Griffen Handshake

Griffen Handshake – All My Friends Wanna Be Doctors
Griffen Handshake - All My Friends Wanna Be Doctors
After critically acclaimed full-length My Box and a series of singles such as Complicated, Tell Me Something, Tunnels, and My Box, Griffen Handshake return with another excellent piece of sonic artistry. All My Friends Wanna Be Doctors serves as an appropriate continuation of their previous works and demonstrates a natural progression of the band that already sounded good. The song talks about a character whose friends are working on their careers and trying to live adult lives, while he wants to stay true to the punk rock roots and spend life having a good time. It’s a flawlessly executed punk rock anthem that will suit admirers of contemporary sound.

Perhaps Griffen Handshake solely relyupon modern pop-punk and melodic punk rock sound, but there is more than meets the eye. These guys incorporated the elements of alternative, grunge, garage rock, indie, so their song simultaneously sounds polished and abrasive. However, don’t be surprised if you stumble upon other music genres along the way because Griffen Handshake are pros at assembling ear-appealing tracks. You’ll immediately fall in love with powerful riffs, catchy chord progressions, warm-sounding basslines, and energetic drumming sequences. All My Friends Wanna Be Doctors is available for listening to on all streaming platforms. - Thoughts Words Actions

Griffen Handshake is an alt-punk band forged in Pittsburgh, PA. Consisting of brothers Millen (guitar, vocals) and Arjun Schuchert (drums, vocals), the duo dropped its debut album, "My Box", in April of 2021. The band just dropped their new singles, "All My Friends Wanna Be Doctors" and "CANCEL" to kick off their new era of music. These two songs will accompany three other originals on their new EP, "IN YOUR FACE", which will be out on all music platforms on December 30, 2022. The band's original music comments on mental health, social media, and the external pressures of carving out a path in life. The handshake is a secret. At least for now.

Hello Millen from Griffen Handshake. What made you take up music?

Back in middle school, I got really into poetry and writing raps. Once I got into high school, I still had that same love of creating and that's when I really got into punk rock. And there was no going back. Even though I have to say, the game, Rockband 2 was very influential for me and Arjun. We used to play that all the time growing up with him on drums and me on guitar. And soon after, we started attempting to play music for real.

Your latest track is 'CANCEL'. Can you share with us the background of its creation and did any unusual things happen during its creation?

CANCEL was a very fast song to write. I have a tattoo of "love imperfection" on my arm, and I wanted a song to capture the significance of that phrase and what it's all about. It's also about navigating hate throughout life and trying to embrace the negativity around you as much as possible.

How do you deal with the pressure that is put on artists by fans, promoters etc.?

One of the biggest challenges in pursuing a career in entertainment / performing arts in today's world is how much interaction you have to do over the phone. It gets draining. When you're constantly interacting over social media with something music related, it sometimes can be too much. I need to find some time in the day when I can completely get away. And I think doing something not on my phone takes away some pressure.

How do you spend your time?

For us, we always want to work as brothers on setting up live opportunities with shows / meeting people along with putting ourselves out there on social media. Both are important to us, so our day revolves around those two goals.

What are you most proud of?

I am very proud of some of my original song creations because songwriting is my biggest passion. But I think I'm more proud of being in a band with my brother. I am very lucky that we get to do this as a family. It makes it a lot easier for us to go through this together.

What advice do you have for beginning artists?

I think the main thing is to stay true to yourselves first and foremost as cliche as that sounds. And also take action. It's important to daydream and imagine what's ahead, but in reality, we never know what's to come. We can only live in the present. And the more work that gets done now will only be a benefit in the future. So taking action right away and not waiting too long is important.

What are you doing to ensure you continue to grow and develop as an artist?

We have a long way to go. In terms of the creative process, so much of that is driven off of experiences. I am looking forward to our plans in 2023 because we may have a potential regional tour in the works as well as other traveling plans where we can discover new artists and experience other music cultures / cities. Experiences bring stories and memories which all play a huge role in the creative process.

Do you think that technology is improving lives?

I think for the most part it certainly is. In our songs we talk a lot about mental health and technology's negative impact on our wellbeing. However, technology has made many aspects of life a lot easier.

Is there anything you would like to say to your fans?

We love you so much. Your words and support really mean so much to us. Thank you for being there. - Lost In The Manor

Pittsburgh punk rock duo, Griffen Handshake, brought the heat with their latest single, "All My Friends Wanna Be Doctors". Boasting hypnotic and singalong hooks, this track features a catchy blend of styles. While rooted in the world of punk, you're also handed elements of grunge and alt-rock as you're taken on this wild ride. What a release!

Anthemic vocal flows take the lead here as the band creates an impressive display of songwriting and musicianship. Drums are punchy, bass lines are groovy, guitars are crunchy, and the lyricism is clever. Add in the spot-on production and you're left with this infectiously catchy banger of a track that's tough to take off repeat. We're not sure what the band has planned next, but we can't wait to hear more!

