘Vietcong’. Is the PC world we occupy creating a division amongst people leading to alienation?

 

IDK! Or are certain groups within the old power feeling rejected? People say the PC world has gone mad. I don’t necessarily agree, it’s a lot easier for people to voice their opinions over a computer as the repercussions aren’t quite as confrontational, which can have good and bad points. Online debates can seem never ending and usually (from my experience) don’t ever seem to help change anyone’s mind on anything. It’s more one group trying to get one over on another than actually reaching any kind of middle ground, which is what a debate should be. Instead it’s like a competition. There is definitely a new breed of busy-body’s who are just waiting for an excuse to argue. However, it’s nice that people feel more comfortable to voice their opinions openly. It’s interesting seeing people you’ve known for years posting something political that they’ve never had the courage to voice in person.

📷 Aiden O’Mara

 

 

 

 

 

 

• When do you feel at your most creative?

 

-That moment right after you orgasm when you have the sudden realisation that you’re nothing more than a meat bag full of organs with inescapable instincts to procreate and nothing really matters anyway because we’re all going to die.

 

• How do you relate to human kind?

 

-From a distance and while wearing protection.

 

• Is there ‘ANYTHING’ you wish and think you could change about ‘anything’?

 

-I wish they would hurry up and roll out a fleet of self-driving Megabus’ so that all those drivers can get back to their sad lives of racism and auto-erotic asphyxiation.

 

• How is it working with Green DOOR STUDIO and what led you to working with them?

 

Amazing, working with Emily and Stu created a safe haven for us to make mistakes and develop beyond what we thought we were capable of. Robbie once delivered a plant to Emily (not a euphemism, an actual plant) and Emily him about their free education recording time. We made an EP with them and never looked back.

 

• What inspired you to write a ‘feminist’ song against Alpha males?

It’s just observation. Anyone with any kind of intelligence must be a feminist as far as I’m concerned. It’s just equality after all. It’s pretty baffling the way some of our generation can still be so objectifying towards women. The ‘alpha male’ statement was really just a dig at the ‘fuck boy’ antagonists (LAD) in white shirts that go to expensive clubs and take pictures of each other posing with vodka bottles. They’re the real oppressors, and they don’t even realise they’re doing it half the time. Too dumb to live.

 

 

• ‘I can’t stress enough, how much I want to be a man’ Does gender still matter in 2017?

 

The sex change was approved. I am officially a man. Be who you want to be.

 

 

 

• The whole culture of ‘as long as I have mine’ what exactly is this, as I feel I have similar contempt and understand, something my generation completely allowed.

 

I feel it’s from living in a conservative republican western world where there is an overall lack of empathy from most people, particularly the more privileged among us. Understanding that the circumstances that we’re born into lead us to where we are today, consciously or unconsciously. Stuart Lee articulated this far better than me in ‘the money is mine’ Society doesn’t want to carry on the privileges that are bestowed on them to others.

 

• Why should people bother to check you guys out?

 

-It’s good for what ails ya.

 

• How is Glasgow inspiring you and evolving?

 

Glasgow’s a multicultural city, you can people from anywhere just on a standard day. It’s a great place to live (as much as we curse it). Everyone gets sick of their hometown. People seem to be coming together at the moment, there is definitely a stronger collective growing. There’s been a great outburst of good music recently which everyone’s been hungry for. There was a period of really mundane music and posturing going on for a while so it’s a nice change, let’s hope it lasts.

 

• How do you feel about social media, as I read a quote from the track, ‘The skinny’ where ‘you’, lamented the Internet as a place ‘where you can justify your prejudice’.

 

📷 Mr Muggins

-The internet has the potential to be the greatest tool social democracy has ever wielded, but at the moment it’s controlled by the establishment, and their grip is tightening. We unconsciously seal ourselves off into echo chambers of ideas that we’re comfortable with when we use social media, and this in turn divides us neatly into target audiences for big business. Unfortunately, it looks like things are only getting worse. On the other hand memes now hold sway with international politics, so there’s that. On a serious note, there is a worrying epidemic of anxiety and depression amongst young people today that social media has undoubtedly played a part in. We are the first generation to grow up with an ever-shifting measuring stick of ‘success’ being held over our heads. The apparent increase in mental health issues is probably partly due to people being more willing to talk about it, but there is still a long way to go in dealing with it.

