Bad Touch

Bad Touch comprise of Stevie Westwood on vocals, Rob Glendinning on guitar, Daniel Seekings on rhythm guitar, Michael Bailey on bass, and George Drewry on drums. The band will be releasing, on Friday 5th October, their new and exciting studio album ‘Shake A Leg’ which was recorded in their home county of Norfolk at Orange Tree Studios; production and mixing by Andy Hodgson. Staying loyal to their music style and integrity this highly anticipated third album stays with their traditional Bluesy feel and has your feet tapping from the offset.



The band began by performing Rock covers in local pubs whilst studying at college in Norfolk in 2010 before personal inspirations took over and saw them composing and playing their own material. Taking their lead from bands such as the Arctic Monkeys, The Darkness and KT Tunstall they recorded their first EP in 2012. Proving themselves as an exceptional live band they were invited to and rocked at many UK festivals including Download whilst also touring with various Hard Rock artists the likes of Tyketto and The Quireboys.



Their first album ‘Half Way Home’ was released in April 2015 and on the strength of that they embarked on a full and successful UK tour. Continuing to tour in 2016 the band rounded this off with the release of their second album ‘Truth Be Told’ and now, following their support tour with Skid Row in March, they have a worldwide album deal with Marshall Records and the release of their third album.



All band members are very excited about the content and vibe of this new album, which has had writing input from them all, and they state that they have taken a “more personal and ambitious approach in song-writing” in this recording. Their fearless decision to write more spontaneously and developing their style - I applaud - despite the revisited theme of loneliness, lost love and life disappointments!



The opening track ‘Lift Your Head Up’ introduces you to the adrenaline rush and enjoyment that you hope you are going to have from the whole of the album and focusses on the positive and free statement “it doesn’t take much to get yourself free just open up and listen to me”. The following track ‘Hammer Falls’ has a more of a Bluesy feel and the subsequent ‘Too Many Times’ is rightly described as a real foot stomper with a great inclusive chorus that keeps the blood pumping. A real good party dance song follows with ‘Dressed To Kill’ which has that beat that you just can’t sit still to with awesome guitar riffs and rhythm. This song rejoices that moment when you’re out to party and dressed to kill, feeling an invincible attitude that makes you boundless with the beat and able to dance great to no matter what!



Track 5, ‘Skyman’, takes its inspiration from the late great Duane Allman the guitarist and leader of the Allman Brothers. Duane was an intense and talented artist who was nick-named “Skydog” and lost his life following a motorcycle crash at the tender age of 24 in the year of 1971. This is a song of invincibility, destiny, loving life and losing control in the most enjoyable way! Giving a little repose to the album recording with the following therapeutic track ‘I Belong’ your mind wanders to where you are in life now through memories and acceptance of the path that you chose to follow. Picking the rhythm back up with track 7 ‘Show me What It Means’ grabs you and reminds you to embrace life and not let it float by.



The following track ‘Tussle’ beats it out and denotes the long and arduous journey of nights spent alone whilst longing for some company and action. “I’ve spent too many nights Laying in my bed by myself, this time I’m not looking for a busy thing Just wanna tussle with a tail That ain’t got no sting, no! I’m not saying that I’m not looking for love Just wanna make it ‘fore I take it home!” sums up needing with none of the emotional complications! ‘Take Me Away’ shows the struggles in track 9 about the emotion of being lost and feeling the changes in life but not knowing in which direction to turn whereas the following recording ‘Believe In Me’ is all about finding the person that makes you feel whole but being unable to give the trust to this.



‘Movin’ On Up’ follows the analogy of songs on this album with a storyline and lyrics akin to the previous ones, about failed relationships, although ‘Slow Tempest’ runs a catchy beat and lyrics but still tells of dark clouds approaching and desertion. The final track ‘Bury Me (When I’m Gone)’ was recorded in one take in a live room and from the title alone could take you that step down ever deeper, although at the same giving encouragement for you to live your life and not dwell on events and people passed, it repeatedly reminds you that “nothing lasts these days, no one is forever, we are just a breath”.



Given their courageous experimentation of different times, places and moods - the consequent complementary shift of pace, tempo and feel on the majority of the songs on this album, all pulling from that well tried and tested Bad Touch foot tapping and Bluesy pump – means it’s definitely time to ‘Shake A Leg’.



Shake A Leg tracklisting:



Lift Your Head Up

Hammer Falls

Too Many Times

Dressed To Kill

Skyman

I Belong

Show Me What It Means

Take Me Away

Believe In Me

Movin’ On Up

Slow Tempest

Bury Me (When I’m Gone)



Di Foxy