The Secret Handshake

The Secret Handshake is the electronic pop rock music project of Luis Dubuc, from Dallas, Texas but originally from Canada (as stated at the Toronto Fall Ball; AP Tour on Friday, November 13th 2009). He has released three full-length albums, two EPs and a mixtape in his four year run. Dubuc first got his start playing in a couple of bands with his friends, most notably spending time as the drummer for metallic hardcore unit Thirty Called Arson, who released the album You're Only a Rebel from the Waist Down through Pluto Records in 2003.

Inspired by artists like Michael Jackson and Daft Punk, he eventually began writing and recording some songs on the side in his Dallas-based bedroom with just a laptop and Wurlitzer to assist him. 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 and also featured his then-girlfriend, Bethany Brown. Momentum began building around his quirky electronica laptop pop/rock, at times resembling Hellogoodbye's antics and resonating with emo kids looking for a good time. Another EP, Summer of '98 (as in the summer before he started high school), was released in early 2007 through New York's Triple Crown Records^[1], anchored by the vocoder-heavy title track.

The 2009 release My Name Up in Lights reached #17 on the Billboard Heatseekers chart^[2] and #45 on the Independent Albums chart.^[3]

The Secret Handshake has toured with many well-known and respectable bands including The Rocket Summer, Phantom Planet, Boys Like Girls, hellogoodbye, Bring Me The Horizon, The Cab, A Rocket to the Moon, Family Force 5, Jonezetta, PlayRadioPlay, The Morning Light, Eye Alaska, Anarbor, The Summer Set and My Favorite Highway.

Current

The Secret Handshake will be opening for the Alternative Press Tour 2009, entitled The Fall Ball, which also features You Me At Six, Set Your Goals, The Academy Is..., and Mayday Parade. The Fall Ball tour begins on September 25 in Pontiac, MI and ends on November 15 in Pittsburgh, PA. The Secret Handshake will tour in Australia from November 26 to December 6. The Australia stops will include Brisbane, Sydney, Belgrave, Melbourne, Adelaide and Perth.

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.

Luis Dubuc has noted on his Twitter account that he has been writing and recording new music. He recently married his long-time girlfriend, Bethany Brown.

Members

• Luis Dubuc - Vocals, Electric Pianos, Guitar, Computers, Programming (2004-present)

Touring Members

(Currently)

• Johno Erickson - Bass Guitar
• Casey Crawford - Drums

Discography

Albums

• Antarctica (2004)
• One Full Year (2007)
• My Name Up in Lights (2009)

EPs

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

Singles

• Too Young (2007)
• Summer of '98 (2007)
• Gamegirl (2008)
• Midnight Movie (2008)
• All for You (2009)

Mixtapes

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

Compilations

• Punk Goes Crunk contributed 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)

External links

• www.thesecrethandshake.net
• The Secret Handshake MySpace
• Chris French (13 Feb, 2008). "The Secret Handshake". Alternative Press. http://www.altpress.com/lowprofiles/132.htm. Retrieved 18 March, 2009. 
• Jennifer Sica. "Victor Freshmead's the life of the party - Summer Of '98 EP review". Alternative Press. http://www.altpress.com/reviews/828.htm. Retrieved 18 March, 2009. 
• Ryan Brockington (February 13, 2009). "Bleach Tips and Glow Sticks! It's The Secret Handshake". New York Post. http://blogs.nypost.com/popwrap/archives/2009/02/bleach_tips_and_glow_sticks_its_the_secret_handsake_download.html. 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. http://www.dallasobserver.com/2009-04-23/music/the-secret-handshake/. Retrieved 23 April, 2009. 
• James (21 April, 200909). "The Secret Handshake - My Name Up In Lights". Under the Gun. http://underthegunreview.net/?p=1926. Retrieved 21 April, 2009. 

Notes

1. ^ "The Secret Handshake discography". Allmusic. http://www.allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&sql=11:hcfpxqtdldje~T2. Retrieved 18 March, 2009. 
2. ^ Charts, Billboard.com
3. ^ Charts, Billboard.com