| Ten Hands | |
|---|---|
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| Background information | |
| Origin | Dallas, Texas, United States |
| Genre(s) | Rock, Funk, Alternative |
| Years active | 1986–present |
| Label(s) | ESG Records, Slipped Disc, Clubland |
| Website | http://myspace.com/tenhands |
| Members | |
| Paul Slavens Steve Brand Gary Muller Joe Cripps Pete Wilson |
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| Former members | |
| Mike Dillon Earl Harvin Matt Chamberlain "BIG" Al Emmert Ed McMahon Greg Beck Chris Claridy Chad Rueffer |
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Ten Hands was a rock band based in Dallas, Texas and was active between 1986-1995. Texas ( is a state geographically located in the South Central United States and is also known as the Lone Star State. The United States of America —commonly referred to as the A music genre is a categorical and typological construct that identifies musical sounds as belonging to a particular category and type of music that can be distinguished from other Rock and roll (also known as rock 'n' roll) is a form of Music that evolved in the United States in the late 1940s and early 1950s with roots in mostly African Funk is an American musical style that originated in the mid- to late-1960s when African American musicians blended Soul music, Soul Alternative rock (also called alternative music, alt-rock or simply alternative; known primarily in the UK as indie) is a genre of Year 1986 ( MCMLXXXVI) was a Common year starting on Wednesday (link displays 1986 Gregorian calendar) In the Music industry, a record label can be a Brand and a Trademark associated with the Marketing of music recordings and Music Mike Dillon (aka Mike D is a percussionist vibraphonist vocalist and songwriter born in San Antonio, Texas. Earl Harvin is a drummer and percussionist from the New York area who has lived in Dallas Texas and Los Angeles and is now residing in Berlin Germany Matthew Chamberlain (born April 17 1967 in San Pedro, California) is a well-known American session Drummer. The band consisted of:
- Paul Slavens (keyboards, lead vocals),
- Steve Brand (guitar, backing vocals),
- Gary Muller (Chapman stick, backing vocals),
- Earl Harvin (drums, backing vocals 1986-1991),
- Mike Dillon (percussion, backing vocals 1986-1991), and
- Alan Emmert (drums, backing vocals 1991-1995). The Chapman Stick is an electric Musical instrument devised by Emmett Chapman in the early 1970s Earl Harvin is a drummer and percussionist from the New York area who has lived in Dallas Texas and Los Angeles and is now residing in Berlin Germany Mike Dillon (aka Mike D is a percussionist vibraphonist vocalist and songwriter born in San Antonio, Texas.
Described as a cross between the jazz-rock-art style of Frank Zappa and the psychedelic punk of the Meat Puppets, Ten Hands had a unique style that was better appreciated live, more so than in the studio. Frank Vincent Zappa (December 21 1940 – December 4 1993 was an American Composer, Electric guitarist Record producer and Film director "Meat Puppet" redirects here For other uses see Meat puppet. The late 80's local scene adored them and the Dallas Observer awarded Ten Hands numerous accolades in 1988-1989. The Dallas Observer is a free Alternative weekly Newspaper distributed around the Dallas, Texas ( USA) area with a
The band officially called it quits in 1995; however, reunion shows every few years regularly draw a large following in Deep Ellum. Deep Ellum (a corruption of " deep Elm Street " is an arts and entertainment district near downtown in east Dallas, Texas
About Ten Hands
Born from Denton, Texas, in the mid-'80s, north of Dallas, Ten Hands briefly enjoyed heaps of acclaim and an impressive following in their home state. Denton is the County seat of Denton County, Texas in the United States. Their music tended to be high in energy, syncopated and funky. Matched with Paul Slavens]' charismatic vocal stylings and political assertions that denigrated the ruling elite, the complacent middle class, and environmental evils, Ten Hands was one of the more politically oriented Texas bands of the era. They rarely forgot to be fun, however, and their musical playfulness and frequent lyrical absurdism belied any pretensions they may have had.
