Cold Hands warm up for reunion show

Knoxville rock band Cold Hands is, clockwise from top right, Henry Gibson, Gene Priest, Dereke Ashe and Zach Land.

KNOXVILLE — Back by popular demand, the once-defunct Cold Hands will perform its first reunion show this weekend after having shelved itself for two years.

The band's declaration that it would be taking an "indefinite hiatus" as opposed to "breaking up entirely" has proven accurate. Whether the reunion gig will ignite a full-fledged resurgence is questionable — and the group itself seems skeptical — but these things are known to happen, and often.

While the band has been sidelined, its members have been anything but. In addition to solo work for which he plans a release later this year, front man Henry Gibson has taken to supporting roles, having a well-documented stint as bassist for Royal Bangs and now for Wolf at the Door alongside Cold Hands drummer Gene Priest, who heads the outfit.

Gibson and bassist Dereke Ashe have taken up DJ work under the name Too Bad DJs and are scheduled for a Sassy Ann's show Sept. 2.

Gibson is also the host for two radio shows on WUTK-FM, "The Indie Aisle" and "Daydream Nation." With the band's members juggling so much, there's but slim hope for Cold Hands regrouping to perform with any consistency, but fans can take solace in knowing the members are still highly active in the local scene.

"I have no idea when the last show was," Ashe admits. "Two years maybe? We haven't practiced in that time either. (We) got together for a couple practices these last couple of weeks and we were a bit rusty at first, but I was really surprised how quickly we all synced back up. I haven't even considered getting back together. Of course I'd love to and would if it came up; it just hasn't. Henry and Gene have Wolf at the Door, Zach (Land) is always busy doing whatever it is that Zach does — nobody knows for sure — and I'm putting most of my efforts into running a vintage clothing store."

The band's members admit that if demand continues, more reunion shows may happen occasionally, but they candidly point out that even this upcoming performance was not their idea. Nonetheless, the band sprung at the opportunity and got reacquainted with its catalog for the event.

"We might do another reunion or two, but I think we are all pretty set on our new projects and paths," says Gibson. "People ask me about it every once and a while, but I just tell them we are a reunion band now, like The Eagles or The Police. A certain weekly paper (Metro Pulse) celebrating their 20th anniversary asked us if we'd be interested in playing ... "

"Henry was emailed, and we said OK," says Land.

The most anticipated aspect of the reunion is likely Gibson's return to center stage. The much-acclaimed showman has been limited by the weight of his instrument and supplemental status in full-band projects during the Cold Hands hiatus. With two years of built up energy, Gibson's legendary hijinks may be well off the charts for this last hurrah before he returns to bass duties, a role to which he has grown surprisingly partial.

"I literally blew out my voice the first time we practiced again 'cause it felt so good to sing full force again," Gibson says. "I'm not too eager to be in this particular position again, because I do enjoy being in the background. Of course I love putting on a show, and yes, it already has (revived interest in fronting), but just in a different manner. You'll see soon."

Like Humans do: The Band of Humans will play Preservation Pub at 10 p.m. Saturday.

All-Organic diet: The Pilot Light hosts Six Organs of Admittance on Tuesday night with Donovan Quinn. The show is slated for 10 p.m. and costs $10.

© 2011, Knoxville News Sentinel Co.
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