Sydney-based maniacal punk rockers Clay J Gladstone have offered up their latest single Death By Idle Hands, out now via freshly acquired independent record label DefWolf Records. The new song follows April’s Postmodern Teenage Angst, and further teases a debut album set to drop later in the year.
Coined Corey Taylor‘s “New Fkn Favourite Band” on a tour last December, Clay J‘s new single remains on brand with its lyrically neurotic and sonically bipolar backbone. Death By Idle Hands is a true story about not being able to sit still – for better of for worse. “The less busy I am, the more troublesome I become,” says frontman Tim Wisbey. “I kinda am ‘Death By Idle Hands’. it’s loud, noisy and erratic.”
Produced by ARIA award-nominated producer Shane Edwards (The Libertines, Trophy Eyes, You Me At Six), fragile verses collide with mammoth Nirvana-esque choruses, justifying the hype these Aussie rockers have more than earned. Death By Idle Hands is unapologetic energy that defies genre norms: “We said fuck you to the traditional song structure, and said yes to whatever felt right in chronological order,” tells Wisbey. “Screaming ‘Death’ felt good in this one. The no lyric chorus is a new thing for Clay J, we just wanted a chaotic heavy moment that we don’t have to think about live. The guitar solo is ugly, barely makes sense, or even hits a note, but is everything for this song.”
The music video, directed by Colin Jeffs of Ten Of Swords Media (Make Them Suffer, Diamond Construct), displays scenes befitting of an early 2000s underground New York hardcore show, perfectly capturing the anarchy anyone who’s been to a Clay J Gladstone show will be familiar with. The video is filmed at the Lord Gladstone in Sydney, where the band’s name originated from.
Clay J partner their second single of the year with news of the bands signing to independent Sydney-based record label DefWolf Records. The label will celebrate its launch with a party on Saturday July 20 at Waywards in Newtown, Sydney, headlined by Clay J Gladstone and joined by St Sinner and Brooklyn Comic. The band will follow this up with a main support slot with The Menzingers at Crowbar Sydney on August 18 – TICKETS HERE.
It’s no secret that Clay J Gladstone are building towards something special. Debuting an EP, ‘Dead Friends’ in 2021, Clay J Gladstone solidified the support of triple j early on and featured prominently on Spotify and Apple Music editorial playlists.
Their manic blend of alt rock, emo, indie, punk – or as the band playfully describes it ‘whatever the hell you want to call it’ – has resonated with audiences across the nation and has seen them become regulars on the East Coast live circuit. With a healthy sprinkling of single releases since their EP drop, Clay J have proven to be one of Sydney’s most exciting new acts. They’ve sold out multiple headline shows and boast previous support slots with the likes of heavyweight internationals Electric Callboy and Slipknot‘s Corey Taylor – who hand picked the band as main support for a tour last December.
Clay J Gladstone encourage listeners to watch this space, and anticipate a wave of new music and shows throughout ’24.
With thanks to Bigmouth PR