 

• ‘I think it’s more important than ever that people should be making honest, challenging music’. Why now, more than ever?!

 

-We are a long way down the slippery slope into unconscious conformity. There’s no turning back. The iron heel is descending and soon the corporate oligarchy will own everything from your browsing history to your fallopian tubes. There’s no denying that things are bad and getting worse on a global scale. I don’t know how most people square all this up in their own heads, but it seems for us the way to deal with it is to address it in the music.

 

 

 

• This statement is so very true. ‘’I think the music industry is the best it’s ever been – you can find the strangest music you want. Which is why I have a problem with certain bands who are making extremely conservative music.” So why do you think nostalgia acts are killing it, right now and idiots like Kasabian are saying rock music is dead?

 

Without sounding arrogant – a large percentage of the population like shit music, they don’t want to be challenged. The internet has put an end to counter culture so there’s no real movements anymore. I think the closest we’ve came to it recently is the rise of Sleaford Mods. Mainstream music is always going to be crass, which is fine with me – the minority will remain integral. It’s just a pity that the real artists are struggling to eat, while there’s these fame hungry individuals (with no interest in music whatsoever) – who are happy to sing other people’s songs and watch the cheques fly in.

 

• If you had to choose one song to invite our readers to your world, what would it be?

 

GZA – Liquid Swords

 

 

📷 Paul Barclay

• In some of my interview, certain bands have expressed a need for record labels to exist, even majors. Do you think any labels are needed for bands to become successful nowadays what with the power of the internet?

 

Not necessarily. It depends what kind of band you’re in. We’re in it for the love of making music. However, it can be an expensive hobby and if you’re looking to get your music made tangible/distributed then perhaps that’s where a label can come in. Everything else is at your fingertips really, you just need to educate yourself. We work pretty well within the band, taking an equal weight on replying to emails/organising shows. A lot of bands feel the need to have a manager when it’s just unnecessary. But again, it depends on what kind of band you’re in.

 

• How do write and then decide which songs make the cut?

 

-There is no set method that we work to. Mostly we spend many fruitless hours in the rehearsal room jamming until something shines through.

 

• Do English fish and chip shops disappoint?

 

-English fish and chip shops usually sell Scottish fish and chips made from Welsh potatoes. The empire is still in full swing. Queen Lizzie has her bony old fingers in more pies than she can count.

 

 

• What inspired the song ‘Illusionist’ and the concept behind the video?

 

Norman the Illusionist is an infamous magician who lures around kelvin grove park. He’s homeless, his tricks are great – he’ll do a few card tricks etc and people will share out whatever shrapnel they can. He’s a great laugh. We’ll say no more on the concepts – the spectators can make their own interpretations.

 

• You are quoted as saying you will take your time to record an album but could do one tomorrow. Is this another reaction to the disposable nature of modern music, where the album seems to have deceased with an increasing rise of EP releases amongst bands.

 

That’s up to them really. We want to take our time to make an album because we see it as an art piece – «nae need tae rush a thing – unless there’s a rhino up yer arse» -Robert Anderson. We’ve thought thoroughly about the placements of each song and there’s songs we’ve had to drop that have been on the list for years.

 

• Is the glass half full, or empty?

 

– It’s completely empty, may we have another?

 

• I don’t want Scotland to separate from the rest of the UK. How do you guys feel?

 

Independence!

 

• Are you happier now or as a child?

 

 – No. • GOOD LUCK! *sneeze

 

Contact 

@sweatypalmsofsweat

simoncowellunofficial@gmail.com

 

Band pages

https://www.facebook.com/pg/sweatypalmsofsweat/about/?ref=page_internal

Sound cloud