Sometime in late 1986, Mike Dillon, Gary Muller, and Matt Chamberlain were playing in Dallas-based band Zane Grey, who actually appeared on Star Search. Mike Dillon (aka Mike D is a percussionist vibraphonist vocalist and songwriter born in San Antonio, Texas. Matthew Chamberlain (born April 17 1967 in San Pedro, California) is a well-known American session Drummer. They did not win, but Muller did get to touch Ed McMahon (specifically, his hand). Meanwhile, Steve Brand and Slavens were playing in a Denton band called the Gonemen. Dillon, Muller, and Chamberlain lived in the same Denton house as other members of the Gonemen, and when dissatisfaction with both groups began to appear, the idea for a new band was spawned.
The first Ten Hands rehearsal (documented on videotape) took place late 1986 in Denton. Shortly thereafter, Zane Grey's manager, Tony Johnson, accepted an offer to manage the fledgling band. For the first year, Ten Hands played mostly small venues in Denton and performed a weekly gig at the Prophet Bar, a seminal Deep Ellum club in Dallas. During this time, a studio recording was made and handmade cassettes were sold and distributed in and around the Dallas, Ft. Worth, and Denton area.
Chamberlain and Dillon were already well-known in Denton as top players in the University of North Texas Jazz program, and interest in the band soon grew. It was also during this time that the New Bohemians were becoming a major draw in Dallas. Edie Brickell & New Bohemians is a rock band that originated in Texas in the mid-1980s It happened that several members of that band were friends with a few Ten Hands members, and ultimately, New Bohemians finagled some opening slots for Ten Hands at Deep Ellum's celebrated Club Dada. The Club Dada shows helped expose the band to a much wider audience, and the venue would later host many of Ten Hands' most memorable performances.
In late 1988, Earl Harvin joined the band as drummer after the Matt left to play with the New Bohemians. Earl Harvin is a drummer and percussionist from the New York area who has lived in Dallas Texas and Los Angeles and is now residing in Berlin Germany The band went into the studio to record Kung Fu. . . That's What I Like. As New Bohemians vacated Dallas for bigger and better things, Ten Hands stepped in to fill the void and began what would be a three or four year run as one of the region's most popular draws. The band won numerous Dallas Observer Awards in 1988-1989, and shortly after the release of their first live CD, The Big One Is Coming, and sold over 20,000 copies. Joe Cripps joined the band to replace Dillon on percussion.
Earl left the band to play with Mike Dillon's Billy Goat and "Big" Al Emert became drummer. Billy Goat was a band playing rock funk and Latin styles from 1989 to 1997 Ten Hands started to tour heavily and built a large following with college audiences.
At a SXSW performance, the band was offered a record deal by an independent producer in L. South by Southwest ( SXSW) is a set of interactive, Film, and Music festivals and conferences that take place A. Desperate to release an album after two years of inactivity, the band agreed and began work on Be My Guru in late 1991. While the album contained some of the band's best songs, the recording itself was a disappointment and the relationship with the label grew stormy. By the time the band left the label, much of their earlier momentum was lost.
As the band's popularity began to wane, a friend of the band, Byron Wilson, offered to produce a CD. Jazz for Jerks was recorded in early 1993 with the assistance of the band's friend and longtime collaborative producer, Dave Castell.
Steve Brand left the band in 1993. New guitarists, Chris Claridy and Chad Rueffer joined and the band wrote some new songs and continued to gig around the area. In the next incarnation, guitarist, Ed McMahon (in a strange twist of fate), and drummer Greg Beck were hired. A demo record was recorded with the brand new lineup, but the album was never mixed or released.
Ten Hands continues to play, with various lineups, several times a year in the Dallas area.
Ten Hands Discography
| Year | Title | Label | Image |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1988 | Kung Fu . . . That's What I Like | ESG |  |
| 1989 | The Big One Is Coming (live) | ESG |  |
| 1992 | Be My Guru | Slipped Disc |  |
| 1993 | Jazz For Jerks | Clubland |  |
| 1996 | The Big One That Got Away (live) | Clubland |  |
External links
- Ten Hands mySpace Page
- Ten Hands entry at AllMusic. com
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