A love letter to a community written by those that know it best.

Biography

Knife Club were formed at Wotsit Called Festival in 2018 after Eliott Verity (Nosebleed) and Dan Flanagan (Haest/Matilda’s Scoundrels) drunkenly decided they wanted to start a band and get matching tattoos. They subsequently went around the venue and randomly invited the other members, who were all playing at Wotsit Called, to join. Obviously getting the tattoo was non-negotiable. Zoë Barrow (Casual Nausea/Mousebrass), Chris ‘Big Hands’ Hinsley (Revenge Of The Psychotronic Man), Dani Rascal (Faintest Idea) and Andy Davies (Revenge Of The Psychotronic Man) all agreed, probably assuming it would never actually happen.

With band members living in Hastings, Ipswich, Kings Lynn, Manchester and Leeds the band had to endure a bitter North versus South divide and practises that can only be described as ‘logistical nightmares’. In fact, prior to hitting the studio to record ‘We Are Knife Club’, the band had managed just one practise with everyone there. Knife Club kept their identities secret until their debut album went on pre-order, yet again taking a joke too far and subsequently annoying/exciting everyone with their #whoareknifeclub? hype campaign.

The band originally lined up with Zoë and Andy on vocals, Eliott on guitar and vocals, Dan on guitar, Dani on bass and vocals and Hands on drums. In 2021, Kim Morey joined on keytar and vocals and Mark Tanner (Haest) on bass.

They recorded their debut album, ‘We Are Knife Club’ in January 2020. It was produced by Ben Hannah (Nosebleed) at Organworks in Leeds. During the first Lockdown in 2020, the band started working on some (almost) acoustic material, which resulted in a new 7” record, which included three brand new tracks and new versions of two album tracks. It featured guest appearances from Tessa Hunt (Stand Out Riot) on violin and Ben Hannah (Nosebleed) on tambourine, güiro and shaker (he also mixed and mastered the record). In 2022 they also released a dancey remix 12″, with remixed and reimagined versions of their tunes and contributions from a host of musicians who are prominent in the DIY punk scene.
2023 saw the release of their second full length studio album, ‘Our Club, our Rules’. It was again produced by Ben Hannah, and was mastered by Dave Draper.

Knife Club were booked to play several festivals and a series of club gigs in the UK and in Denmark in Spring/Summer 2020. They were raring to go and famously stated “not even a global pandemic can stop us now”.

They eventually played their first gig 18 months later…