Podcast: Victory Hands

Victory Hands was born in the summer of 2014, when bass player Jimmy Ether convened with Haricot Vert alumni drummer Kip Thomas and guitarist Shawn Christopher to write songs built around lyrics pulled from redacted Richard Nixon tapes and speeches.

Over the last five years, the group has slowly amassed a glut of material rooted in the dynamics of ’90s noise rock, post-punk, and a truly avant-garde approach to modern paranoia.

Thus far the group has recorded and pressed the two-song Anderson 10-inch, the Bernstein 7-inch EP, and the forthcoming Bishop full-length LP (out September 27). There’s also a conceptual double12-inch LP in the works, titled Cavett, featuring songs that build around themes of Watergate. Each release is named after journalists who appeared on President Nixon’s published list of known enemies.

Recently, Ether has moved over to playing guitar, and the group’s latest addition Dain Johnson has taken up bass duties; all four members of the group sing.

The group recently stopped by CL’s Short Notice studio talk about the parallels they’ve discovered between President Nixon and President Trump’s tactics and strategies, writing new songs, and what’s in store for 2020.