The Secret Handshake

The Secret Handshake
The Secret Handshake performing on July 16, 2010.
Background information
Origin	Houston, Texas, United States
Genres	Electronic rock electronica electropop blue-eyed soul[1]
Years active	2004-2011
Labels	Triple Crown, 679, Doll House
Associated acts	Of Legends,[2] Mystery Skulls
Members	Luis Dubuc

The Secret Handshake was the electronica/soul musical project of self-taught musician Luis Dubuc. Dubuc sings and plays all instruments on the band's studio albums, including guitar, synthesizer, piano, percussion, and sound effects which he creates on his computer.^[3] He has two new musical projects, a metal band called Of Legends and an electronica band named Mystery Skulls.

Background

Luis Dubuc was born in New Orleans, LA. He speaks Spanish fluently, but chose The Secret Handshake as his stage name, saying, "I didn't want people to think I was a Latin singer like Enrique Iglesias. Not because those people are bad, because they make great music. But I didn't want anyone to get the wrong idea. I wanted a nondescriptive band's name so that the music can speak for itself."^[3]

Dubuc first got his start playing drums in a couple of bands with his friends, most notably in the hardcore unit Thirty Called Arson.^[4] Inspired by artists like Michael Jackson and Daft Punk, he eventually began writing and recording some songs as a side project in his Dallas-based bedroom with a laptop and Wurlitzer to assist him.^[4] By November 2004, Dubuc had self-released his first full-length album, entitled Antarctica. Less than a year later, he followed up with the EP This Is Bigger Than You and I, which was issued through Doll House Recordings. Momentum began building around his distinctive electronica laptop pop/rock, and The Secret Handshake developed a devoted fanbase. Another EP, Summer of '98 (referring to the summer before he started high school),^[4] was released in early 2007 through New York's Triple Crown Records,^[5] anchored by the vocoder-heavy title track. The full length One Full Year followed, becoming his full length Triple Crown Records debut.

In 2008 The Secret Handshake was featured on the Punk Goes Crunk compilation/covers album, where he covered Skee-Lo's rap classic "I Wish".^[6]

2009

On April 29, 2009, The Secret Handshake released his third studio album, My Name Up in Lights. The album was recorded entirely in Dubuc's apartment in Dallas.^[7] In 2009, the album reached #17 on the Billboard Heatseekers chart^[8] and #45 on the Independent Albums chart.^[9]

The Secret Handshake opened for the Alternative Press Tour 2009, entitled The Fall Ball, which also featured You Me At Six, Set Your Goals, The Academy Is..., and Mayday Parade.^[10] Luis Dubuc was featured on the subscriber-only cover of Alternative Press November 2009 issue, along with the lead singers of the other bands featured on The Fall Ball tour with a feature article.^[11] The Secret Handshake toured in Australia from November 26 to December 6.^[12]

2010

The Secret Handshake finished a two-month tour in the summer of 2010 with Every Avenue, Sing it Loud, and There for Tomorrow on the Motel 6 "Rock Yourself to Sleep" tour.^[13]

The Secret Handshake's new album Night and Day was released on August 17, 2010.

Night & Day was released with a bonus album. The "Day" album has a more motown, soul-influenced sound with 11 tracks, while the "Night" bonus album contains Electro remixes of 9 of the "Day" tracks. Each copy of Night & Day will include a download card for the "Night" album, or the two albums can be purchased separately on iTunes.

Sound In The Signals complimented the new style found on the album, but criticized Dubuc's vocal ability.^[14] Alternative Press noted the new Motown sound was a risky move but stated that Dubuc "obviously had the skills to pull it off".^[15]

Luis Dubuc was interviewed in the Alternative Press October 2010 issue, in the feature article titled You Can Hurry Love.^[16]

The Secret Handshake hosted the Luis & The Handshakes Tour - a full U.S. headline tour featuring A Cursive Memory.^[17]

The End Of The Secret Handshake

On September 21, 2011, Luis Dubuc posted on his Twitter "so by this point its obvious but TSH is pretty much over. Done with the past. Proud of what I accomplished but ready to move on."^[18]

Members

Luis Dubuc - All instruments (2004–2011)^[19]

Touring members

• Eric Sauber - keyboard
• Aaron Longoria - bass
• Ryan Muller - drums
• Jason No - guitar
• Ross Edman - drums
• Kira Merritt - back up vocals

Discography

Albums

• Antarctica (2004)
• One Full Year (2007)
• My Name Up in Lights (2009)
• Night & Day (2010)

EPs

• This Is Bigger Than You and I (2005)
• Summer of '98 (2007)

Singles

• Too Young (2007)
• Summer of '98 (2007)
• Gamegirl (Rout Remix) (2008)
• Midnight Movie (2008)
• Saturday (2009)
• All for You (2009)
• Domino (2010)

Mixtapes

• History in the Making, Vol. 1 (2008)

Compilations

• Punk Goes Crunk contributed the cover of "I Wish" by Skee-Lo (2008)
• Family Force 5 Album, Dance or Die with a Vengeance, song titled "Dance or Die" (Secret Handshake Han Valen Remix)
• Contributed to the Suicide Season - Cut Up remix album by remixing the track "Suicide Season" by Bring Me the Horizon (2009)
• Remixed All Time Low's song "Weightless"

Notes

External links

• The Secret Handshake MySpace
• Chris French (13 Feb 2008). "The Secret Handshake". Alternative Press. Retrieved 18 March 2009. 
• Jennifer Sica. "Victor Freshmead's the life of the party - Summer Of '98 EP review". Alternative Press. Retrieved 18 March 2009. 
• Ryan Brockington (February 13, 2009). "Bleach Tips and Glow Sticks! It's The Secret Handshake". New York Post. Retrieved 18 March 2009. 
• Pete Freedman (April 13, 2009). "Few acts among the crowded local mall-pop scene are as sonically promising as TSH". Dallas Observer. Retrieved 23 April 2009. 
• James (21 April 2009). "The Secret Handshake - My Name Up In Lights". Under the Gun. Retrieved 21 April 2009.