Chloe F. Orwell (lead vocals) Brad Elvis (drums) Emily Togni (bass) Ellis Clark (keys & guitar)
Influences
Sparks, Queens of the Stone Age, Bowie, Beck, P.J. Harvey, Franz Ferdinand, the Pixies, Blur, Led Zeppelin, Yeah Yeah Yeahs, Burt Bacharach, Eno, the Killers, Sondre Lerche, Velvet Underground, the Muffs, Donovan, Roxy Music, the Kaiser Chiefs, SM & Brazil 66, Sex Pistols, the Beatles White Album, Cheap Trick, Iggy Pop, the Cloud Room, 22 Jacks, the GoGos, Foo Fighters, Garbage, Dresden Dolls, Blondie, Ella Fitzgerald, Gene Krupa, and, in one way or another, all of the other gazillions of artists we love...
Sounds Like
Garbage, Queens of the Stone Age, Blondie, the Killers, Sparks, Big Hello, No Doubt, Portishead, Beck, Morningwood, Franz Ferdinand, the Breeders, the Sounds, the Muffs, the Cloud Room, Liz Phair, the Cardigans, Hole, P.J. Harvey, etc...
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.
Chloe F. Orwell, the designated blonde, 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 is a black-haired, four-handed drummer whose manic-panic style paints a 747 jet rhythm to every song. Brad is also the chief songwriter, although Chloe is known to have a song or two stashed in her boots.
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 and played hundreds of
shows. Their potent creative chemistry quickly earned the duo a worldwide fan
base plus accolades in mainstream and alternative publications throughout the
world, including the Los Angeles Times, LA Weekly, Chicago
Tribune, Chicago Sun-Times, Columbus Dispatch, 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 broader sonic territory, while still believing in the power of a great radio hook. Their influences range from Sparks to Bowie, Eno to Beck, PJ Harvey to Iggy Pop, Zeppelin to Queens of the Stone Age, with some Blur, Blondie and Bacharach tossed in for good measure. Their songs are fresh yet timeless; edgy yet accessible, skillfully crafted yet easily memorable.
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 with engineer/producer Mike Hagler (Neko Case, Wilco, the Pulsars, the Mekons). Then came song placement in hit television shows and films, followed by the self-produced music videos, 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, "Model for a Revolution," they finally decided to put a live band together.
To complete their line-up, Brad and Chloe have recently welcomed three powerhouse musicians to help them deliver the rock. Enter bassist Emily Togni, a Tennessee-by-way-of-Arkansas native; and hometown boy Ellis Clark on guitar and keys. Both contribute to the mix with spot on backing vocals (and a musical open-mindedness that is vital to The Handcuffs' sound and vision).
The Handcuffs' songs have received airplay on the legendary KROQ radio station in Los Angeles, WLUW and WKQX (Q101) in Chicago and have been placed in films and television shows, including MTV's The Hills, Laguna Beach, Pimp My Ride, Pageant Place, 8th & Ocean, Next and many more, as well as shows on E!, A&E, PBS, VH1, FUSE and more. Handcuffs music is also featured on the soundtrack of the Sundance and SXSW award winning (and winner of numerous film festival awards throughout the country) documentary The Education of Shelby Knox, which spent a few weeks airing on PBS's prestigious P.O.V. series.
The Handcuffs' goals for the future: keep writing, keep recording, keep evolving..
I heard ya'll on Gossip Girl for the first time! I think it was the song called....."I just wanna be free man"! Yea that song is...like I like to say: "MUY CHEVERE!!!" in other words: "REALLY AWESOME!!!"
It was a blast having you both on our afternoon radio show. Thanks for sharing your thoughts and your musical craft live on the air with us. Look forward to having you on again. If anyone would like to hear your interview and performance, it can be heard on our radio website from the embedded player for The Handcuffs on the webpage or use the link above the player to download the broadcast as a podcast:
yeah thats where i originally heard you guys. So i went on Itunes and found your album. I'm in love with it. It's the only thing i can tolerate listening to right now.
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