The Flight Of The Conchords made it clear that you should never mix up Australians and New Zealanders. Therefore, I’ll refrain from making any “g’day mate” references, as the Aukland-based Cut Off Your Hands are pure punk madness. Formerly Shaky Hands, these young rock dudes ranked as one of the most entertaining bands to grace the stage at the FADER Sideshow thus far.
What made these guys so damn interesting was their unique cross section of influences. While musically they fall into the realm of The Stooges or The Clash, they get a blast of Damon Albarn charisma from frontman Nick Johnston. This guy is an entertainer, putting on a great stage show that leaves a lasting impression. From leaping off the stage to rest his ass on a random bystander to flipping out on the floor, he takes their solid sound to a whole other level.
That being said, it should come as no surprise that they are currently working with former Suede guitarist Bernard Butler on their debut LP. New Zealanders harnessing their inner Brit… gotta love that.
