Scab Hand are a Brighton based psych-punk band forged from the embers of The Eighties Matchbox B-Line Disaster and Love Buzzard. Here they chat to Prentiss Mitchell about embracing the past and making use of it now, speedy recording processes, even speedier songs, and the Brighton music scene itself.

With members having been in prolific bands prior to Scab Hand, how do you feel this has affected your music, song writing, and choices as a band?

In terms of the musical output it’s a massive melting pot of all our previous entities. It’s weird, as we don’t actively try to embrace the past but you can definitely hear a bit of everything in there. The band’s outlook as a whole is definitely affected by the past though; we know the pitfalls of the music industry first hand, which is why we try to make it as enjoyable as we possibly can.

How does it feel to share a label with iconic bands like the Buzzcocks?

Quite an honour really! The Buzzcocks are absolutely incredible and are a massive influence. Hopefully this is one step closer to playing with them?

What was it like to have Marc R Norris producing the new EP? Was anything brought over from your shared days in The Eighties Matchbox B-Line Disaster?

Marc is an absolute joy to work with as he knows exactly the sound we’re going for. Before 80s I played with him in a project called Feral Prick where we did a bunch of writing and recording together, so having him on board was a complete no brainer. Having someone who is so competent with mixing and producing, but yet knowing in the intricacies of a predominately live band, is very important indeed.

Russell Taysom’s artwork for your EP is his usual inimitable, semi-disturbing, hilarious, technicolour chaos. How important do you think single, EP, and album artwork is to a band’s identity?

Very important indeed. Having a cohesive look is extremely important and adds so much to the musical world you’re creating. Russell is the perfect accompaniment to any Scab Hand listening party! Joking aside, it’s added a very memorable look for us and we’re very grateful to work with him so closely.

You began recording your album on September 2 and finished recording on September 3. What was the reason behind the incredibly fast recording process?

We don’t intend to record so quickly, or force ourselves, for that matter. But after the recording of our debut EP we all learned that we don’t need much time to capture the energy. We also love all the incidental parts to the music. Some people would re-record little mistakes but, as they say, one man’s trash is another man’s treasure.

Is there a conscious decision behind your tracks on SoundCloud and other streaming services being only two minutes long, or under?

Not at all. We did wonder if that one day we could fit an album on a 7 inch but there really hasn’t been any conscious decisions made. Our method of writing is to always strip the songs down to their bare bones and not out-staying our welcome.

Ahead of your EP launch at The Pipeline in November, what would you say is your favourite venue in Brighton?

My favourite venue has to be the Green Door Store. We recently played their festival, 234 fest, which was a very hot and sweaty night. They have a great ethos behind them and they’re so accommodating with liaising with bands and booking great shows.

What do you think about the Brighton music scene, and the effect BIMM has had on it?

The Brighton music scene is incredible at the moment. At every Brighton gig we’ve played we’re blown away by the other bands. I should probably mention some of my current favourites – Skinny Milk, Sit Down, Guising and Embet Hex. In terms of BIMM, I think it’s only been beneficial for the scene, especially the journalism and music business graduates who have done so much for it.