You can take a listen to the new single below. If you dig what you hear, make sure to follow Griffen Handshake so you can stay on top of future releases. We also added the track to our Underground Punk playlist on Spotify. Enjoy! - Havoc Underground

Alt punk is an amazing genre that has the power to wrap you around with a feeling of nostalgia while also pumping you with a lot of energy. It’s a weird combination of emotions that just seem to weirdly work together to put you in a state of confused happiness! Perfect adolescent music that directly connects with a teenage audience and Griffen Handshake have got it perfectly right! Reminds me of my high school days when most of us were jumping around for music like this.

Griffen Handshake is an alt-punk band that was founded in Puttsburgh, PA. It’s a close-knit band that is actually just two brothers – Millen and Arjun Schuchert. Millen plays the guitar and contributes to the vocals along with Arjun who also plays the drums. Their music seems to be really relevant to the teenage audience currently, especially a track names ‘Cancel’ that speaks about the ‘Cancel Culture’. Their lyrics speak about mental health, social media and the external pressures that you encounter when you carve out your path in life.

The song starts off with all guns blazing – drums and guitars thrown directly into the mix with the vocals coming out the top of it all! They talk about perfection and how to fit into society. The guitars are piercing through the mix and set the tone for the whole track – acting as melodies and leads. The drums are there to supplement the vocals and the guitar work by giving it the right amount of impact. A fast paced, high intensity track with vocals to match! A real pep-me-up track.

The track gradually loses elements and the mix is slowly cleaned as the track ends. A weird arrangement that seems to work for these guys! - Sinusoidal Music

This is not an anti-doctor song. This track tackles that awkward feeling of seeing your friends succeed as they pursue professional carriers in life, while all you wanna do is choose your own path, like maybe playing in a Punk band! LISTEN NOW!

Hello, my friends! Welcome back. It’s your music doctor, MadZen and today we have the perfect prescription for all of your troubles… well, maybe not all of them, but this track will put a smile in your face for sure! All the way from Pittsburg, USA this pair of brothers is letting the world know who they are, and who they want to be!

Griffen Handshake was created by Millen (guitar, vocals) and Arjun Schuchert (drums, vocals). They’ve been playing together since middle school, initially playing Punk in their parent’s basement. After years of playing in School Of Rock shows, Griffen Handshake was born in 2019, later releasing their debut album, “My Box”, in April 2021. Now, at ages 23 and 20, the brothers are getting ready for a new era with their latest single release!

“All My Friends Wanna Be Doctors” is an energetic fusion of Punk and Alt Rock. Exciting, highly distorted riffs, powerful drums and a tight bass act as the foundation of this high-speed, Punk Rock track. Brave vocals deliver a strong message, intended for those who act over-qualified and put others down for what they want to do in life. Same old story: “Oh, you wanna be a musician? Great! Have you considered studying for a real career also?” and all that BS.

This track is easily likeable and with a chorus that’s as catchy as it is uplifting. The duo wanted to make a track that people could mosh to, and they absolutely nailed it. So, I highly suggest LISTENNING NOW!

“We are all one, so don’t push us down”. This is what Griffen Handshake stands for. - Less Than 1,000 Followers

Some of the best projects come from familial endeavours; perhaps it is the close bond family members have with their siblings, parents, grandparents, great grandparents that influences the power of these projects. In the case of Griffen Handshake, the special relationship between brothers Millen and Arjun Schuchert is shared through music. Technically formed in 2019, although the lads had been playing since middle school, the Schuchert brothers began performing under the name Griffen Handshake. From their early performances across the local Pittsburgh scene to the release of their critically acclaimed debut album, My Box, in 2021, the brothers have gone from success to success.

Influenced by a diverse range of artists from Green Day and No Doubt to The Interrupters and Rush, Griffen Handshake’s music has a distinct nostalgic flair. A nod to the 90s pop-rock/pop-punk sound, tinges of Green Day, The Offspring, Bowling For Soup, and Weezer are sprinkled across Griffen Handshake’s melodies. Following their hard-hitting single ‘All My Friends Wanna Be Doctors’, the Schuchert brothers tap into their inner Sum 41 with the latest single ‘CANCEL’.

Powerful, bold and robust, Griffen Handshake has an “in your face” attitude in their songs. ‘CANCEL’ continues the toe-tapping pop-rock meets punk sound heard in ‘All My Friends Wanna Be Doctors’ – an evolution from My Box. While there is an almost palpable grittiness to their new singles, a sense of sophistication and elegance is heard in the compositions. Finding the line between brutally raw grit and more flowing pop, the lads highlight their unique means of being harsh but smooth.

Along with the intriguing melodies, Millen and Arjun Schuchert connect with listeners on a profound and intimate level; they’re not just pretty faces with mad music skills. Unafraid to touch on controversial topics, ‘CANCEL’ looks at cancel culture and an imperfect, anxiety-ridden society. The duo explains that “the lyrical inspiration came from…dealing with constant anxiety. ‘CANCEL’ is about cancel culture and how we should go about dealing with it…we do not need to tear ourselves down for what happened in the past or dwell on our insecurities. Rather, it’s important to strive to become better people by understanding the past and our flaws to inspire future positive action.”

For more from Griffen Handshake check out their official website, Facebook, Instagram and Spotify. - The Other Side Reviews